Els Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 (edited) After going through two in NZ myself recently, and being inundated with news reports about the current one in Japan, I just don't feel safe anymore. I've always been paranoid, but I think I've taken a turn for the FAR worse. I'd been staying away from looking at too many pictures of death and destruction in my city, but thought I would be okay looking at them now. I was wrong. I am DISTURBED. There are so many pictures of cars literally flattened by falling bricks. I cannot imagine how that would have felt to the people inside. The bf and I had planned a getaway to another city this weekend to try and get some time out of our demolished city. I was looking forward to it so much previously, then I read about it having a major faultline through it too, read the scare 'predictions' that it was due to erupt anytime because it had been a long time since a major earthquake had occured there, and worried, 'What if it happens while we're there?' I'd wanted to go skiing in the Alpine range this coming winter as well, but then I also read that THAT faultline was expected to erupt in a major quake during the next 40 years too! I decided the fault lay with this country and suggested to bf that we give Aussie a try in the future instead of settling here. He helpfully pointed out killer spiders, bushfires, cyclones, and huge floods. Will I end up living a hermit's life in a reinforced fallout shelter? Edited March 13, 2011 by Elswyth Link to post Share on other sites
Mme. Chaucer Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I'm sorry ... and I can relate. The house I grew up in was demolished by the Loma Prieta quake in California, with my parents inside of it. My sister was living in the Marina in SF, which was shown burning before the television broadcasts were interrupted. There was no phone service for quite a while and I didn't know if my parents and sister were even alive; also my daughter and I felt that quake pretty dramatically from where we were living further north in the state. My mom actually had pretty bad post traumatic stress syndrome the rest of her life; if she felt any sudden movement she panicked and wanted to dive under a table or something. (That's why they survived - they and their dog crouched under a table which was low to the ground. The chimney bricks from a 2 story tall chimney crashed down atop it but they were unharmed.) All of us dealt with the feeling of not ever being safe that you describe. In fact ... we really are not safe. Ever. Not just because of terrible disasters like the ones we are seeing now. We have to live anyway. Please go ahead and visit the city; plan your ski trip. I believe that by acting as if you aren't so afraid, gradually the fear will subside. On the other hand, if you let your fear dictate your actions, I think it will grow and take more hold upon you. Take care. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Els Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 Thanks for your post MC. I thought of going for a compromise - I printed out the list of not-earthquake-safe buildings released by the city's council and will bring that there, and will choose our accommodation etc based on it. Gut feeling makes me want to check the list each time before we go into a building as well, but I guess that'd be a little too excessive, won't it? Won't be much of a getaway if I have to obsessively cross-check a list (to 'protect' the owners, they only put street names and unit numbers on the list, not the actual building names, ugh) before we can go in anywhere. And I think the bf would think it excessive too. He's remarkably unfazed by the whole thing and seems pretty convinced that such freak incidents as the Chch quake are just a normal part of life. =/ Another thing that worries me is that I realized I can't react fast physically. I have NO idea how anyone manages to run to a table and dive under it DURING a quake, TBH. The last one I could barely even keep my balance to remain on my feet while shelves crashed down around me. Hopefully that's because the quake was supposedly a X+ on the Mercalli scale and not because I'm just slow. =/ Link to post Share on other sites
allina Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 *hugs* I've been having similar fears since the earthquakes. I live in the Bay Area CA and all day, every day we're told that the big one is coming here any time. It's scary! Link to post Share on other sites
Feelin Frisky Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Well, don't stay home and cower. Go out and skii. You'll be safe there. :rolleyes: Link to post Share on other sites
Woggle Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I live right next to the ocean and I know that if a Tsunami were to happen here I would be a goner. On the other hand I know that I can get into a car accident or be murdered for my wallet or die any other way. Any day can be our last so all can do is live our lives to the fullest. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Els Posted March 14, 2011 Author Share Posted March 14, 2011 Allina, woggle, just curious.. why do you still choose to stay there despite all the known risks? I would never be able to have peace of mind doing so. Yes, granted you can die any other way, but that risk is static, whereas the other risk is avoidable, no? Link to post Share on other sites
