 |
 |
|
Would you know what to do in the event of a colossal natural disaster? Say, an earthquake. Or a tsunami. A tornado, hurricane, typhoon. Mudslide, flood, or fire. Or maybe a pyroclastic flow.
I've experienced two massive earthquakes: the one in October 1989 in the San Francisco Bay Area, and then the Northridge earthquake in Los Angeles in January 1994.
On both occasions, nothing happened to me personally other than embarrassment (I thought the Loma Prieta earthquake was a special effects demo, given that I happened to be in a darkened room listening to "The Abyss" producer Gale Anne Hurd give a talk about the special visual effects in that film) and confusion (at the time of the Northridge quake I was having a symbolic dream about the history of humanity).
Those two earthquakes had a magnitude of 6.9 and 6.7, respectively.
For a little comparison, Haiti's 2010 earthquake was 7.0. Sichuan, China in 2008 was 7.9. Pakistan in 2005 was 7.6. All much more severe, all in areas much more populated and much worse built. Consequently, many more casualties.
Still, being a part of the two California earthquakes forever etched into my bones the memory of how the movement of tectonic plates feels in your body. Driving through hilltop neighborhoods in LA, seeing driveways that ended abruptly in blue skies instead of houses, and feeling the hills near Universal Studios where I lived, literally move beneath my feet, is not something I will ever forget.
Of course, the biggest one in our recent memory was the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, which we tend to refer to by its consequence, the Tsunami. That earthquake was magnitude 9.1. Yes, NINE POINT ONE. And it went on for 8.3 to 10 minutes. MINUTES.
Unfathomable.
Two weeks ago, the earth shook again, in the lovely nation of Nepal. Magnitude 7.8. Over 8,000 dead.
I have a friend in Nepal, a young photojournalist I worked with on a few volunteer projects when he was in New York back in 2000. Seeing his name in several New York Times articles where he was interviewed gave me relief–he survived. But so many—too many—did not. It seems cruel and arbitrary that your survival in these events depends so much on dumb luck, as in, where you happen to be at the time. Disasters don't look at your degrees, your bank accounts, your social status. They just do their thing. They happen.
So what do you do when you happen to be half a world away, your life totally untouched by the unimaginable grief and terror of those directly impacted? Made me sick to my heart reading an email from a father so concerned about the personal safety of his two daughters that he did not allow himself to sleep (just imagine what can happen when young women are forced to sleep outdoors along with everyone else—"the good people and the bad people," as the father wrote).
Of course it's worthy and noble to donate to the organizations on the ground, or travel there if you are able to help out directly. A friend engaged in relief work is about to be deployed, and I wish I could be on that plane with her.
But if you can't go in person, you can still do your part, whatever that might be. For me, it's posting links to local organizations on our Facebook page that has over 171,000 fans, and asking them to spread the word. It's putting together a book of images of resilience the way we did for the Tsunami, so that those stories can live forever. It's finding the compassion and empathy not to turn away, not to click away from the news stories.
If you do nothing else, just be. Aware.
~ Birgitte
|
 |
One of the most powerful and lasting ways to make sure the world never forgets about Nepal is to tell the stories of resilience and survival of the Nepalese people as they grapple with their current reality post-earthquake. And so, as we did with the 2004 Asian Tsunami, we're plannning on publishing a book of images and stories for Nepal. This time however, we have the tools and technology to get the book out there much faster.
So if you are on the ground in Nepal, or know someone who is, let me know, get in touch.
For now, however, the priorities still remain basic: food, water, shelter, security, medical care. For those of you interested in supporting community efforts directly on the ground in Nepal, here is a shortlist of local aid organizations I've heard about through friends and colleagues, including many in the California Health Medical Reserve Corps, engaged in the rescue & relief work:
• Global Giving
• Heart Mind International
• MITeri, Nepali Students' association at MIT
• READ Global
• Seven vetted charities
• Shenpen Nepal
• Tsoknyi Rinpoche
• Unatti Foundation
• Virtue's Children Nepal
There is some unexpectedly good news, involving Nepal and NASA... about radar detecting heartbeats in rubble.
|
 |
SAVE THE DATE: This Sunday, May 17, I hold the first of a series of calls for our Mayan Calendar community. These will be informal Q&A sessions where readers of my book The Serpent and the Jaguar can call in and ask questions on how to integrate the concept and principles of sacred time that the Tzolkin calendar functions on.
I am asking everyone interested in these calls to sign up on a separate dedicated email list. You need to be signed up there to receive the call-in details.
For this first call, you can also just email me since it's coming up fast, and I'll make sure you get on the list.
|
 |
- Our hardcover photography book, Tsunami: Images of Resilience, has been awarded the 2015 Best Book Cover Description in the Non Fiction Category, by ALLi, the Alliance of Independent Authors. Woo hoo!
- Historical fiction novel about a boy, a girl, and the history of chocolate: still in editing but cover design is now in production. Stay tuned for that ever-elusive release date!
- Mystery book: the first illustrations are taking shape. I've held back long enough: this is my first illustrated book for children. It had to happen sooner or later!
- Interactive educational game: we have conducted our first series of informal feedback on specific aspects of the design. The overall design is nearly done, after many weeks of research and tinkering with the right "look & feel."
Oh, if you have an iPad and want to be among the first beta testers, email me for more details.
Speaking of games. Since it will be a few more weeks yet before our momentous, ground-breaking, world-changing game gets to wear its first prototype, I'll share with you something a little more concrete, as in, a game you can play NOW.
Check out Monument Valley. Hands down, it is the best digital game I have come across in years. It's hypnotic. It makes your brain hurt. It will knock whatever footwear you've got on clear off.
|
|
Connect with me:
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
You are receiving this message because you have signed up for my mailing list, registered with a user account on my author's web site, sent me flowers or dark chocolate, survived a live television program with me, or otherwise communicated with me and/or shown interest in my work or the official Birgitte Rasine author web site, or because you are someone I know personally. If you have any questions, please contact LUCITÀ via email at info@lucita.net or by telephone at +1 408.542.9942.
Copyright © 2015 LUCITÀ Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
|
|
