Yay! It’s Watercooler Wednesday, where the posts are loosely based around a theme, something to spark the imagination and get that community “water-cooler” feeling going. We all need help getting over hump-day, after all.
You all know what this week’s theme is going to be:
EARTHQUAKES!
In case you slept through it, or were too busy finding the cure for cancer to pay attention, the oh-so-smug-in-its-geological-superiority East Coast of the United States got smacked in the keester by Mother Nature with a 5.8-magnitude earthquake. It lasted for about 40 seconds, and that was it. Or was it?
Of course not! Here at Watercooler Wednesday, we have to chat it up a bit.
Unexpected Benefits of the earthquake:
1. It wasn’t your imagination. That bookcase really was swaying back and forth. You can defer the call to the psychiatrist.
2. If you recognize quickly enough what it is before it’s over, you get to actually carry out those disaster instructions you were given as a kid, like standing in a doorway or crouching under a desk. Super cool.
3. The news media has something else to breathlessly report about all day besides Congress, Obama, and the Kardashian family.
4. Geologists become a sought-after interview on t.v. and radio. They’ll have to wait another hundred years before that happens again (at least on the East Coast).
5. Friends and relatives on the West Coast contact you to see if you are okay and make sure you understand that they aren’t having an earthquake right now, HA!
6. If you were at home, neighbors you rarely see join you outside and talk to you. Of course, after “Was that really an earthquake?” the conversation soon gets repetitive, with accounts of: a) what we were all doing when the quake happened; b) what we thought it was at first (truck, construction, bomb); and c) what we did when we knew what it was. Note to self: try to do something interesting at all times in case it happens again. Putting together Ikea furniture seems rather mundane.
Later, after we make a survey of our homes, we get to talk about what the damage was. I lost a tomato. Yes, it was very sad.
7. You have a great excuse to waste time on get on Facebook and Twitter to check out everyone else’s reactions, see how far it was felt, contact your internet-hip friends/loved ones, and repeat #6, with folks sharing what they were doing at the time. My favorite comes from writer friend Terri Scullen, who says she was lying half-naked on a treatment table, getting an acupuncture treatment. Ouch.
8. Then there are the jokes:
Some tweet jokes, collected by Christian Science Monitor and salon.com:
@TheTweetofGod: There was just a 6.0 earthquake in DC. Obama wanted it to be 3.4, but the Republicans wanted 6.0, so he compromised.
@murphymike: Bachmann out first with statement: as President she’ll lower quakes to 2.9…
@riptor: my etch-a-sketch gallery! It’s RUINED!
Standard and Poors today downgraded the quake to 4.0.
@joshtpm: BREAKING: Obama WH announces contingency planning for Locusts, Frogs, Potomac running red.
And then there’s:
Bill Haley’s “Shake, Rattle and Roll” (thank you, Samuel Clemons!)
Shake and Bake
The Shake Weight
Did you experience the earthquake? What are your impressions of the reactions on tv? Have any jokes to share? I’d love to hear from you!
Until the next aftershock,
Kathy
OMG! Funny post! I’m still laughing…
I’m in Indiana and did not feel the earth move. I read this morning that the Rockies had an earthquake late last night. Not quite as strong as the east coast. Makes me wonder what’s going on?!?!?
I live to the north of a hot spot of activitiy and we feel them about every 5 years. The hot spot is down in southern Indiana/Illinois/Kentucky/MO
Great post!
Hi, Loree! Sounds like Indiana was the place to be for a little peace and quiet yesterday 😉 Sure hope we’re not morphing into a bad apocalyptic novel! So glad you came by!
Yep, Loree, they’ve got the New Madrid fault down South of you. My relatives are in Missouri and there is a periodic shaker.
