karaoke and typhooning

It's true.

What they say about musical theater people and karaoke.

Um, we love it. Can't get enough of it.

And the feel of that microphone gripped between your fingers?

Amazing.

And all that swanky reverb that makes those high notes seem just effortless?

Divine.

Seriously, three of us stepped into the place because you know, we're in Japan and all and still hadn't been to one. We purchased an hour session, which I thought was maybe pushing it, but then...well, then there was the feel of the microphone and the cheesy soundtracks and any old pop song I wanted to sing and all that marshmallowy reverb and the hour went by in what seemed like just a fantastically fun second or two.

And there was something like a perfect moment when, right as we were ending a rousing rendition of Doe a Deer, singing in octaves the last two D0 D0's, there was a third unintentional but gloriously in rhythm beat, a crash! and shatter! as a glass smashed onto the ground.

Sending us into gales of laughter.

And though I am sure the Karaoke bar did not think it was a perfect moment, considering how it left them down a glass and all, the fact that that crazy-good drummer from the Dave Matthews Band himself could not have hit a more perfectly timed crash than the sound of that breaking glass was just too good.

But really, I am not promoting the harm or violence toward any innocent glasses, especially ones that do not actually belong to you.

So keep your glasses safe.

But if one does happen to slip from your grip while singing at a karaoke bar--if you can time it so it crashes right as a surprising button to the song, well then, that's the way I'd recommend it.

Oh. And another thing I'd recommend?

How about while flying your passengers through a typhoon, not showing footage of the havoc that typhoon is wreaking in the same area over which they are flying, for goodness' sake?!

Seriously. We were taking off in the storm and every monitor in the plane was giving us views of trees blowing sideways, rain angrily beating down diagonally, and clouds piling up in the sky.

Um, thanks.

We kind of knew about the not great flying conditions already since our flight was delayed. Twice. And if we still hadn't gotten it by then, we could have just, I don't know, looked out the window. But I guess you just needed to leave no uncertainty in our minds as to how hard our flight could be and so you showed us the typhoon.

On TV.

Pounding the earth.

Ripping the sky in half.

And giving us the ride of our lives.

Nice touch, Japanese Airline, very nice touch indeed.