Thousands in SF celebrate, mourn quake's 100th anniversary

[westofyou]

The oldest person there was Chrissie Mortensen, 109, who remembered the smell of smoke from a city in flames, and a cow running down California Street, its tail straight up in the air.

Once you've been in one that's a rocker you never forget it.

[macro]

I don't understand the use of the word "celebrate". Wouldn't that mean they're being festive?

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by macro

I don't understand the use of the word "celebrate". Wouldn't that mean they're being festive?

In a word, "yes". What better thing to celebrate than your city still being there one-hundred years after it was razed to the ground.

I was there this morning. The best part was the 99-year-old lady who explained that she was at the ceremony because she was "conceived" during the quake.

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by macro

I don't understand the use of the word "celebrate". Wouldn't that mean they're being festive?

Once you've been in one that's a rocker you never forget it, it's a fact.. celebrate life and regrowth I guess.

But once this is what you see you won't forget it either.

[RedFanAlways1966]

I just spoke to a sales rep. of ours who lives in SF. After getting the business part done, I told him that I read where SF is "celebrating" the big quake's 100th anniversary and asked why he isn't out there (I didn't lead him into an opinion way way or another). He told me that as a lifelong resident of SF he is embarrassed by the whole thing. He said some people will find any reason to party and/or get drunk. I told him that all cities have people like that.

I like woy's last opinion that it might be a good reason to celebrate when you have lived through one (or more!) of these things.

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by RedFanAlways1966

He told me that as a lifelong resident of SF he is embarrassed by the whole thing. He said some people will find any reason to party and/or get drunk. I told him that all cities have people like that.

Yeah, like everyone gets up at 3 am on a Tuesday morning to start drinking. Your friend doesn't know what he's talking about.

[RedFanAlways1966]

Originally Posted by Rojo

Yeah, like everyone gets up at 3 am on a Tuesday morning to start drinking. Your friend doesn't know what he's talking about.

Hey, Rojo. Not a friend... just a guy who works for the same company (I wouldn't know him if I saw him).

I think a lot of 3rd-shifters at GM assembly plants start drinking at or around 3 am. I have driven by their parking lots before and seen it happening.

[Sweetstop]

I see The History Channel has a documentary about it tonight. San Francisco, the 1936 flick about it w/ Gable, Tracy and Jeanette McDonald, is a pretty good oldie.

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by RedFanAlways1966

Hey, Rojo. Not a friend... just a guy who works for the same company (I wouldn't know him if I saw him).

I think a lot of 3rd-shifters at GM assembly plants start drinking at or around 3 am. I have driven by their parking lots before and seen it happening.

Did they wake up special to drink? And I didn't see anybody drinking or acting drunk.