The Artist Formerly Known as Oehm-Doggy

The day-to-day adventures of a naive mid-westerner living in the heart of lala land...

Thursday, June 16, 2005

4.9!!!

I have finally just experienced my first earthquake. About 10 minutes ago, my office started shaking like crazy. I considered hiding under my desk, but decided on standing in the doorway. My coworkers were all in their doorways too, so I appear to have chosen wisely. OC im'd me right away...she felt it all the way down in Long Beach, which is like 50 miles away. I feel like I have overcome a milestone. The idea of an earthquake is not nearly as scary as it was before, although I still think that they are scarier than tornados. At least you know when a tornado is coming.

I am all hopped up on adrenaline now...

posted by Jayme @ 2:22 PM  

4 Comments:

  • At 1:27 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Earthquakes are awesome for a quick adrenaline boost, but leaves you feeling a little dizzy and disoriented. So, while fun like an amusement park, not so productive at work. I was distracted the whole rest of the day.

     

  • At 5:56 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    first off, glad you're ok. ;) wuss.

    but i have to respectfully disagree about tornados vs. earthquakes.

    earthquakes clearly have the "advantage" over tornados in terms of potential for mass destruction, scale and scope. and yes, earthquakes are by nature sudden and "spontaneous," whereas tornados take longer to develop and are almost always forewarned.

    but that's the scary element, IMO. the gradual build-up, the darkening sky, the crescendo of wind and rain. the beep-beep-beep National Weather Service TV cut-ins and the no-longer-smiling faces of our trusty weathermen, superimposed over blood red storm cells, moving NxNE at 35 MPH.

    it's just like the movies...how do you build a good scare? protaganist walking down the street, pop music playing, gets hit by a bus from off -screen and dies?

    or...vulernable heroine alone in her house, lights flicker, violins shrieking in the background, timpani drum, volume swells as the creature chases her to the basement. she's cornered, it approaches, her eyes widen, she can't speak, it lurches toward her.

    that's a big, pant-wetting scare. hollywood style.

    the no-warning scenario, the earthquake, gets maybe a gasp.

     

  • At 10:09 AM, Blogger Jayme said…

    I stand firm in my original statement. The theatrical buildup that you speak of has never been that scary to me. I have always been much more afraid of the startling and unexpected. The idea of being hit by a bus, frankly, is terrifying.

     

  • At 10:10 AM, Blogger Jayme said…

    And I am not a wuss.

     

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