It’s been soooo long (almost 2 years, I think) since I made a video of myself playing music, so yesterday I decided to make this one for you. Here’s me covering Kate Nash’s “Foundations” on the uke. It’s not often that a fun pop song will hit me emotionally, but this one does for sure, which makes it one of my favorite pop songs of the past few years. Enjoy!
I wrote a new song! It’s been almost 2 years since I wrote anything new and this one almost literally flowed out of me uncontrollably. My girlfriend moved to Australia a few weeks ago and she’ll be there for a year, which apparently makes good material for a folk song. It’s called “Can you wait for a bit.”
This is just a quick, unpolished demo I recorded with the ukulele. There’s meant to be a harmonica solo in there after the second chorus, but I don’t have a harmonica at the moment so it’s just the uke. Also, I had to work hard not to slip into my Dylan voice, so my voice sounds a little different than normal.
Lawrence Denes (me) playing Tonight, You Belong To Me
Originally by Billy Rose and Lee David (1926)
I love sweet old tunes like this, and after seeing Jon Brion and Fiona Apple perform it on Friday night, I just had to do my own rendition. This was just a quick demo recording put together in about 30 minutes or less, but it gets the job done. Hope you enjoy!
A very good sign
I was told I have to wait until April to hear about the JET Program, but I just got an email from them this morning asking if I’d be okay with teaching at the elementary/primary level (the answer is yes, absolutely because I love kids—frankly I’d prefer them to middle or high school level), so it looks like that’s where they’re thinking of placing me.
I’m feeling so optimistic right now, despite the fact that I can feel a sickness coming on.
I had some free time today, so I made a mix (4 copies of it). I haven’t made one in a while and it’s very relaxing. These copies are spoken for, but you can email me your address if you want one: lawrence.denes@gmail.com. I won’t necessarily make it tonight cuz it’s late already, but sometime soon for sure.
Also, I really need to get a new digital camera. My phone camera sux and the iSight is not always convenient.
So overworked and so underpaid
Here’s what the coming week looks like for me…
Tomorrow: 10-hour workday
Tuesday: 10-hour workday
Wednesday: 10-hour workday
Thursday: 8-hour workday
Friday: 8-hour workday
Saturday: 8-hour workday
Sunday: 8-hour workday
Monday it starts all over again.
So if it seems like I’ve dropped off the face of the Earth this week, that’s why.
Do you have any funny/unusual driving rituals or habits?
Whenever I drive through a yellow light, I always kiss my fist and punch the roof of the car.
I’m not sure when or why I started doing it—I’m sure I picked it up from a friend—but I know that after I had already been doing it for a while, I met someone else who does it and she said she does it because “it’s supposed to add another second to your sex life for every time you do it.” I hadn’t heard that before, but I like it, so now I tell people that.
I’ve done it for so long, though, that I don’t even realize I’m doing it anymore. It’s a completely unconscious habit (much like biting my nails).
About Me
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.
