I realize I've been silent almost a full nine months on my blog, but recent events have really got my blood pressure risin' and I have to relieve the pressure or I might lose it.
Yesterday the part of the country where I reside experienced its first earthquake in quite a while. I don't know exact numbers and honestly, I'm too lazy this late in the evening to look it all up for you. If it matters to you, I'm sure it's a couple clicks away.
(Wait. I just felt some tremors. Really. How odd.)
Anyhow. I cannot count how many stories I have read or heard recounted where people have gone OUTSIDE during this most recent earthquake.
Really people?
Tornado coming--- go outside? No!
Hurricane arriving---go outside? Of course not!
Swarming locusts invading---go outside? Not unless you're a seagull.
In what space & time would you want to run outside during an act of Mother Nature? Almost none. (Of course, if you know the structure you are in is about to tumble, by alllll means, please run outside.) There are PLENTY of reasons not to run outside. I'll give you a minute to think of your own since it doesn't take much to realize there are usually far worse hazards outside than in your own home/office. What's worse? A falling ceiling tile or piece of the National Cathedral smacking you on the noggin?
I realize most people have not been trained for this type of occasion. My own daughter had no idea what to do. Hurricane? She's your go-to gal since public school has sufficiently brainwashed her in all things hurricane in the short space of K & 1st grade. I, on the other hand, can remember vividly my days of earthquake training in elementary school, BUT has no one else seen the pictures of students beneath desks, preparing for the next big one? STOP. DROP. HOLD. No? Hmm. Must've only been me.
While hard to admit, I am struggling not to be counted as one of the Californians snickering at a hysterical East Coast. I realize it's a new sensation. Something that comes up behind you with no warning and reminds you you're not in control. There is no tracking map in the corner of your television giving you ample time to make preparations. It simply arrives and snatches your breath away---then slithers away leaving you weak in the knees. Sometimes literally.
Maybe the next time another part of the world experiences an earthquake you will be more apt to give/pray/empathize since you will, in some small measure, have been through it too.
***
My experience with our most recent "coffee stirrer" of an earthquake? Here it is for posterity:
While on the phone with T I became aware of the loudest of noises. Since we live near military bases I started to assume it was a group of helicopters doing some type of training (just the other day I saw 7 flying together). This thought lasted no more than a second and a half when I mentioned to T that it was, indeed, an earthquake. We hung up, I called for M and we rode out the quake together--which I thought was sorta fun! She had a tough time get her 'land legs' back after a few tremors came through, but the next thing I knew she had her hands in the air, exclaiming "That was SOOOO cool! Let's do it again!"
She must be my kid.
Guilty as charged, we did go outside, but in our defense we did wait until the shaking stopped :)
ReplyDeleteI remember drills at school, we had to get under our desks. I didn't make my kids get under anything since nothing was falling, if it had been I think I would have gathered them all under the table. But since things were only swaying, we just waited it out in our front room.
Funny, I actually thought it was airplanes at first too (my kids thought it was the dishwasher)
...although after going back and reading my blog post about it and reading through what my kids thought...it's apparent that they don't know what to do since their first thoughts were to run outside. (in their defense, we do not have a National Cathedral in our front yard, ha ha!)
ReplyDeleteIn MY defense . . . having gone through earthquake drills in Utah AND reading junk e-mail about how the old information is bad information . . . . I couldn't decide if the old "get under your desk" thing still applied!!!
ReplyDeleteMy hubby and I had a conversation about just that when he came home. . . .
and it had stopped by the time we went outside too!!!!
So THERE!!! ;) (You know I'm joshin' with you don't you??? sorta ;)
Tina (your blog isn't allowing my comment so I'm going anonymous
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMy hometown (age 3-17) is known the earthquake capital of the world, Hollister, CA. I remember my first one at age 3--I was playing outside, and the ground rolled like the ocean. So, earthquakes, no big deal, but I am a wimp when it comes to hurricanes and tornadoes (even high-wind storms). I've showed my kids how to curl up in a fetal position under furniture with their hands over their necks, but they probably won't remember that (unless they practice over and over like we did in school).
ReplyDeleteSorry, had to do this again.