My name is Lawrence Denes. After spending 5 years studying Japanese language, culture, literature, and history in St. Louis and Kyoto, I now live in Japan, in a town that most Japanese people have never even heard of, lost amid the rice fields and vending machines. Please feel free to ask me anything, or send me an email.Tumblr (3.0; @ledenes)http://lawrencedenes.com/<img src="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l7thcr427A1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>My damn cat likes to sit on top of my laptop, as if to defy me to get any work done.</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/1020118071http://lawrencedenes.com/post/1020118071Sat, 28 Aug 2010 00:21:10 +0900noboru<p>That was a long and ever-so-awesomely-epic vacation, but I’m back home now, and it’s time to get to work:</p> <ol><li>I have to get a Japanese Drivers License.  I’ve been dreading this.  The process is ridiculous and tedious, not to mention costly.  The final, practical driving test is absurdly strict, almost always causing people to have to take it multiple times.  You generally have to take a class beforehand (or a few classes) in which they teach you not “how to drive,” but rather “how to pass the driving test,” because they make you do things in the test that you would never, ever really do while driving (e.g. check around and under the car before you get in, pump the brake twice when slowing down, do a 3-point check (rear mirror, side mirror, over the shoulder) followed by another check before you change lanes, etc.).  It’s not uncommon for people to have to take the test upwards of 5 times before they pass it (and you have to pay each time you take the test).</li> <li>I’ve come back to Japan to find that a friend of mine has lost a heckuva lot of weight.  He went from 90kg down to about 75 in only a couple of months, and he looks really great.  So I’ve been inspired to do the same.  I’ve been hovering at about 82kg for a while, and I’d like to see if I can get down to 70 within 6 months.  I started on the “Couch to 5k” program this morning (a 9-week training program designed to get someone from doing no exercise to eventually being able to run 5k without stopping), and I’m trying to start to watch what I eat and drink (that’s going to have to be a gradual process—I love my junk food too much to go cold turkey).  Plus, the fact that I can use my iphone to track my running and my eating makes it kinda fun.  I plan to start going to the gym, too, but maybe not for another week or so.</li> <li>Before I left I was on quite a roll as far as music was concerned—I did just about a show every week for the last two months before vacation—and I’m gonna do my best to keep that going.  I may have a gig opportunity this coming Sunday, and I’ve got a few other projects in mind for September and October, so I’ve got some work to do.</li> </ol><p>Basically, the goal now is to keep myself as busy as I possibly can over the next several months.  This may mean less blogging, so I apologize in advance for that, but it’s a good thing for me.  That’s all for now.  See you soon!  -LD</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/996234851http://lawrencedenes.com/post/996234851Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:43:01 +0900things you may not care about but they're on my mind so i'm sharing<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l7as2bHH6w1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Parting is such sweet sorrow…</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/966985476http://lawrencedenes.com/post/966985476Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:56:44 +0900travel<img src="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l75q8xlvKl1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Spotted at Best Buy.</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/953556444http://lawrencedenes.com/post/953556444Sun, 15 Aug 2010 04:30:25 +0900read that title out loud if you're confused<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6zsldgS4E1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/> The Arch faintly in the background<br/><br/> <img src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6zsldgS4E1qz4e9ro2_500.jpg"/><br/> Tai Chi<br/><br/> <img src="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6zsldgS4E1qz4e9ro3_500.jpg"/><br/> Bunnies!<br/><br/> <img src="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6zsldgS4E1qz4e9ro4_500.jpg"/><br/> Not a real boy<br/><br/> <img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6zsldgS4E1qz4e9ro5_500.jpg"/><br/> The head of Eros<br/><br/> <img src="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6zsldgS4E1qz4e9ro6_500.jpg"/><br/> Lounging in the pool<br/><br/> <img src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6zsldgS4E1qz4e9ro7_500.jpg"/><br/> Playing in the fountains<br/><br/> <p>Went to City Garden, a 2-block sculpture garden right in the middle of downtown St. Louis.  It was built after I moved away, so this was my first time seeing it.  It’s quite beautiful.  These were all taken with my fujifilm instant camera.  Excuse the quality, but I don’t have my scanner here, so I just took digital photos of each picture.</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/937551321http://lawrencedenes.com/post/937551321Thu, 12 Aug 2010 01:06:17 +0900travelstlcitygarden<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6sl1kn9LY1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Kayaking in Forest Park!</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/918317891http://lawrencedenes.com/post/918317891Sun, 08 Aug 2010 02:09:42 +0900travelstl<img src="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6q1sl4EBB1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>St. Louis, here I come!</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/911839619http://lawrencedenes.com/post/911839619Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:18:45 +0900travel<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6plueFXSk1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Just enough time for a little stroll through Ginza before I head out. Man, I miss living here.