typhoon xangsane in the philippines

"In Laguna, the PNRC chapter reported that 31 people had died in floods and a landslide as of September 30, 2006. At least 3,283 houses are destroyed and another 8,768 damaged."

one of the things i have been super busy and stressed with in 2006 has been the setting up of a small home cottage workshop in the philippines, where auntie millie is, and we have successfully trained a main sewer who has since also learnt how to cut patterns, 1 main sewing assistant, and 2 learning apprentices. we have provided these non-high-school graduates, who would otherwise have been jobless and living in poverty in the countryside, with a means of livelihood, a skill, a full-time proper-paying job, and a home.

i drowned my sorrows last friday night with b and 2 close friends who were the only ones who understood what i do and have been doing, because i was woken up by an early 6am morning phone call on friday, that the house we had rented as the workshop and living quarters for them, has been entirely flooded by the typhoon. my brand new computer there is now a goner. 2 brand new industry sewing machines in water, and my brand new delivery van is now under repair. power has been out for 5 days, still out most of the day now, and will reportedly be full restored only after 3 weeks... no electricity, no nothing. my mum has strongly advised me to buy a power generator, so i guess i'm getting one soon. i can tell that she feels very stressed and disappointed for me as well, but has told me to be strong and continue with what i have to do... i've tried to perk up over the weekend, occupying myself with stuff... it's getting harder as the shit piles up, and more and more business people decide to owe me money, and things like paypal screws up when it's not supposed to... sometimes i just feel like giving up and not put up a smiley front all the time... i'm just saying all these now, i'm leaving to re-stock littleoddforest merchandise at the esplanade shop an hour from now, and i'll be all 'smiles', again.... :(

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4223578.html

another storm on the way while power is still not fully restored... power generator not there yet... sewers are upset as we have just spruced up the place a few months ago after the 2 new apprentices moved in....

thanks for all your kind regards, i'm really touched by all your emails and phonecalls.. i'm fine, just not very verbal about sad stuff, i can type it out okay, but am really bad at saying it or showing it on my face.. so please forgive me for not knowing what to say over the phone and over dinner today...