Eaaarrrrthhhquaaaakkkeeee!!!!!!

So, I’ve been in California almost two years now.  When I tell people back home that I live in California they automatically picture Los Angeles or some other such big city.  They ask isn’t it hard to live there because of the fast pace?  The truth is, it’s been paradise.  Perfect temps, Maine-like scenery, laid back atmosphere.  Very much what the doctor ordered after the high stress life in Phoenix.  Where I live in California is nothing like what they perceive it to be.  It’s very small town and I like it that way.

Having said that, this afternoon as we were finishing up our lunch break, I stood up to put something in the garbage and felt something very odd.  Almost like a rolling sensation underneath my shoes.   I turned to Paula and Jenn and they both looked at each other and casually said: “Oh hey, an earthquake.”

I’m pretty sure at that point I resembled a deer in the headlights.  I was frozen in mid rise from the table where I was when the the rumbling started.  They looked at me and started to look panicked yet reassuring.  Like they wanted to talk me down.

“Kel, it’s okay.”

“Yeah it’s just going to last a second.”

“If it gets any worse we’ll go under the table.”

WHAT????

It lasted less than 30 seconds but that was all it took for me to start to panic and freak out.  Jenn saw the panic and tears in my eyes right away started to talk to me like her daughter:  “It’s okay Kel, it’s going to be over in just a second, it’s not that bad.  You’re okay.”

It wasn’t the earthquake that bothered me really.  It was the IDEA of the earthquake.  The fact that I lived somewhere that had these things so often that my co-workers treated it like it was old hat.  The fact that I lived somewhere that had earthquakes PERIOD!

Once it ended we all went outside for some air and then went back to our desks.  I composed myself the best I could since I had to cover the front desk and then called Rob.  I asked him if he felt it and he said: “felt what?”  Damn.

Looking back, it wasn’t a lot it was just a very weird feeling of the ground moving under my feet, especially when I’m not so steady on my feet in the first place due to my anxiety.

I guess it was a 4.8 on the scale.  They said it was pretty big to what they have had recently, but not that big.

I guess why I’m really freaked out is that in my sheltered little life, the only time I’ve heard about earthquakes is when there was some huge disaster or a movie that portrays the worst case scenario.  So in my head, earthquake = huge deal.  I guess that is not always the case.

It won’t stop me from being a paranoid fool though.  It’s what I do.