</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/910527870http://lawrencedenes.com/post/910527870Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:34:15 +0900ginzatokyoJapan<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6otqyIw4I1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>It’s a bit stuffy in here, but all in all it’s not bad. There’s an outlet for me to charge my iPhone. There’s enough room for me to stretch my legs all the way out. There’s even a little tv in here! I’m a bit unnerved by the fact that there’s a pay-per-view porn box attached to the tv, though. These things aren’t exactly soundproof. I hope the dude above me doesn’t decide to indulge…</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/908171068http://lawrencedenes.com/post/908171068Fri, 06 Aug 2010 01:27:14 +0900capsule hoteltraveltokyojapan<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6oriqTp7x1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>This will be my room for the night. A bit small, sure, but for $15 a night who am I to complain?</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/908018202http://lawrencedenes.com/post/908018202Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:39:09 +0900traveljapantokyocapsule hotel<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6ore0tbOY1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>I’ve been to Tokyo so very many times now, but there are still things I’ve never experienced. Tonight is my first ever stay in a ‘capsule hotel.’</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/908009560http://lawrencedenes.com/post/908009560Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:36:17 +0900tokyojapantravelcapsule hotel<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6nlq98i6e1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>So long, Australia!! My vacation is officially halfway over. Now it’s back to Tokyo for one night and then off to my hometown, St. Louis!</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/905213280http://lawrencedenes.com/post/905213280Thu, 05 Aug 2010 09:36:33 +0900travel<img src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6gbb0bmDq1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Hello, Brisbane!</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/886620282http://lawrencedenes.com/post/886620282Sun, 01 Aug 2010 11:07:48 +0900brisbaneaustralia<img src="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6ekoqQdQx1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Moving on up north to Brisbane and saying farewell to the Gold Coast for now. Here’s a little collection of memories from the past few days.</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/886053211http://lawrencedenes.com/post/886053211Sun, 01 Aug 2010 08:16:31 +0900gold coastdiptychdiptic<img src="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6eg9giRQM1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Last day in Gold Coast before we head up north to Brisbane. The very tall building on the left is the Q1 tower, the tallest building in Gold Coast. We went to the top a couple nights ago. It is a great view, but it’s $20 per person to go up and I don’t really think it was worth it. The beach is way more entertaining, and it’s free.</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/882222245http://lawrencedenes.com/post/882222245Sat, 31 Jul 2010 11:00:04 +0900gold coastaustralia<img src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6ch2xxN3e1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Just chilling with a ‘roo, no big deal.</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/877332133http://lawrencedenes.com/post/877332133Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:21:37 +0900currumbin wildlife sanctuaryself-pic<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6bjvuF2Mn1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>This is the picture on the brochure of the whale-watching cruise we went on. We saw nothing quite this spectacular, but we did see lots of humpbacks (but only their backs) and dolphins. It turns out, though, that it’s incredibly hard to take a good whale-watching picture—especially with an iPhone—so I’ll just post this picture instead.</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/875015684http://lawrencedenes.com/post/875015684Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:25:29 +0900<img src="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6bfofwOXH1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>We went whale-watching today and they took our picture on the boat before we shoved off from the dock. Good thing they didn’t take it at the end of the trip because I would have looked like I was ready to throw up. I have apparently lost my sea legs. Thankfully, however, I managed to keep myself from vomiting, which is more than I can say for about a third of the passengers (it was quite choppy out there). It was a great trip, though, and our guide lived in Japan for six years, so he was happy to talk to us.</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/874782499http://lawrencedenes.com/post/874782499Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:54:37 +0900<img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6bf1vjeFv1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Greetings from Gold Coast!</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/874748568http://lawrencedenes.com/post/874748568Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:41:05 +0900australiaskylinegold coast<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l65l6gcj0N1qz4e9ro1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>We got our picture taken with ‘Smoojy’ the koala!</p>http://lawrencedenes.com/post/860325653http://lawrencedenes.com/post/860325653Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:07:50 +0900koala