Plus: Day 11 of the Grand Sumo Tournamnet in Osaka.
Published on March 24, 2004 By Jamie Burnside In Sports & Leisure
Hello there friends. I hope that you're having a happy day.

I am not doing so well. I am under-the-weather. Over the last week or so, I have been putting extra-stress on myself. I have added new classes, I co-presented a speech with a colleague, and I had to take-on three (complete beginner) non-English speakers into my program. (I had to translate for their parents too.)

Coming home from work last night, I felt chills and muscle aches. My body told me that it is time to "slow down." After a restless night of sleep, I dragged into work to at least welcome the new kids to the school. Luckily for me, they all had to go to the doctor, and a sub was able to finish-out my day.

There were three times in the past few years where stress has got the better of me. Once was when Kazuko and I were running all over Nagoya with our luggage trying to find a reasonably priced airplane ticket to America before winter break 2001 was over. The other time was when I was over-dressed for the birth of my son (flannel shirt+plastic overalls+anisthetic that didn't take+breathing into a mask= I fainted. Next time I am bringing my own scrubs!) Now this time.

I really need to rethink my schedule. I am burning myself out! -Of course I shouldn't think about that until tomorrow. Today is my "mental/ physical health day." Hopefully I will be ready to get back at it tomorrow morning.


SUMO


After waking up from a long nap, I was able to catch up on the day's sumo matches. That was nice to do during the day.

After eleven days of the Grand Sumo Tournamnet in Osaka, there are four wrestlers with unbeaten records. Asashoryu, Kaio, Chiyotaikai, and Asasekiryu are a prefect 11-0. One of them is going to fall tomorrow, as Kaio is going to take on Asasekiryu.

I have been really impressed with Kaio and Asashoryu. I think that Kaio has a chance to win the tournament, even though Asashoryu is on a long winning-streak. Kaio's sumo has been the best that I have seen in years. He reminds me of Musashimaru when he had his good tournaments.

With all of these unbeaten records, it seems that the pressure is brewing to crown a second Yokozuna (grand champion.) Of the current Ozeki, I feel that Kaio has the best shot at moving up.

Comments
on Mar 24, 2004
Sorry you are so stressed! Luckily spring break is right around the corner!!!