Thursday, June 16, 2005
She's All Shook Up!
Congratulations to Jeanne...who today experienced her very first earthquake! She rode out the 4.9-magnitude quake in El Segundo, California, where she's been on business for the past week. That's about 80 miles west of the earthquake's epicenter near Yucaipa, CA. She says it sounded like the rumbling of an "El" train. She felt it in her equilibrium - very common in an earthquake - and also heard her building creaking somewhat. But, she seems to have emerged none the worse for wear.
Having spent the first 24 years of my life in California, I told Jeanne to multiply her earthquake experience by around 300...and she would get my lifetime total. Most of the ones I felt were minor to moderate...but there were certainly exceptions. I remember as a young kid riding out a 6+ quake in Watsonville, CA. It pushed a piano across the doorway of the bedroom where I was sleeping - on my side or the door! I was too little to move it alone. I remember it took the adults a while to figure out how to get into the room and move that piano. Another one - when I was in high school - rolled me out of my waterbed at home! When I was a sophomore at San Jose State, a 6.5-magnitude quake hit while I was in the shower at my fraternity house! It knocked the house off its foundation...and we had to move out. Remember that great line from Animal House..."Sophomore Dies in Kiln Explosion?" (Alas, poor Fawn Leibowitz...) Any way...for a moment, I thought I might become "Sophomore Suffers Soapy Death in Quake." Another one...I was working at KLIV Radio in San Jose when a 6.4-magnitude quake hit. I remember that one dumping stuff all over the floor of the newsroom. At least I didn't miss the story!
There have been two (maybe three) very minor quakes in the Chicago area in the nearly 20 years I've lived here. I know I slept through one...and was awake for the other one, but didn't feel it (that's how minor it was). I can't say I miss the earthquakes at all...
It's been a pretty active week for earthquakes in and around California. Hopefully the Golden State can hold off on breaking loose from the mainland and sliding into the Pacific Ocean until after Saturday...when Jeanne comes home from her trip!
A couple other notes...
My good friends Ali Kawa and Craig Tiley are moving from Champaign, Illinois...to Australia! Craig has been the men's tennis coach at the University of Illinois for the past twelve years. He led the Illini to the national championship in 2003. Now, he's taking a job as Director of Player Development for Tennis Australia. Hey, it only makes sense that a South African who's been working in the U.S. would be picked to develop the next generation of great Australian tennis players! I'm sure Craig will do a fantastic job! I've known Ali since she was getting her Master's in Public Affairs Reporting at the University of Illinois at Springfield. She was an outstanding anchor/reporter at public radio station WILL-AM in Urbana, IL, for a few years...before taking a job at a hospital last fall. I'll miss them both!
And, congratulations to pal Chris Sedlacek...who was on ABC7 News today, doing a segment on her charm business. Chris and her business partner, Patty Mowbray, own My Charmed Life. Charms are really popular these days...and Chris and Patty have a great selection. You should check out their site! WLS-AM is on the 9th floor in the fashionable ABC Building at State and Lake...the ABC7 newsroom is on the 3rd floor. So, I went downstairs and watched the segment featuring Chris. She had her own posse...Patty, their good friend Erin, and me! Chris did a great job!
That's all for now! : )
Having spent the first 24 years of my life in California, I told Jeanne to multiply her earthquake experience by around 300...and she would get my lifetime total. Most of the ones I felt were minor to moderate...but there were certainly exceptions. I remember as a young kid riding out a 6+ quake in Watsonville, CA. It pushed a piano across the doorway of the bedroom where I was sleeping - on my side or the door! I was too little to move it alone. I remember it took the adults a while to figure out how to get into the room and move that piano. Another one - when I was in high school - rolled me out of my waterbed at home! When I was a sophomore at San Jose State, a 6.5-magnitude quake hit while I was in the shower at my fraternity house! It knocked the house off its foundation...and we had to move out. Remember that great line from Animal House..."Sophomore Dies in Kiln Explosion?" (Alas, poor Fawn Leibowitz...) Any way...for a moment, I thought I might become "Sophomore Suffers Soapy Death in Quake." Another one...I was working at KLIV Radio in San Jose when a 6.4-magnitude quake hit. I remember that one dumping stuff all over the floor of the newsroom. At least I didn't miss the story!
There have been two (maybe three) very minor quakes in the Chicago area in the nearly 20 years I've lived here. I know I slept through one...and was awake for the other one, but didn't feel it (that's how minor it was). I can't say I miss the earthquakes at all...
It's been a pretty active week for earthquakes in and around California. Hopefully the Golden State can hold off on breaking loose from the mainland and sliding into the Pacific Ocean until after Saturday...when Jeanne comes home from her trip!
A couple other notes...
My good friends Ali Kawa and Craig Tiley are moving from Champaign, Illinois...to Australia! Craig has been the men's tennis coach at the University of Illinois for the past twelve years. He led the Illini to the national championship in 2003. Now, he's taking a job as Director of Player Development for Tennis Australia. Hey, it only makes sense that a South African who's been working in the U.S. would be picked to develop the next generation of great Australian tennis players! I'm sure Craig will do a fantastic job! I've known Ali since she was getting her Master's in Public Affairs Reporting at the University of Illinois at Springfield. She was an outstanding anchor/reporter at public radio station WILL-AM in Urbana, IL, for a few years...before taking a job at a hospital last fall. I'll miss them both!
And, congratulations to pal Chris Sedlacek...who was on ABC7 News today, doing a segment on her charm business. Chris and her business partner, Patty Mowbray, own My Charmed Life. Charms are really popular these days...and Chris and Patty have a great selection. You should check out their site! WLS-AM is on the 9th floor in the fashionable ABC Building at State and Lake...the ABC7 newsroom is on the 3rd floor. So, I went downstairs and watched the segment featuring Chris. She had her own posse...Patty, their good friend Erin, and me! Chris did a great job!
That's all for now! : )
