Genki

Something about being in Japan really makes me want to go to Karaoke bars all the time. The craziest times I've had have been when a bunch of people decide to go get crazy at a Karaoke bar. It costs about 10 dollars American per hour, per person, and its all you can drink. There's a little phone in the room, and all you have to do is pick it up and say, "Beer-u por favor," and like that, there's fresh beers for everyone. And these are private party rooms, so you don't have to embarrass yourself in front of complete strangers. (Actually, last night got so crazy, me and this guy Ryan Murphy wandered into someone else's room, and they were all Japanese, but we all can recognize the common bond of beer and Journey.) I regularly perform "Don't Stop Believing" and the entire Chili Peppers catalog. I've gone to Karaoke quite a bit by now. But the most amazing part about last night is, unlike the night in Tokyo, I stayed up until 4 after a lot of drinking, and woke up this morning feeling like a million bucks. The weather was beautiful and I was pumped to play Firebird and Mozart with the Sapporo Symphony. Genki is a Japanese response to "how are you doing?", usually. The best English translation is good, but I think it has to do with feeling the positive energy flowing through you. Maybe I'm making out to be more profound than it really is, but I felt so good because I had a good time last night, and I've been having a good time. When you can feel this energy, you don't need sleep, coffee, or even an overworked liver to prevent a hangover. Hangovers are a state of mind.

In between rehearsals today, I started playing with this Japanese toy. It's a ball on a string and a handle that has four spots with which to catch the ball. There are three spots to land it, each with differing sizes, and then a spike that you have to get in the hole of the ball. I'm apparently a natural at it. I put the spike in the ball within my first few tries, and landed it in sequence. I might spend a lot of time trying to get really good at it. There's this group called PMF Harmony that gives us these toys, snacks, and tea all throughout the day. Its a pretty sweet deal.

Quote of the Day: "We're bringing Genki back..."