Seriously?

Apparently, we had an earthquake today. While it was pretty strong for those closer to the epicenter, I have to say, I didn't even feel it. This was a bit surprising as I was pretty sensitive to little tremors. Maybe because I was driving at the time (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!). Anyways, the best part was when I got home and turned on the TV. I expected a little story about the quake, but wow! People were calling in like it was the most traumatic experience of their lives. The reporters were doing their parts by asking sincerely about damage (there was none) and what it felt like etc. Oh, and since were earthquakes considered weather events??!? News reports talked of buildings being evacuated and cameras fed live shots of power plants. Given the recent events in Japan, alright, I can understand the uneasiness. But people, get a grip! The plants released statements that basically said, people, chill. The wording was something like this is an "unusual event" but it's still a level 0. One report showed footage of a news conference (supposedly during the quake)where everyone ran for the hills. I personally wouldn't have known there was quake if you had shown me just the footage. I thought maybe I had just been desensitized after some of the quakes I'd been through. But then, one "eyewitness" relayed what one of his co-workers from California said after being evacuated. "Guys, seriously? That was nothing"

Not the tea lady, but pretty good!

In my continuing efforts to avoid disputes in the morning, I found myself at the local Second Cup this morning for breakfast. I decided to take advantage of their Tuesdsay Chillers promotion and try their Matcha Chiller. First, I usually don't do the coffee shop thing. It's hard for me to justify spending over $3 for a cup of something that I could make easily for a fraction of the price. But, I figured mental health is priceless. Secondly (pun!), I'm usually pretty skeptical when it comes to green tea items on menus here, ever since the Starbucks fiasco (I don't care if it's a grande, green tea does not have a mint flavour!). Anyways, much to my pleasant surprise, the chiller acutally has a matcha flavour! It's the small, unexpected joys in life...like the construction crew that just started in with their jack hammers right outside the window...

I'm a criminal...

At some point during the school year, I hurt my back. I can usually stretch it out, but this time has been different. It's been hurting for about 2 months now, and has only gotten worse. So, I finally decided it was time to see my old chiropractor. It just so happens, that his office is down the street from my old junior high school. While the school is now closed (such a shame, it's a beautiful building), I couldn't help but go and see it anyways. As I drove up, I was saddened to see the construction equipement, the half torn down walls and the broken or boarded up windows. As I walked around the back of the gym, along the same path that I had sketched for art class, the first place I ever saw fireflies on the night I had my first slow dance, I heard a gentle but frantic flapping sound. Trapped between a screen and a piece of plywood, was a little swallow. Half climbing up and down screen with his delicate feet, as his wings beat hopelessly against the screen on one side and the wood on the other. I tried to shoo him up the window to where the opening was, but he couldn't make it. I nervously looked around and weighed my options. He might be able to make it out on his own. But on what was expected to be one of the hottest days in recoreded history, it didn't look promising. It was already above 30 degrees, even though it was before 9am. I looked him in the eye and my choice was made. Grabbing my key to Skippy (old car) which had the best edge, I sliced open the middle of the screen in one stroke. The swallow instantly dropped down to the gap and flew out over my shoulder and into the sky. Still apprehensive about the screen, I went to the chiropractor's.

Major Withdrawl Symptoms

Well, it all started last weekend. I was shopping in an Asian supermarket when this song came on. It was the Chinese version of an EXILE song, Lovers Again. This particular song was not only released when I was working in Japan, but my baseball boys had used in as part of a hilarious presentation during the school festival (complete with dancing ichi-nenseis and sakura petals). And now, I've been stuck for the past week on this "natsukashi" rampage. I've been sing choral competition songs to myself, looking up zen-ken results, and of course I got an email from an old student as well (great timing). Then the dragon boat team had an otsukaresama enkai at a place that had a real izakaya vibe. Oh, the agony!! I predict I will start watching koshien over a very shakey internet connection soon...

Pouring again...

Well, my professional life has been...interesting. I went to Peel today, with the goal of speaking with the principal to arrange for my evaluation. Much to my surprise, she showed up during class and just did an evaluation. Thankfully, my evaluation went really well. This means I am no longer limited to just the two schools in Peel. Then, when I got home there was a call from a principal that had interviewed me before the break for an LTO. But, I never did hear back as the spring break hit the following week. I was actually not too thrilled with my interview as I was sick at the time (I actually ended up taking the rest of the week off). I probably would have normally gone mad, but then the earthquake and tsunami hit, so my focus went into search mode instead. So all of a sudden, things are moving again (including the 4 back to back calls from the booking system.)

Shu-cream!!!!

