For those in caves with Internet access, we did feel an earthquake
It's been confirmed: What we felt last night was a magnitude-5.2 earthquake. I thought I'd let you know in case you live in a cave that's somehow equipped with Internet access and, like most of my loyal readers, you check out my blog before reading the daily news.
We also had an aftershock a little over an hour ago. I heard the magnitude was in the 4s. It was a little freaky.
So what exactly went down at the Lopinot household in the wee hours this morning. Well, as I've been telling a few people around the office today: A woman's chest was exposed and the bed was a-rocking, but it was nothing like my college years. Yes, Sarah was feeding Oliver and our bed was shaking like crazy. In my tired stupor, I thought maybe his vibrating bouncer was on and touching the bed (like that little thing could have shaken our king-size mattress with that much authority).
After realizing it wasn't the bouncer or wind, I was like, "I think it's an earthquake. What do we do?" I just couldn't remember. It had been nearly 20 years since the late Iben Browning, a business consultant and climatologist, predicted a 50-50 chance that an earthquake would take place along the New Madrid Fault between Dec. 1 and 5, 1990 (I had the year wrong in my earlier post; I found the information here). The media was all over that prediction and, naturally, the public freaked out and overreacted. At our school, we learned to stand in a doorway, get under a desk or head outside. Of course, at 4:37 a.m. and extra tired due to our baby, I couldn't remember those things. Instead, we headed downstairs, got on the Internet and turned on the TV.
Nearly 20 minutes went by before KSDK broke into the national morning show and informed us that we had experienced an earthquake. I can't believe it took 20 minutes. In this instant-or-bust society, 20 minutes is a LONG time. They could have at least put a scroll at the bottom of the screen telling viewers that they'd have information forthcoming. The anticipation nearly drained me.
I was back to sleep around 5:15 a.m., turned off my alarm at 6:20 a.m., and overslept until 8 a.m. Then we had that fun aftershock here. What a day.
We also had an aftershock a little over an hour ago. I heard the magnitude was in the 4s. It was a little freaky.
So what exactly went down at the Lopinot household in the wee hours this morning. Well, as I've been telling a few people around the office today: A woman's chest was exposed and the bed was a-rocking, but it was nothing like my college years. Yes, Sarah was feeding Oliver and our bed was shaking like crazy. In my tired stupor, I thought maybe his vibrating bouncer was on and touching the bed (like that little thing could have shaken our king-size mattress with that much authority).
After realizing it wasn't the bouncer or wind, I was like, "I think it's an earthquake. What do we do?" I just couldn't remember. It had been nearly 20 years since the late Iben Browning, a business consultant and climatologist, predicted a 50-50 chance that an earthquake would take place along the New Madrid Fault between Dec. 1 and 5, 1990 (I had the year wrong in my earlier post; I found the information here). The media was all over that prediction and, naturally, the public freaked out and overreacted. At our school, we learned to stand in a doorway, get under a desk or head outside. Of course, at 4:37 a.m. and extra tired due to our baby, I couldn't remember those things. Instead, we headed downstairs, got on the Internet and turned on the TV.
Nearly 20 minutes went by before KSDK broke into the national morning show and informed us that we had experienced an earthquake. I can't believe it took 20 minutes. In this instant-or-bust society, 20 minutes is a LONG time. They could have at least put a scroll at the bottom of the screen telling viewers that they'd have information forthcoming. The anticipation nearly drained me.
I was back to sleep around 5:15 a.m., turned off my alarm at 6:20 a.m., and overslept until 8 a.m. Then we had that fun aftershock here. What a day.
You'll be happy to know that I got the news from your blog, first. You've made it to my first-thing-in-the-morning list. Justin Lopinot, your news source, more reliable and faster than local TV.
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I wonder if I was the first person to post anything about it, since I wrote my original post just minutes after it happened. Anyway, glad to know that I'm providing you with up-to-date news, unlike that lousy stinking NBC affiliate WVIR that you are stuck with (just kidding). Too bad this earthquake didn't reverberate its way out east to your place. I hope it never happens again, but it was something I'll never forget.
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