For a while there I thought I was just feeling dizzy but I had my suspicions and I braced myself thinking the books in the shelf above my head might start falling on me (note: I just braced myself and didn’t actually take cover or anything hahaha).

I asked my officemates if they felt the earth move, they looked at me for a moment then continued talking. I looked at the mineral water bottle beside my computer. Not a ripple. So I forgot about what happened and went back to cramming work on my lunch break.

Then friends emailed reporting about the earthquake whose epicenter was located in Pangasinan (they had just called their families who lived near there and fortunately they were all safe).

The earthquake must not have been that strong since I remember my grade school self during the 1990 earthquake, watching the electric fan bounce on my study desk and thinking I was being haunted by poltergeists in broad daylight

The earth moves and life goes on.