Conundrum...

Do I open my birthday presents now or wait until my birthday? I can't decide--you do it.

Kevin and Lindsey's wedding

Of course there are a million more pictures, but I'm not about to try and put them all up here. If you just can't get enough, go to Lindsey's facebook page and you can see them all!

The first slideshow has pictures from my camera.
The second one has pictures from the photographer.

Curiousity killed the cat...and my taste buds

No matter how curious you are, don't buy this.



I also wouldn't recommend trying chili beer.

Don't go breaking my heart

In Japan, karaoke is completely different than at home. At home, you are singing to loads of people that you don't know. In Japan, you have your own room with your friends. That means no embarrassment...unless you put video of it on your blog.

Of course Maureen and I had to do a duet. We would have preferred to sing "At the beginning" by Donna Lewis and Richard Marx, which is the song that inspired this picture:



However, we had to settle for the next best thing.
**Warning: This video could hurt your ears.



Maureen and I never pass up an opportunity to take a picture together. There is always paparazzi (a.k.a. Amanda) around to snap our picture.


One of our many duets throughout the night


We love to ham it up for the camera


I had a hard time not getting really into the songs when I was singing...I mean, I think you should give it all or nothing at all, right?


I wish I could remember what song we had just finished


Miranda fell asleep.


At the end of the evening, I made Maureen feel very special by giving her some incredibly beautiful flowers (read: weeds).


Bonus: I know you don't care, but here is (the most complete) play list of our 5 hour evening at karaoke.
-Don't go breaking my heart
-Lose Yourself
-Mr. Roboto
-If it makes you happy
-Say it ain't so (x2)
-Loser
-That's the way I like it
-My Humps
-Britney Spears Medley (Yes, you read correctly)
-U2 Medley
-You oughta know
-Last Christmas (This was an accidental input, but we still sang it!)
-I just called to say I love you
-Are you happy know
-You're so vain
-Steady as she goes
-Stupid girl
-Californication
-1979
-Somebody told me
-Incomplete
-Purple Rain
-Me & Bobby McGee
-Pieces of Me
-Don't stop believing
-Creep (This was mine and Maureen's unofficial trip song, so we had to do this one)
-Black Star
-I think we're alone now
-Another day in paradise (ahh...good 'ole Phil)
-Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
-Don't Speak
-Cry me a river
-Bye Bye Bye
-Hero
-I would do anything for love (who can resist Meatloaf?)
-Can't get you out of my head
-It's raining men

Obviously this isn't 5 hours of songs, but we couldn't remember them all...and some of the songs were Japanese songs that I don't know the names of.

Please watch this video and ignore the fact that I haven't actually updated.

When Maureen and I were at the airport in DaNang, Vietnam, we saw this video on TV. We couldn't stop laughing. We had actually tried to video it with our cameras, but could never catch it at the beginning. Luckily youtube has everything you could ever need (and a lot that you shouldn't ever need).



Hopefully this video will distract you from the fact that I haven't actually updated lately. However, due to recent "threats" I do plan to try and update soon.
Here's what you have to look forward to:
-Pictures from Lindsey's wedding
-Karaoke night with the Green Symphony cracka' complex
-Maybe more pictures from my trip in March?

Ok, I don't want to get too ambitious. That's all I'll commit to for now.

My karate BFF

This is Masa.



He is 8 years old (although he was 7 in this picture--his birthday was today). He’s my best friend at karate, since Maureen has abandoned me. Masa has become my Japanese teacher. He’s awesome. We have some pretty deep conversations.
For example:

Me: Masa, Kyo wa nani o shimashitaka? (Masa, what did you do today?)
Masa: *insert words that I don’t understand* karuma (means car) *insert more words I don’t understand followed by car sounds* Wakatta? (Do you understand?)
Me: Oh, Hai, hai! (Oh, yes, yes!)

Another example:
Me: Samui, ne? (It’s cold, isn’t it?)
Masa: Oh, yes! (He’s so cute when he answers in English!!)

He also loves to watch me practice a kata and then say, "Very good, very good!"
I'm really going to miss him.