Climbing the Stairs...

I'm sorry for the lack of posts in the past few weeks. After the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, I just didn't have the mind or the heart to do anything. While being in Yokohama hubby and I weren't physically affected (never mind the nuclear radiation scares, rolling blackouts, among other things), the event did take an emotional and psychological toll on us.

It's just one of those things you will never ever forget. I will always remember where I was and what I was doing the day of 9/11 (in class watching the news with my classmates and professor), the Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami (at home watching the news with hubby), Hurricane Katrina (at school watching the news with my Japanese teachers, I was actually living in Japan at the time!), and now this Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami.

But Japan is looking ahead and I should too. The extraordinary people here have begun their healing and rebuilding, and they inspire me to stop brooding. I can't really describe what it is exactly they do that inspires me, but here's something that makes me smile whenever I go out.

The greater Tokyo area is significantly gloomier and darker than it ever was before, but only because people are conserving electricity due to the power shortage. Shops are half lit, and the vast majority of escalators everywhere are turned off. You're probably thinking escalators are no biggie, but I actually counted today that on one subway trip out to lunch with hubby we climbed at least 12 flights of stairs! That's at least 6 floors, folks, and for just one way, because subway stations are usually at least 3-4 levels below the ground while some train stations are a few levels above ground.

Now you're probably thinking what the hell I'm smiling about LOL! Normally, I would be all bent out of shape and wouldn't be smiling at all, but watching the old, the young, the flats, and the stilettos happily climb the stairs without a mutter of complaint makes me smile from ear to ear. Knock on wood, but in times like this I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but right here in Japan. Sounds batshit crazy, but if you see it for yourself you'll understand what I'm saying. I feel so safe here, and I'm no fanatic Japanese patriot. I'm as foreign as they come.

To get to the point - I will start posting again ^.^ おまたせしました.