Wednesday, February 10, 2010

No, I didn't feel it

LOL! You're probably all wondering what that title header means. Since hearing about the earthquake this morning, I have had people e-mail to ask if I'm okay and if I felt it. I do live in Illinois, it's true. But I did not feel this morning's earthquake.

However, I felt one yesterday. Saw it really. I was in my bathroom and the floor felt vaguely unsteady. Just enough to make me wonder if I was lightheaded or what was going on. I brushed it off but then movement caught my eye. The towel that dangles from my shower door was swinging softly back and forth. That's when I knew it was not low blood sugar on my part but a very minor quake. I doubt it even registered on the scales.

But that and the recent terrible quake in Haiti has made me think a lot more about the fact that we do live on one of the most dangerous fault lines in the world (New Madrid). Thankfully bad earthquakes only happen here about once every two thousand years or so. The downside is that we're about 200-400 years overdue for one that would be about a 6-7 or more on the scale.

I didn't worry about it though...I started to think about writing a story about what would happen in the event of a major quake here. LOL!

No matter where you live, there are dangers. Sometimes I think of people in New Orleans and say, "Why would they live there knowing the flood risk it is." Or about California, "Why would they live there knowing the fire risk and mudslide risk it is." Or about Oklahoma and Kansas, "Why would they live there knowing the tornado risk it is."

But then I remember we have a lot of that here too. Not to mention I live directly on the New Madrid fault. LOL! Look it up and see just how dangerous it is.

Anyway, I used to worry a lot more than I do now. I read a plaque once that said, "Worrying is like paying interest on a debt that you don't even owe."

So true. Plus God tells us not to worry but to pray. So that's what I do instead. He really does bring peace in those times when anxiety tries to grab hold of us.

I'd love to know what natural disasters are prone to hitting the region you live in and how you cope with fear related to the possibility of a catastrophic event.

Me, I just write about it. LOL! Most of my books begin with a disaster of some sort. But part of the reason is I love writing about rescuers. Where there's disaster, there are rescuers.

I'd also love to know what kinds of rescuers are your favorite.

Hope you'll chime in!

Have a good day and hopefully that means no earthquakes. LOL!

Cheryl Wyatt

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Cheryl,
Having grown up not too far from the epicenter of the Illinois earthquake, my first reaction was really? Then I remembered about that fault line. Several years ago I lived in Chicago when there was another earthquake in Central Illinois. Like yourself I didn't feel it. So far the only natural disaster I've come close to is a tornado and that wasn't much fun. Anyway, not sure there's much meaning to this comment:) And as you said, everything is in God's hands so don't worry, be happy. Okay I'd better get back to work. Waving hi from AZ.

Project Journal said...

Earthquakes?! In Vermont!? Now who's ever heard of such a thing! Lol! Nope, it probably shouldn't happen....but what if it did : )

I don't really have a favorite type of rescuer except for one....any that you write about! LOL! No seriously! Your characters take on a life of their own, so much that I can just picture him walking in through my door (which if it happened, and if he were maybe a lil younger *wink* would be PERFECT!!!). They are so terrifically (I think that's a word) real, Cheryl and I commend you for that : )

I also wanted to tell you that in Seekerville, Myra posted a puzzle to know the Seekers voices by only a little blurb of a post they'd written in the past. I was positive I knew yours. I was wrong, but then the second time I got it right (woohoo!!!). It was actually stupid on my part because I should've gotten it right if I'd thought about it : ) I'll post it for you:

Tension is tension. It can be external or internal, positive or negative. But mostly, keep upping the stakes, meaning make really bad things happen to your character. Make their worst fear come true. Give them two choices with equally bad consequences and make them have no other choice than to choose one. LOL!

DUH!! I remember you posting about tension...obviously! And who else does the "LOL!" quite like you??

Anyway, just wanted to tell you that!
Thanks,
Hannah

Leann Harris said...

Mudslides. Up in the mountains of Colorado, the worst thing I can remember is in the spring, the rain and rain and then the floor that wiped out Big Thompson Canyon. And the mudslides it trigger.

Cheryl Wyatt said...

Hi Kim! I'm getting ready to read your book. Looking forward to it!

Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

Hugs!
Cheryl

Cheryl Wyatt said...

Hannah! I've missed you. Yeah, that tension post...I am not even sure I would have known I said that...I can barely recall what I had for breakfast last week.

Man...my memory is fading. LOL!

Good to hear from you!

Hugs!!

Cheryl

Cheryl Wyatt said...

