wakin' to the shakin'

I'm getting a bit jaded.  Okay, perhaps I've been jaded for some time and it's just that the CPAP makes me a heavier sleeper.  This morning's 4.0 shook my apartment something serious.  The big shake and the rattlings in the apartment woke me up, but I was unwilling to rise for cover.  I remained slightly alert in case my bedside lamp or glass of water were shaken completely off the bedside table, but was still half asleep when I thought, "Let's see how long this lasts.  If something crashes, I'll get up..."  Honestly, I think I should have been more alarmed, but then the shaking stopped, I noted the time to look it up later, and then fell back into unconsciousness—very Californian of me.

Update:  it was downgraded to a 3.5.  Meh.

Shaken, but not stirred

I talked to Kevin last night just before the earthquake. He called right after the shaking and left a message for me at home. He wanted to confess that as his house started shaking, he ran to his bar to steady it and make sure nothing fell off the shelves. It is a somewhat rickety antique wire and glass stand, so his concerns were valid, except when you consider that he was surrounded by glass, in the open, next to an enormous mirror hanging on the wall, and he was in the least seismically secure part of his house.

He called to confess that during a major earthquake, his first instinct was to save the liquor.

He called back and left another message saying that he called to confess to me, because I would have done the same thing.

Man, that was really far away

to have been felt so strongly in the City.


View Larger Map

aftershock

The ground was still shaking. Those were aftershocks. At least three of them. All 1.3 or above as it looks.

5.6

Looks like a 5.6. Detals here.

Holy CRAP!

That was a huge freaking quake. It feels like the building is still shaking. That lasted longer and was more forceful than any earthquake I've felt before. It went very quickly from "huh." to "cool." to "Oh shit!" and gripping the doorframe.

I'm sure it was only a minute or less, but it felt much, much longer.

I'll see if the USGS has any data yet. Seriously, this just happened. Of course I called Shilps and she's shaken but only a little stirred. She's checking with her parents now.

Quit shovin'

Wow. That's the first time I've felt an earthquake at work. It was a pertty big shove, especially considering I'm in a pretty big building and on Parnassus Heights bedrock.

VERY preliminary data from the USGS reports that it was a 3.0 just ESE of Berkeley.



If we felt the shove this much over here, I imagine it was significantly stronger across the Bay.

When I reported the location to my coworker Heather, she said that was smack in the middle of her 'hood. I asked if it was her fault. I didn't even register the pun.

that was pretty shaky

Well it shook me out of bed.

From the USGS:

An earthquake occurred at 4:42:22 AM (PDT) on Friday, July 20, 2007.
The magnitude ? (not yet determined) event occurred 4 km (2 miles) ENE of Oakland, CA.
The hypocentral depth is 5 km ( 3 miles).

four point seven

There was a good long shake a few minutes ago. Started low, then paused and got steadily stronger. Then it stopped. Floor lamps swayed, my entertainment center swayed, and photos slid across their surfaces. Initally reported as a 4.7 earthquake just north of here near Santa Rosa.


4.7 2006/08/02 20:08:12 38.363N 122.589W [9.1 Depth] 5 km (3 mi) W of Glen Ellen, CA


Latest Quake Info

And it bears repeating:

not a whole lotta shakin' going on

but some.

An earthquake rocked me out of bed at about half past five this morning, making me scramble for shoes and a doorframe. I didn't feel any aftershocks.

According to the report on the daily paper's Web site (posted two hours later), there was a 4.2 quake in Santa Clara County at 5:24 A.M., with the epicenter approximately 10 miles northeast of Gilroy.

Although considered a "light" quake, I'm thinking it was pretty impressive as it woke me up and I could feel my house shake in the middle of the City so far from its origin way the hell over here.

Cool sites from the USGS:
Live map of recent quake activity in California and Nevada.
Detail for Northern California live quake map.
Quake report for this shake.

Quake me up before you go go - IV

I am way too tired now. We have also each nodded off at our desks once or twice this morning. I was up at 3:30, and may have been abandonded my muni, but met some fun people in the wee hours with whom to share a cab: Piet, Anna, and Anna (the latter pronounced Ah-Nah). Anna the latter has been going to the anniversary ceremony for more than 30 years.

More details to follow, but I am headed home for a much needed disco nap now.

Here are some pics from the morning. Professional coverage and wonderful photos are all over the web (just Google News "San Francisco Quake 100" or the like), so I won't bother linking or re-posting anyone else's work here.

RMJ had to abandon the black top hat plan, but still he still managed to craft us some fun headdresses. The idea was that we would all stand out looking for each other at the fountain (as they did 100 years ago) and when we came together we would make "San Francisco." We had lots of photo ops and enjoyed the company of many another costumed reveler. At the time RMJ joined Lance and me (Lance was on time, I of course was not, and RMJ appeared even later), Barney still hadn't left the house. So we forayed without him and stumbled upon RMJ's friend Maurice (wandering with Ggreg at the time), who is always happy to don a costume or a big hat. Especially if there is glitter. We found our fourth.


Lance Wills, Robert Michael Joseph, Maurice Kelly, and Wilson Hardcastle
(I look like a young Wilford Brimley.)


Robert Michael Joseph and Maurice Kelly


Maurice and Ggreg


The SF Quartet at Union Square
Lance Wills, Robert Michael Joseph, Maurice Kelly, and Wilson Hardcastle


Fun period couple


Meet me at the Saint Francis.

Quake me up before you go go - III

RMJ is now designing theme hats and will be bringing long black formal coats for us all. A little period, a little formal, and a little playful. We shall see.

Some (those who would rain on a parade) have protested these events because one should not celebrate a tragedy. This defining moment, the quake and fire, are not being celebrated, but remembered-- and these events are billed as part of a commemoration.

What we are celebrating is the rebirth of the City, something of which San Francisco should be proud. And I think the logo is brilliant:


SF Rising

Quake me up before you go go - II

Lordy. I am now meeting Lance at Virgin tomorrow morning at 4:15. It will actually dawn on me. (Get it off me! Get it off me!)


Then I suppose I'll head back here to the office super early. Which is good because I was given several "rush" assignments today which means none of the work I already had and needed to do today didn't get done. Grrrr.

The 1906-2006 Calendar is here. Pretty cool.

Quake me up before you go go.

Tomorrow is the centennial of the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire. There will celebrations and rememberances tomorrow morning starting at 4:30 at Lotta's fountain. I plan to join RMJ, Barney, and Lance tomorrow morning for the festivities. As much as I am NOT a morning person, this seems a once-in-a-lifetime event not to be missed. Hopefully, we can all find each other successfully.



Much to read and see at the centennial site. And there is an impressive series of photographs at the US Geological Survey.

See also the extended coverage and commentary from the San Francisco Chronicle.