where did you hear the news - 9/11?

[syn]

i just reviewed badkat's tribute page, www.badkat.net

i still cannot believe that it has been a year.

i am curious about where you were when you learned of the terrorism attacks.

what was your immediate reaction? did you leave work to be with loved ones?

syn

 

[keeferz]

I was at work. When I first heard, I thought it was only one plane that crashed. When I found out it was 2, sat glued to the TV all day

 

[TheNiteHwk]

I was at work and heard it on my desk radio (always tuned to CHUM-FM). They stopped the music for a special announcement. I asked the person I was on the phone with at the time to please hold for a second and turned up my radio. Just then they announced "it's now confirmed a SECOND plane has just crashed into the WTC." "and yes they are both passenger planes" I told the person on the phone what I just heard and they said "oh my Gawd" and hung up to go listen. I ran to the back of my office where we have a TV and… could not believe it. Yet at same time I could. Main thought on my mind was "F*^kin Terrorists!!!" (as soon as I heard there was a second plane and they were both passenger jets in my mind I knew right off it was f*^in terrorist) And "wow man, those poor people"

 

[Chivas Regal]

I was on my way out of the house to play golf. In what for me was a rarity, I had not heard, read, or watched any news that morning. As I turned on my radio, CHUM FM was discussing what had transpired...the first plane had struck, I think it was around 9am. I had a moment like I have heard my parents speak of when JFK was shot. I stopped pulled over to the side of the road and just went numb. I called the only person I new would be watching CNN at the moment and he quoted to me- "this is like a movie, only real. More realistic in fact ".

After that I sped to the course as I knew it would be on the TV there. When I got there the 2nd plane had hit and the 3rd had hit. I couldn't beleive my eyes. I immediately called family, some that work in the towers downtown and got the local up to date news. Total, shock. As we played our round we discussed the ramifications of 9 11, yes we had already called it that, and pretty much most things came true.

PS- tomorrow will be spent with friends and family, as I think it will become an annual memorial. And 1 year to the day, I will be returning to the exact course where I first heard the news- with happier thoughts I hope.

 

[wildone99]

9/11 news

I too was at work and it was a guy that works with us had his wife call about the first plane that hit the WTC and he had a small TV about a 5 inch screen and we all crowed around this little screen and about 10 of us and then couldn't believe the second plane hitting as we watch the reports of the WTC on this little screen ! Plus working around the airport and not hearing planes fly over for a few days was a reality check about how this attack was effecting the world!

 

[dogman]

Where was I?

I was driving down the road, feeling a bit sorry for myself, to go to court in a small town of Cayuga, Ont.. I heard on the radio something big had happened and was unaware of what was going on as I was not really in tune to things at this point.

I got to court and had to wait for the opening of the room so I sat down and heard a radio playing rather loudly and went to see what was going on. I sat there with the Crown Attorney, while he explained what had happened, and listened in to the beaking news. Fortunately for me my (divorce) case was put over and I reflected for a few minutes on what was happening and all of a sudden did not feel so sorry for myself anymore.

I then drove back home and turned on CNN and watched the events unfold on that station for the next few hours.

Something I will never forget, just like where I was when JFK was shot and where I was when Paul Henderson scored the winning goal in '72.

Dogman

 

[Faith]

I was at work early although I can't recall as of why. Had the T.V. on and listening to Wyclef Jean-Gone til November (funny how you remember the little stuff) on the C.D. player. Seen the first plane hit and it was like out of a movie. Went completely in shock, and watched as the second plane hit. It was unbelievable, but so real. Made me look at the things I had taken for granted and be thankful for life and family. Been watching the 9/11 stories that have been on every night and sit on the couch trying to hold back the tears, but they come anyway. My heart goes out to those that lost their lives and their families.

Ciao

 

[Jenn_angel]

I was getting out of my first class...

Walked into the Aviation Management building... And saw the TV...

I spent the day in tears... And have been disallusioned about my career choice ever since. It hit us all hard... And made a few of us wary of our choices we had made.

In all honesty I wrote something a few months ago but it was too personal to post on TERB. I know some of the people here are members on the other site... I will leave it at that.

My prayers are with all other people... In the hope that this never happens again.

