Just survived my first earthquake of note. Apparently it was around 8.0 on the Richter scale, which is pretty serious shit. Fortunately, it was centered out at sea to the east of Hokkaido (Sapporo is in the southwest) and there haven't been any reports of hella bad stuff (e.g. fatalities) yet. It hit around 5AM here. I was half-awake enough to get under a doorway and freak out. I'm not sure what the intensity was in Sapporo, but a few things fell off of my shelves, and the swaying of the danchi on the 9th floor was mildly nauseating.

Given that I have a mysterious allergy to non-fish seafood and a general fear of natural disasters (like lightning, as Josh knows all too well), maybe coming here was unwise? Bah! All is well. Now I must rush off to work to compare notes on the earthquake with natives, who will probably tell me it was nothing and I should stop being a wuss.

glad to hear that you are doing well. just read about the quake 1/2 hour ago. given that I hate the cold and summer isn't always warm maybe staying here isn't the best idea.

Good to hear you're safe, Brian. Hope your friends are ok as well. It could be worse though: you could be in California, where they have seafood, earthquakes, *and* governmental madness. Although they have more baseball teams there than on Hokkaido, so maybe it's a wash at the end of the day.

Glad to hear you're OK. Also glad to hear you weren't standing near any fire-prone industrial plants when it happened. Or non-fish seafood, for that matter.

Brian!
Glad to know that you're alright! I tell ya, the world is so unsafe these days. The other day I was walking to class and I kid you not, I got attacked by a squirrel!! Numchucks and all! That's the last time I help one of those bastards cross the street without becoming roadkill.

I knew you would have things to write about during your travels and adventures in Japan, but I didn't think an earthquake would be among them! Glad to hear all is well and that you incurred no serious damage to your body, property, or otherwise.

i, too, am glad to hear you are safe. thanks be to the lord of hosts and whatnot that it wasn't lightnin'! jussa kiddin.