The last few days have represented a couple of firsts for yours truly. First, we got our first actual, no-kidding snow of the season (and therefore for me, period) here in town. Which was great at first, because it made everything nice and white and clean-looking.
Until today, when everything melted and now we're in a giant mud puddle.
More significantly for me, last night I experienced my first earthquake. At about 1:00 in the morning, I was reading in my bed, when I felt the mattress start shaking. In all honesty, my first thought was that the mice had decided it was time to strike, and that they had massed for an all-out assault.
But then I realized that couldn't be it, and I figured out what was going on. It also helped that the doors on my closet started banging. Then I looked over to the coat pegs where I keep my jacket and my dog tags to see the tags swinging freely. Then, I heard and felt our entire building start shaking.
Said hanging location
At this point I remembered that we live in what is essentially two storeys of metal shipping containers held together by thin beams and hope, and I began to wonder about the structure's stability. At any rate, I figured I was probably safer where I was than downstairs in my office, should the building decide to give up.
All told, it didn't last very long (maybe a minute or minute and a half, based on consensus), but it was pretty interesting for a non-Californian such as myself. I guess it was about a six on the Richter scale, and had started over 160 miles away, though, so that's something.
1 comment:
I remember my first earthquake. I had just landed in bed and my bed kept shaking. I thought it was old springs, but it kept shaking. Then I realized what it was. Maybe a minute long. I felt a little bit of panic as I realized what was going on, but damage wasn't too bad (a few pictures fell and glass broke). Other than that it was back to sleep.
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