Damn fine story
Ever have one of those nights where nothing but good vibes swirl all about you, and it just reminds you how grateful you are for genuinely nice people? Ok so that last part sounds a bit sappy and hippy, but I certainly am.

So last Thursday night was karaoke night. Two of our Czech students were kind enough to take me and two of the other teachers here out to this bar where they had a huge stage and of course, karaoke. You can drink in public here, so I began the night at home with the guitar, then loaded up a bottle of Branik (my new favourite chezp czech beer), and headed out the door. It's really god damn liberating to just be getting drunk on the metro. What better to do when yer sitting around in a small enclosure with strangers who could give a fuck who you are or what language you DON'T speak.

Eventually, I arrive a la rendez-vous and meet my friends. We get to the bar and it's not that crowded really. Well, a couple beers later and our little group is up there doing 'Losing my Religion'. A nice start to a LONG list of contemporary hits of the 80s and 90s. I can't remember exactly what all we did, but it included some Elton John and George Micheal - Don't let the sun go down on me (the JAM), some Beatles - Yesterday (how sweet), and of course, the OBLIGATORY Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody. Oh yea and don't even get me started on how much I wrecked shop when Oasis - Wonderwall came on. I was a bit tipsy by then, and I'm not sure how i sounded, but you can't go wrong when you got the liam-stance down like I do. I've always wanetd to do that...

So we eventually get drunk enough and decide to head home around 200am. Oh did I mention I have to teach the next day? Myeh, I was way to happy to giev a fuck. I planned on getting in bed, until I get this text message from my roomates about 6 or 7 people crashing at our place. Ok for those who don't know...we have a two bedroom and I sleep in the living room. I'm definitley very curious on the logistics of this setup, but whatever, I didn't make this decision and they were already on their way.

So I get home before they do and just start jammin on my guitar because I really think it'll be hard to sleep once 9 people show up at my door. About 30 minutes later, in walk my two roomates, one random Canadian guy (whats up Natedogg), and no shit, 6 girls. I'm thinking my roomates have done very well for themselves. HAHA man I was way off. Se what happened was this...my roomates are wandering around and they come across this group of people who had just arrived in Prauge, it's like 10 o clock, and the hotel the booked basically cancelled their reservations. So they are just shit out of luck. My roomates kindly offer them a place to stay. Complete strangers you say? huh? wha? well let me tell you, when these girls started busting out the Rosaries and praying for a cab and to find their way, I'm pretty sure my roomates realised they were probably alright and could be trusted. Yea they were super catholic (I aint hatin!) and were studying at a Catholic school in Austria, visitng Prague for the weekend. What a trip.

So anyway, back to my place...We get through the introductions and just start bullshitting, and I've still got the guitar and one of them mentions this song I had learned to play for Carly. So I just kinda quietly start jammin it, and then these 6 voices all start in, in perfect harmony. It was really quite amazing, these girls could really sing! I had a BLAST and so karaoke basically continued in my living room, now probably 330am.

At this point, my commarade Bert decides it's a great time for Jagermeister. Who here knows what a good idea THAT is? So, a couple shots for the people that live there, a couple shots to new friends, and about half a bottle to Bert, and our night has thoroughly been born again. Bert gets fucking WASTED, spills cereal somehow ALL OVER THE HOUSE, and does all manner of funny drunk things. Me and my new choir just keep goin' at it, Carolina even knew my favorite Dixie Chicks song...at this point I'm definitely not hatin' on Catholics, especially since I was somewhat surprised none of them seemed to care about our cussin and blasphemin that were definitely doing in abundance.

Eventually, the night winds down, they all cram into my roomates bed, he sleeps out in the hall on a mat, and the other dude Nathan gets the couch.

4 hours later and I'm up out the door headed to class with Chris. Poor Bert...hahaha he gets dressed, made it to the door, opened it, shut it, turned around and said FUCK THIS. He never made it to school or teaching. Tsk tsk. I did, and I was still drunk enough during the first part of class to really be a dumbass. What fun!

So anyways blah blah blah the day goes alright and we head home to find our new friends gone, but their stuff still there. Chris had given them a key (maybe not such a great idea in hindsight), so we figured they'd be back. We take a couple naps and then they eventually all stroll in. We start talking and I start asking them about the Rosaries they all wear and what they mean etc. I mention that I kinda think they look cool, and might try to get one. This part blows me away...Maureen says, oh that's cool, have mine. wow. Out of the blue for real. If I learned anything, it's that these beads are super important to someone, and this really made me feel strange, and happy. I thought she couldn't be serious, but she was and she informed me it's from a 'very holy place'. Medjugore, to be exact (look it up yer damn self). So wow, that was incredibly nice and I am still incredibly grateful. Thank you. We end up eating a little dinner (which they paid for for putting them up) and then we split up, not to see them again.

Long enough? you think it's over? NO. Time for me to get to the moral of the story.
Well, I definitely gained a new respect for the Catholic religion. I've always beleived, and I had it proven, that people that are truly devoted really have something alot of us don't. So long as they don't force it on you too, it is just really cool to see, and I really respect anybody with such a strong set of beliefs. Also, I feel that in some way, they did get the message that Jesus tried to deliver across, at least to me. I always felt that Jesus was a good guy, and what his idea stands for really is something worthy of recognition. Kindness, yer know? Just being nice to be nice to be happy. Love. My gift doesn't mean a whole lot to me in a christian way, but it certainly will always remind me that kindness really does exist, as do genuinely (it seems) good people. And isnt that kind of what christianity is all about? In the words of the Chemical Brohters, Love is all. So there, I've said it. Make fun of me now and call me a hippy.

Or just make fun of me cause I linked the chemical brothers to jesus. haha fuck you.

Currently singing: Kumbaya
JUST KIDDING
Currently singing: Dwight Yoakam (because I miss Carly)