All one can drink

I shall try not to think too much about the delicious Thanksgiving meals currently being planned by various wings of my family back home. I'll just stay safely wrapped inside my Japan bubble, where the commonly used household cooking devices are not even close to big enough to host a turkey for an afternoon.

Oh, and the pie.

But no -- I must not focus on the pie, in all its wonderful varieties. No, it's just another week in Ise. Tonight I'll be heading down the street to the Ise Brewery for a twice-monthly tradition. For 1,000 yen (less than $10) per person, you get all you can drink on quality beers on tap, some which are made in the house. This is not your normal super-light (and super dry) Japanese beer, which I certainly don't mind. This is quality black beers, brown beers, bitter beers, amber beers. And some wildcards which are best kept in the "sampler" size ... I'm talking about the green tea beer, here, mainly. Not to be trusted.

This place is just a dash away from my house, just before the 100 yen shop and the drug store. Four or five or six of us meet there for the twice-a-month all-you-can-drink festivities, and if we are not satisfied with the night by the 11 p.m. closing time, we usually meander (stumble?) over to my apartment and try not to piss off the mean downstairs neighbor as we push through to 1 a.m. All this on a school night (for most of us). Fortunately this is just a couple times a month at most. But I feel fortunate to live so close to Ise's best source of good quality beer.

Then on Thursday I will teach only two lessons before a three-day-weekend. Nothing special planned at the moment so maybe I'll stay local and aim to save money right after payday instead of right before.

Happy birthday wishes go out to my father, Bryan, back in Oregon. Happy holidays wishes go to all of my friends and family. All I ask in return is that you simply think of me this holiday season. Also, fax me some gravy.