As a child growing up in Western Pa., I recall a project in high school where we talked about where we wanted to live as adults, and where we wouldn't want to live. I loved to travel and explore and had travelled quite a bit of the East Coast at that point. I thought about all of the different weather anomalies that potentially would freak me out, the overall climate, and the sports in the regions.

My choice: anywhere but California.

Oh the humor of God.

The two things that freaked me out: earthquakes and fires. I have a HUGE fear of both fire and heights, and I have equated heights to earthquakes. I hate lighting a match - I don't want to catch myself on fire. Irrational? Yes. Valid? I think so.

So, in the last two weeks, what has the weather been like in Southern California? Two weeks ago it was grey clouds, misting and in the 60s. Then we had a 4.2 earthquake 15 mi. from Pasadena around 2:30 am (it woke me up, but I didn't "feel" it). Now, forest and brush fires all over southern california. And I'm okay, too.

Good thing I have some rationality left and haven't headed back to the East Coast to escape - - quite yet.

More on fires next week...