I didn’t experience yesterday’s east coast quake, and thank Heavens for that. I am terrified of natural disasters – I have an insane fear of things that I can’t control. I felt one in West Texas once when I was a little girl and that was enough for me. I live in the middle of the state so that we only receive light rains from the hurricanes and tropical storms in the Gulf. The only thing I want to or have to worry about where I live is the terrible tornado. Unfortunately, they are everywhere…..
I’m really scared of tornadoes. Fortunately, we don’t get many of them around here. I know what you mean about natural disasters. During the earthquake, I was just along for the ride – not much I could do! Thanks for visiting and commenting, Tiffany!
I’m kind of wiggy about Tornadoes too, Kathy and I’ve been in a few (when I went to Mizzou). Do NOT like them!
OMG…too funny! Reposting now.
Thanks, Kristen!
LOL. Love the earthquake report. Thanks so much for the smile. Glad you folks are ok out there.
I’ve never been in an earthquake. Knock wood. There was a 5.3 a couple hundred miles south of me on the same day as yours. Where I live, the only natural disaster so far is snow, which sucks and sticks around a long time, but I’ll take it over earthquakes any day. Thanks for the smiles. 🙂
You’re welcome, Piper! It’s interesting that you mention the Colorado earthquake, which was of comparable strength. Howard Kurtz’s column in The Daily Beast talks about how everyone ignored the Colorado earthquake and focused on the East Coast. Here’s the link, if you’re interested: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/08/23/earthquake-farce-in-washington-as-media-overhypes-minor-tremor.html
So glad you stopped by – thanks!
Thanks, Kathy, for giving me a good laugh. I live in SoCAL and we are kinda “whatever” about quakes (unless they’re big like the Northridge one of 1994). I love the political jokes…hadn’t seen a single one of those!
That’s what I love about this country – we can turn anything into something political, lol. Hope you remain quake-and-tornado-free for a long time to come. Thanks so much for stopping by, Jenny!
i was able to take advantage of the earthquake, by poking my head outside, and viewing the cat, dog, and pet human standing there like pillars of salt, i don’t know what they expected to see. my pilfering spirit kicked in, some might call it appetite, and noticed the Universe left me a fairly decent roast beef sandwich upon the coffee table, and since my favorite cartoon was also on the television, I availed myself of the Universe’ great generosity. the roast beef could have used a tad more mustard, and i left the lettuce and bread for the dog. he turned his nose up at it when he came back inside. i was so tired from my feast, i had to take a nap… the pet human mumbled something and ambled off into the kitchen … i think he was talking to himself, but i swore he said something about no more mayonaise, that was the last of it… his problem, i guess.
my favorite tweet i posted on my blog, i wouldn’t know what sick demented mind thought of it, but it went something like this:
~~ Micheal J. Fox: What Quake?
I tweet at @Samuel_Clemons
“Sir” Samuel? Ah, well, if any critter deserves it, that would be you….
Glad somebody got something from this whole earthquake thing, and a roast beef sandwich and nap aren’t bad! I laughed at your Michael J. Fox tweet, too. 🙂
Ha, ha, great post. I didn’t feel the earthquake, but then I’m in central Canada. We experienced a 5-ish (is that a measurement?) one last year. I was at the party store where I work and the balloons started swaying. Very weird but cool at the same time.
Hang on to your lawn chairs, for heaven’s sake!
Glad everyone is okay!
We’re trying to put on a brave face about the plastic furniture, Nancy. *sniff*
We will soldier on…
So glad you stopped by for a visit!
Too funny! I have experienced a couple of earthquakes. It is so true how everyone talks about what they were doing and what they thought it was. Ikea furniture and a ruined tomato? Too funny!
Yeah, you can’t make this stuff up. I ran out of the house still clutching one of those little Ikea allen wrenches, lol. Guess I forgot I was holding it. One lady across the street ran out still wearing her dishwashing gloves.
Thanks, Susie, for your comment!
This. Is. Hilarious.
Thanks for the smile!
Thanks, Leanne! Glad to give back for a change. Your posts continually put a grin on my face. 🙂