EDIT: This post is being added onto, as my iPad is being uncooperative, please refresh for updates.

So, this blog has been quiet for a while, but that was because I was busy preparing for something big, and had a lot of things to get in order. Here’s what it is: I am writing this from Japan.

I had the honor of being chosen in the lottery to attend this years FC Birthday Celebration for Maya.

I went expecting a special live like in past years, but this time was completely different. It wasn’t a live at all. It was a talk show style get-together with the FC. I was surprised, but pleased, as I’ve always felt bad about making someone work on their birthday. More on that later.

I left from Shinjuku on the bus, and we took the 5 hour ride to the resort. We arrived on time, but the schedule had gotten a little cramped due to delays caused by Typhoon Jongdari. We actually didn’t know until the day before if the event was still even going to happen. Thankfully, the typhoon had mostly abated by the time we left. Just some rain on the way.

The bus seating was determined by room, and all are seats for each portion of the events were on the back of our badges.

Upon arrival we were all given numbers that we had to pick out of a box, this would determine when we could go to the merch table.

The event started with us gathering the Music Garden Studio for a short welcome speech from our boys. They were wearing yukata (I think). And Aiji made a joke about how Maya’s Obi was tied weird, I couldn’t catch everything as my Japanese is not that great, but he was saying something about it being too low, and making Maya’s stomach look big. You know, the belly fat you need a microscope to see.

Here’s a pic so you can see the yukata.

After the welcome ceremony, we lined up and got to take a photo with them. A longtime wish was fulfilled.

We had dinner, and got our merch. I bought the T-shirts and entered the lottery for the photo cards, the fan you see above, and some other things.

After that we returned to our rooms, and awaited a visit from the band. LM.C came to each of our rooms and gave us all a give, Maya gave everyone a folded fan, not the one pictured above, which he kept in the sleeves of his Yukata, and Aiji gave the card that the photo would be placed in. When they came we were crammed in a tiny hallway that led into our room, so I was literally rubbing elbows with Maya cause it was so cramped. It really doesn’t hit you how tall he is until it’s right next to you.

The best part of the trip happened then, Maya looked down at me and stared for a while, then he said in plain English, “Do I know you? Have we met before?”

I was like: holy shizznits, he remembered me? I answered, “Yes, at Dallas and Tekko.”

Then Maya said, “You’re the one who gave the—“ he couldn’t describe it in english so me made hand gestures. I nodded and said yes. He then started telling Aiji, and that’s when he was like: “Ah!”

Maya then asked me, “You understand Japanese?”

I said, “Sukoshi, sukoshi… [a little bit….]”

He nodded in response.

Aiji then asked me if it was my first time in Japan, in a combination of broken English and Japanese, and I said yes. They seemed shocked that I had come from so far, aside from me there was only one other foreigner that I knew of being there, one of my roommates, she’s from Taiwan.

They then bid us farewell, in Japanese, then turned to me and said goodbye in English, and as Aiji said bye he also said “See you again soon.”

We then took a short nap, and went to the Birthday Countdown. Which when form 11:30pm to 2:30am.

I didn’t think it was possible for Maya and Aiji to talk for 3 hours but I was wrong. Mr. Ueno [is what I think his name was] our hype man, who I refer to as “Japanese Ryan”, got the crowd charged up and introduced the band on stage.

This time the were wearing the t-shirts that were being sold, with the Parkas. Aiji had the black T-shirt, and Maya had the white. Both were were in black jeans. Maya’s had rips in the front extending down to a few inches above the new and calf-high flat boots. Aiji had regular black jeans and really big boots, not sure how to describe them actually.

Aiji played the role of host, which is the most I’ve ever heard Aiji talk ever, he’s really good at it. There were lots of jokes and comedy, most of it I couldn’t follow cause of my crummy Japanese (sorry about that, I wish I could tell you more details).

I will tell you more about the funny stuff later, it’s getting late, and I am tired, and don’t feel like fighting with this iPad anymore.