Wednesday. Lunch.
One of the students from sixth period had asked if she could "hang out" in the room for lunch. And I had another student arrive to make up a test he missed. (He had asked the previous day if he could come in at lunch and take it.)
I got the boy his test. The girl wanted to spend time on a computer. With them situated, I took a seat at the teacher's desk and started my prep period work. (I go through the emails to see if I have any late work to grade. Then I input any newly done assignments into the gradebook. I had some makeup tests to grade. And then there was some lesson planning for the next day I had to do.)
Then I heard a sound like something had crashed into the building, but not a big something. I knew that sound...
I paused. Was that shaking? Or was I imagining it?
"Are we having an earthquake?"
The boy: "That's just the wind."
The wind was blowing. Kinda hard. But no, I felt swaying.
These things never last long, so I waited about a minute, and then I pulled up my earthquake app.
Sure enough, under "Near Me" it had an indicator that said "Los Angeles Area" and 4.3. Yup, I was right. It had been an earthquake. (Here's a local news story about it.)
I checked back later, and it had been downgraded to a 4.0. The epicenter wasn't close, but close enough (about 35 miles away).
And...?
Well, I went back to my grading. The boy finished his test a few minutes later, turned it in, and left. When the bell rang to end lunch, the girl returned the computer and went on her way.
And I graded the boy's test. (He did pretty well. I wish I could tell you his score, but I have forgotten it.)
Just another day in SoCal, I'm guessing, based on "I've heard that sound before'. The reaction might have been just a little different where I live because they aren't everyday (so to speak) for us. I've been through some small earthquakes, such as the 5.8 earthquake in Virginia in 2011 that, even where I live in New York, had my desk and the computer monitors swaying.
ReplyDeleteI would not call a 5.8 "small". Nope. That's a significant quake. That's why you felt it all the way in New York from Virginia.
DeleteI felt that earthquake. It felt bigger to me than 4.0. They always scare me because I'm wondering if it's going to be "the big one!"
ReplyDeleteI only felt 3 earthquake in my life.
ReplyDeleteI know the sound too! It comes early enough to say, or think, "It's an earthquake!" Once at my mothers (SF bay area) the house made a loud CRACK and that's what my brother said. While the dog at my house acted nuts and my daughter ignored her, thinking she was just weirder than usual. That dog always could tell they were coming. It's why we never bothered fixing cracks in walls and ceilings!
ReplyDeleteJust another day in CA!
Yeah, that's a good way of describing that sound. CRACK.
DeleteHi Liz - yup I read about it ... I remember mine-workings movements when I was in Johannesburg - yes disconcerting, but then it settles down thankfully. Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty scary. I've never felt an earthquake.
ReplyDelete"Well, I went back to my grading." Aren't you the cool one! Here in Chicagoland, earthquakes are rare. In 2008, there was a 5.2 quake in Southern Illinois and it startled me awake nearly 150 miles away.
ReplyDeleteA 5.2 is way different than a 4.0. And, of course how close the epicenter is.
DeleteThe feeling of them can vary so much, the rolling ones are the worst imho.
ReplyDeleteThis one was more of a sway.
DeleteI'm glad it wasn't a worse event. Stay safe!
ReplyDeleteNot a big quake. I've been in worse.
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