Woggle Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I love living near the water and despite the risks the NJ coastline is not known for tsunamis and earthquakes. You have houses that have been here since the 1920s so I think I am safe but whenever I hear about a disaster like this it is in the back of my mind. Despite our miserable winters weather is pretty stable in this part of the country. Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Will I end up living a hermit's life in a reinforced fallout shelter? No, don't. Get some help so you can learn to cope with this stuff better and not let "what if this happens" ruin your life. Sadly bad stuff like this happens, natural disasters, mother nature, weather, killings, wars, accidents. Each one of us could have 'something' happen to us at any given time, but one has to keep on living. Obviously with caution at times, but to live like a hermit and be afraid all the time is no way to live. Link to post Share on other sites
sb129 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 E, the whole country is feeling unsettled right now, especially since the Japan quake. I think getting out of Chch for a while is a good idea- some friends of ours from there came to stay with us and they felt much calmer when they were somewhere thats not having aftershocks and life is going on as normal. If the other city is wellington- you should go, its a great place for a weekend trip. there is so much to do you won't have time to worry. Go be normal for a weekend. Link to post Share on other sites
Fugu Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I lived in Japan for four and a half years and only went through two or three earthquakes, all of which were minor. I've experienced only one in California and I've lived near the San Andreas fault for quite some time. The earthquakes I've been through have been fun, but I know that one of these days, it won't be all that much fun. Link to post Share on other sites
LeaningIntoTheMuse Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 You just have to accept that life isn't forever, and that you have to make peace with that. It's also okay to be scared, but also become fearless. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Els Posted March 14, 2011 Author Share Posted March 14, 2011 E, the whole country is feeling unsettled right now, especially since the Japan quake. I think getting out of Chch for a while is a good idea- some friends of ours from there came to stay with us and they felt much calmer when they were somewhere thats not having aftershocks and life is going on as normal. If the other city is wellington- you should go, its a great place for a weekend trip. there is so much to do you won't have time to worry. Go be normal for a weekend. Yes it's wellington.. People just keep talking about the next big one being there! But then they keep talking about the Alpine fault doing a big one soon, so if I were to stay away from any of these then I suppose there would be little point even being in NZ to begin with. I'm just afraid I'll turn into that group (I forgot their name) that went on a world tour through Chch and Japan and got hit by BOTH earthquakes. Link to post Share on other sites
sb129 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Yes it's wellington.. People just keep talking about the next big one being there! But then they keep talking about the Alpine fault doing a big one soon, so if I were to stay away from any of these then I suppose there would be little point even being in NZ to begin with. I'm just afraid I'll turn into that group (I forgot their name) that went on a world tour through Chch and Japan and got hit by BOTH earthquakes. There are lots of people that have been hit by both. The newspapers are full of them. GO to Wellington. Its a cool city. The shopping is great, Cuba St and the Old Bank Arcade are two of my favourite places. Queens Wharf has great bars, and there are fantastic cafes everywhere. One of my favourite restaurants in the country is there (Logan Brown- expensive but worth it). Te Papa (the national museum) is free and is pretty good. It hasn't had an earthquake, so its fully operational- a little bit of normality will do you good I think. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Els Posted March 14, 2011 Author Share Posted March 14, 2011 Yah I am definitely going, sb. I really wanted to see Old Bank Arcade last I was there but didn't have the time, so I will def go this time! Also want to stroll along the harbor and maybe have a drink... Any suggestions for good wharf-side bars/restaurants? I'm just trying to decide whether it would be TOO weird to go around checking a list when I'm there. Link to post Share on other sites
Eclypse Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Well I'm in Australia so I can somewhat relate to all the talk of natural disasters. Find an area that you feel safe. We live in an area that's very flat so almost no chance of floods and it's very close to the beach, but the bay protects us from tsunamis. We didn't specifically look for these things but it's not bad being here. All I can tell you is to keep living your life as you do. As our good friend John Kramer (jigsaw) said: Ypu can stop to help a stranded motorist and get taken out by a speeding semi. There's no accounting for it. You just have to play with the hand you've been dealt. Live each day as if it's your last Link to post Share on other sites
