Sore

What happened in the course of last night, I am not quite sure. I woke up this morning sore all over, especially in my shoulders and temples. Maybe it is stress. Maybe it is due to the fact that, having stopped drinking as of late, I drank a good deal of shotchu (a mellow, bitter Japanese rice whiskey) with hot water last night as I got together with some of my friends in my hometown for all of last year, Kibi. My two friends--Kyoko and Gengo--have a little boy named Daigo. He's about a year and a half years old. It was amusing to see how many times he could sneak out of reach from mom and dad and press the service button that they have in most Japanese izakayas (restaurants). Apparently I also stumbled into an omiai gathering--i.e. a set up introduction of a man and woman so as to make it more socially comfortable. I am not Japanese, so it is not comfortable, although Kyoko's friend Sachie is quite a charming woman. Of course just about everybody knows everything about everyone else in the inaka (countryside) of Japan, so I am sure she has learned all about me. Yes, the terrible things I did in Kibi like ride my bike up to Kanaya late at night to get drunk at the Sake rest and listen to Van Halen with the master who liked 80's hair bands, or ride up into the mikan orchards for no other reason but to see a view most locals wouldn't care much for. Well, I am not really sure where I am going in this blog. Just trying to fight off a strange hangover that feels like I was beat up last night and can't remember it. Soon, I will go to class. Time for lunch.