 

[mige]

I was taking a break in between two operations and sitting in the cafeteria of the OR watching CNN showing a report of a plane that crashed into WTC, then the second plane crashed into the second tower, I didn't believe my eyes.... That was back in Europe and it was about 3 PM.

 

[zoickss]

A year already - WOW

The above has been on my mind since the weekend. I remember I was fixing a customers system in the midwest through the phone line - so I go online later than normal. I use AOL for my business (local dial ups) and it displays news when open. I remember seeing The news flash "Plane crashes in WTC" I clicked the link and It said "Suspected 2nd plane crashes into WTC" I right away tuned into CNN since I work from Home. When I saw the footage of the planes hitting - A lump immediately filled my throat and tears came to my eyes, all I could think of was all those innocent lives snuffed out and how terrified they must have been. The fact that I had flown home from Amsterdam only 2 days earlier didn't help. I spent the rest of the day glued to the TV, trying to contact associates of mine that fly regularly to make sure they were OK and just reflecting. I find myself in the US this week on business - tomorrow the company I am working for is closing for the day and we are holding a memorial service. After we will share a drink or two and discuss how we as individuals can make a difference.

My thoughts and prayers are for all those affected,

Zoickss

 

[10big]

At my computer and a CNN 'breaking news' e-mail came in. I though it was a hoax.

 

[syn]

Springsteen

I plan to come home from work, smoke a few joints and listen to the new Springstein CD. for those who havent heard it, it's his first with the E Street Band in a long time, inspired by 9/11. It's tasteful, with no mention anywhere on the ablbum cover/sleeve. Even the lyrics never directly mention the day. A great album and a great tribute.

i have been a long time fan of the boss.

here's an interesting piece on the release of 'the rising',
www.salon.com/ent/music/review/2002/08/06/the_rising/

[...]

On "Today," Matt Lauer delicately suggested that some people might take a cynical view of "The Rising" as a commercialization of the national catastrophe. But imagine for a moment that you're Bruce Springsteen reading "Portraits of Grief" and you keep coming across your own name. Your music was one victim's passion, your songs were played at another victim's memorial service. Imagine being so much a part of these people's lives that you're included in their obituaries. How do you respond to that? Isn't it more cynical not to respond?

[...]

One hundred and fifty-eight residents of Monmouth County, N.J., where Springsteen lives, died in the Sept. 11 attacks; this was the largest concentration of victims in the state. Overall, the casualties of the attacks, in terms of age, social class and geography, were disproportionately Springsteen's people -- aging boomers who used to be wild and innocent and now got up every morning and went to work each day. People with wives and husbands and kids and mortgages and to-do lists and dreams and maybe an old guitar and boxes of vinyl albums in the attic. Any of them could have been any of us.

syn

 

[fiasco]

unbelievable

Well i have almost broken down at work a few times this week recalling the event from last year. Was a normal tuesday and I had just gotten off the phone with a person I speak with numerous times during the course of each business day when we see the news of the first plane the WTC. Instantly my thoughts go to my friend and I immediately shout down the direct line I have with him. The line is dead but not overly concerned as news was initially reporting it was a small plane and the damage didnt seem that bad. Continue to try and get a hold of the guy or his wife but after confirmation that it was a passenger plane reality hits. As the news continues to filter in I realize the unthinkable but still not willing to give up hope. Well the day progressed and called and received calls from many friends and their families relating to their safety. However, I will never have the opportunity to tell the one person I spoke with regularly how highly i thought of him and how his memory is with me every day at work. This last week articles have been written about some of the people that i know that have passed away and it has brought back the painfulness of that day and i can only imagine the pain and grief his family goes through.

