So what are we doing these days?

Oh, we're mostly chillin'. You remember how I mentioned that I was going maybe to play guitar at this new bar in Kikai? Well, my friend said that I should probably just go there and maybe the owner, who's wanted me to play for some time, would just ask me to play right then. So I went w/ a bit of a mental set list at the ready, and sure enough I played from about 10:30 to 10:55 or something. I had a good time, got to play a nice Takamine guitar, played before about 50 people or so, had fun playing and am mostly happy w/ the way I sang and only made a few mistakes on the guitar playing. So it was good. It was a little annoying how the progressively more drunken patrons of the bar would occasionally let fly a whoop or loud whistle, but I didn't let it affect my performance. I was afraid that they hated my music, but whadduryagonnado? The owner invited me back to play "anytime." We left pretty much right afterwards b/c the smoke was kinda thick inside and we couldn't stand it well. Some friends, old and new, were there to observe, and they said they liked it. I'll never know if they really did. ;-) It was fun.

I took off of my classes today and only have the one class tomorrow, w/ 2 adults. Aubrey went to the office to "work" this morning, but we decided she should take the other 2.5 days of this week off for vacation - we're not really sure how many more opportunities we'll have - ever - to hang out w/ Kaki, since she's almost certainly moving back to Hong Kong after her grajeeashun in May (grajeeashun is where you get a piece of paper that says you're smart).

So yesterday we entertained two Japanese friends (whom we had seen at the bar the night before) for a taco and refried beans lunch. It was great, but kind of un-Japanese of our one friend, whom we had invited. She then called us 3 minutes before she was to arrive and said, "Is it OK if I bring a friend w/ me?" Ordinarily, we're cool w/ that, absolutely. But 3 minutes before? Well, it was OK, but it struck me as a bit strange. But no prob - we're always ready to welcome more peoples into our haus. And we had enough tacos, so no harm, no foul. Our friends ended up staying until like 5 pm after lunch, so that was neat, but I started feeling a bit tired, so I kind of reclined on my elbow on the floor. Then all of a sudden, I started feeling really dizzy and so pretty much retired to bed for the rest of the day.

And tonight Aubrey was "invited" to a Year-Beginning party for her office (which means that she was under quite a bit of pressure to go) and I walked her there. Once there, I was turning to leave but they invited me in. Not too unhappily, I joined the 40-strong dinner party in the community center. They had good food - big platters of sushi and fried shrimp and also some hot soup that was highly diggable. Some people played and sang, and Aub's boss asked me to go home and fetch my guitar, which I did quickly. I played one song and Aub sang w/ me and it went over quite well. Of course, I was offered alcohol about a zillion times, and one of those times 'twas the superintendent, quite a 'big man,' who offered. I refused politely and asked for more tea. He said "Mada kodomo?" (Are you still a kid?) Two thoughts - 1) Maybe I should re-grow my goatee. 2) How shallow are you, sir, to think that you're a man when you drink sake?
I don't know - it's just sad to see this. Aubrey reminded me that these guys seem all growed-up, but in reality they're more like still-immature high schoolers. She's right, you know.
So tomorrow, we'll visit the other American on the island and generally do more chillin', and some prayer walking. Talk to you soon!