Gary's Boring Blog

Scary...

...just had another earthquake. We're on the 21st floor, so it was not fun. There is a lot of wobbling around at this height. The guy from the building is telling us it was a magnitude of 2 (on the Japanese scale), but it certainly felt a little larger.

Our building is safe, so please don't worry, we have just been told!

Pictures from Singapore, Bintan

Just a couple of photos. I'm still arranging the rest. As I wrote before, we had a nice time. I would thoroughly recommend both places.

Megumi at the beach.

It was hot in Singapore, so I needed a drink.

Earthquakes

There was a large earthquake here last night. I was upstairs messing around on the computer when there was a large jolt. Now, we get wobbles every now and then, but this felt much bigger. I rushed downstairs and opened the front door, and when the quake did not subside, Megumi and I both stood outside for a few minutes and watched our house shudder and shake.

We were supposed to be going to visit some friends who live on the 22nd floor of an apartment building, so we put that idea on hold for a while. As we watched the news for more details and made sure we had our torch and some money, there was a series of large aftershocks, some almost as big as the first earthquake. Again, we rushed outside just in case (normally when a quake hits we just wait for it to stop). What was scary was that you could feel the ground moving. When other earthquakes have hit, I think I have always been inside buildings. This was the first time I was actually on 'firm' land, and felt it move.

The earthquake's epicenter was in Niigata, a fair way from here, and it has caused quite a bit of devastation. There are stories in all the Japanese press, eg this one from the Mainichi(LINK).

The news mentioned last night that over the course of a few hours there were an estimated 152 earthquakes that humans could feel. Scary...

UPDATE - Death toll is now at 13, with almost 300 people injured.
UPDATE 2 - Over 20 people died, and many are still missing. This has been a sad week or two for Japan, with 85 dying in the typhoon last week, and now this.
There was another quake this morning - an aftershock, I suppose.

A Few Words of Thanks

This is long overdue, but I would just like to say a few words of thanks for those who have helped me and Megumi over the past few months. To our families - thanks for helping us through this testing time. I know you have all been trying to deal with Rosie's death yourselves, and I really appreciate the kindness and support you have given us. Stay strong.

Obviously, our friends in Japan have been great. No naming names, but to anyone who has called, or sent an email, or just come round to see us. Thanks - we have really needed you all. That goes the same for friends outside of Japan as well. Again, many people have sent their love and support by email, by snail mail (still exists, apparently!), and we have had a few well-timed phone calls as well. To those who only know me and Megumi and Rosie through this page, hopefully we can meet some day so we can say thanks in person.

To the people at my company, we really appreciate everything. Everyone has been very kind and patient with me while I have been going through some pretty tough days.

I would also like to thank Anne Widdecombe for her support. Anne is a politician, a British MP, who was contacted by my Mum to see if she could help in any way when it became clear that Rosie was getting weaker. Ultimately, there was nothing Anne or anyone else could do to help our baby, but she certainly spent a lot of time trying to help us, and we are extremely grateful for her efforts.

Finally, I would like to thank heart surgeon Dr Ryo Aeba and all the other nurses and doctors who cared for Rosie at Keio University Hospital in Tokyo. Their efforts were truly Herculian. I could never do the job those men and women do, and they have my utmost respect. Ultimately, despite all their hard work, they were not able to save Rosie. Rather than see this as any failure on their part, Megumi and I believe that this was fate. Somehow, in some way, it was meant to be. Rosie was needed elsewhere, and we like to think that she is still smiling, and making others happy in her new resting place.

Megumi and I are healing slowly, but it will take some time. Any help we can get with that process is gratefully received.

G + M, with RK watching over our shoulders : )

2 Months Since August 20th

Yesterday marked the 2-month anniversary of Rosie's death. There were a few tears. Megumi and I are both missing Rosie, and still trying to come to terms with what happened. After speaking to some of my family last weekend, I know we are not the only ones struggling to deal with the situation.

Our friends are being really kind, and we keep getting invited out to various places. To be honest, we often don't really feel like going to a noisy bar and drinking a skinful of booze, so if you do ask us to do something, if it's drinking, please be prepared to accept a polite refusal!

I still haven't put up any vacation photos yet - I'll probably do it at the weekend.

A Few Days Away

Megumi and I just came back from a few days away in the sun. We went to Singapore, and also to a resort island in Indonesia called Bintan. It was nice to get away for a few days, and just enjoy each other's company. We went to the night safari in Singapore, saw the famous MerLion statue, and did a LOT of shopping. On Bintan, we went to the spa and had body scrub and massage treatment, which felt great but which seems to have reacted badly with Megumi's skin! And we just lazed around the pool for a day or so, swimming and enjoying the peace and quiet.

