I guess it might be appropriate to let others know about Bula parties. First off, the Bula's were John, Caleb (my brother) and me. John came up with the name Bula sometime in the early 1990s because he found some colorful ski head bands that were made by a company named Bula, and the Bula logo was quite prominent. Anyway, if I am remembering correctly, John bought us all Bula bands, and the Bula tradition started. When we saw each other we used to say "Bula Maca", which in Fiji is an informal greeting.

Anyway, we started having annual parties at my parents' house on Glass Lake. The parties were a bit crazy and typically involved lots of our ski friends coming in from all over the country.  This ski group was a mix of guys and gals and included a bunch of my brother's friends from Vail (they all worked there for a winter). Actually, the parties were borderline insane, but somehow my parents loved them and/or tolerated them. We were all in our 20s and things routinely got a little nuts.  One time we had six big guys, including Bula John, barefooting at the same time behind John and Matt Petro's Ski-Tique.  Crazy!

As we got older, we would continue to have those parties but less frequently!  In fact, I am pretty sure that Mary Ellen (who was one of my best friends in middle and high school) met John at a Boston rendition of a Bula party.  So, yes, 2 of my best friends growing up, who never met while we were young, ended up getting married!

Bula Maca, John.