tremor jitters

i didn't really feel it but it looks like a "slightly strong earthquake" just rocked the metro just a while ago (magnitude = 5.7).

it wasn't really that strong but after what just happened in Japan, many folks are understandably apprehensive (i admit to a feeling of unease and some measure of foreboding). when you're living near the earthquake belt earthquakes will always be an ever-present threat, but you can never really steel yourself to accept that fact with equanimity.

some alarmists are already trumpeting the possibility that we're due for a Big One soon (i am beginning to hate that phrase). i know that's a distinct possibility sooner or later, but please let it not happen so soon. we need some breathing space before we can handle another catastrophic event.

musings in the dark

we had a short power blackout at work today as a result of a sudden, unexpected storm of sorts. for 20 minutes, we were bombarded by a series of deafening thunderclaps punctuated by lightning that slashed through the night sky.

about 3 seconds before the blackout, a couple of our officemates (who were sitting near the window) reported seeing a flash of bluish light near our building.

i hit the Save button fast enough to freeze the chapter i was working on in time. the building generator system came to life shortly but after 2 minutes we were told to shut down our PCs because our emergency backup system could only support a limited number of PCs running at full capacity.

so after that, short of swapping ghost stories (with the storm providing a great backdrop), we were basically left with little else to do -- except to twiddle our thumbs or fiddle with our mobile phones.

at this unexpected break, i was left to ponder on a few things that have been lurking in the back of my mind since last week -- mostly about the fact that when you're used to do your work almost exclusively on a PC, a simple matter like a power outage can sometimes leave you feeling disoriented.

now, the biggest challenge is to find something vaguely stimulating to keep your mind from rotting away while you wait for:

(a) power resumption
(b) the time till it's time to go home, or
(c) an inspired moment when an idea of such passing brilliance can lead you to write an achingly beautiful sonnet, a symphony masterpiece, or a revolutionary scientific theory that will make space travel easier.

of these three options, the probability that option (c) will occur is likely a billion-to-one proposition (like maybe, when hell freezes over?), but it sounds rather nice to include it in the list -- you know, just in case a miracle happens.

i was in the middle of more outlandish imaginings when the lights suddenly came back. almost on cue, everybody sighed in mingled relief and regret. our office jester, who's rarely at a loss, quipped: "alright slaves, show's over. back to work!"