On my 69th

I had completely forgotten about how Washington DC was first hit by a 5.8 magnitude earthquake which occurred in Virginia on August 23rd, 2011.  Other family members in CT felt the earthquake, but I didn't myself while I was visiting in CT.

That was my birthday, when I turned 69, and right after that, Hurricane Irene hit the northeast. The news and weather were there, but lots of other things were happening that took precedence, like children, dinner, celebrations.

The earthquake did have an influence on me.  I've mentioned before that I had originally planned to see the museums in DC on my way meandering home.

When I found the exits with no gas, no facilities, and sometimes closed due to flooding under the interstates in NJ and PA, I decided to not compete with those who really needed the motel rooms around DC.  They were also probably there because of the earthquake.

My fellow blogger (Here) mentioned how the Washington Monument is currently sheathed in scaffolding to repair damage from the earthquake.

I still think about some of the events which happened in the year I before turning 70.  My friends out in Washington state are still having difficulties with the people they work for.  It has become so extreme I'm encouraging them to start to pack up and plan to get out of that toxic environment.  I find it hard that they have stayed this long, but sometimes a free apartment in exchange for work that seems easy to do can be enticing.

But like I've found many times, when the pain gets so intense that it intrudes on everything in your life, you take whatever steps are possible to relieve it.  I also tend to endure a lot before I notice how all my friends and family are wondering why.  I think inertia is the most probable reason.

I have broken some of my inertia today.  How about you?