tman666 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Not to be a douche... but why is this in the Physical Fitness, Health and Weight Management forum???? Link to post Share on other sites
Author Els Posted March 14, 2011 Author Share Posted March 14, 2011 Mental health? Dunno, feel free to ask mods to shift around if you want. Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Not to be a douche... but why is this in the Physical Fitness, Health and Weight Management forum???? Who cares? Does it really matter? Mental health is part of life too. People talk about their anxiety issues in this section as well and what she is experiencing IS anxiety. Link to post Share on other sites
tman666 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Who cares? Does it really matter? Mental health is part of life too. People talk about their anxiety issues in this section as well and what she is experiencing IS anxiety. Most people seem to bring up issues like this in other parts of LS. For example... Current Events, Personal Rants and Confessions, The Water Cooler, and Self Improvement and Personal Well Being. That said, that doesn't diminish mental health or anxiety as a legitimate concern. Shocking events such as those in Japan right now often lead to people feeling a wide array of emotions and experiencing varying degrees of mental state. Talking about them is something that should not be avoided. As far as going and whining to Tony about the placement of this thread... in case you haven't noticed, he seems to have his hands a little more than full attempting to keep the rest of LS from imploding. Complaining to him about something this trivial would only add to the level of baby-sitting is needed around here (i.e., it would contribute positively to nothing). Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 As far as going and whining to Tony about the placement of this thread... in case you haven't noticed, he seems to have his hands a little more than full attempting to keep the rest of LS from imploding. Complaining to him about something this trivial would only add to the level of baby-sitting is needed around here (i.e., it would contribute positively to nothing). Then why even bother pointing out that you feel she posted in the wrong section? Her response was an answer to you complaining/whining that she posted here and not somewhere else. To move a thread one has to ask Tony or the mods. So, again, who cares that she posted in this section. Not everybody posts or feels comfortable in the watercooler/rant sections either. Or maybe she doesn't know about that part of LS. Link to post Share on other sites
tman666 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Then why even bother pointing out that you feel she posted in the wrong section? Why bother to care about anything? If you don't take kitchen garbage out, then your kitchen stinks. While maybe not the best analogy, I have my reasons for giving a **** whether or not this particular subforum gets cluttered with junk (not that this thread is junk, rather, it's simply misplaced). I probably shouldn't care (after all, the internet is VERY serious business ), but I do. So sue me. If you want to know why I care, send me a PM, and I'd be happy to bore you with the details. It's not my job to be forum police, but expressing my opinion is something I'm permitted to do, last I checked. If you don't like it, then feel free to ignore me, tell me I'm an idiot for caring, send me angry thoughts, etc. Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Why bother to care about anything? If you don't take kitchen garbage out, then your kitchen stinks. While maybe not the best analogy, I have my reasons for giving a **** whether or not this particular subforum gets cluttered with junk (not that this thread is junk, rather, it's simply misplaced). I probably shouldn't care (after all, the internet is VERY serious business ), but I do. So sue me. If you want to know why I care, send me a PM, and I'd be happy to bore you with the details. It's not my job to be forum police, but expressing my opinion is something I'm permitted to do, last I checked. If you don't like it, then feel free to ignore me, tell me I'm an idiot for caring, send me angry thoughts, etc. I'll pass thanks. No need to do the Pm thing unless you want to Pm me. I guess I don't see what the big deal is that she posted in this section. It seems to bother you ALOT, enough that you seem to want to argue with me about it. Link to post Share on other sites
cerridwen Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 *hugs* I've been having similar fears since the earthquakes. I live in the Bay Area CA and all day, every day we're told that the big one is coming here any time. It's scary! We're in the same boat Allina. Same boat, same place, same fear. I've never experienced this level of anxiety though I've lived in this area most of my life. Elswyth, I wish I had suggestions for you. All I can offer is that you're not alone and what you're feeling is easy to relate to. Link to post Share on other sites
sb129 Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Elswyth- here is a great place to eat/ drink. I have heard good things about here and here, and also Martin Bosley if you like seafood. Better Japanese food in Wellington than Chch too IMO. Link to post Share on other sites
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