Monday, July 16, 2007

Jishin

Yes. Another one... bloody earthquake jerked me out of a nice, sound sleep this morning (it was 10:13, maybe too late to be lounging around in bed! But it's a public holiday, I'll lounge if I want to). Scared the bejesus out of me, cos it felt bigger than the last one! It wasn't bigger, I was just closer to the epicentre this time! So things went flying from my walls, lamps fell over, my wind chimes finally got to jingle a bit, while I stood braced in my bathroom doorway, clutching my duvet to my chest and trying not to scream!

The epicentre was in Kashiwazaki... trust God, or Mother Nature - whichever one is in charge of earthquakes - to place the epicentre right under the biggest frikken Nuclear Power Plant in Japan! Betcha They're both laughing their asses off at us right now! Naturally to add to the drama a small fire broke out at the plant! Sheesh... at least I was at home this time and not stranded in the city with no way of getting home!

In a fit of nostalgia I read up on some of my 2004 earthquake reportbacks! Hilarious... I don't feel half as shaky as I did back then! Even though this one felt so much bigger (that one was 6.8, this one 6.6), I'm just kinda "Meh" about it! Last time I sent a massive email home about being stuck in Niigata, there were no trains, we didn't know how to get home, 3 of the other gals were stranded at Nuria's place for two weeks! Of course that one felt more catastrophic because of the drama surrounding cancelled trains and derailed shinks! Not quite that much excitement in being at home when it happens! Although I'm much happier to be home... that last time was way too stressful!

Footnote: they had a couple of 50 cm tsunamis in Kashi! How the hell do you know a 50 cm wave is a tsunami anyway!? It's just a frikken ripple, isn't it?! Weird that!

Anyway, cheers! If you're in Niigata... stay safe... remember to turn off your gas and watch for falling debris when you leave your home!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi Sweetheart. I'm so glad that you are safe. I was up at camp when this happened and was shocked as hell to hear on the news that there was a jishin in Japan, and then to hear that it was in freaking Niigata of all places! Kashi?!! OMG! Freaked out, and came to check your blog first to make sure that you were okay. Also, b/c you happen to know everything about everthing (*cough, cough*), I knew that you would know if everyone else was alright. I'm glad that you are safe and in good spirits (reference to the rain comment...tee.hee).

Just wanted to say that I miss you and I love you and I've been thinking about you. I know I've been out of touch for a while but I'mma do better to KIT because you and your friendship mean so much to me (mushy me... go figure). [Seriouslyl, I was going to write, just kinda took a natural disaster in my old stomping grounds to light the fire under my ass].

Talk to you soon. Stay safe (yes, the mom in me is still here as well). And in in the famous parting words of all of my junior high kids (and probably all of yours as well)... "See You!!!"