There were a few tears, as you can probably imagine. We still both miss Rosie so much it's sometimes hard to think straight. We made friends with a little 8-month-old Australian baby, who seemed very interested in us. Perhaps he could see, or sense, Rosie with us.

Anyway, we are back, safe and sound. We have to have things to look forwards to, so we are going to watch ballet over the New Year period, and I am trying to get myself in a bit of shape for the Saitama Stadium football event in January.

Cheers Crazy Dave

This is Dave and his lovely lady Naoko.

Dave is Scottish. He's also a bit of a nutter, hence the nickname 'Crazy'. Anyway, he bought us a book called 'What About the Big Stuff', and it was really good. Thanks Dave, I really appreciate it.

(Megumi and I have just come back from vacation. We are doing fine. More news coming soon...)

HUGE Typhoon...

...hit the Tokyo area yesterday. The biggest one ever, or something.

photo from Japan Times

We stayed indoors, safe and dry.

A Japanese Custom - giving money

In Japan people do not generally give presents. Instead they give money. So, if you get married, you will receive money. Small children do not get huge gifts from relatives at Christmas time, instead they pick up wads of cash at New Year.

If someone dies, you also receive money, to help you with the various funeral costs. The custom is then to give back 50% of the value of the money you received in the form of a gift. There are companies which provide catalogs of such gifts, which generally consist of towels, sets of dishes, and boxes of biscuits (cookies) and other snacks.

Megumi and I have been thinking long and hard about how to say thanks to the people who gave us money. Well, we have decided that we are not going to send you boxes of cookies or sets of plates. We are going to give the money to people who really need it, and donate the money to UNICEF. You will all receive a card from UNICEF thanking you for your help in assisting sick and underpriveleged children. We hope that no-one reading was really setting their hearts on getting a new set of kitchen towels!

UNICEF webpage (LINK)

49 Days

Yesterday was the 49th day since Rosie passed away. The 49th day is an important day in Japanese Buddhism. After death, until the 49th day, the dead person's spirit undergoes a number of tests to see whether it can enter heaven and then be reborn. So, if you believe all that, Rosie has been in limbo for a few weeks, and from today she can rest in peace.

Yesterday also marked a kind of line, as the end of the official grieving period. Over the next few weeks we will slowly clean up the house a little, and put Rosie's clothes and toys away for a while. We will use them again in the future if we are lucky enough to be blessed with another little boy or girl. Until that time, we do not see any need to keep everything on permanent display. Our house does not need to be a museum to Rosie's memory in order for us to pay our respects to her.

From today, Rosie is now 'officially' an angel, so we can take another small step forwards.

Info on the 49-day tradition.

Second Wedding Anniversary

Today is our second wedding anniversary. When I asked Megumi to be my wife, and when we made our vows on that beautiful day in Virginia 2 years ago, neither of us ever thought that we would have to go through an experience like the past few months. Rosie's sickness, then the operation, then her eventual passing, were extremely traumatic for me and Megumi (and for our families and friends).

If our relationship wasn't so strong, we would be in much more trouble right now. But we have each other, and we have our love for each other. With that love we made Rosie, and looked after her and cared for her. I know she was so happy to be born as our daughter, and I know she is watching us, wanting us to bring joy to another little boy or girl.

On this day, I would just like to say thank you to my wonderful, strong, kind wife Megumi for the past 2 years. She has always been there for me when I have needed her, and I promise to always be there for her when she needs me.

Matt is Getting a Little Better

My cousin Matt Read is doing better. He had surgery last week on his neck, and is getting slowly better. He has a long, long road of rehabilition ahead of him, but we are confident he will get through it, with the love and support of his family and friends (and even some fans).

Story in Local Paper is here (LINK).

The Saitama Nearly-Men

photo by Megumi Garner - my header went in off the far post!

Megumi and I went to Nagano for the Fall 2004 ALT Soccer Tournament. The Saitama Jets were magnificent. We had a great weekend, playing really well, and all having a lot of fun. We fought our way to the final, but were unlucky to lose on penalty-kicks. We will, however, be participating in the Saitama Stadium event in January, where the best teams from the east and west of Japan face off!

photo stolen from Saitama Jets home page

Megumi had a great time. She was the only supporter on the first day, so all the lads took care of her. It was good for both of us to get some fresh mountain air, and have lots of company for the weekend.