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How the #1 Regret of the Dying Changed Everything About My Life
My journey to quit alcohol, leave my job, follow my dreams, and transform my identity
The phone on the wall began to ring, barely audible over the sound of the Karaoke music blasting. Knowing that the person calling would prefer to speak in Japanese, we nominated Mana, our Tokyo native to answer.
I began mentally preparing for the inevitable news that we were being too loud. That our rambunctious behavior was disturbing the guests in the room next door. Instead, Mana turned to us with a smile and asked:
“Will five more pitchers of beer be enough?”
I suddenly remembered where we were and what the front desk had told us as we checked in. We were paying for the all-you-could-drink option where they would periodically check in to provide more refreshments.
Someone in the group shouted an affirmative “hai!” followed by a request for a few more Red Bulls.
Hundreds of rooms
I had never been to a Karaoke hotel before.
In the United States, Karaoke is typically performed on a stage in front of a room full of people who are utterly uninterested in your inebriated performance. But in Japan, Karaoke is an…
