Where were you?

[Bor the Barbarian Monk]

I inspired myself when I wrote my late night blog post. It seems to be a growing tradition with me, as I also blogged about this day last year.

Honestly, when I put up the post last night, I didn't expect a detailed reply. But a length comment appeared, and I thought perhaps others would want to share their thoughts about 9/11.

Please, folks. I am absolutely BEGGING you to keep your political and religious views from this thread. This is about you sharing the human experience...your thoughts, what you were doing, and the like. Save whatever angst you may have for someplace other than these forums.

For me...this is a day of mourning. It's a day of trauma. It's a day I've struggled with since watching the World Trade Center collapse. It has affected me to the point where I can feel tears just starting to sting my eyes when I contemplate dialing 911 for potential help here in the States.

So, please...feel free to share. And remember that in my heart of hearts, I am hoping that you are all working to BE WELL.

+Rob

[Cobra_Ikari]

Where was I? I was in 8th grade. I found out during 3rd period Spanish class. My teacher's sister lived near the WTC, and she was hysterical, trying to get in touch with her. We spent that class and 4th period government just watching the news in dark classrooms, silently.

I knew no one there. I don't think I'll ever really understand anything that went on there. Maybe it's a failing of mine, but I can't comprehend that level of death.

[SurlySeraph]

In school. At adhoc (break after 2nd class of the day), they called us into the room where we have morning assembly. Classes kind of drifted apart after that, all of our teachers either let us out early or just asked us to talk about it. It was the second day of school, so I thought it was going to be some kind of "welcome back" speech. And then they tell us planes crashed into the World Trade Center. It was very disorienting.

[Jack Squat]

I was in an English class in 7th grade. We weren't told what happened, just that something bad had. A lot of the kids settled on a terrorist attack, but we didn't know where. Being in Cincinnati, we thought it might have been somewhat close.

Finished out that day at school, went home and stayed glued to the TV. I was a mix of scared and angered. My dad went down to the recruiting station that week, and the only thing stopping him from being over there now is that he was too old to enlist. I knew the world had changed, but I still don't know exactly how.

[Eldan]

It was strange for me. I was in 8th or 9th grade, and had a music class. Our teacher said that he had heard that "A plane crashed in New York, and the Americans are excited about it, I don't know why."
I didn't actually watch news that day, so I only really found out the next day.

[Moonshadow]

-coughs- Don't laugh, but I was at home in australia, and I dashed out to tape Cardcaptor Sakura like I did every morning, and turned on the TV and discovered the news >_>;

[wxdruid]

I was stationed at Camp Humphreys, South Korea and working a long 12 hr mid shift. For some reason I had the tv on a news channel and I turned around and stared in shock at the tv. I really couldn't believe it and called over the Base Operations person. I called up our commander and we secured the building except for one door. In the morning, the base was closed to any non-military personnel and remained that way for a few days. It was a big shock to me and everyone else.

Later, in November, I had to fly home for family reasons. The planes were very empty and nearly everyone had a complete row of seats to themselves. It was a very serious time over in Korea for a few months as we didn't know if anything else might happen. Thankfully nothing happened over there.

[KnightDisciple]

At school. First heard about it in trigonometry class, just "a plane hit the World Trade Center".

As the day went on, I heard more, but there were no TVs in the school, so we couldn't get the full impact.

It took until I was at the gym watching TV for it to fully sink in.

Really, it took a couple days for everything to totally sink in for me.

[CrimsonAngel]

I think I was... 6? My family was having a party for something and the news was on in the other room. Someone heard something about a crash so we went o watch.

[Mando Knight]

I was homeschooled at the time, and in the Central Time Zone, so I was just kinda getting up, if I remember correctly, and saw it on the morning news. And I was mad. How dare anyone ram jets into gloriously high skyscrapers in my homeland?

[Dragonrider]

I was homeschooled at the time, and in the Central Time Zone, so I was just kinda getting up, if I remember correctly, and saw it on the morning news. And I was mad. How dare anyone ram jets into gloriously high skyscrapers in my homeland?

I was homeschooled, too, living in California at the time. Ten years old. My mum got my brothers and I into her bedroom and first she explained that my grandparents, who were supposed to be flying from Baltimore to LA to visit us the next day, wouldn't be coming. And then she told us that the planes had hit the world trade center.

Of course, at first we didn't understand what was happening at all, or even why it was a big deal. We didn't have a TV, so we all got in the car and drove to my mum's friend's house. We borrowed their old TV, which was about the size of a bread loaf, and took it home. My dad came home from work, too. We were glued to the set all day; it was very surreal and I can still remember my mum crying when she was the footage and being mostly just scared. At ten, you're old enough to understand that it's really happening but not just how far away it is. It felt very close and personal and I guess that it was probably that way for everyone, not just little kids.

