earth shaking fears

As you may have heard in the news recently, a 5.2 magnitude earthquake (with a subsequent 4.6 magnitude aftershock) hit the Midwest last Friday. Even though it was centered in Eastern Illinois, my friends in Muncie, Indiana (well, some of them anyway) felt their ground move. While the quake didn't cause any major damage and was apparently more oddly sensational than scary, I am so glad I wasn't there to experience it myself.

I do not like earthquakes. Growing up I lived in constant fear of "the big one." Earthquake drills at school, with their awful sound recordings of glass shattering and barn animals going wild played in warning over the PA system, horrified me. I was so scared of being caught unawares as buildings crumbled on top of me that I got into the habit of never getting comfortable in a room without knowing first where there was strong wood to curl up under or a sturdy wall to pin myself against in case the ground started to shake. I would also routinely check for earthquakes by holding my breath and staying very still -- just to make sure nothing was moving that shouldn't be.

One evening when I was probably about 10 years old, my family was all gathered in the living room watching Ghostbusters on TV. The movie extended past our bedtime, but my parents assured us as they tucked us in during a commercial break that they were recording it and we could finish watching it the next day. In my dark, quiet bedroom, before I curled up under my covers, I performed my routine earthquake check. I held my breath and stayed very still -- and this time there was movement.

It wasn't much, but the blinds were shaking and I could feel my bunk bed sway ever so slightly. I jumped out of bed and rushed to the living room and warned my parents that I had just felt an earthquake. Knowing of my tendencies to get freaked out over nothing, they told me I was probably just imagining things and sent me back to bed.

In the morning I learned that I wasn't crazy (paranoid, yes; crazy, no) -- there had been an earthquake the night before, and our recording of Ghostbusters was proof. Shortly after it happened, the news of it flashed across the bottom of television screen. I can't remember what the magnitude was, but I can assure you that it was only noticed by seismologists and paranoid freaks like me. That it actually happened during one of my routine earthquake checks was more shocking than the movement itself, and, sadly, only fed my paranoia.

I no longer perform my routine earthquake checks, but I still do not like earthquakes. Not even tiny ones. So even though the one felt in Muncie wasn't anything to get worked up over, I'm still glad I wasn't there.

While we're on the topic of frightening things, I suppose that now would be a good time to update you on Garrett's growing list of fears. It has been previously established that Garrett is afraid of vacuums, blenders, and styrofoam. I'm happy to report that he's overcome his aversion to the vacuum, but unfortunately blenders and styrofoam still freak him out. We've learned recently, too, of a few other items that work him into worried frenzy. They are, in no particular order: his new popcorn push toy, the slinky dog, and elevators. It looks like it's gonna be one step forward, two steps back with this kid.

Oh well. He's still adorable. And somehow that seems to make up for it.