I'm okay (updated)

Just in case you are wondering, I'm okay. Stranded at the office, where I intend to sleep, but otherwise okay. Can't get in touch with my wife but I'm not too worried. Going to post this before my internet connection goes down. I'll tell you all about it later, and there is indeed a lot to tell.

UPDATE (March 11 @ 8:30):

The full scope of the situation hasn't quite dawned on me. It's not that it's too much to take in at a moment; it's that I don't have much more information than anyone else does outside Japan. I'm in my office right now using my colleague's computer and haven't seen much of the city outside Roppongi, where I work. The building is still shaking. Feels more like being on a boat. It's either this or freeze outside.

I suppose the only thing I'm really aware of is my own experience. There was no sort of gradual coming to terms with things; it more happened in stages. There was a minor earthquake yesterday so when the tremour began I didn't think much of it. But then it didn't go away and I reached down to put my shoes on my feet, jokingly saying, "Better put my shoes on!" as I tied one lace. The shaking still didn't stop, but got more intense. I grabbed my jacket, wallet, and phone, having realised that this was not normal, and urged my coworker to the door. That's when the floor started jerking and everyone ran down the stairs. The girl in front was wearing heels so she slowed us down a bit. Everyone made it out without trampling anyone else.

I exited the building just as the shaking subsided. First thing I did was try and text Kuriko but couldn't get through. Figured that everyone else was trying to phone and that the lines were clogged. We all stood there, sort of wondering if anything would fall. Eerily, the sky had gone dark. I was trying to determine how serious things were. It was then that I looked up at a newly built apartment building, which was swaying back and forth. It kept on doing that for more than ten minutes. But I didn't yet think the situation was that serious, although I knew it wasn't going to be normal.

My satchel was still on my desk, so I thought I would go up and fetch it. I did so, taking a moment to send an email to cancel a meeting I had scheduled for 7:00 (foolishly thinking my interviewee would actually try and come). Then the second quake came and it was right back down the stairwell again.

Made it out okay. The police were really well organised. One directed us to the evacuation area. Stood there for a while taking pictures with my camera. Some people were wearing hardhats. Can't say why.

The office closed for the day. A few people actually went back in to do work. I didn't think that anything really terrible had happened yet, so my concern at the moment was that my meeting would be off. (I had made about 100 phone calls to book this woman in.) A few of us went looking for a bar and on the way saw a few images of the quake on a television. A wave had swept Sendai and a plant of some sort in Chiba had ignited. My awareness kicked up a notch, but not quite enough.

We sat down for a few drinks and chatted away. People kept on checking their iPhones to see if the trains were running. 7:00 rolled around and transportation was still down. Aside from that, the mood hadn't degraded to anything negative. I knew that the next day we would think very differently. I began to worry about Kuriko in a more serious way. My phone still couldn't dial out or send a message. Finally got a text out but as of now (8:30pm) I haven't heard back. (I'm not too worried. Where she works is pretty solid.)

We headed to the kombini (convenience store), where we found a 15 minute line-up and no food on the shelves. Everyone else was in the same situation as we were: no way to get home and nothing to eat. Now things started to feel a bit odd and I wanted desperately to read the news.

Went back to the office and quickly sent out several "I'm okay" emails. Then I went downstairs and saw the footage. 8.9 quake. Wow.

So now I'm just sitting here wondering how things are going to be tomorrow. Asked my colleague to take a picture of me in case I needed to look back and remember where I was this day. It might or might not be that bad. Don't know yet. But phones and transportation are still down so you never know.

I'm going to go pick out a place to sleep for the night. Maybe I want to get out of this office building should these shakes become quakes. Just remembered how old the thing is.