Earthquake!!!

I just lived through my very first earthquake. Since Maggie and Bryce, my lovely cousins, were deathly afraid I would die in an earthquake immediately upon moving to California, I wanted to let you all know I am not dead.

I was sitting on my couch sending out resumes to job openings with my roommate Kerrie who was doing the same thing. I suddenly felt the couch shaking. My first thought was that one of our many animals was sitting behind the couch and scratching which was shaking us too. Knowing that both the dogs are too big to get back there and the cats would have to be really strong to shake us that way, I said to Kerrie, "Is this an earthquake?"

Immediately, the shaking became much stronger and the whole house was moving. I could see the walls wobbly back and forth. The dogs came running out into the living room as Kerrie and I stupidly held onto the couch and rode it out. We did absolutely nothing to protect ourselves (doorways? would that help me? What?) and it was over almost before it started.

Kerrie and I looked at each other and laughed. I think we were just relieved that it was so minor in our house because we weren't sure it we would have been able to save ourselves! Nothing broke or anything here (Jeff would be proud because my first thought was for the TV). We just got a good shake. All the news stations are going crazy and the animals are still calming down, but otherwise it was pretty minor. The aftershocks are getting smaller, so nothing worse should happen and my little old house looks like it will hold up pretty well through quakes. Plus, the epicenter is 20 miles southeast of Los Angeles (we are north west of downtown) so the worst is far from us. I promise everyone I'll actually read up on earthquake safety so next time I won't just stare in shock amazement.