Let's put this in perspective: a 4.2 isn't the Big One. It's not even the Medium One. It's more like the "did you feel that or was it a Muni bus?" one. The Geysers area, for the uninitiated, is a geothermal hot zone in Sonoma and Lake counties that produces minor to moderate quakes on a fairly regular basis. The region sits atop one of the largest geothermal fields in the world, which means the ground up there is basically always a little angry.

No reports of damage or injuries have surfaced, which is the good news. The less good news is that every one of these little jolts is a reminder that San Francisco's earthquake preparedness is… let's call it aspirational.

Here's the part where we put on our fiscal responsibility hat: the city has spent years and millions on seismic retrofit programs, emergency response planning, and infrastructure upgrades. Some of that money has been well spent. Some of it has disappeared into the same bureaucratic black hole that swallows everything else at City Hall. The question isn't whether another significant earthquake will hit the Bay Area — it will — but whether the money we've already allocated has actually translated into real readiness or just more consultant reports gathering dust in someone's office.

If you don't have an earthquake kit, go make one. Water, flashlights, first aid supplies, a battery-powered radio, and enough non-perishable food to last 72 hours. Don't wait for FEMA. Don't wait for the city. The only person guaranteed to show up for you in a disaster is you.

Mother Nature doesn't care about your budget timeline, San Francisco. Stay ready.