I've been really busy lately - kendo, swimming, the last weeks of school before summer vacation (but I never want school to end!) a trip to a lovely little island (that I'll have to write about later) and...singing! Midori-sensei has been giving me lessons every Thursday during lunch break. I also sing with Shun sometimes - he plays the guitar too, so it's a lot of fun! (I can't play anything, so if I'm alone it's all a capella...) He likes Avril Lavigne, and so we sing her early songs a lot - "Sk8r boi" (God, I hate that spelling!), "Complicated" and "Why". Especially "Why".
I started listening to it after Shun recommended it to me, and learned it by heart so I'd be able to sing it. It's a lot easier for me to sing without being so nervous if we're two performing. It makes performing in front of people a lot more enjoyable. (And if you know how much I love singing, you would hardly think that possible...!) Also, because he's playing the guitar, I have something to listen and orientate myself to.
*deep breath* So! Ladies and gentlemen, for your enjoyment and just to expose myself completely... wait, actually Shun is singing some too... OK! Here's our cover version of Avril Lavigne's "Why":
"Why" - download
...don't worry mom, it's safe.
Don't mind the guy at the beginning. We were three people in the music room, so we'd been joking around a bit before we started the recording. :P
(You'll need to download it until I find a better solution. Any recommendations?)
...would anyone at my Norwegian school notice if I just stayed here until we graduate?
Location: Japan
Mood: Happiness! ^^
Listening to: Ok, this is awkward... a recording of myself singing. (lol!) I don't get to hear my voice from "the other side" a lot.
Eating: White peach
Drinking: -
"Think of his head as a watermelon! Now cut it..."
OK, so technically just my clothes are...
On Thursday I had my first kendo training wearing full armor! It felt very strange at first - I could not see to the sides because of my men, moving my head was pretty much impossible and my vision was obstructed by all that...metal! in front of my face. Aaah!
Moving felt different too, and so I guess my newbie skills of doom might have gotten even more newbie. (Haha!) Still, it was a lot of fun - both for me and the people watching the training, seeing me stumbling about clearly unsure of what to do and how to do it. Oh well, if I can spread some joy...
I also got to practice with one of the senseis in a "fight" (meaning pathetically bash his head to the best of my efforts) which was very interesting. Because my face is covered and everything is borrowed, (the name on the front of my tare is very much Japanese) he came up to me, stood about 15 centimetres from me and peered into my men to see my face. (And also, presumably, so that I could hear him over the yelling.) "This is your first time, right?" "Yes."
Sensei: "When you cut, make it more like this:" *BASH*
Helene: "!" *ok, that was really cool hejusthitmeonthehead, hahahaaa!* "Hai!"
During the training he would sometimes use his shinai to lower mine if I held it too high when standing in kamae. Also, he would grab my shinai and pull it past himself, making me shuffle after it as best I could. I'm guessing this was to give me an idea of how to move after doing a men cut (and how fast to move). I really enjoyed it, although I am still very new to it all and don't really know how it all works yet. :P I basically have the word "BEGINNER" written all over me in glaring red neon letters, and my slight fidgeting and lacking technique gives me away no matter how much my face is concealed, lol! Still, my sensei praises me for learning fast and putting a lot of effort into it. I'll do my best, and try to get as good as I can in the amount of time I have left here. (No, Eirik, you may not know how long :P) Cheer me on as I shuffle my way towards greatness, will you? xD
Again, Eirik - when I come home, you. TEACH. ME. MORE. No excuses. ;P
Location: Japan
Mood: ...too hot to think...
Listening to: -
Eating: -
Drinking: -
