Wishing you well in Japan

[Russ]

Thanks Rebecca,

No stress, just gratitude for your kind thoughts. Thanks!

It is now just over three weeks since the big quake and aftershocks continue to come. So far the epicenters have not been in Tokyo but a few have been close like one last night. A few big ones have hit the disaster area even in the past few days and my heart goes out to those people who must endure the stress and desperation.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

[BeginAgin]

So good to hear from you, Russ. What
Japan has gone through, and is still going
through, is too overwhelming for me to fully
absorb. I am following what I can through
the Mainichi Daily News and I am so touched
and inspired by the spirit of people there.
Thoughts of hope, and love and prayers
for all of Japan...

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/
annie

[Rebecca]

Thanks Rebecca,...No stress, just gratitude for your kind thoughts. Thanks!...Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

I'm glad this idea works for you, Russ.
In case anyone missed what we are talking about, here it is again:

If I (Rebecca) were in distress, as I'm sure I would be, if I were in Japan right now, I would feel deeply grateful if people came to me for the kind of work I love to do.
If you are in a position to do it... You can show Russ he is in your thoughts, as well as help keep him busy with the work he loves so much:

http://www.stutler.cc/saleart/index.html
(This page has been available for a long time -- not created for the current situation)

[TaranakiSketcher]

Hi Russ & family,
Special thoughts too, from New Zealand.

In fact one of Japan's earthquake teams had been kindly helping out in Christchurch before your big one.

It seems that it is normal to have many aftershocks. My son has had about 8000 so far since September. Supposedly it is for a about a year. However Japan's situation is hugely more significant than ours, including the nuclear aspect.

Seemingly the rest of the ground has to slip in different places to relieve the tension caused by the first one, ie to reach equilibrium again. So ironically every aftershock is a good thing. Because the Richter scale is exponential (not linear) large aftershocks are going to help reach equilibrium more quickly.

I think it is a compliment to Japanese building codes that your buildings stand up to the quakes, and the 'being at sea' feeling is part of the design.

Prayers are effective and also vital in overcoming the fear.

Take care.
From your Sketching Community

[BeginAgin]

Thanks, Taranaki, for your thoughts. I know
so little about earthquakes that what you say
explains some puzzles and is a little reassuring
about after shocks--though if I had to live
through any, I think I'd just stay terrified, myself.
We, too, have loved ones in Christchurch and we
stay as concerned about Christchurch as we do Japan.
So love & prayers continue from us in the US.
annie

[Russ]

Thanks for all the prayers! Yeah, the aftershocks are a settling of the earth into its new position. I wish they weren't so deadly. A few people who survived the initial quake were killed in a strong aftershock that came 4 weeks later (that was an amazingly long and powerful aftershock). For me, it means re-living a horrible experience and hoping it does not intensify.

Prayer keeps us from going crazy here. Thanks!