JPG Magazine: Photos: "Rattled Nerves (Quake)" by adniloj

Rattled Nerves (Quake)

By adniloj

On 18 April 2008

Favorited 21 Times

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Jolted awake 'round 5:30a.m. by the strangest of sensations, I reached for my notebook to document my dream. The notebook had fallen off the bedside table and was on the floor. The dream didn’t stop. The bed was shaking. I jumped out of it, going to the window to see if there was a plane, helicopter, or large truck outside. I remember thinking I could be sleep-walking, still dreaming, & in lucid la-la land.

A glass vase fell from the window sill; my cat began to meow, which he seldom does. Then the floor moved & moved again. I heard multiple loud thuds, to my dismay I later realized was a bookcase of 300 or so books falling to the floor upstairs, just over my head. I remember thinking, “Holy S@*t, I need to wake up!"

The earthquake that shook the Midwest today was a surreal experience. I wasn’t dreaming. The cat was meow-ing for a definite reason. A 5.2 magnitude earthquake hit at 5:37 am, rattling skyscrapers from Chicago to Cincinnati, OH, and over to Louisville, KY. An aftershock jolt came 'round 11am & a smaller rumble an hour or so after that.

I recall a friend living in northern California. I feared earthquakes, to which they always laughed. They feared tornadoes, which I thought was pretty funny, having been through a few growing up. I thought of that friend a lot today. I don’t care what Mother Nature may bring, but I want her to hear that I don’t want the ground moving underneath my feet!

15 Responses

On 18 April 2008 adniloj added a link:
Here's a link to an article about the quake (news.nationalgeographic.com)
On 19 April 2008 Leanna Lomanski said:
They are a little unnerving - first you're not sure whether it's your balance going or everything else's around you! Glad you and the cat are OK. I see you dealt with the trauma by getting out your camera.............nice work!
On 19 April 2008 Jean Pierre Vacherot gave props:
Very nice
On 20 April 2008 Jessica Hollenback gave props:
nice pic, great way to capture the moment, I like the cracks you can see through the dryway where the bricks are coming through underneath.
On 20 April 2008 Dede N. said:
Fantastic capture with words and image. Cool link, too.
On 20 April 2008 Thomas Henry said:
I felt it all the way up here in Michigan! I was sitting at my computer (I'm an early riser...) when the house started shaking. I too, looked out the window thinking it was a truck, or the wind, or some other easily explained phenomena...which it wasn't, of course. I spent the remainder of the "event" watching the waves in my cup of coffee. It was my first direct experience with an earthquake!
On 20 April 2008 *hector* ortiz gave props:
pretty scary... hey, sis... love the essay.... specially " I don’t care what Mother Nature may bring, but I want her to hear that I don’t want the ground moving underneath my feet!
On 20 April 2008 Portia Söderberg gave props:
really nice shot Jolinda! I could imagine being rattled, it's the biggest quake you've had in forever! Did you know that one of the deadliest quake in the US was from that New Madrid fault, because of the geology. Love the essay!
On 24 April 2008 William Moore gave props:
super photo of the surfaces....didn't feel it here wonder if it was from the Madrid Fault
On 27 April 2008 adniloj said:
your comment 'cracks' me up Jessica, especially looking at your silly laughter/smile on that avatar, then reading how you like especially the cracks in the photo.
YES, THAT WOULD BE MY FAVORITE PART OF THE PHOTO TOO**jolinda says w/ a dark sinister sarcasm**
On 5 May 2008 John Elias said:
Scary thing, quakes, Jolinda. Glad it wasn't much more than a bad dream (we never remember the chore of cleaning up or fixing what broke, right?). I also liked the photo, how you framed it.
On 9 May 2008 John Linton gave props:
Heartwarming stories like this are why I like to VISIT the West. Your photo rocks!, adniloJ.
On 9 May 2008 adniloj added a link:
********& the earthquake aftermath continues...check out the link for more************* (www.jpgmag.com)
On 26 May 2008 Vidyavati Chandan gave props:
interesting...
On 13 June 2008 elfriede fulda gave props:
Yup, I went through an several earthquakes in Austria in th 80's, we were there on holiday. It ws a 5.7 on the Richter. The Alps were shifting we were told,we were in fear and at the same time in awe at the power of nature..lovely portrayal of your experience...