I moved into California in the year "1996" when I was 4. I've experienced about 5 earthquakes that could be felt during my lifetime. I experience almost a 4.0 earthquake in 2002 when I was 10.
I was at home while my parents were taking a shower when some of our vases and dining ware started to shake and a few fell, my parents didn't hear anything. Then about 30 minutes later when my mom was done taking a shower and in here bedroom a really powerful earthquake hit and it was about 4.0, I was using the computer(checking my e-mail) and then my mom called me to go outside immediatly, so I went and all the doors were shaking and some of our neighbors who had swimming pools had big waves splashing around, it was 11:00 o clock at night but all our neighbors were outside llooking frightened from their frontyards. The earthquake lasted for about 30 seconds. And then everyone went inside their homes watching carefully to see if another earthquake was coming but that was it.
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Yep that was one of the most scary moments in my life. I haven't felt one ever since though.And for smog, I really just ignore it but some of my friends complain about, as I live in San Fernando Valley and it's one of the most polluted areas and has way to many tall trees so it's really hard to get a good view. I will soon be moving out of LA county and be moving into the Kern county, a very desert-mountain type area with many farms. I'm excited as I'd like to see how an ol country life is like. I also heard earthquakes are much weaker there and I'm hoping that's true. California isn't all that bad, i went hiking on mount Whitney, the highest mountain in America, about 1500 thousand feet and visited Cattelina Island and Hawaii by boat. Come here if you want a real vacation as you can go to LA and some of the most tropical-resort places!