hello everyone. I heard that my parents have been getting alot of questions about the recent earthquake in Japan in Nigata prefecture and wondering if I'm ok. I'm sorry for the late response - but everything is ok in Osaka. I feel incredibly lucky to be living in this city, which is a relatively stable area. I guess the Nigata earthquake registered a 6.8 on the scales, which is almost equivalent to the earthquake that happened 12 years ago in Kobe (the Hanshin Earthquake), which was the most devistating earth quake in Japan's history. So, its a little scary, to say the least. I reccommed looking it up on the internet. I visited Kobe a number of times, and I once visited the memorial site they have for the earhtquake. Cracked pavement, and lightposts that no longer stand straight are a sobering reminder that to live in Japan means that this is a reality.

I'm doing ok, and I'm safe, just letting you know. Sorry for not keeping up with the blog these last few days. Maybe just send up a prayer to the people of Nigata today.