We went to Pacific Mall the other day when something stopped me in my

tracks. A poster for Beard Papa's!! It's a shu-cream (cream puffs) chain from Japan. I have to admit, I was never a huge fan of Beard Papa's. My palette had grown accustomed to the soggy shu-creams from conbinis and I couldn't really rationalize spending the extra money if I had to let the product "sog up" in the fridge anyways. But, it's a different story here. This means I no longer have

to make my own!!! After I had finished jumping up and down in front of the poster, I looked around frantically like a squirrel that had just caught a whiff of a border collie. I then headed to the food court in hopes of actually finding the store. Then...there is was. I frolicked over and giggled like a little girl, with my hands up to my face as I oohed and ahhed over the different flavours. I decided to go with a half dozen (3 vanilla and 3 matcha). I have to say, I'm still not into the fresh ones. I had to take it back home for some soggifying action. BUT, I do need to say amazing matcha! I dare say they might have used real matcha!

Japan Quake and Tsunami Donations-double your value!!

Double your donation to the Canadian Red Cross! If you have an ING Direct account, log in and make a donation from there. ING will match your donation! You'll still get receipts for all donations over $10.

SAFE!!!

I love Softbank!!! I was finally able to track down my last friend in the earthquake zone. On Sunday, I got antsy waiting for news (especially since she was in Fukushima). I remembered that Softbank had an emergency disaster message board for their customers. I checked her number with no luck. But I guess they must have sent her a notification that someone was looking for her, because when on a whim I checked again tonight (as all the news on the nuclear plant was driving me insane) and there was a message!! She was safe!!! I can't begin to describe how relieved I felt. I felt like I really smiled for the first time since Friday..while almost crying at the same time.

Akita on CNN!!

Just caught a quick glimps of Akita on CNN's Situation Room. Due to the nuclear plant threat, they evacuted Anderson Cooper from Sendai to Akita City! I can't wait to take a look at Akita tonight, just to calm my nerves that everything/one is okay. From what he said in his preview for AC360 it looks like aside from supplies and utilies it's okay in Akita...even though I know, I'm still worried...

One thing after another...

Well, I've been holding off on this post as quite frankly, I was still looking for people. On March 11, 2011 off the eastern coast of the Tohoku region Japan an 9.0 earthquake struck. This was further aggravated by a catastrophic tsunami and the looming threat of a nuclear meltdown. I've been spending the past few days practicing my multi-tasking skills: watching CNN, NHK, NHK-world, Asahi, Tokyo TV, Fuji and NNN simultaneously while scouring written reports for clues on what was going on. Initial information, especially from sources here in North America were frustratingly vague in the beginning (WHERE in Japan?!?!), and the mispronunciations didn't do anything to help suave my frayed nerves. After what felt like forever, I finally heard from most of my friends in Akita to be assured that everyone there was okay. The lack of power was hampering communication. There are lines for basic supplies. While they were shaken and stirred, everyone was okay. It appears that there were only some injuries in Akita. I am waiting on one more family to respond, but I'm hoping they're staying with family in a more secure building. My friends in Gunma, Chiba and Tokyo were also in similar situations. They were okay but their lives are a bit hectic due to the frequent aftershocks and blackouts. As one put it, "I need to go and make onigiris to prepare for the blackouts!"
The worse part was waiting on friends from Sendai and Fukushima. As the airwaves were flooded with horrific images, in combination with the lack of information from those area, the radio silence was brutal. Finally got words through friends that our Sendai friend was okay. Still not sure about my friend in Fukushima. I can only hope she has picked up and evacuated. Her city, Koriyama, was inland enough that she should have been safe from the tsunami, but with the aftershocks and nuclear threat I can't help but still feel uneasy...I can only tell myself that she's far away enough. According to Google Maps she's still outside the evacuation zone (she's about 70km from the plants). And I've caught snippets of Koriyama in the mountain of coverage. One person mentioned stopping in Koriyama for supplies on their way to Tokyo (stores open are a good sign, right?) And some of the footage of them checking people for radiation were also taken in Koriyama.
I guess, as much as I want to jump and a plane and start digging...All I can do is watch and hope.

Darn you Google Search!!!

One step forward for google equals I don't know how many steps back for me....
If you read my last post, I have been creating a new website for Kids for Kaga, an organization I volunteer with. However, I have been struggling with getting it to come up in search engine results. Earlier in the week, I finally got the site up to show up on the second page! Not bad after only 1 week. But, when I checked again today...DOOM!! It was nowhere to be found. Even when I searched for the site using "site:...", only my sitemap came up. Oh search engine gods, have I angered you in some way?

List Darn it!!!

Well, I've been helping with an organization called Kids for Kaga since last year. It's a grass roots programme that sends students from the twin cities of Dundas and Kaga on cultural exchanges. I decided it would be fun to work on a new site, as the old one is out of date, and it looks like it's run by city hall, so updating it out of our hands. The main structure of the site is up. I still need more content but I've been trying to get it up in the search results. So, that has been a bit of a frustration, as the builder I used doesn't have what I want....anyways, this is the ulterior motive to this post. One of the recommendations is to have other sites link to it so that spiders will find it. so, here goes the shameless plug!
Kids for Kaga
Kids for Kaga
Kids for Kaga
Kids for Kaga
Kids for Kaga!!!