lithospherics

i know that we have little earthquakes here all the time, but i've only ever felt one noticeably, when it jolted me awake from a nap. sometimes i think i'm crazy for choosing to live on a faultline, surrounded on three sides by inevitably rising oceans. this isn't the most original metaphor, but san francisco is a little bit of a spider's web - dangerous, beautiful, easy to get lost in. i often forget about the rest of the world in this town.

once in a while, such as last night, when i'm drifting off to sleep, i seem to feel the earth giving a gentle shudder, causing my home to rattle faintly and startle me awake, heart pounding. i'm sure sometimes i'm right, just as i'm sure someday it really will be the big one.

above, "shaking" by richard phillips