St. Patricks Day Weekend. The stuff dreams are made of.

Friday night: Ladies' Pillow Fight Competition at the King George Pub here in Omiya.

Ready to kick some ass.

A shot before the match. I was introduced as "The Boston Strangler."

The winner was decided by judges after two thirty-second matches. I won the first match but lost the second after getting points deducted for my headlock maneuver.

Liza vs. some girl from Australia

Look at George's face.

The aftermath of the final bout

The winner: Stacy from Canada. We were robbed.

Me and George and some dudes. The guy on the left said he was from Andover. Small world.

Saturday: I dragged myself to work all day, then went directly to Marguerite's to get ready. From there, I accompanied a whole herd of people to a couple bars in Shibuya, then spent the night at an indie rock club called "Hard To Explain."
No pictures, unfortunately.

Five AM ramen, four hours of sleep, and then...

Sunday: I wake up on Marguerite's couch, and go unshowered and unchanged to the St. Patricks Day parade in Harajuku.

With Marguerite and Jessica
Since I wasn't wearing green, Marguerite lent me one of her shirts. It proclaimed "I Can't Believe It's Yogurt!" I believe she got it in Thailand.

My hairdo from the night before had somehow miraculously survived.

Kana and Mahon. Mahon (who is legitimately full-on Irish) taught me the Official St. Patricks Day Song, which can be performed by swinging one arm, stomping one foot, and bellowing, "Saaaaaint Pat-ricks Day!" We were doing this under a foot bridge when two Japanese passersby whipped out cameras and took pictures of us.

Kirk and his son Ben.

Me and Vanessa

A few street beers later, and we were pretty obnoxious. Vanessa did her part by trying to high-five everyone in the parade as they walked by.

After the parade, we wanted (nay, NEEDED) to go to an Irish pub, so we got on the Yamanote Line train headed for Shinjuku. And what to my wondering eyes should appear:

Then we were at The Dubliner:

Marguerite and I with green beer and a child (Ben).

Me and Kana

I heard bagpipes, and then a dissonant "aaaaaaAAAAAAAAaaaaaaAAAA" into a live microphone. I turned around and there was little Ben. They let him "sing" throughout the whole song. It was very cute.

Me, Vanessa, and Cloudy Bongwater. Yes, that is actually his legal name.
I am not shitting you.

And that, kids, was my St. Patricks Day Weekend.

Oh, Japan.