openscarf

Yesterday I began feeling really anxious. One of my friends on FB is a very smart guy and has his own nonprofit that helps plant gardens at schools and homes, and he runs a small but good farmers market. He was posting so much about preparing for radiation exposure and the next earthquake; it was over the top for me, but of course I read it. I don't watch much tv news, but apparently this guy was on FOX and a few other shows and says he predicted the last huge quake here and he's predicting another one in the next 15 days--see link.

15 day window

I think what he says makes some kind of sense, but honestly if he predicted the last disastrous quake here, who was he warning? Just his peers? Writing in his journal? Bragging to his friends after the fact?

The earthquakes can come anytime, big or small. I want to enjoy the super moon tonight, if I can see it through the rain and clouds, but stop scaring me please!

I am organizing my emergency box a little better. Since Burning Man, I have most of what I need, but I can't pack half of what they reccomend. I have canned food for me and the cats, flashlight, batteries, etc. If the roof falls on my head, what good is the box? If the box gets crushed, what good is the box? If the extra water falls through the floor, what good is the water?  

The kit is good if the disaster leaves you intact, just without power, etc. Finally one person commented on his post that he was scaring people unnecessarily and that to be prepared is good but that a quake can come in 15 minutes, 15 hours, 15 days or 15 years. I wrote that guy an email later and thanked him for what he said, he schooled my friend who didn't back down, but has since stopped posting the anti-radiation diets, etc.  I think the west coast drug stores are all out of the iodine supplements, they were out before I even knew the winds would blow the trace amounts. I saw one kid with a mask on yesterday walking to school, but that's the only one I saw.

One of my new co-workers chatted with me at the end of the day. I told her I was stressing out. She asked where I was from and knew it was the east coast. She's lived here all her life. The lifers here are always calming. She said, "didn't we have this conversation about not living in fear?"

That conversation came about when we discussed me walking to work, she asked if I was afraid, I said no, I told her succinctly about being assaulted and beaten, she told me she was grabbed and pulled behind a building but she got away, and from that we both said we just live our lives, we never know. Which is the answer.

So when I go out to do my errands today, I will get a few more cans and a jug of water, but I think the big fear is over.

I think it's in the Alchemist, that a character says, 'this is as good a day as any to die.' Just live each moment fully and to the best.

I'm doing yoga now, it's been 2 days and my shoulders are demanding it.