After attending an English conversation meeting 0903

 The topics are... "Opposition"

◆In what ways can opposition be helpful to a person?

That’s a difficult question, so I can only give a general answer.

When you are discussing something and trying to decide what to do, it’s important to hear opposing opinions because they help you look at the issue from different angles.

If I think about it more specifically,

Opposition can make you think more carefully.

It can help you find weaknesses in your ideas.

It can help you improve your ideas.

It can help you understand other people's perspectives.

It can prevent you from making a bad decision.

◆Are you a very competitive person? What things do you like to compete in?

Do I seem like a competitive person to you?

I used to be competitive. Anyway, I hated losing. It’s not that I didn’t care about winning. I did want to win, but I hated losing even more. So I tended not to take on things when I already knew I was likely to lose. Even now, I don’t like games where there has to be a winner and a loser.

◆How do you usually react if people disagree with an idea or thought that you have?

When you say “usually,” let me answer as a woman in her 60s.

As we get older and gain more experience, the way we respond changes.

When someone disagrees with me, I first think about how important my opinion is in the discussion. If I need to stick to my opinion or I have to take action myself, I try to think more carefully about what they are saying. But if it’s not that important, I’ll just back down and move on.

◆Do you ever have to compete against others at school or at work?

Now I’m retired, and there are only two of us here—my husband and me. So I seldom have to compete against others. But I used to compete at school, at work, and even at home.

by Yuki

◆When was the last time you had an argument? What happened?

Though my mother has already passed away, the last serious argument I had was when she was sick. I had to discuss her care with my brothers. It wasn’t a very friendly discussion. At that time, my brother was the main person taking care of my mother, so I decided to step back and let him have his way.

◆Have you ever ended a friendship with a person because you had opposing ideas?

Unfortunately, yes. It’s happened several times, and I still remember every one of them clearly. What’s more, when I think about it, the pattern is always the same. I become closer to someone and start to believe that this person really understands me and understands the way I think I get too confident about that, and eventually, the friendship falls apart. You’d think I would have learned by now!

Good morning 0902

 

by YUKI

Last night, the owner of Café KARAKU called me to let me know that some items had been sold. All the clothes were sold, and Yuki’s fishing gear was sold, too.

Unfortunately, though, the books, which are the main reason we’re doing this, are still there.

Good morning 0901

 

by Yuki

September has started, and so has our free market at Café Karaku. It will be there for a month

Good morning 0831

 

by YUKI

Monday has started. In the morning, we’re going to the clinic as usual. Then, in the evening, we’re going to KARAKU Cafe with the things we want to let go of.

They’ve kindly offered us a corner of the cafe where we can display the things we no longer need, and customers can take whatever they need.

We have to arrange everything ourselves, so the key is whether we can set things up in a stylish and attractive way.

Good morning 0830

 

by Yuki

Yesterday, two young friends came to my house. I handed over all the props I had used for my picture-book activities.

They were originally props for my English picture-book activities, but of course, they can also be used for reading Japanese picture books. They can still be useful at this point.

The props themselves gradually wear out, and new picture books keep coming out, so eventually the props may no longer work for the books being used.

I finally decided that it was time to let them go while there are still people who want to use them. It took me a long time to make up my mind, but I’m glad I finally did.

Good morning 0825

 What a pain! My right neck and shoulder have been hurting since yesterday morning, though my right shoulder has been hurting since this winter. So I put on a pain-relief patch and carried on with my day. But the pain got worse, so I went to an orthopedic clinic.

They gave me an IV painkiller and told me that wearing a neck brace might make things a little more comfortable. They gave me a simple neck brace to wear.

I don’t know why the pain got worse. I guess the shoulder pain has now spread to my neck. The pain is much better this morning, but it still hurts when I move my neck up and down. My left shoulder has started to hurt a little, too.

Oh, well. I guess I just have to learn to live with it and manage it as best I can.

You still have to wear a mask at hospitals in Japan.

Good morning 0824

 

by Yuki

It’s Monday. A new week has started again.

I’d like to start the week on a refreshing note, but it’s so humid. It’s unusual for it to be this humid so early in the morning.

Today is my health checkup day. I’m not having breakfast, and I’ll leave home in about an hour. I’m also having a gynecological checkup this afternoon, so it’s going to be quite a busy day. It’s a health checkup organized by the city, so I guess that’s what you get.

I wonder where we should eat—an early lunch or a late breakfast?

This week, our care manager is coming, and our bodywork therapist is coming, too. Thanks to long-term care insurance, it’s nice to have people coming and going .