100th post from the new pad

Well apparently I've written 100 posts, or maybe thats written but not posted 100. Anyway Woo hoo! go me.

I've been a bit quiet on the old internet recently, due to moving out of the temporary uni accommodation into my new spacious flat of loveliness. This place didn't have internet...something I really find I really do need. My new place also has a flatmate , but she has no computer and no need for internet access...something which I and the guys in work find almost an alien concept. She's not old and is working at a perfectly modern job, but has no need for internet access.

Anyway, as of last Tuesday there is now glorious broadband installed in my lovely Edwardian Era flat, it took the poor old engineer 4 hours to get it in as the phone line seemed to have been installed in the Edwardian Era as well. I am glad to be able to freely check my emails of an evening or surf you tube, catch up on blogs and friends far away and finally free to watch UK TV and start re-discovering who's in and what crap there is to watch too.

I think about 10 days ago though I was very glad of my non-existent internet, the panic inducing, over reacting, constantly updating news from Japan was really getting to me. It was terrible listening to the news in the UK, according to them the WHOLE of Japan was at imminent risk of meltdown, foreigners fleeing and deserted Tokyo streets and stores, which I couldn't help feel really took away from those genuinely suffering in there smashed and swamped towns and was also really creating a panic here for those who have friends or relatives out in Japan. Watching the NHK news and reading the blogs of you lot out there painted a somewhat less over-reacting scene that the news painted over here- thankfully I might add. Added to this I was playing at Japan expert around the lunch and coffee tables in work as everyone asked about where I was and what was happening. The news I did get to watch left me disturbed and I had quite a few disturbing dreams. It was a relief to get to last Friday when the whole Libyan thing overtook the earthquake and tsunami news here. Not really sure what's happening in Libya and why we're there, but apparently no-one is minding at the moment (well maybe a certain Colonel and his cohort is...).

Aside from that life goes on here, work is pretty good- the boss seems happy with our progress anyway. I've already been learning new techniques, even been to a few talks too. I've even been to a Wedding reception; one of the post docs in the department got married out in a lovely country hall up near Morpeth and we all got an invite to the evening reception. It was a lovely night out, I even managed to get some dancing in (good ol' wedding disco music- 60's music for the parents and uncles, pop for the youngsters and some random stuff for the groom and his friends).

I'm looking forward to having a quiet weekend to really unpack and sort out the place properly, though not this weekend- I'm off to Edinburgh to meet up with S and her fiance O (fresh from Sapporo) for the day before a surprise Mother's day trip up home. Nor the next weekend, when I'm off to a ball up a the racecourse. Hopefully soon though. And shortly I will post some piccys- they're taken, they just need uploading, but as its now 1am and I have a western blot to run tomorrow I'd probably should get some sleep.

Night night for now

Not shaken, but stirred

Stunned and horrified by the images I'm seeing on the internet, I'm glad I don't have a TV yet, because I think I would be seeing worse and wouldn't have been able to get to work at all yesterday. Last night the images replayed in my mind, along with the trip I took in that area last year.

I have spent the last day and half checking all the blogs, facebook, skyping friends, sending emails just to make sure, even though I know at the same time that everyone should be fine, that they don't live in (or even near) the Tohoku region, but when you see that almost unreal video of a black tide of burning debris racing over fields, villages, houses, cars, people you want to make sure, because its all you can do.

My family are profoundly happy I'm back in the UK, I'm glad too, although at the same time I feel like I should be there as well. All that tiny shakes I experienced in Sapporo I know were probably nothing like what happened on Friday, I can't imagine what it felt like even though I try.

I'm so glad everyone that I know or read are all fine; happy that my friend who had travelled to Tokyo could contact me. I hope it stays that way.

I'm not very religious but what ever peace there can be for those caught up in this I hope it comes quickly.