2004-12-31 - Can I hug Southeast Asia?:

So I got back last night from a week with the family for the whole Christmas fare. It wasn't nearly as painful as I thought it would be.

Anyway. Mostly I am happy to be back in my house and in my life. And my life is cool; I am doing some neat grown-up things, and I have cool job prospects, and good financial standings. Being a young, single, no-strings-attached grown-up is pretty cool, yo.

I am, of course, thinking a lot about Asia. I like the CBC and it's excellent coverage. I am also inclined to agree with Rex Murphy's commentary after the fact:

It is an axiom of this world that the worst things happen in the poorest places to people in the weakest circumstances. If you were born in the West, you've won the only lottery that really counts from the very first moment you take air. It's very early in the response to the calamity now unfolding, but not too early to ask what our country [Canada] plans to do.

Two days after his commentary, Canada decided to pledge $40 million, instead of $4 million. Embarassingly, Paul Martin is still on vacation.

Also, though, I've been thinking about my cousin. He was in the area for about 7 months. He came back about a week ago for Christmas, deciding to see his family instead of partying in Thailand with his new friends there, both locals and travellers. So, Carlos (my cousin) and his girlfriend came back for the holidays. And I am extremely relieved, because they were backpacking, and those people are harder to find. But I am also sad, for him and his new friends there. Because Carlos and his girlfriend had the luxury of being able to leave. Also, because he is not sure where his friends are, or how to contact them. So, the couple I care about is safe and sound. But they are worried and in shock.