Anyone Live In Southern California? (LA area specifically)

[Guest]

I've been out here a year. Was gonna stay for good but I've been reading a lot about earthquakes. Personal Testimonials from the the Northridge one in 96 and other ones. While the chances of dying in one are slim to almost non existent the thought of experiencing a big one freaks me out. Some people downplay them or the threat but they're the real deal. I grew up in the Midwest and was always horrified of tornadoes. The thing with those though is you can anticipate them coming. There's a build up. You can go to your basement. With a earthquake it can happen at any second. I don't like that. The thought of there being a 7.0 earthquake out of the blue freaks me out. Anyone live here? How long? How do you deal with the anxiety of this? I've found not thinking about it has worked for me the past year. Although now looking to rent a place (sign a lease) and stay permanently I've been thinking about it a lot and doing reading. And I'm thinking of leaving.

Edited December 8, 2015 by Guest

[StMichael]

I live in LA. (Back and forth to my native NYC). I've experienced a few earthquakes, which honestly were no different than an 18 wheeler coming down a street in NYC. The first one, it was in the day time and felt like something rolled under your feet and was done. The other I didn't even feel as I was in Disneyland, but they had to close the park as per the law to inspect the rides, etc. Earthquakes are not the reason to leave LA, there is so many other reasons that include the local government, crime, and high taxes.

Northridge was a bad one from what I heard, but so much has been implemented since including retrofitting older buildings, etc. 

Here is a recent article:

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-earthquake-retrofit-20151009-story.html

Edited December 8, 2015 by StMichael

[Charbel]

I've lived in Southern California my whole life. This anxiety never really affected me, though I've experienced a few larger earthquakes. Just big enough to definitely feel it and frighten you a bit, but not enough that stuff got broken and never to make me want to up and leave. The only thing that makes me want to leave California is the heat and the expense!

I don't really have any advice on how to deal with the anxiety, but I think you'll be fine here if you do decide to stay permanently. Earthquakes really don't happen that often here, and generally they aren't too terrible. Pray for consolation through bearing this, and try to stop reading about earthquakes for your peace of mind.

I'll pray about this for you.

[CatherineM]

There are more earthquakes in Oklahoma now than in California. 

[Chiquitunga]

From the Midwest here and living in Southern CA. I don't really think about it lol. Maybe i should... Charbel we gotta meet lol! 

Ps it may help that my thoughts are lately pretty focused on the final judgement at the end of time after hearing a great homily on it. Maybe that would help. Seriously though. As far as earthquakes though, yeah it's all in the Hands of God. But yeah that reminds me I did mean to check out what we do in an earthquake in my building... Thanks!

Pa again Charbel your relics will be in the area soon! 

[Charbel]

 PM me and tell me more @Chiquitunga !!

[corban711]

I was born and raised in Orange County.  I lived there almost my entire life. I was there for the first 31 years of my life until I moved to MA last year in order to live in community with a bunch of other guys loved by the Lord, discern His will, and serve as a missionary. I was in CA for both the Northridge and Landers earthquakes, as well as many others.  Earthquakes can be scary and dangerous if you are close to the epicenter, but my experience of them is that the idea of the earth quaking without warning is far worse than the reality of actually experiencing them.

Most of the time they either don't last long enough or they just aren't powerful for anything other than a "Did you feel that?" or "Oh I think we just had an earthquake" thought/comment.  I can't promise if you stay that you won't experience a big one, but after 31 years of living there I do feel that I can definitely say that it is very possible to live safely there, in peace (minus the traffic), and you need not spend extra time worrying about the possibility.  The possibility is there whether we ever spend a moment worrying...so much better to just put it all in the Lord's hands and say to Him at every moment of our lives, "Jesus, I trust in You".  Be at peace, brother.  

Especially when we've been reading about how crazy it is out there, how bad it can be, etc.  All that stuff causes anxiety and robs us of our hope.  It has a tendency (at least in me) to take away our trust in the goodness and wisdom of God and our trust that He is always with us and will take perfect care of our needs.  It's not enough to say we trust God.  He wants us to trust Him even with the details of our lives.  Invite Him in to the fear or worry you are experiencing and let Him put you at ease.  

 In the words of the great St. Teresa of Avila...

Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.

 

Jesus, I trust in You.

ps. Sorry if that was too preachy to be helpful.  Thats what happens when I don't censor myself.  Lol

[Julie]

I'm in SoCal, and grew up in Northridge (the big earthquake was actually in '94... I know because my mother was pregnant with me, and she likes to talk about how my father was working for  LA county as a civil engineer, so he had to work 14 hour days for weeks!) 

The new earthquake code is actually really super strict. We won't have overpasses falling or anything like we did last time. The biggest danger is being outside (tiles and trees and things) or being hit by knicknacks/stepping on broken glass. There is time to take shelter in an earthquake. When it starts to shake, move to a doorway or cover your head or get under a table. It's just the ground moving. You can still walk, though it's a bit like being on a ship. It's not like a tornado where buildings are destroyed. Earthquake safe building just kind of sway, and only things inside of them move around. That said, don't mount heavy things about your head no get those little earthquake ties to anchor big shelves to the wall and you're pretty well off. 

I forgot to say- 90% of earthquakes, you can't even feel unless you happen to be lying very still awake in bed or something. Even those you CAN feel, it's usually just "wow there was an earthquake. Did you feel that?" and then move on with the day. (Though recently, there's also the inevitable hundred Facebook posts of "felt the earthquake")

Im elementary school, we looked forward to earthquakes. We'd get under the desks and start praying Hail Marys. Usually, the shaking stopped before we'd even finished one, but the commotion of getting settled back to work meant that we had a five minute break or so from studying. What excitement!