posted 03-16-2011 08:55 AM               

The big Bandai Saturn V model on the credenza behind my desk was doing a dangerous dance by now, so I stood up to hold it until the quake subsided. But there was no subsiding! It just kept growing in power and violence. Across the room I noticed that our big 55" plasma TV was sliding back and forth 40cm at a time across its stand. The noise caused by thousands of normally immobile items straining and moving was astounding, and I couldn't believe the windows in my office weren't shattering. I turned around to look out, but my view was now blocked by my office bookshelf, a big, heavy, two-meter tall thing normally standing immediately behind me.

It had fallen and landed directly on my desk chair, just 30cm behind where I was now standing... er, surfing (to even stay up at this point, I had my feet a meter apart both hands gripping heavy furniture). Had I not stood up to save my Saturn V, I probably would have broken the bookcase's fall with my head.