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Here's what I was reminded of this morning as I stood in my cabin and felt the walls shake because of the 6.6 earthquake in the desert 150 miles away:
At 5,000 feet elevation in the Sequoia Forest, the granite the cabin sits atop is a conductor, an amplifier.

I braced myself under a support beam and became flooded by the memories of the fire evacuation I had experienced just two years prior on that mountain. It was just after I separated from my husband. I'd never felt more alone on the mountain, both because of the loss of my marriage and because of the power outage.

The shaking stopped this morning but my anxiety intensified. I was hit by an anxiety attack. One that lasted two hours.

I write this as I sit in the tub sipping Amaretto. Amaretto helps!

I will never let anyone ever tell me that social media friends are not real friends. Unlike two years ago, I've built a strong support network, both with real life people and social media friends.

They have sent me heartfelt words that have sustained me, through so much these past two years.

A support network is essential! I thought myself strong enough to stand on my own. But I know different.

ElusiveMoby 7 July 4
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12 comments

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2

Tonight's 6.9 earthquake didn't rattle me too much. I'm at home in the foothills, not at my mountain cabin.

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It shook things up quite a bit down in Bakersfield. Transitioning to the single life takes a while. 4 legged and Internet friends help a ton.

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I'm so glad you're okay. Just like the granite your cabin sits on amplifies the earth's movements, living alone can amplify emotions. I believe the panic attack was a normal response under the circumstances; the mind has a tendency to race through all possible scenarios, some of which are less than good. You did good. And though Amaretto wouldn't be my first choice, I can see where it would be like having an old companion at your side; I keep a bottle of Bristol Cream around just for that reason. Again, glad you're okay.

I'm still adjusting to living alone and you are completely right about how that amplifies emotion. The anxiety attack came just after I'd been feeling so confident and capable earlier in the morning. I tend to swallow stress, shove it into a drawer for later consumption. It always uncovers itself, doesn't it!

I haven't seen any Bristol Cream for 50 years. Which reminds me that I must phone the man who was Harvey's Sales Director to wish him a belated happy 85th birthday!

@ElusiveMoby For some unknown reason I never really stress about anything anymore. Of course having said that, something will probably come up that will keep me up nights, though I don't know what that could be, but life is always full of surprises. And now that I think of it, I hope you have gotten through round 2 of the quakes okay. Be safe.

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Sounds like an idyllic place to live, despite the earthquake risk. The hot tub sounds like a good way to unwind, but Amaretto ?. Yuk. Get yourself a good bottle of single malt next time 😉

The home is so idyllic! It's not easy to maintain, but it's worth every drop of sweat it takes to keep it.

Bloody OCD - ers telling others what to do and not to do. Sort your own life out first.

@FrayedBear Sorry ????

@Moravian Just because you like single malt what makes you think that you have right to tell others what they should or should not drink?

@FrayedBear get a life ffs. It was a joke. did you not see the smiley. You are certainly living up to the description of yourself on your bio.

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Thanks for sharing. I understand what you mean. We don’t really know or admit our weaknesses until having to encounter them.

Well done for getting through!

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Maybe a laugh about "quakes" ??....Remember a few yrs ago some idiot muslim cleric said women seen wearing halter tops bikini or just not wearing the full length head to toe cover CAUSED EARTH QUAKES ??....SO online Atheist women planned a scientific test date in the future back then to go braless at the appointed hour calling it BOOBQUAKE time.....!! The only result was a little extra sun and pissing off muslims upon the world wide web

I'm laughing so much. I wasn't wearing a bra at the cabin. Perhaps that's it.

@ElusiveMoby we also have been drawing cartoonish figures of Mohammed to piss off the rag heads ever since a true believer muslim murdered most of the French Comedy Paper Office CHARLIE HEBDO ????? I WONDER if there are cartoon images of tampon terrorists screaming murder at abortion clinics ?

2

It’s ironic.. All my life ‘we’ viewed our ‘neighbors to the south’ as crazy for living in ‘an earthquake zone.’ With research prior to leaving my home state of OR … everyone north of CA’s Mendocino Ridge - to BC Canada that are in a Mega EQ Zone… Yes, solid rock transmits it, but you’ll not be shaken to pieces by liquefaction..

More research regarding the PNW (because it’s a relatively new discovery) described CA as being ‘far safer,’ San Andreas included! After Googling most geologically stable location in contentantal US - I moved to what’s left of the Appalachian Mountain chain ..the Blue Ridge, in particular.. The rare (but long transmitted) jolts over here are due to ‘rebounding,’ where the planet’s mantle is uplifting as the massive weight of mountains once rivaling the current Himalayas have eroded.

Back in OR, where the massive subduction quake can ‘snap’ any minute.. I’d had a sick, depressed background feeling of doom, especially on trips to & from the Coast ..my favorite place (with relatives there today). Now, I smile with the fact there’s likely a mile of near solid rock beneath the carved rock roads I travel. But, I would not be afraid of living in CA … major faults are known. But as is, I’m in love with my solid ground 🙂

I’ve a bit of anxiety, and was married 29 years to a far more anxious wife.. Consequently, we’ve anxious children; one’s medicating, the other is squeezing through life without. Don’t think I’ve ever had a panic attack, though have likely come close. And, spent many an hour talking my former wife down…

Yes, online works. And, it’s real.. Had a friend I never met die recently … we’d ‘met’ on another platform. She’d advised me tremendously regarding my move east. The same age, we had much in common. And, her advice and ‘presence’ was as important to me as many ..or most of my ‘tangible friends.’ Miss her, and had wanted to tour the new home and property she and her husband had purchased very near me. My move inspired theirs ~ Glad you’re here.

Varn Level 8 July 4, 2019
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I'm sure i would shit myself, revert to religion, dust my self off (well, have a bath) and claim I held true to myself under pressure.

The only thing that happened above was the bathing! I'm not proud of my physical reaction this morning and I've come too far to doubt myself but we carry inside us fears and doubts that seep out when we least expect it.

1

So glad that you are ok..
What a good idea that amaretto is. 🙂

Looks like another bottle goes on my shopping list.

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Glad you are ok 👌

bobwjr Level 10 July 4, 2019

Thank you!

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Yes we all need each other and it doesn't matter if we are oceans apart. Just to know that someone somewhere is aware and interested is a great help. Take good care of yourself and remember you always have us.

Thank you so much, Jolanta!

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I was in my garage, in Orange County, 160 miles from the epicenter when the quake struk. There are a lot of tools hanging against the wall in my garage. They began to make noise as they clinked together but it was strange because the clinkling came in waves and moved across the garage a couple times. Some hanging lamps swayed a little but it was so far from the center of the quake I could barely feel it.

OCJoe Level 6 July 4, 2019

Glad you only witnessed it instead.

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