Shakes

Patterned wall in Shichirigahama, Canon EOS Kiss Digital X

Earthquake-related conversations in the last two days:

Conversation 1:
(Two days ago on Wednesday, towards the end of the day)
Me: ...Oh! Did you feel that? Was that an earthquake?

Boss: ...Uh...no. That is probably your inner earthquake all excited about your date tonight.

Me: Ha ha... I wish.

Conversation 2:
(less than an hour later, a colleague and I board a train to go home. But the train doors remain open. An announcement follows saying there had just been an accident a few stations down and that the whole train line will stop moving for an undertermined period. After contemplating, we decide to share a cab to Shinjuku.

It takes us a while to just get out of the station, for the one staff member that looked bored a few minutes ago is suddenly inundated with commuters trying to get back out without having boarded a train and need their electronic passes scanned so the machine will read it.

Once we are outside, we lose once cab after another to other commuters.)

Colleague: Did you know that if we were to experience a major earthquake, the streets will be packed as a rush hour train? We will barely be able to walk.

Me: (Remembers stories from friends in NYC who had similar experiences walking home on 9/11.)

Later on that night, a significant earthquake. It shakes for a while.

Conversation 3:
(during lunch yesterday, talking about the earthquake)

Friend: I actually brought out my emergency bag last night.

Me: Wow, you actually have an emergency bag?

Friend explains what she has stored in her bag: first-aid kit, granola bars, water, old clothes, lightweight thermal blanket, toilet paper, sanitary napkins, old glasses (because she wears contacts)...
She says her bag is based on a list distributed by the French embassy (she is French).
It gets me thinking that I really need to prepare one too.

And now, this morning. Two small earthquakes in a row. Inspires me to write this blog entry.

Does this all mean something? All this talk about earthquakes (the big one we are all afraid of), followed by actual (although small) earthquakes.

I hope not.

Comments

[Coal]

What's with all the earthquakes this week I wonder. Wednesday night at about 1:30 AM was a really strong one in Tokyo (I seriously wondered if it was going to be the "big" one), then there's another two this morning. Bit scary really.

[frangipani]

Yeah, these quakes are starting to freak me out. But some say that lots of little ones is a good thing, relieves the pressure down below....

[shimmery footsteps]

hi Coal,
yes, those are the earthquakes i am talking about. the night one really scared me too.

martine,
that is a reassuring thought about the little ones!

[Coal]

Opinion of experts on whether lots of little ones is a good or bad thing is still mixed. I made a point of asking back when I was the 英語圏地震防災担当 for Shizuoka Prefecture. Fun days!!