I was at work and called to talk to my granddaughters' other grandmother, who worked at a school. She said the phones were ringing off the wall from parents calling and wanting to pick up their kids... then she told me why. I turned on the TV and started watching the horror before the collapse, then after.
I was at a panting class in Asheville. Soft classical music was playing on the radio. It was interrupted by the news of the first strike, followed by the others. We were all stunned. When class broke up, I had a list of errands I had intended to run but I simply couldn't. I just wanted to go home. I felt such a sense of dislocation -- the world turned upside down.
I don't think that sense has ever quite faded -- though daily life goes on. I am aware of freedoms surrendered (especially at the airport) in the name of safety. I am aware of the burden of suspicion that all Muslims or even those of Middle-Eastern appearance must feel. And I am unhappily aware of the reaction among many Americans which has made us a country that practices torture and holds people on suspicion without a trial.
My mother called me from France to tell me to switch on the tv... then one of my neighbor called me to ask me to come and stay with her because she was afraid to stay alone... So many things changed since. Each year we add something to the feelings we had in 2001.
I'd just returned to my office after a lengthy meeting. Everyone was glued to their computer screens, for updates. The BBC website was jammed, so we set off for the staff club where there was a TV. I watched the news unfold until 17.00, then picked it up on the radio on the drive home. Like millions all over the world, I found it hard to take in then, and I still do, today.
Vicki, when we do eventually get together for that cup of coffee, I could talk for many hours about being in New York City on that day. There's far too much to type in a comment box.
I was at work on the 19th floor of a building that is one of two 'twin towers' housing state office buildings in Georgia. My husband called to tell me what had happened when the first plane hit. We turned on a TV with terrible reception and tried to see what was happening. After a couple more updates from my husband, I headed home and watched coverage from there. Being in a building also known as one of two 'twin towers' somehow made it all even more real from the moment we first heard about it. I wish I felt that we were better prepared now than we were then. But I fear that we have sacrificed many of the rights that have made this country great in the name of national security, without actually improving our national security much. Lynne in GA
I was working on a 3-week detail in Ft. Collins, Colorado - had arrived on Sunday, two days before. At first, we all thought it was just an accident, and then the 2nd plane. Being so far away from home, knowing that there was no way I could fly home, I was frantic. I finally decided to drive home that Saturday. Two days later, I was able to hug my husband and children. I think that 9-11 changed all of us forever.
I was teaching in my high school history class when one of the other teachers came to the door and quietly told me of the first plane. When she came back to tell me of the second plane, I guess the students could tell by my face that something was up. Well, that was it for formal instruction the rest of the day. T.V.'s in all the classrooms were on as students watched real history unfold. We are a large military community here and we had 2 students whose parents were in meetings at the Pentagon. Their moms were frantically trying to get information. We just let them stay with us in our teacher's workroom and took turns during our planning periods, holding their hands and listening to them express their fears. Luckily, both parents ended up being o.k. To this day, when I hear the song "Here's to the Heroes, I think of those brave men on the plane in Pennsylvania and all of the first responders who lost their lives that day.
I was at work (in England) and saw it on the internet. I immediately rang my son, who was in Paris. I was worried that more capital cities would be targeted. We were all so shocked here and many people were in tears that day. I saw it at just after lunch because we are 5 hours ahead if New York. Having lived through the 70's here in England where we were under constant threat from the Irish, it was just another horrendous act by people who care little for life and other people's lives. I feel sorry for all the folk who died that day and those that were hurt and those who inherited that legacy and sincerely hope you and we never see the like again.
I happened to be at home and turned on the TV for the lunchtime news (UK). I vividly remember how I didn't want to watch and yet how I could not stop watching.
I was in the clutches of a mammogram machine when the door flew open and a woman holding a TV set screamed that the "United States is under attack"! The radiology tech released me and we both ran down the hall towards the sound of the TV. The second plane hit. I dressed and went down to the Doctor's lounge where a large crowd had gathered to watch the horror unfolding. The third plane hit the Pentagon. Panic! The day before my husband had flown to San Fransisco and was scheduled to fly to Australia at o-dark-thirty that morning. Fourth plane down. It was impossible to reach the airlines by phone. Towers falling, people screaming and crying. I left and headed home. The streets were deserted except for the sound of sirens wailing in the distance. It would be days before my husband was able to get a call through to the US. His plane had been far enough off shore and was not turned back. Tears of joy, relief, gratitude. 9/11 then changed our world forever. 9/11 today we are celebrating my grandson's 5th birthday.
I was at work and someone who started later came rushing in and told us to gather in one of the conference rooms. We sat there watching the television as the second plane hit.
The terrorists had no idea what they set in motion, giving conservatives free reign to exert their misguided power.
My son worked across the street from the WTC building and his building was evacuated, too. As he walked down the crowded firestairs after the first hit, a friend called him and said the second building was hit and Mike thought, "Looks like it wasn't an accident." Outside all was chaos and he began the long trek up to the ferry to take him back to Hoboken, along with many other zombies. Driving down the NJ Turnpike, he glanced in the rearview mirror and saw the first tower fall. Back in Princeton he learned his neighbor was most probably gone because he worked at Cantor Fitz---right where to the plane crashed into. His neighbor had been out of work for over a year and had been so happy to get the Cantor Fitz job just two weeks before.
Meanwhile I was going for a walk in the bright Carolina blue sunshine of a perfect fall day, totally oblivious of the havoc in NYC. Of all the consequences from that day, what has impacted us the worst (and is still impacting us) is the heinous manipulation of the Bush administration to turn this into a war against Iraq. We all know how that seems to be unending, causing so much death and destruction, but enriching the fatcats who started it.
