When I was young I thought "How cool to experience a really big quake". That's youth. We have earthquake insurance but can you imagine the hassle and all the things that are irreplaceable? Then when they cause injury and death... Brrrr! If I were out in the middle of the desert it might be a real ride to remember but not where I or anyone else lives. I was on the periphery of the Sylmar/Newhall quake in, I think it was '72, in southern California. That one took down the VA Hospital and several lives were lost. It shook me awake at about 6 AM. I have a good friend who lost her house in the Marina District in SF during the Loma Prieta which took down a section of the Bay Bridge and the decked freeway on the approach to the same. This is not fun.