[afroakuma]

I was in cooking class; the teacher had asked me to come over and get a few things from a nearby classroom. The TV had been left on, and there was, IIRC, a live feed of the crash. I was the first student in my school, and therefore probably the first student in the whole town (the other schools didn't have TVs everywhere) to find out, and I was sent around running to all classes and to the administrators.

It was quite surreal.

[Quirinus_Obsidian]

I was in technical college, and we were working on testing something... when a dude behind me answers the question right, and then says: "Oh, and by the way, a plane just rammed into the WTC". We collectively said "WTF are you talking about? Are you joking?"

Just then we saw about 95% of the school literally running to the break room where we have live TV news. I got there just in time to see the 2nd plane hit the tower, and I just remember not being able to speak. Some of the people started crying (men and women alike), others getting almost violently angry. I was just numb... I still get like that when I think about it or see a story about it. I have not seen "United 93", and I don't think I can.

[xanaphia]

Being young at the time, (in Australia) I woke up and found my father looking agitated and distressed. I asked him. "Some bad people crashed a plane into a building in New York and killed thousands of people." I don't think I will ever forget that phrase.

I'm waiting for a playgrounder in NY at the time to speak.

[The Dark Fiddler]

I was home sick from first grade, and I think I was so disoriented that I actually wondered why my mom wouldn't let me watch cartoons.

[SMEE]

I was 21 and at college at that time. I didn't have classes that morning, so I was at home.

I saw the news at a gaming forum and turned on the TV. The first tower just crumbled that moment.
I was... shocked.

[UncleWolf]

Seoul, South Korea. I woke up in our apartment when I was 10 and found my family and a few friends looking shocked at the TV.

[Thatguyoverther]

It was weird for me, I found out about in chunks throughout the day.

I heard that the first plane had impacted the World Trade Center building when I was on my way to school. My mom and I where just dropping off my sister and taking me to the Jr. High. The announcer on the radio said that a plane had impacted the WTC, but I didn't think anything of it. My mom told me that years back before a someone had bombed the basement of the building and it remained standing. I was convinced it was an accident at first. I even thought it was kind of funny, I mean who fails that hard?

I was in a computer class when one of the teachers announced that a second plane had impacted the World Trade Center,and another was crashed into the pentagon. At that point I was deeply confused. How does this sort of thing happen? Terrorist was a word I had hardly ever heard. And even then it was just a label attached to villains in action movies staring Harrison Ford.

The day continued with everything progressing normally. The only difference was that any talk was about what was about what was going on in New York. I thought it was weird but I wasn't concerned, I hadn't even entertained the idea that the buildings would fall. I mean if the impact wasn't enough to take down the building than it was fine right? The thoughts "Stupid terrorists, if they didn't take out the first one they should have doubled up the attacks." In my defense I was twelve.

So, I get to my next class and the English teacher tells us that the two towers had collapsed. The first estimated death toll I heard was upwards of 50,000. The population of the entire town I grew up in was >13,000. I was dumbfounded. Instead of having class the teacher gave us the most moving speech I have ever heard in my life, lots of stirring rhetoric and talking about waking up a sleeping giant. [/memories]






That turned out allot longer than I thought it would be.

[Talwar]

Geez, I feel old now.

I was out of town, at a meeting. Guys were fiddling with their cell phones (more than usual, that is) and finally somebody suggested we all take a break to adjust flight iteneraries in light of the "bombing".

I thought, "Huh?", and wandered out to the lobby, where CNN was on. I was enlightened.

The meeting ended early, and after the towers had come down, I figured a walk would do me some good.

[xPANCAKEx]

was at college, one friend mentioned "america has been attacked"

thought nothing of it - seemed too bizarre a statement, 30 minutes later a friend rang my mobile to let me and another friend know

we ran literally about 2 and half miles to his house to sit down and watch the news unfold... no on really knew what to make of it

[Rutskarn]

I was getting up late that day, came downstairs, and saw it on the news. Like most people, I expect.

(Huh. I was half-expecting someone to have come in and said "Wait, planes? Buildings? When was this?!")

[Eon]

I think I was... 6? My family was having a party for something and the news was on in the other room. Someone heard something about a crash so we went o watch.

