OMG!
How does that hit tune go?
"I felt the earth move under my feet!"
Uh-huh!
I was standing at a computer terminal at the Main Library in downtown San Francisco a few minutes ago - checking out source material - when the floor suddenly rippled, the walls turned liquid, and my heart fluttered nervously for a second or two.
Earthquake!
Mind you, it was just a gentle rocking one, but nothing to sniff at!
Ironically - local News anchors were just chatting each other up about the possiblity of a quake today - of all days!
Apparently, yesterday was the anniversay of the legendary quake that shook the city to its foundations - causing it to erupt in fire and burn to the ground many moons ago - around the turn-of-the century.
In fact, a rag-tag gang of historians trotted down to Market Street last night - to solemnly draw attention to that fateful day when San Franciscans were forced to rebuild from scratch after the devasting temblor struck.
Lotta's Fountain, where the vigil took place, was the only public memorial left standing way back when!
Scientists were predicting a fifty-to-sixty percent chance that the earth would rumble today.
Golly!
When I first immigrated to the U.S. - and took up residence in Southern California - the tiniest rolling motion usually jolted me from a deep sleep.
Over time, I became accustomed to the nudges, and paid them no mind over time.
Until the Northridge Earthquake hit, that is.
Unfortunately, I was renting an apartment in a five-story New York-style walk-up, which the landlord neglected to retrofit.
In the middle of the night, I was shaken from a deep slumber, and confronted with a lot of moaning-and-groaning as the foundations began to shift and collapse beneath me.
What the!
Outside, I suddenly caught sight of all the city lights across Los Angeles, suddenly being extinguished in waves from one end of town to the next as the power flashed out.
Suddenly, I was in a panic, because the creaking began to increase in volume signalling an impending disaster to come.
I scrambled out of bed and was faced with a couple of dilemmas.
For starters, all the power was out, so I was unable to locate my clothes.
Uh-huh.
I sleep in the nude!
For a few tense moments, I stumbled around in the dark tripping and falling over furniture - and a host of once-nifty little collectables - that were now strewn all over the apartment floor in disarray.
Once I managed to get dressed, I faced a pressing new frightful problem.
A bookshelf in the hall had fallen in front of the door and was making my exit next-to-impossible.
When I finally escaped into the dark hall, with the building sinking below my barefeet by the minute, I was forced to dart down five flights of stairs in the eerily silent apartment house.
Where was everyone?
Was this just some horrific nightmare?
Outside, when I alighted into the dark spooky night, I spied all of my neighbors huddled in their cars fiddling with their radios.
News reports were being excitedly dispated from radio stations around the city.
Meanwhile, just down the street, there was a lot of looting underway on Hollywood Boulevard.
At least right up 'til the moment the military moved in, drew their rifles, and stood watch over the fray until a semblance of order was regained.
As I noted in my post later, I felt like I was in war-torn Beirut, God forbid!
Post: 04/19/2008
http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2008/04/northridge-earthquakea-lesson-to-all.html
A few hours later, the City Inspector entered the premises, and issued red-tag warnings to the tenants.
How does that hit tune go?
"I felt the earth move under my feet!"
Uh-huh!
I was standing at a computer terminal at the Main Library in downtown San Francisco a few minutes ago - checking out source material - when the floor suddenly rippled, the walls turned liquid, and my heart fluttered nervously for a second or two.
Earthquake!
Mind you, it was just a gentle rocking one, but nothing to sniff at!
Ironically - local News anchors were just chatting each other up about the possiblity of a quake today - of all days!
Apparently, yesterday was the anniversay of the legendary quake that shook the city to its foundations - causing it to erupt in fire and burn to the ground many moons ago - around the turn-of-the century.
In fact, a rag-tag gang of historians trotted down to Market Street last night - to solemnly draw attention to that fateful day when San Franciscans were forced to rebuild from scratch after the devasting temblor struck.
Lotta's Fountain, where the vigil took place, was the only public memorial left standing way back when!
Scientists were predicting a fifty-to-sixty percent chance that the earth would rumble today.
Golly!
When I first immigrated to the U.S. - and took up residence in Southern California - the tiniest rolling motion usually jolted me from a deep sleep.
Over time, I became accustomed to the nudges, and paid them no mind over time.
Until the Northridge Earthquake hit, that is.
Unfortunately, I was renting an apartment in a five-story New York-style walk-up, which the landlord neglected to retrofit.
In the middle of the night, I was shaken from a deep slumber, and confronted with a lot of moaning-and-groaning as the foundations began to shift and collapse beneath me.
What the!
Outside, I suddenly caught sight of all the city lights across Los Angeles, suddenly being extinguished in waves from one end of town to the next as the power flashed out.
Suddenly, I was in a panic, because the creaking began to increase in volume signalling an impending disaster to come.
I scrambled out of bed and was faced with a couple of dilemmas.
For starters, all the power was out, so I was unable to locate my clothes.
Uh-huh.
I sleep in the nude!
For a few tense moments, I stumbled around in the dark tripping and falling over furniture - and a host of once-nifty little collectables - that were now strewn all over the apartment floor in disarray.
Once I managed to get dressed, I faced a pressing new frightful problem.
A bookshelf in the hall had fallen in front of the door and was making my exit next-to-impossible.
When I finally escaped into the dark hall, with the building sinking below my barefeet by the minute, I was forced to dart down five flights of stairs in the eerily silent apartment house.
Where was everyone?
Was this just some horrific nightmare?
Outside, when I alighted into the dark spooky night, I spied all of my neighbors huddled in their cars fiddling with their radios.
News reports were being excitedly dispated from radio stations around the city.
Meanwhile, just down the street, there was a lot of looting underway on Hollywood Boulevard.
At least right up 'til the moment the military moved in, drew their rifles, and stood watch over the fray until a semblance of order was regained.
As I noted in my post later, I felt like I was in war-torn Beirut, God forbid!
Post: 04/19/2008
http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2008/04/northridge-earthquakea-lesson-to-all.html
A few hours later, the City Inspector entered the premises, and issued red-tag warnings to the tenants.
Because of the precarious condition of the old brick building, we were barred from returning to our homes!
As I noted in updates in the past, earthquakes are not entirely out-of-the-norm on the San Andreas fault.
If you scrutinize a map, it becomes painstakingly evident - that because Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle rest on two plates (that are moving in different directions beneath the shakey earth) - quakes are inevitable.
In fact, I am predicting another "big one" in the next five years!
Today, was just a percursor to a series of quakes, that are going to do down starting this week.
So, hold onto your britches and secure all those expensive china plates on display in the dining-room, because we're all in for a bumpy night or two.
Just betcha, die-hard Californians will stay, and brave the inevitable.
I'm certainly not packing!
http://www.thetattler.biz
As I noted in updates in the past, earthquakes are not entirely out-of-the-norm on the San Andreas fault.
If you scrutinize a map, it becomes painstakingly evident - that because Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle rest on two plates (that are moving in different directions beneath the shakey earth) - quakes are inevitable.
In fact, I am predicting another "big one" in the next five years!
Today, was just a percursor to a series of quakes, that are going to do down starting this week.
So, hold onto your britches and secure all those expensive china plates on display in the dining-room, because we're all in for a bumpy night or two.
Just betcha, die-hard Californians will stay, and brave the inevitable.
I'm certainly not packing!
http://www.thetattler.biz