14 comments:
I was at work and called to talk to my granddaughters' other grandmother, who worked at a school. She said the phones were ringing off the wall from parents calling and wanting to pick up their kids... then she told me why. I turned on the TV and started watching the horror before the collapse, then after.
Another sad day that will live in infamy.
I was at a panting class in Asheville. Soft classical music was playing on the radio. It was interrupted by the news of the first strike, followed by the others. We were all stunned. When class broke up, I had a list of errands I had intended to run but I simply couldn't. I just wanted to go home. I felt such a sense of dislocation -- the world turned upside down.
I don't think that sense has ever quite faded -- though daily life goes on. I am aware of freedoms surrendered (especially at the airport) in the name of safety. I am aware of the burden of suspicion that all Muslims or even those of Middle-Eastern appearance must feel. And I am unhappily aware of the reaction among many Americans which has made us a country that practices torture and holds people on suspicion without a trial.
My mother called me from France to tell me to switch on the tv... then one of my neighbor called me to ask me to come and stay with her because she was afraid to stay alone... So many things changed since. Each year we add something to the feelings we had in 2001.
I'd just returned to my office after a lengthy meeting. Everyone was glued to their computer screens, for updates. The BBC website was jammed, so we set off for the staff club where there was a TV. I watched the news unfold until 17.00, then picked it up on the radio on the drive home. Like millions all over the world, I found it hard to take in then, and I still do, today.
Vicki, when we do eventually get together for that cup of coffee, I could talk for many hours about being in New York City on that day. There's far too much to type in a comment box.
xo
I was at work on the 19th floor of a building that is one of two 'twin towers' housing state office buildings in Georgia. My husband called to tell me what had happened when the first plane hit. We turned on a TV with terrible reception and tried to see what was happening. After a couple more updates from my husband, I headed home and watched coverage from there. Being in a building also known as one of two 'twin towers' somehow made it all even more real from the moment we first heard about it. I wish I felt that we were better prepared now than we were then. But I fear that we have sacrificed many of the rights that have made this country great in the name of national security, without actually improving our national security much. Lynne in GA
I was working on a 3-week detail in Ft. Collins, Colorado - had arrived on Sunday, two days before. At first, we all thought it was just an accident, and then the 2nd plane. Being so far away from home, knowing that there was no way I could fly home, I was frantic. I finally decided to drive home that Saturday. Two days later, I was able to hug my husband and children. I think that 9-11 changed all of us forever.
I was teaching in my high school history class when one of the other teachers came to the door and quietly told me of the first plane. When she came back to tell me of the second plane, I guess the students could tell by my face that something was up. Well, that was it for formal instruction the rest of the day. T.V.'s in all the classrooms were on as students watched real history unfold. We are a large military community here and we had 2 students whose parents were in meetings at the Pentagon. Their moms were frantically trying to get information. We just let them stay with us in our teacher's workroom and took turns during our planning periods, holding their hands and listening to them express their fears. Luckily, both parents ended up being o.k. To this day, when I hear the song "Here's to the Heroes, I think of those brave men on the plane in Pennsylvania and all of the first responders who lost their lives that day.
I was at work (in England) and saw it on the internet. I immediately rang my son, who was in Paris. I was worried that more capital cities would be targeted. We were all so shocked here and many people were in tears that day. I saw it at just after lunch because we are 5 hours ahead if New York.
Having lived through the 70's here in England where we were under constant threat from the Irish, it was just another horrendous act by people who care little for life and other people's lives.
I feel sorry for all the folk who died that day and those that were hurt and those who inherited that legacy and sincerely hope you and we never see the like again.
I happened to be at home and turned on the TV for the lunchtime news (UK). I vividly remember how I didn't want to watch and yet how I could not stop watching.
I was in the clutches of a mammogram machine when the door flew open and a woman holding a TV set screamed that the "United States is under attack"! The radiology tech released me and we both ran down the hall towards the sound of the TV. The second plane hit. I dressed and went down to the Doctor's lounge where a large crowd had gathered to watch the horror unfolding. The third plane hit the Pentagon. Panic! The day before my husband had flown to San Fransisco and was scheduled to fly to Australia at o-dark-thirty that morning. Fourth plane down. It was impossible to reach the airlines by phone. Towers falling, people screaming and crying. I left and headed home. The streets were deserted except for the sound of sirens wailing in the distance. It would be days before my husband was able to get a call through to the US. His plane had been far enough off shore and was not turned back. Tears of joy, relief, gratitude. 9/11 then changed our world forever. 9/11 today we are celebrating my grandson's 5th birthday.
I was at work and someone who started later came rushing in and told us to gather in one of the conference rooms. We sat there watching the television as the second plane hit.
The terrorists had no idea what they set in motion, giving conservatives free reign to exert their misguided power.
My son worked across the street from the WTC building and his building was evacuated, too. As he walked down the crowded firestairs after the first hit, a friend called him and said the second building was hit and Mike thought, "Looks like it wasn't an accident."
Outside all was chaos and he began the long trek up to the ferry to take him back to Hoboken, along with many other zombies.
Driving down the NJ Turnpike, he glanced in the rearview mirror and saw the first tower fall. Back in Princeton he learned his neighbor was most probably gone because he worked at Cantor Fitz---right where to the plane crashed into. His neighbor had been out of work for over a year and had been so happy to get the Cantor Fitz job just two weeks before.
Meanwhile I was going for a walk in the bright Carolina blue sunshine of a perfect fall day, totally oblivious of the havoc in NYC.
Of all the consequences from that day, what has impacted us the worst (and is still impacting us) is the heinous manipulation of the Bush administration to turn this into a war against Iraq.
We all know how that seems to be unending, causing so much death and destruction, but enriching the fatcats who started it.
Deana the queena
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