Earthquake in Baltimore Mayan Calendar Mayhem 2012

Courtesy of GreatDreams who says 2012 has already passed us.

While I was at the bank yesterday I heard a loud rumbling then I was shaking. I really thought it was a big heavy truck barreling right for the bank I was in. However when I looked out the window expecting to meet the front end of an 18 wheeler, I noticed my car was bouncing up and down as if someone was tossing it up off the parking spot. I heard crashing things dropping in the bank, some tellers dove under their desk and no sooner than I could say "WTH" did the head teller (love her) grab me and pull me outside. She hugged me and I was in good hands, however, when I tried dialing my husband on the cellphone immediately but I only received a busy signal. Everything just went into slo-motion except my heart rate!

I raced back into the bank to borrow one of their phones, but the landline phones weren't working right away either. You had to try 15 times and maybe you would get thru, but most cells were down so no use in calling them.  None of us knew what was happening and the bank tried switching one of the monitors to the TV -- customers were staying put in case we were under siege.  Trying to get the news at first was also a fuzzy interference, and I really thought the worst - Aliens were coming for us or it was 911 all over again.

Courtesy of Mishunderstanding, read here how there is over 500,000 earthquakes per year!

Come to find out it was an Earthquake. Not just any of the usual tiny ones (we supposedly get but never feel), but a scaryass 5.8 earthquake that had my heart pounding and literally not being able to stand up straight. Now if you live in California reading this you are probably more than used to this type of feeling, and let me say I have a whole new respect for you Californians.  (You won't catch me visiting anytime soon.) Though it may have only lasted half a minute I was shaking the rest of the day with a million thoughts racing through my head. Was it only a pretremor? If so when is the big boy coming? Did I say my prayers last night? When are those aftershock tremors coming? Why the h*** are we getting an earthquake? 

When I finally did phone my husband, who is in the middle of a corn field in New Jersey, and told him I thought we just had a bigass Earthquake, he thought I was joking and didn't feel a damn thing.  My cellphone was out for most of the day.  Downtown the buildings were evacuated and the government in DC was shutting down.  Airports were at a standstill until someone, anyone, told us what the f*** just happened.

It hit Mineral, Virginia (6.0) and was felt all up and down the East Coast. I don't get why it was still a 5.8-5.9 by the time it got to us.  We aren't up to code on "earthquake construction standards" so no one wanted to stay in their homes or work and I can't blame them. With trees in the front yard and back I was just glad I happened to be at the bank. I admit thoughts of the pavement opening up into gaping holes like they do in horror flicks crossed my mind. "I'm not ready to die today."

"It wasn't the earthquake that was going to kill me, it was the heart attack I thought I was having." ~ Courtesy of HeartHeavy.com

In New York they stood outside their buildings which I thought for sure you wouldn't be any safer standing in front of the bigass building, but hey, where is one to go in a big city?  As for Baltimore, some of the older homes of Highlandtown and the city suffered damage, a few buildings crumbled and DC's beloved Washington Monument suffered cracks. It caused a bit of menace but no actual casualties. I am sure the entire city now has high blood pressure and chest pains but what can we do?  Was it a warning from the big guy upstairs or the guy downstairs? Do we just chalk it up to scientific mayhem?

The first thing I did was race home to check my gas pipes to make sure nothing wiggled them loose.  Some Dawn dish soap really helps in a case like that. Luckily the dogs were cool, only a bit shaken and some things had fallen but the house is still standing.

I can honestly say I'm a bit worried about the strange weather patterns we've been having lately. Two weekends ago we had a smoky smell in the air from raging fires in Virginia.  Then pelting rains almost everyday. This past Sunday a tornado warning. Now the Earthquake, and on the way-----Hurricane Irene with 100mph winds SCHEDULED to hit us Saturday.

If you are wondering, the East Coast had had pretty good luck for 67 years. An earthquake in NY City back in 1944 had people all shook up. Prior to that in Charleston, South Carolina in 1886 was pretty devastating.  You can check to see where all the Earthquakes are Shaking right here. 

Let's just say, I am starting to question that whole Mayan Calendar 2012 thing. 

From Ye of Shaken Faith,
IraMency