There was apparently a reasonably large earthquake last night - a 5.7 at 8:47pm PDT near Greenville CA - see http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/nc71996906#summary.
Not being from around here, I am still, even after 13 years, not quite used to earthquakes. And in fact, I'm not always sure when I feel one and/or what to do.
I distinctly remember my first one, which was a ~4.5 in the E Bay only a month or so after I got here. That one happened in the small hours. Normally I sleep well, and very little wakes me. But that woke me up. However, once awake, sitting up in bed, I spent the next 30 seconds or so trying to figure out what was going on. And by the time I realized it was an earthquake, it had finished. Luckily that one wasn't that strong, so there was no damage. But I wonder if it had been stronger, would I have had the presence of mind to dive under the bed?
So last night, I thought I felt something, but wasn't sure. It could have just been a truck? But given that I was in a dungeon at the time, and had a client nicely secured to a bondage table, I did give it more than a moment's thought. I always remember Cleo Du Bois telling a story about having a client in a similar position when the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake happened, and having to cut them out of it before they could get out of the building. So that was running through my mind...
But in the event, it was only a 5.7 over 200 miles away, which translated into a subtle and almost imperceptible jolt here, so there was no need for dramatic action. And I could get back to the fun at hand....
Ms Emilie