Heh... I was 6 too. I came home from preschool as usual and i saw my dad at home and i was wondering why he wasn't at work. My dad turned off the tv and they explained people crashed planes into buildings. So my mom had him come home because he worked in a tall building at the time. Then they sent me off to my room or something and they started watching it again. I went to my parents room and watched there tv to see what was happening and all i could figure out was there was a big fire and alot of people talking. Then i got caught . and stopped watching.


@v i meant kindergarten. it's between preschool and first grade. i know it must have been because my brother wasn't home yet. he was in elementary too and kindergarteners had half days. they changed that.

[Dragonrider]

Heh... I was 6 too. I came home from preschool as usual and i saw my dad at home and i was wondering why he wasn't at work. My dad turned off the tv and they explained people crashed planes into buildings. So my mom had him come home because he worked in a tall building at the time. Then they sent me off to my room or something and they started watching it again. I went to my parents room and watched there tv to see what was happening and all i could figure out was there was a big fire and alot of people talking. Then i got caught . and stopped watching.

You were 6 in preschool??

Most six-year-olds are in first grade....

Umm, that's not meant to sound the way it does.

[Eon]

You were 6 in preschool??

Most six-year-olds are in first grade....

Umm, that's not meant to sound the way it does.

i meant kindergarten. it's between preschool and first grade. i know it must have been because my brother wasn't home yet. he was in elementary too and kindergarteners had half days. they changed that.

[V'icternus]

...It was my birthday when I found out... (Kinda like it is now)

I had woken up, and saw it on the TV... My Grandparents (Who are here visiting, actually) were in the City at the time. They were fine, of course, but it was definately not my best birthday... though, it was my most memorable.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

It was a couple days into my first day of grade 1, in a new city. I had just moved to Toronto over the summer, and, when I came home for lunch, my mum kept me home the rest of the day, and sat me in front of the tv. I can't remember my emotions, but I know I was confused, and didn't really understand the full consequences until years later.

[Eon]

...It was my birthday when I found out... (Kinda like it is now)

I had woken up, and saw it on the TV... My Grandparents (Who are here visiting, actually) were in the City at the time. They were fine, of course, but it was definately not my best birthday... though, it was my most memorable.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

[Perenelle]

I was in 1st grade homeroom. We used to say the date out loud every morning and I remember saying "today is September 11th, 2001" and the office called into our room and said they 5 kids were dismissed. people started leaving throughout the rest of the day, and none of my friends new why and the teacher said she didn't know either.
We walked to lunch and passed the teachers lounge, and I glanced at the TV screen and saw a building and a "broken one" (as I thought in 1st grade) and a lot of smoke. But I was in first grade and didn't know exactly what was happening.
I got home and my grandma (I live with my grandparents) told me what happened. I didn't fully understand what was happening other than a building fell down because of a plane that a "mean man", as my grandma described, flew.
I started seeing it on the news and it started to sink in more, but if I were older I would have had a bigger reaction to it.

[blackfox]

I was... ten? I keep thinking eleven, but it was in 2001 and I'm 18 now, so I must have been ten. My rather clueless history teacher, who was ABD and didn't really know how to teach middle school, had been teaching us the difference between 'hard news' and 'sensationalism,' and we'd been doing several 'current events' assignments where we had to bring in examples of 'hard news'... So he says, (paraphrased) 'Guess what, guys? You wanted examples of hard news? Here's an example of hard news!' And he turned on the TV.

Didn't really understand it at the time, since I couldn't really hear half of what was going on on CNN because 1) it was middle school, and everyone was busy talking about the bits and pieces they heard, and 2) everyone was FLIPPING OUT. I don't think anyone I knew lost anyone they loved in 9/11, but it was damn scary.

Got home from school, Dad had cancelled his classes and come home and he was on the phone all night, can't remember what kinda state Mom was in--she'd been at work, doing organizational stuff for a local musician, and his wife called her in to watch the news. Sister didn't really understand what was going on, she was like 6, the teachers didn't let the elementary school kids watch the news. I can't remember what they told them.

I don't think I ever saw video footage of the towers falling, but I did see Ground Zero on a trip to NYC in 9th grade. It's haunting. I have seen videos of people standing around the site waiting for their loved ones... A woman who had lost her husband, and her child with its arms around her neck, trying to comfort her. It's so sad.

[Mauve Shirt]

I was in 7th grade, in the restroom actually, I came back to Social Studies to find the television on and the first tower smoking. I thought it was a movie at first.
Panic where my parents work, my mother brought both me and my sister out of school. We'd just moved back and hadn't moved into our house yet. We went straight to our temporary apartment and stared at the television. My mother was in tears when she saw pics of the Pentagon. My father didn't get home til the next morning.