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Still feeling a little disoriented.

I'm a lifelong Californian ... I know the feeling! They're saying it was a 5.9 -- that's pretty respectable. Also, it depends on the kind of ground you're on as to how it will feel. A dinky little 5.4 hit near where I live about three years ago, the epicenter less than half a mile away, and it was a solid, frightening, fast jolt, but not much more (though it certainly "disoriented" me for a bit!). Yet five to eight miles away on either side of the ridge where I live, that little quake lasted for nearly a minute (wave lengths, like a pebble tossed in water) and wreaked havoc in quite a few stores, with entire inventories crashing down off of shelves.

Earthquakes are remarkably effective reminders of just WHO is in charge on this ol' earth ... and it ain't man! They can be pretty humbling!

I don't really trust my building on the best of days (especially the elevators). What was really disconcerting, and gives me more respect for those who have gone through monsters, was not knowing whether it was going to get worse or not. When my bike fell over and my shades starting swaying heavily, I started to remember that I live on a swamp, in a building not really designed for this kind of activity. Never really got scared, but I wasn't sure whether to try to get out or not (10 stories, plus the stairs aren't really close to me).

"Humbling" -- that is a good word for it.