Well, once again, completely, utterly minding the business solely of Yours Truly, there I was, standing at the possible brink of photographic disaster. Not really photographic disaster but truly engineering disaster, or that's at least what we The Media not so secretly hoped for - what the engineers rushing about did not.
YT et al were standing on the viewing level to witness the premier shake-up of the faux Cali townhouse, replete with chandelier and roof tiles, to see if the faux hydraulic earthquake underneath the house, created by the various engineering pioneers present, would destroy the two-story complex - or not, thanks to several expensive and compact dampers.
One of the project founders (mind You, we are all in hardhats which makes any instant instantly slightly comic) was telling half of us that via the radio in his hand we would all hear the news that The Test was about to begin.
(sidebar: now if this story ended quite differently, like, say, if I had to dig out from a pile of twisted metal and wood shards, I could make snark about how those soldiers seated in the desert similarly had no idea what they were undergoing whilst the mushroom cloud was about to spore)
We would, he said, hear FOUR BEEPS and then
We should run like hell, YT proffered,
to the engineer's slightly confused glance
and then he continued FOUR BEEPS and then the shake will begin for 40 seconds.
Beeps, shake, creaking, nothing.
No catastrophe. Building standing.
More shots in control room, in the structure where an impromptu press conference happened and then I talked with some colleagues and film crew from Rochester before wending my way into the non-faux, non-engineering albeit très engineered and manicured campus beyond the Land of Faux Quakes. YT was informed that my images from a previous test are on USAToday.com under the tech section.
On a similar note, ended the evening with a petite pyros display to please the niece and nephew for they know their auntie always has a stash of such for sundry summery occasions.
Time to dispense my handiwork, deliver photographic images far and wide. And smiles to boot.

Boots full of smiles, and Love.