in a few days

my boots and my sister's in the new grass

You may not have heard, (tongue in cheek) but since the last time I wrote there was a tsunami. It has been both tragic and interesting for me to follow the aftermath of this incredible natural disaster because Japan, unlike a lot of the countries recently hit by natural disasters at such an immense scale, is a developed nation. Since Japan is the world's current god of infrastructure and nuclear and solar power technology, it isn't only a tragedy of the heart that the nation has been struck. When Chile is wracked by earthquakes, people mourn the loss of life and the destruction of homes, but few people become concerned about their investments or wonder how the damage will affect their corporation. Tiny Japan, however, does some serious business with the world. I wish people would start to ponder (but not panic in a Day After Tomorrow sort of way) about what happens when a tsunami (isn't it a great word?) hits L.A. The waves hit our harbor in Santa Cruz, sunk a few boats and did some dock damage due to an earthquake that triggered on the other side of the world. Hmmmmmm.

In other news, I am still not quite able to come to terms with the fact that I am back in the prairie-suburbs hauling textbooks, but here I am! Skin paler than ever despite a few days in the sunshine, thinking about my afternoon in UC Berkeley with the wonderful Sarah with more than a little nostalgia. I am growing bean sprouts in a cup on my windowsill.