I'm 25

Just wrapped up my birthday weekend, but I'll probably be getting more presents and such in the coming weeks anyway. The Japanese are excessively generous that way.

Last night I went out to one of the local hip-hop clubs with some friends from the gym. It was fun, even though I didn't get drunk and pick up any girls - the supposed birthday tradition. Just had a few drinks, danced a little, and chatted up a few Japanese chicks. A fine time by my very sedate standards.

Saturday I went out to dinner with a freind. She treated me, and boy, do I feel like an ass for it. We went to a yaki niku restaurant, and a pretty nice one at that. The bill ended up near $100. I offered to take it, but she insisted. I'm thinking I'd better jump the country before her birthday comes around, lord knows I can't foot that much.

Friday was capoeira class. The tradition is to have a birthday roda, where the birthday celebrant has to play everyone. It's really hard, especially since the instructors usually play last and beat you up a bit. I was cut some slack, as there were two other people having their birthday rodas with me (that's them in the picture). So I only had to play a third of the time and could take a break when I was tired. But I felt pretty good in there, I played aggressively and maybe at my highest speed.

My first birthday party this year came last Sunday, when some of my old students took me out to a Korean place in Namba. Really nice restaurant, cool interior design. They gave me some nice gifts too, although it was a little tricky carrying it all home on my bike.

So I'm 25 now. This is my 3rd birthday in Japan, and I would say the best. The first one I had out here was kinda quiet, I didn't really know many people. I can't remember the second one, so it probably wasn't very eventful. And this one, being rather low-key, has been just the way I like to celebrate.