Leann, I can't imagine having to clean up after a mudslide. Colorado is so beautiful as are the mountains, but I guess they do have their dangers.

Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.

Hugs
Cheryl

EllenToo said...

I don't live in New Orleans but further down the coast in Texas and I've been through hurricanes altho none as bad as Katrina. And I hope never to have to. I was a teen when I first experienced Carla, the a college graduate when I experience Celia and there have been several others and a few close calls including Katrina and there's not a whole lot you can do other than take all the precautions you can and pray. The good thing about hurricanes (if indeed there is anything good) you can prepare somewhat for it unlike an earthquake or most other natural disasters. (and some man made disasters such as raging fires in some cases.)

Winter said...

I live just north of you and though I didn't feel it, I heard something fall in our bedroom and it woke me up. I thought it was weird because when I looked the next morning nothing was on the floor. Must have been a ripple.

I recall the one about 4 years ago. We didn't know it until we heard on the radio there was a quake. Got up and found all the cupboard doors open. It's weird to live where quakes can happen.

Cheryl Wyatt said...

Ellen, that's a good point about the fact that at least there's time to warn people beforehand. Same with tornadoes. Although the warning may only come a few minutes before one twirls from the sky. It's pretty cool all they can see on radar like the potential for funnel cloud activity and hurricane swirls days before they happen now.

Thanks for coming by!

Cheryl

Cheryl Wyatt said...

Winter, that's funny about the cabinet doors being open. I definitely felt the one four years ago. I wondered when it would stop. There's just no way to describe the floor sweeping back and forth several feet left and several feet right and trying to walk straight...run to the door really. Then it's over before you even have a chance to make it out of the house. LOL!

Thanks for coming by.

Cheryl

Patti Shene said...

Hi Cheryl. I grew up on Long Island in N.Y., and my uncle managed a building of co-op apartments on Fire Island. My dad always had a fascination for storms (as still do I) and when hurricane warnings were up, we'd take a drive out along Dune Road, right on the Atlantic Ocean. I can remember watching structures along the beach being literally torn apart by the force of the angry waves.

Now, I live on the plains of Colorado, where tornadoes are prevalent. I've never been in one here, but would you believe I was in one in Maine? We were at another uncle's summer home when the tornado hit. There were dozens of trees around the cabin, and the incredible wind didn't uproot those trees. It snapped them off at about six feet up. It was like a huge chain saw came through and just chopped them all down.

Out here in Colorado, even though it wasn't a tornado per se, I lost a home to the wind. It was back in 1977 and they called it "the year of the big wind". Gusts reached 100 MPH. I had a 14X78 mobile home. The wind turned it over on its side and destroyed it.

Now, about earthquakes. Yikes! I know we have had a tremor or two over the years, but nothing much. Still, I think I read somewhere that Colorado is the third most dangerous state for them. The thought of being buried underground for days and days at a time, waiting for rescue, sends chills down my spine and makes me break out in a cold sweat. Yet, as I grow stronger in my faith, I truly believe that if I were to ever be placed in that situation, God would give me the strength to handle whatever I needed to for survival, if He intended for me to survive.

We can not spend our lives worrying on a daily basis about the horrible things that can happen. We need to take advantage of the blessings of each day, express our thanks for them, and know that during times of adversity, like natural disasters, our Lord and Savior is right there with us.

Project Journal said...

Aw! I've missed you too, girl : )

Lol! Well, once I realized it, I totally should've known the tension post was your's, duh!!!! : P

How are things going? Doing anything fun for Valentine's Day?

I got to be the messenger of the singing Valentine's today at school. Our jazz choir delivered them. It was SOOOOO much fun!!! Much to my surprise, my sister got ME one, though, so that was embarrassing : / It really was a ton of fun, though : D
Talk to you soon!
Hannah

Ausjenny said...

Ok Im late as usual.
evidently we are on a fault line too but cant find much info on it. not at all worried about that. Mt Gambier is about an hour south and has extinct volcano's which they say will errupt again in the future like several thousand years.
the main thing we could get I would think would be bush fires. we do have scrub close by but we haven't really had any here so not really worried. the creek is empty so no flooding. to far from the ocean for cyclones and the wrong area.
But if I was in an area with tornados I would be more scared if one came through.
Not sure who I like as a rescuer but I like the search and rescue heros.

Linda said...

I would never have guessed you lived on the New Madrid fault line. It would be fascinating to see where all the fault lines are. We get tornadoes, which terrify me. Snowstorms ya just stay put at home. Tornadoes make your home unsafe. But, as you mention, we are not to worry.