I recall waking up just before the quake hit. At the time I didn't know squat about quakes and thought somehow I "sensed" it. Yeah, I sensed the dämned P waves, stooopid. :)

However, I did say to coworkers just 3 days before that it seemed like earthquake weather.

As for the quake itself, I remember the 'lightning' flashes from the power lines running over our back yard. I remember suddenly realizing after hours of watching TV that I was supposed to be at work, called the office and heard "business as usual." I remember feeling the aftershocks out in Brea.

Only damage I experience in Buena Park was a 1 pound ball of clay fell about 3-4 feet onto my then new $2000 keyboard synthesizer, busting a circuit board behind the main panel. Good thing I was an electronics tech. It was an easy fix. Funny thing is, that same synth is currently on the same desk with the same buffet on top of the desk as back then. Just no balls of clay on the buffet shelves. Also, different abode.

That's when I first got interested in earthquakes enough to learn about them.

Some birthday present, huh?

Brian