Jacob,

I've actually been having internal debates about posting about the Tsumami, and I have tried to put it into words to post, but am having a hard time even doing that.

I am horrified at the loss of human life and yet not at all surprised it happened. As a geologist I am always expecting something like this and know quite well the scale of natural disasters. I have been tempted to post a lot of my observations about the geologic situation, but I have privately decided not to. Others handled it very well. It's strange when something you study causes such massive suffering. Like I said, I'm having a hard time describing my reaction to this horror.

My posts lately have not been serious, out of a need to escape.

I read your earlier posts, and I'm sorry people you know have suffered unimaginable loss. Please don't confuse my silence for an American's self-centeredness. I didn't quite know what to say in reply. I ache, and am doing what I can from here.

While proof reading, I realized that I've failed again: this reply seems so shallow for such deep tragedy. But I'll post it anyway, having deleted several already.

Sincerely,
jms