rattle and roll

The entire three storey site office was rattling and rumbling today as foundation works were going on outside.  While it doesn't feel as disconcerting on the second floor as it did when I was on the 33rd floor a few years ago and felt the tunnel boring that was going on nearby, it's never okay for me to feel vibration underfoot when I'm not safely planted on the ground. None of the dozens of engineers surrounding me seemed bothered so I felt reasonably certain of my safety.

I had a discussion with the lead structural engineer about the incident of a few years ago.  The worst part for me was that no one else in the office seemed to notice, which made me feel crazy.  The small seizures that I've experienced from time to time over the years don't feel like a vibrating floor does but I was beginning to second guess myself.  The engineer told me that I was right, but my colleagues were correct as well.  Apparently a lot of people can't feel small tremors so he didn't think it was unusual that no one else noticed. He said that it was more unusual that I felt it.

Of course today the ground was really shaking so everyone noticed.  I guess it's a normal occurrence when major ground works are being conducted a few hundred meters away.

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