Quake and Quake 2

No, this has nothing to do with videogames.

Yes, I thought the title was clever. I'm also running on one cup of coffee right now, so cut me some slack.

By this point, most folks know about the east coast earthquake here in the states. It's a tad unusual for Virginia to get hit with a 'quake. A 5.8 (or 5.9, depending on the source). I'm going with 5.8 'cause that's what the USGS says and as a good Californian, I go to them for info.

As a Californian, it's easy to scoff at a 5.8. That's an appreciable shaker, but not really in the category of badass. Our buildings out here are (in theory) built to handle 5.8 quakes with only the barest mention.

I usually don't pay any more than the most fleeting attention to anything under a 5.0, as a general rule.

So when we got a little jolt of our own last night, I have to say I paid it only the most cursory attention.

I think I was sound asleep, actually. The window rattled. It woke me up. I recall thinking "huh. Quake." Then I rolled over and promptly fell back into a surreal dream involving laser-umbrellas, zip-lines to tree houses, and flying over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Don't ask. I suspect I shouldn't have had that spicy chicken sandwich for dinner.

I just find it funny that the 3.6 quake here has gotten all that much attention. I mean, it's neat that it happened the same day as the east coast quake, but it's a freakin' 3.6!

I have a buddy who farts stronger than that after a hearty meal (I'M LOOKIN' AT YOU, T!)

The east coasters aren't used to getting quakes, and honestly, why should they? They already have enough troubles. I mean they've got humid summers, hurricanes, freezing winters, Congress, and Florida. Hell, they even get tornadoes sometimes.

Adding earthquakes to that pile is just being cruel.

East coast peeps, I feel genuine sympathy that you guys had to experience a quake. It must have been scary and disorienting. I hope that was a one-time gig for you guys. It really sucks to feel the earth shaking when you're not used to it.

You can now go back to dealing with the rest of that list. And you have my sympathies for having Florida. Really.