Burrr, it's cold

How the heck did it get so cold in just one day?

October 1st is the official day when the every Japanese person at a school knows that they are supposed to change their attire. No more summer wear, no more short sleeves, no mwinterore "warm weather clothing."

Last week, because it was hot and sunny, I wore a short sleeved shirt to work. The moment I opened the staffroom door in the morning, I knew I had made a mistake. All the teachers looked at me funny and many asked me, "Aren't you cold?"with a tone that made me feel like I had worn a too-short-skirt to a "respectable" office.

It was another one of those things about Japanese culture that I just didn't understand. People were wearing clothes based on the date, not the actual weather or temperature.

But today, I understand. Overnight, the cold arrived. I can just sense that today maybe the start of winter. It will be the last day I have my windows opened for fresh air until March. It would probably be soon when I have my heater on full blast. Yikes. Not looking forward to it.

Next Year

It's only the beginning of October, but I'm already thinking about next year.
In the last English teachers' meeting, we were given our re-contracting papers. A few minutes ago, I checked the "I have decided NOT to re-contract for the 2009-2010 JET program" box and signed it even though the form is not due till early February.
It's scary, I feel like I'm about to graduate from college again and I have little idea what immediately lies ahead of me. The fact that the US economy is in a state of chaos doesn't help things either.
What's going to happen next? I guess only time will tell.
For the time being, I think I really need to set some goals as well as cherish the time I have left here.