 

[bkspoiler11]

re:

I'll never forget the morning. I was getting over food poisioning from that weekend. I was up until 6 am watcing tv tuesday morning and I fell a sleep. Around 1030 in the morning I got up looking for WKRP and as I flipped through the channels. Every channel was a shot of the twin towers on fire. When I learned what had happened, I felt sick again. I couldn't believe what had happened. From there I watched TV all day and when I went back to work that night. I was still watching TV there. The whole week was basically watching TV and shaking my head to what had happened. I guess it really shows you really have to count your blessings. Life is too short and you'll never know what tomorrow will bring. Peace and Love to those who were affected by the tragities that happened a short year ago.


bkspoiler11

 

[Remo]

I was a sleep when the first plane hit. But my parents gave me a ring to tell me to watch the news. At that point it looked like an accident. I saw the 2nd plane hit and was glued to the TV for the next 24 hours. I had this horrible feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. I remember sitting on the floor eating breakfast, a habit I picked up in Japan, when the first tower collapsed, I just said out loud "Holy Shit". It really was total disbelief. Only 5 seconds before I was marvelling at how well the buildings seemed to be standing up after the hits. Some of the newsies were even saying "oh it doesn't look as if the buildings are in any danger of collapse" and such, and then down went the first one.

It was a horrific lesson in human psychology and the realities of the modern era. All the newsies on TV blurting out, in a palpable combination of what surely must have been disbelief and fear of lawsuits, "It SEEMS as if one of the towers has collapsed" We will try and get clarification on that". Millions of tons of steel and concrete just vanished into a cloud of toxic dust in front of the eyes of millions and they were using words like SEEMS and APPARENTLY. To me it seemed that it was just too much for them. Imagine having to try and stay call will watching that from the other side of the river or even closer and being expected to talk about it. It certainly did produce some strange news casts.

It truly was the "where were you when" moment of my generation. No longer was the OJ Simpson car chase, something that people would say where were you when, or do you remember watching.

Instead now millions have the memory of seeing the greatest loss of life and property ever televised all in the span of a couple of hours.

And the scary thing is, the worst is probably still yet to come. All 9/11 accomplished was to fan flames of inequity and hatred. It did nothing to bring about the supposed desires of the terrorists, all it did was piss off a very powerful, and at times stubbornly single minded nation, isolate and futher alienate huge segments of the global population. Yet there are those who will see that this is the case and instead of saying "hmm maybe this isn't the solution" they will plot bigger loses of life and more violent attacks.

Welcome to the 21st century everyone.

Please forgive any spelling errors here. This really turned into a steam of consciousness piece.

 

[Bigguy]

I was in my office when my boss walked by and told me that a plane crashed into the WTC. I thought to myself that it must have been a small private plane of some sort. A few minutes later he returned to tell me that a second plane hit the other tower.
Now I have this unbelievably queasy feeling in in stomach... I go to CNN online but can only see a still photo of the first crash and a short story. There is so much traffic online I can get any more info.
I then made my way to our boardroom where we have a TV and I watched the towers collapse.
I spend another 2 hours at work trying to complete a project that has a deadline that day... probably the worst work I have ever done.
Early afternoon I headed home and simply sat in front of the TV until late into the evening.
When my kids got home from school I sat with them for about 2 hours watching the footage and trying to explain to them why...they still don't understand why anyone would do this.
My most memorable moment was on the Friday when they held the 2 minutes (I think) of silence. I was on the 401 and had pulled over to participate. I was overcome with so much emotion I was in tears...

 

[Dave - WebGuy]

For me I was on the phone with a company in New Jersey and heard the fire trucks in the background while I was talking to tech Support.

I was supposed to be calling about a job in Manhattan with a company which to say the least got cancelled due to the events.

I was in awe that a plane could hit a building and be that far out of where it should have been... When I turned on CNN to find out more, the second place hit.

Unfortunately I saw a lot of the footage live as it happened, including CNNs error of a bomb going off near the pentagon, how they mistook a crashed plane for a fire , but it was unfolding ....

It's a day that I'll never forget.

 

[H4P]

I was in my car, sitting on the DVP on my way to a job interview. I was listening to Stern talk about how he had missed the chance to bang Pam Anderson, when they broke the initial news about the first plane.

Given that Stern broadcasts on a 20 minute delay, until I arrived at my interview at 10am, I was running behind the actual events. The lobby of the company I was meeting with had a TV in their lobby and most of the employees were gathered around the TV. I hadn't seen any images of anything to that point and the very moment I walked in the door the first tower collapsed.

Needless to say, the interview was rescheduled, but I stood there with a couple of dozen people I didn't know glued to the tv for the next couple of hours watching the horror unfold.

Certainly a day I'd like to forget, but imagine I never will.

h4p