Still Shaken in Akita!

April 18th, 2011By Category: Arts & Entertainment, Culture

This is the latest in the Malcolm Ernst series of cartoons.

Hi everyone.  It’s your favorite bijin up here in Akita.  This month I’m coming to you from my very messy room! The recent spat of earthquakes gives me a great excuse for not keeping it tidy!

I don’t know about you all, but I’m getting a little frazzled by all the recent aftershocks hitting poor little Japan.  My heart really goes out to those in the closer more affected areas.  You know how hard it is to get a decent beauty sleep?  It really is hard to come by when my keitai sounds the alert for an imending jolt at all hours.  And this in Akita, which is far from the epicenters of these aftershocks.  Can you imagine what it feels like on the Pacific side?  It seems non-stop sometimes!

Here it is, over a month since the “big one” and they are still coming! Just the other day, we had our lights knocked out again for about 12 hours from about 11:30 pm until around noon the next day.  That means no traffic lights during rush hour for those who could go to work.  And to place the icing on the cake the offices were darker than usual because businesses and public offices are trying to conserve energy.

And the shortages! Yogurt is a luxury these days! I love yogurt and now it is hard to come by and limited to how much you can get if you can get any!  I also can’t get my hands on batteries.  The big sized ones are impossible to obtain anywhere! If you don’t get your milk or bread early in the day, you are out of luck.  That said, I did get some nato the other day.

It’s so strange to see empty shelves in supermarkets and the “inconvenience stores” now. On top of that, they all close early in the evening, which leaves the neighborhoods a bit too dark for me to be wandering about.

Yet, through all the inconveniences, limited supplies and endless shaking, the one thing that remains true and unshakable, is our spirit. We in Akita, like the rest of Japan and the world too, admire the strength of character the disaster stricken folks are showing in these challenging times.

Hey, my problems pale next to what they are enduring.  We are all looking forward to the time when we can put this all behind us and move on with our lives!

A little less shaky though, sure would be a nice change!

Now, you all be careful out there. I worry about you!

Ja mata ne…………..

 

Author of this article

Malcolm Ernst

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