9/11 - ten years after

[Amsterhammer]

I have deliberately not posted this in the politics topic because I thought it would be more fitting to have a non-political, non controversial rememberance topic. Can I please urge those of you wishing to express political points about 9/11 to do so in the other topic?

How many of you can remember exactly where you were and what you were doing at the time?

I was at my office desk here in Amsterdam at around 3 pm when someone stuck their head around the corner and said, 'some small plane has crashed into one of the WTC towers'. The three of us in my room immediately all tried to access the BBC and CNN - without success, since an untold number of others were all trying the same thing at the same time and the 2001 web was not quite as efficient as what we have today.

Anyway, we eventually got onto CNN and saw the live pictures of the second plane - no more work got done that day, we were allowed home early, and I spent the rest of the day and deep into our night staring open-mouthed and teary-eyed at the tv.

I shall be holding my own moment of reflection at around 3 pm CET today.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I was just waking up out of bed when I found out. A good friend of mine flew out of Washington to Melbourne that day.

 

[RedheadDane]

At home... on my way to bed.

I remember going through the living room and briefly seeing/hearing that they were talking about Manhatten. Not really knowing what/where Manhatten was back then I went to bed and didn't really think further about it.
Then the next day my class-mates talked about it and I asked our teacher what had happened. Needless to say I was rather shocked when she told me...

 

[Fergoose]

*** edited by mod ***

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

This will remain a "Where were you when you heard the news" thread. ALL other comments must go in the politics thread.

I was watching the Vuelta on tv, when the german announcers said something about a terrorist attack on New York. I turned on CNN immediately.

Susan

 

[flyor64]

At home showering after PT when my wife screamed. I ran into the room and they were showing footage of the first hit and reporting on it when the second plane hit, and we saw it live. I don´t remember sitting but I was on the floor afterward for a while. Then got up and rode into work instead of driving; I still remember the cue of cars stretching for miles, as if we were in an LA traffic jam...Some of the guys took upwards of 9 hours to get in that day.

 

[jobiwan]

I was at school, and that was probably the only thing I remember from 4th grade. I remember all the students were just wondering what was going on while my teacher and all the other adults looked shocked. That whole day was spent watching the news.

 

[Fergoose]

I was at my work. I didn't miss a beat. Better?

 

[rhubroma]

I was preparing to teach a class, when a secretary came into my office and, aghast, said a plane had slammed into one of the towers.

Given the surreal nature of such a report and that I had to start a lecture in 15 minutes, I told her I'd be down to the lecture hall as planned and returned to my preparations. Not that I was really able to concentrate or focus, mind you, and wondered, as I'm sure everybody did, what had actually taken place. Then news of the second impact came and a TV was placed in the student lounge.

We all watched in horror and disbelief at the carnage. I honestly don't recall exactly what I said in class, because we did briefly meet to inform students that due to the circumstances the scheduled lecture would not be held. Some of them had arrived from outside and had no idea of the recent events.

 

[Carlo Algatrensig]

I seem to remember I found out about it through the Cyclingnews live report of that days vuelta stage. I then went to the foyer of the building that I was working in at the time where there was a big screen tv and watched in utter disbelief as I saw the television pictures of the planes crashing into the towers.

 

[pedaling squares]

I was at home and turned on the news minutes after the first plane struck Tower 1. I still get the same sick feeling today I had then when I see footage of the second plane strike. And the people jumping from the top floors... still something I can't put in to words. A few hours later a Korean Air 747 en route to the US broadcast what was believed to be a hijack alert code and my team was scrambled to meet it in Whitehorse. We were stood down before we got there as it had landed and the alert had been proven false. I remember wondering just what the hell we were getting into.

 

[elapid]

I was working in Colorado at the time. My housemate called me to the TV when the first plane hit and then we watched in horror when the second plane hit. I remember listening to the news broadcast after the first plane hit and terrorism was not being considered too highly, but when the second plane hit we knew it was a coordinated attack. My mother called me from Australia to make sure I was alright (like only mothers can do, despite knowing that I was a long way from NYC). I work in oncology and deal with sad stories on a daily basis, and I wish I could remember my boss's words to us all on that day, but I remember him saying something very prophetic and appropriate that put everything into context.

 

[Cobblestoned]

I was shopping with my grandma and heard the news in car-radio.
"Plane crashed into WTC."
I thought, ok, terrible accident. May happen. Maybe a Cesna or something. Perhaps the pilot collapsed or something else. Busy area.

Then "bigger boing or airbus crashed into WTC. rumours about a 2nd planecrash, but still unconfirmed"
Then stopped at a shop and grandma went in. Normally I would always go with her but I said that I have stay in the car and listen. She didn't really care about that incident, and put on a reproachful face. That I will never forget.
Still no more details and nothing confirmed in the news. Confusion everywhere.
After that drove her home, brought and sorted in the shopping, and uneasily accepted the typical "boy, you have to eat something".
Still something like "accident, 2nd plane must have be misunderstanding. world still turning" in my mind while having coffee and cake.
Around an hour later I stopped at a friends house. He opened the door and was somehow colorless and brabbling something about "collapsed WTC tower, more planes everywhere, pentagon etc." on his way into livingroom.

I thought, WTF, no way. As if this would collaps because of a plane. No way.
He must be joking or has smoked too much weed.
Then sat down on the sofa and got the full impact of news, information, and modern media, while seeing all the dust and suddenly the 2nd tower collaps.
I think I needed another hour to understand and believe all those things that happened. We didn't talk for 2h I think. Not just because of the huge amount of bongs we had, to stay cool.
When it became clear that it must be a huge terrorists attack on USA, I still couldn't believe that it is possible to attack a great and modern country like this, and cause such an enormous damage relatively easily and by just a few people following their satanic plan.

