In case you were unaware. Yep, I'm an earthquake survivor.
Everyone went out on the street immediately after it happened.
Some people were sharing a bag of Reese's cups.
Peanut butter and chocolate make everything better.
Everyone's OK and accounted for, and since nothing serious appears to have gone down, I can now discuss the humor of the whole event.
Starting with: D.C. + natural disasters = nightmare. I originally got on a bus, but traffic was awful - when, after 30 minutes, I had traveled 4 city blocks, I decided to hoof it.
I stopped at Whole Foods for a bottle of water and a Kashi bar, since my lunch was interrupted. In other news, since we were not able to re-enter the building, I get to deal with my dirty soup bowl when I arrive at work tomorrow. Yay!
I survived the Great Earthquake of 2011!
This was before I realized it was going to take me almost 1.5 hours to get home.
Favorite quotes heard on the trip home:
Lady on bus - "This is God telling us what's what."
Man in suit on K Street, yelling into phone: "Nora! Nora! Do not separate! I am on my way up there! I will call the school! Do not leave Jake!"
Woman on her cell phone walking down the street: "Then when it started I ran. I wasn't waiting for her ass!"
Ah, the human bonds formed in the wake of a natural disaster.
The damage? Or just poor decorating skills? You decide.
The cats were fine though. If they were traumatized, I couldn't tell, because demanding constant attention is the norm.
I did actually learn some valuable lessons in case, god forbid, I ever experience a real emergency:
1. Always have good shoes for walking.
2. Glad I carry sunscreen in my purse for unexpected walks home.
3. Friends and family: if anything like this ever happens again, don't expect me to be able to tell you immediately that I'm ok. Most likely I'll have no cell phone reception.
4. Apparently I have no idea what to do in an earthquake. First thought "what the hell is going on??" Second thought "um...am I supposed to get under the desk?" Third thought "that seems stupid, what if it collapses on me?" I ended up just sitting in my chair while the building shook. BTW, what do you do in an earthquake?
5. But I do have some good instincts! Managed to get my iPhone and purse before exiting the building. Did not manage to shut down computer.
I hope everyone else had an equally exciting, but ultimately humorous experience. Earthquake 2011!
Addendum: I don't mean to make light of what could have been a serious situation. There is building damage being reported around the District, but from what I've heard, nothing too bad, thank God. And the earthquake itself was pretty scary, especially since I had no idea what was going on. Definitely had shaking hands as we exited the building. But, I am happy that we all seem to have come through unscathed, so I hope my humor is taken in the spirit in which it is given: genuine relief.
Addendum: I don't mean to make light of what could have been a serious situation. There is building damage being reported around the District, but from what I've heard, nothing too bad, thank God. And the earthquake itself was pretty scary, especially since I had no idea what was going on. Definitely had shaking hands as we exited the building. But, I am happy that we all seem to have come through unscathed, so I hope my humor is taken in the spirit in which it is given: genuine relief.
I heard the reaction there was intense, and from your blog post, sounds like it! With earthquakes, you're generally supposed to get under cover of a sturdy desk or something similar. Or, what I choose instead, is stand in a doorway. Most places don't hang anything above the doorways in offices or homes, so that's generally a safe place.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're able to find humor in the whole experience! Earthquakes can be scary! Thank the stars it wasn't too huge and didn't cause much damage.