That was awesome

The epicenter for this 5.4 Quake was approx. 20 miles from our house, and about 30 miles from my office.

It rocked my building, tossed my wife around (she was outside sweeping), and scared the hell out of my son.

As long as nobody was hurt it's all just good, wholesome fun :)

Who needs the Fair when Mother Nature can offer up rides this awesome?

*edit* The first sign of the quake was a jarring bump with a loud bang. Then the rocking started, and it went on, and on, and on, for a good 20 seconds or so, I think. Time passes differently in times like these. Not being a native I actually enjoy the shaking and the swaying. As I said, who needs the Fair when you've got an angry Gaia.

Like Xinh, I think tornadoes and hurricanes are inherently scarier. With an earthquake you're prepared (or should be) with tinned food & bottled water to last a few days, but you just go about your daily life as you normally do, until the quake hits without warning. Then there's a bit of a shake, you have a chuckle afterwards, and life goes on.

With a hurricane or tornado you get the experts saying it's hurricane season, then the storm builds up. You listen to the news anxiously as you go about your daily business, until the hurricane alert goes out, then you hurry home, batten down the hatches and go down into the bunker you've dug into the cellar and secured with a bank vault strength door. And then the hurricane hits. And even from deep within your bunker you hear the 100+ mph winds HOWL outside and it's a terrifying sound. You hear the storm shutters banging, you hear your house creaking as it's walls are stressed in ways never intended. Even your bank vault door lifts and drops and thumps in its frame. And you sit like that, for several minutes, waiting for it to finally be over.

With an earthquake there is no warning. It hits, it last a few seconds, and it's over. See how easy that was compared to a hurricane?

What's the worst that can happen in an earthquake? Your house or building could fall down, right? Most buildings in California are built to withstand quite decent shakes, or are retrofitted to do the same. Ok, your house could still fall down, and in a hurricane it could get blown into your neighbors yard. Same difference, with one difference. If your house is going to fall down from a quake, unless it's poorly made you're going to have time to get out before it crashes down around your ears. Try running out of your house as a hurricane is picking it up and depositing it in your neighbor's yard and see what happens. Your house might land in your neighbor's yard but Gaia only knows where you're coming down. Maybe the next town over?

Give me a good earthquake any day, and spare me the howling winds of a hurricane.