Today is a good day. I still have a roof over my head, all my utilities are working, and me, my boyfriend and our dog are all well and safe.
Yesterday, was one of the most bizarre days of my life.
I woke up to our apartment shaking. I bolted for our dining table and got under and called out my bf’s name, he was sleeping on the couch (he was having a hard time sleeping the night before). He grabbed our boston terrier and we were under our dining table for a good while. The first quake felt massive, I had a clock fall off the wall and break, broken glass on the floor, and a picture frame on the bookshelf right next to our dining table fell off and broke right next to us, more broken glass on the floor.
We checked our phones and I prepped for aftershocks. After the second quake, not as strong as the first, I did what I wasn’t supposed to and got out from under the table and ran around the apartment with my boots on taking anything with glass and putting it on the floor, picture frames, breakables. I took all of our glasses off the shelves in the kitchen and put them on the floor. All day yesterday and even this morning (at 6:45 a.m.) we’ve been feeling aftershocks. Only one, yesterday at about 1:10 p.m. made us get under our dining room table again, it was a 4.6 earthquake in Magna, UT.
more info: USGS Earthquake March 18, 2020 SLC, UT
The tremors, movements of our apartment building are weird and bizarre. It’s disorienting and I feel like I’m in a shaking funhouse.
We moved into our apartment the first week of March and barely got everything organized and settled before the situation with COVID-19 escalated nationally last week. Now it’s a little bit disorganized again and lacking decoration since I took all the framed pictures and other breakable trinkets down.
Our place is a 104-year-old brick building and luckily we are on the top floor. But when we moved in we already noticed it had a few unusual tilts and cracks here and there; crooked door jambs, windows, you name it. So far everything looks about the same or just a little shifted but I am just grateful the building still stands. It was a moderate earthquake but the continuous aftershocks (to be expected up to three weeks after) are what can cause more shifting or falling debris and damage.
The initial earthquake was a magnitude of 5.7 in Magna, Utah. We are barely on the outskirts of it, so what we felt was nothing compared to those who live in Magna and West Valley.
This is from this morning. The blue dot is my location.
Map of SLC Earthquake 3/19/2020
On Tuesday, I got up applied for unemployment, dressed and went down to the Pub where I work. They were allowing us to come in and clock in for hourly and clean the restaurant, we could show up whenever and work however long we wanted to. I was there scrubbing stairs for about three hours before I went home, took the dog for a walk and decided I should do laundry, thinking that it might be my only chance this week in case things get worse. I got home around six from the laundromat and discussed our budget and made plans with my bf. He works for eBay and went in that day for overtime, once he showed up they gave him a computer and equipment and told him to go home, set up and work the remainder of his shifts from home. Tuesday feels like it was a week ago right now and waking up to an earthquake Wednesday morning did not help my already high-stress levels, talk about timing.
I think what is good is that naturally, my response was to take action and get everything with glass off the walls or down from up high where it could fall and break. I took the initiative yesterday and even packed a couple emergency bags for us in case we lost power for more than 24 hours. I communicated with my family a backup plan in case things get worse too. Preparing for the worst and making a plan with my family and bf has given me so much peace of mind. I found myself more positive, less stressed out, and overall happier after the earthquake. For the rest of the day, we relaxed, watched funny movies and TV shows and laughed. The mood was light and we were really happy, I think in general we were just relieved to still have our place and know we were going to be okay for the day.
As for work,
I don’t think I’ll be qualified for unemployment because I recently found out that all Pub employees are not being “fired” technically. They have dropped the hour requirements for our health and dental benefits down to 0 for the next 30 days that they plan on being closed due to the statewide closure of all restaurants and bars. This is good because it means I still have my benefits while all of this is going on.
So now I am looking for online work because I have no income for the next 30 days. Initially, I wanted to find an in-person job as a cashier or stocker somewhere in SLC. But my family has convinced me that I should wait it out and stay home. I was reluctant but I gave them my word I would do this. They don’t want me to put myself in any kind of situation that is an unnecessary risk, not just my health (I’m a spry 26-year-old woman) but the health of others since I worked at a Pub that gets regular airport travelers up until the last day we were open for dine-in service (March 16th, 2020). At this point, I agree with my family and in case COVID-19 is more widespread than we know, I have to take responsibility for the well-being of others.
Today, I plan on looking for an online job, anything to do with writing. I’ve been looking for jobs in copywriting, content writing, marketing, technical writing, journalism, and blogging for the last 3-4 years already. Looking for a remote job now I think is vital in case the 30-day ban on restaurants and bars is extended.
Besides looking for a job, my Poetry Workshop at Westminster has been moved online and I am excited to get in touch with the other students and my professor. I have so much poetry to read and I have so much writing to do. I think it is important that I chronicle what’s going on, on a day-to-day basis, as I writer, I feel it is my duty at this point.
But I cannot express my happiness and relief that we are ok, that my family is ok, and my friends. I feel incredibly lucky that we have running water, electricity, and gas. So incredibly lucky.
Yesterday, it was estimated around 70,000 Utahns did not have electricity.
As of Today at 11:10 a.m. MST according to Rocky Mountain Power there are only “39 outages affecting 448 customers”.
Right now, me and my bf are going to be taking it one day at a time. To everyone out there I hope you are well and safe. Stay calm and find funny things to laugh at and fun things to do (especially if you are already stuck at home).
Best of luck to you all! And please feel free to leave comments or message me, especially if anyone has any leads on remote work for my line of work. I would really appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Alina
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