I guess even Bin Laden didn't expect those buildings to collaps like this.
And the people who let it happen....but this would be something for the political thread.

Anyway, don't know what to say to you Americans today, because it's nothing to celebrate.
I just can say that I was always with your people and did fully understand your reactions, also learned later, that Mr.Bush junior is a man full of ****, who used this revenge for business reasons.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

I was in my last years of college attending MCAD in Minnapolis when our professor pulled us into a conference room with the news playing out on the big screen just after the first plane hit. When the second one hit in and the flight number was announced he left the room sobbing, turns out he had a couple friends on that flight. I ended up quitting school that day and started smoking cigarettes again after 6 years of none.

 

[redtreviso]

Paul Simon... Sounds of Silence NYC Memorial

http://youtu.be/Tw1788n_uIE

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

I was in class when another teacher came in and told the instructor to turn on the TV that a plane hit the world trade center. We all thought it was an accident, but everyone was still deeply concerned. My class watched as the second plane hit the south tower. I'll never forget the gasps, shock, and tears that simultaneously struck my entire class. We knew then it was not an accident. We stayed in that same classroom most of the day watching the news coverage. Our school didn't enforce any kind of rule to that effect. It's that everyone was watching so closely and completely disregarded the time.

 

[patricknd]

Paul Simon... Sounds of Silence NYC Memorial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKEsk7v2c7E

good post red.

i was at work, and we all watched the second plane hit. i don't think we did any business that day. customers would call just to talk about it, so i guess they weren't doing much either.

i actually considered re-enlisting that day.

 

[krebs303]

Paul Simon... Sounds of Silence NYC Memorial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKEsk7v2c7E

thanks that is quite powerful.

I was at work when a driver came in making a delivery saying a plane had crashed into a skyscraper in NY. Like many I assumed it was a small private plane. I kept a small TV in my backpack and was watching as the second plane hit.
The rest of the day is kind of foggy. Just a numb empty feeling.

 

[Amsterhammer]

Paul Simon... Sounds of Silence NYC Memorial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKEsk7v2c7E

This link doesn't work for me, says the video is private.

This one does work. Very apt, very moving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw1788n_uIE

 

[JeffreyPerry]

I was...

Somewhere between Fayetteville, NC and Outer Banks, NC.(Nag's Head). All the radio stations were playing crappy music. Scanning through I found a station with Howard Stern on, and then another one. It was either crappy elevator music or Mr Stern it seemed. So, listening to Stern and all of a sudden he says a plane hit the Trade Center. Knowing the crap that he pulls on the radio, I didn't pay much attention to it, until he kept freaking out. I started looking for another station that had any info. Nothing. Not until I got near Wilmington, NC did I get phone service and called someone....I listened to Stern the rest of the trip. Upon arriving in Nag's Head, I sat and watched all the video of what happened. Stunned.

 

[Anonymous]

I was in class when another teacher came in and told the instructor to turn on the TV that a plane hit the world trade center. We all thought it was an accident, but everyone was still deeply concerned. My class watched as the second plane hit the south tower. I'll never forget the gasps, shock, and tears that simultaneously struck my entire class. We knew then it was not an accident. We stayed in that same classroom most of the day watching the news coverage. Our school didn't enforce any kind of rule to that effect. It's that everyone was watching so closely and completely disregarded the time.

I was teaching a World History class, and experienced the same thing. We just kind of roamed around most of the day talking amongst ourselves and with the students. I still remember the sound of my principal's voice when he came over the intercom and said that all teachers should stop what they were doing and turn on the television...

 

[Anonymous]

And I will never forget crying like a baby watching this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YogxCAWXsLs&feature=related

I remembered how moved I was that people in another country could be so understanding of the gravity of what happened, and so generous in their recognition of the pain everyone felt. It was more moving to me than anything anyone here said or did for some reason.

 

[Polish]

I was getting my little one ready for school when I received a phone call to turn on the TV.
"Why?"
"Just turn on the TV"

After dropping my kid off at school, I returned home to watch it live.
Memories of the people jumping out of broken smoking windows.
And when one of the towers fell, I remember seeing an imaginary evil grimacing face in the smoke for a split second.
But not the "devil face" that was shown in the tabloids soon after.
My mind's eye remembers something much bigger.

That day, or soon after, my kid brought home a picture she drew in school of the planes hitting the towers. Guess they had the kids draw to "process their feelings" or whatever. That picture did not make it onto the fridge and I think I discreetly threw it away uncustomarily.

At that time, we were living on the outskirts of "Silicon Valley" and under the flight paths for both San Jose and San Fran. Far enough away to not really hear the jet engines but close enough to always see jets lining up in the sky on the final approaches, especially at night.

I noticed their absence in the days that followed.
Darker and quieter at night eerie
Except for an occasional louder faster but unseen jet sound...fighter jet I thought.

The 2001 San Fransisco Grand Prix took place on Saturday 9/9.
Some of the riders who stayed over to sightsee on Sunday were stranded come Monday when their flights were canceled.
Bus trips home.

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/2001/sep01/sanfran01.shtml
.
.
.

 

[L'arriviste]

I think it was the 14th floor of London's 4th tallest building, where I was working as a legal assistant. Out in the secretaries' pool there was a disturbance and somehow I knew that it affected everyone.

Some of us took the lift down to the library where the television that normally ran stock figures all day was now running pictures of the second tower.

A small circle of guys who were visiting from the New York office were just standing with their mouths open.

Somebody told us we had lost contact with the New York office.

 

[Irish2009]

I was in Majorca. Got up off the beach to get some ice cream and saw it on TV in the hotel, first plane had struck, my wife came in to see what i was at just as the second plane struck, everyone stood there amazed at what was going on. Surreal moment.