Ranie's Bday party

Last weekend was my manager and friend Ranie Bowers’ birthday. Two of our students – Misato and Mariko – organized a party at my regular bar called POT on Saturday, July 15.

It was a very busy week for everyone, especially for the birthday girl, so we weren’t too sure if we would pull the party off. But it was a huge success! The POT staff – which consists of manager Ando-san and his Boy-Friday Yo-chan – put out tons of food, drink and surfer vibe. Every time Ranie and I go to POT together, it always ends up in a night of debauchery, and this night was no different. By all accounts, a good time was had by one and all!

Me with the party organizers Mariko and Misato

Along with the usual suspects like Misato, Tanaka Akihiro and Micah from Hawaii, some people came from Tokyo and we even welcomed our new teacher Karen who just arrived in Japan three days before. And despite coming from Windsor, Ontario Canada, Karen seems to be with-it and pretty together!

The birthday girl, who was radiant in baby blue, received many bouquets of flowers, a lovely tiara and no less than three pairs of shoes as gifts. The fact that she got all those shoes just confirms that she is definitely – no question about it – a friend of my sister’s.

Ranie with her tiara and new shoes!

Only a few days before the party I was informed that I was DJ-ing the party, for a night of soul, funk and reggae. So I hooked up my laptop computer to the mixing board and played MP3’s, while the other two DJs spun incredible vinyl grooves that were so damn dirty, we had to send them out to the Jefferson Cleaners.

Get the funk outcha yo faces …your DJs for the evening

As the crowd slowly thinned out and Ando-san, Yo-chan, Tanaka and I closed the place listening to Iron Maiden, the sun rose, signaling the end of a very long, yet wonderful day. I spent the next day on my couch, not able to do too much, but it was well worth it.