earthquake weekend

ive been in japan for about a month now and already ive experienced the deadliest typhoon in 2 decades and the deadliest earthquake since 1995. a horrible series of quakes and tremors hit northwestern japan starting saturday night and still continuing. in fact while i was watching the news about the first 6.8 quake, the tokyo newstation started shaking on tv and then so was my apartment. within a 2hr period there were 7 earthquakes in ojiya city near the sea of japan...i felt the aftershocks all weekend. beginning to think maybe i wont be more than a temporary resident afterall.

on a less dismal note, i purchased my first japanese cds; realized i make frequent trips to the yama-ya store mostly because they play very current american r&b and alternative music; worried about my effect on japanese hair and fashion trends (atleast within hitachi city :); japan is ridiculously expensive (movies $17, manicure $30); no sign of halloween candy but several costume stores; softball game was cancelled; surprised the heck out of a man who almost fell off his bike-twice-when he saw me; japanese mcdonalds taste better and are healthier.