Sunday, July 13, 2008

Volcano Erupts without Warning in Alaska

 Before I step up on my soapbox, I want to put a DISCLAIMER out right now: THIS IS A JULZ = P.M.S./upset/in need of venting/Morning swim didn't help issue/blah blah blah post.  It is not meant to bring anyone down and if you think it may, please refrain from reading... Spank you :).

***** Steps up on quadruple-stacked soapbox[es]*****

Being that I lived on an island last summer that had an active volcano, I've become intrigued by how they erupt, why they erupt, why they stay active, etc etc.  Well, upon checking my inbox this morning, I found a plethora of emails titled "OKMOK CALDERA ERUPTS IN ALASKA WE MUST HELP TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING," all having been sent by my friends on Hawaii. I felt ashamed that I had not been following Kilauea more closely, as she, too, has been showing an increase in her activity.  ONTO OKMOK: Yesterday morning, around 11:45am, the Okmok Caldera crater erupted, sending ashes shooting 50,000 feet high to the nearby fishing port, Dutch Harbor (only 60 miles away).  

I felt as though a brick had dropped into the pit of my stomach.  While I woke up this morning worrying about how low on fruit and fage we were, there were people on Unalaska Island who were worrying about how they were going to get help and more importantly, how they were going to evacuate (families, pets, $, homes, personal belongings, THEIR LIVES).  I feel horrible about this.  THIS IS GLOBAL WARMING, yes, but it is also personally effecting so many families and ANIMALS (yes, I'm one of those people who think about the more helpless and too often abandoned animals).  The pictures are truly heartbreaking and frightening to me.  They show the recent increase in lava flow from Llaima volcano in Chile, Kilauea, and will soon be showing Okmok, too.  
But what can we do about this?  GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES could be H.U.G.E. for our Country's Energy Power Supply (up to 25%).  Sorry to bring politics into my blog, but Senator Obama is the only candidate, of whom I can recall, who's even mentioned the geothermal power supply (during a speech about alternative energy policies in Nevada).  If  there is any proof to Global Warming/Plate Tectonics, it could very well be the recent increase in Volcanic Activity (from all over the world).  I'm sorry but I just had to vent on this.

The pictures of the aftermath from the eruptions in Chile (June, 2008) are devastating, and frightening.  It makes me think about Kona, and her Volcano, Mauna Loa, which happens to be the Largest Volcano on the planet.  It has recently become active again, after being inactive for nearly 2 decades (this due to a volcanic bulge/mass found underneath her summit).  Anyways, it just makes me think, and this eruption of Okmok Caldera caught me by shock.  I feel ignorant and annoyed with myself, because I have been neglecting a situation that is SO important to me.  I'm really disappointed in ME and I feel as though I have let my friends/family in Hawaii down, but even more importantly, I feel as though I could do so much more with my fortunate, FORTUNATE life.  Do you guys ever feel this way??? I have always been someone who worries about situations that are WORLDLY and BIG (bigger than I, personally, can tackle), and I find myself feeling so overwhelmed by said situations, that after spending copious amounts of time fretting over them, I end up pushing them away until I receive emails or notifications from loved ones, reminding me that they don't just "go away."  (Sorry about the longest sentence ever...)

Anyways, I wanted to post more pictures today, but I am really feeling shapoopy from this.  I know that I could do SO much more to help with global warming and instead of "wishing, waiting, wanting, thinking, watching," my goal for myself is to JUST DO.  

*****Steps down from Soapboxes, hides NEGATIVE-NANCY face, RUNS BACK TO COMPUTER*****

Well, now that that is over with, and I sincerely apologize for this if it brought any of you down!  I didn't mean anything of the sort, but figured, 'hey, my blog is for me, right?  My friends are there to support... ' I have to go GROCERY SHOPPING right now, UGHHHH.  

(hehehe, just kidding!) This is something that I KNOW will brighten up my mood.  I put my cranky butt in the pool this morning to swim away my stress, which definitely helped, a lot, but I think this helped even more.  So, thanks for letting me vent to you guys!  And if you'll now excuse me, I have a date with Whole Foods Market and T-JizzleJazzles!  

I hope you all have a WONDERFUL Sunday, and again, I'm so sorry if this post brought you down!  If it did, I give you permission to never read my blog again?  Or I can bake you a cookie and send it to you?  I can do birthday parties?  Sweet sixteens?  (Sorry!!!)


10 comments:

Little Miss Sunshine said...

First of all, OF COURSE I'll continue to visit this WONDERFUL WONDERFUL blog of yours and I don't mind you bringing up the issue of global warming AT ALL!! So NO worries!! :0) BUT I don't mind if you bake me some cookies though ;0)

About global warming, I am the same with you - I find it easier to just shy myself away from the issue, trying to avoid the topic whenever possible ... shutting myself in a box, sigh, my ignorance ... It's sad I know, but sometimes I just feel that it's easier this way, I feel POWERLESS as an individual to try and change everything around me ... like everything/anything that I've done is never ever enough :0(

Moreover, when I talked to my friends about the issue, most of them just tell me (or something along the line) "Well, sometimes things like this ARE meant to happen - the damage is already done, it's gonna happen no matter what you do ... just ignore it" and those comments just make me feel worse than before :0( I mean isn't it true that we CAN indeed slow down the process of global warming if you all do our bit in reducing our carbon emission?!!!! It's sad how much the society (including me) relies so much on modern technologies/equipments nowadays - I didn't realize that until the powers are out one day and I find myself just sitting there - feeling trap, like nothing can be done and etc...

Phew ... sorry for the LONG rant ... I don't know if you get what I 'm trying to say! But feel better girl, don't be too hard on yourself on this issue - just do what you can :0) Have a great Sunday - it's Monday here in Aus :0)

Anonymous said...

Do you dress up like a clown or make ballon animals for birthday parties?

Honestly, this is your blog. Feel free to vent...without apology.

Mark Salinas said...

Great blog!

Anonymous said...

I <3 you for not being afraid to use your blog to express your beliefs, desires, hopes and dreams, Julz! Thank you for bringing my attention to this issue - I feel so lucky to have people like you and the blogging community to rely on to learn things I would rarely discover on my own! Have a WONDERFUL day, miss! :o)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for being so honest!I feel the same way. I always claim a true love for the environment, but honestly I've never really done anything to help the cause. It's like I feel there's nothing I can do about it, but if everyone stopped thinking this way we can see a change.

aTxVegn said...

I'm sure you haven't turned any readers away. We all need a reminder to step back and look at what's going on beyond our little part of the world.

Anonymous said...

I loved this post Julz! Yes, we are all food bloggers...but I think we can all agree somethings are more important than Chobani's and pineapple. I'm really glad you posted this and shared your feelings! It's what a blog should be! Plus, who can argue that globlal warming isn't an issue we all need to always be thinking about more actively? I'm also fascinated by volcanoes, so this was especially interesting. My Mom did a volcano walk/tour in Hawaii last year and her stories sound so neat! Someday I hope to get to visit myself and see! Thanks girl for being true to yourself...you KNOW (don't lie, you do!) that we will always love our Julz! You could post about African tse tse flies or staplers and we wouldn't care! Happy Tuesday girlie!

Hungry Hungry Dancer said...

im glad you posted this... it makes us aware of how global warming effects the world.. sometimes its easy to forget about volcanoes and such..

ts a serious problem.. it really is

Unknown said...

That was a really interesting post on the volcano eruptions and such..and at least you realize that it's something that needs to be done, most people just choose to ignore it! global warming is really something that needs to be addressed to everyone, whether they're listening or not..so right on! :)

and can i just say that i scrolled down and looked at your previous post..and it was probably the cutest post ever haha. :)

Simple and Divine said...

I am awestruck but the kindness and support from this community... You girls (and guy! Yay, first dude!) R.O.C.K!

Cecilia: You are SO adorable :) Honestly, I just love you and your blog brightens my day B.I.G. T.I.M.E! I didn't know you're from AUS?!?! I <3 Australia more than life, itself, and spent a month in Sydney, Cairns, and Palm Cove (traveling for about three weeks). It was incredible. We lived in the Quay West Apartments in Sydney and our view was enough to make me want to stay forever! I should come and visit you ;) hahaha
Anyways, thank you, again, for supporting my rift/rant. Your words were so sweet and I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds herself lagging behind on her philanthropic deeds :)

Sweetsandsweats: I totally could? I love to dress up and clown around :)

Mark Salinas! : Wow! Thank you! I'm a big fan of yours, so this is AWESOME! I can't believe you found my blog!! How'd you do that? Haha

Jenn: You're the dearest of the dear. You're such a positive force and I am so thankful to have you as a friend, girl! I hope we can meet one day soon :) Your support is so special to me.

Natalie: I couldn't agree with you more! It's so nice to hear that I'm not the only one who feels this way! Thanks for making me feel so much better :)

Atxvgn: Thank you for your words. They are honest and oh so very true. Though it's eery to admit it, I think such situations (volcanos, earthquakes, etc.) help us to realize that there is more to our lives than our own little "issues," pet-peeves, vain worries, etc.

Emma: My my, are you too much for words. Sweeter than sweet, you are, Miss Emma! (And your Chobani's and Pineapple made me giggle... so cute). And you made me laugh so hard with the "African Tse Tse Flies and Staplers" remark. Thank you for lightening up this post for me. Your comment made me feel so good :)

Vegan on Stage: I posted it, though, not as to say "BE MORE AWARE" but more as a personal aside that I needed to write out. I also felt like I should put it out in writing ---er, typing!, that I would really like to work on this, as a personal goal, and maybe that would give it more power.

Lauren: Watermelons are my weakness, that's for damn sure. Plus, I couldn't help but write that post! It was something that basically wrote itself :) And thank you for your supportive words. And for allowing me to see the brighter side to my "ignorance" --- It is true that the first step is recognizing this, and I suppose that few people ARE actually able to recognize this in themselves. So thanks girl! :)