Six Years Since 9/11

[AllyOops!]

I'll never, ever forget that day. I remember going out for Monday Night Football the night before & coming home, climbing into bed & waking up to panic & horror the very next morning.

At the time, I worked 9 to 5 at a Media Co. I woke up around 6 to my alarm radio, which was always set to 97.1 because I was (and still am) a monster Howard Stern fan. The Howard Stern Show is located in Manhattan, NY. When my radio clicked on, it was total panic & mayhem on his show. I mean, Howard & Co. were completely as in control as much as they could be, but I knew something was definitely wrong.

I grabbed my remote, switched on my television, and my eyes were met with the instant vision of a smoking tower. I remember thinking, "what an awful plane accident!" Then, immediately after, I thought "Why would one of our planes fly so low in that flight path? What happened? WHOA..twice?" I knew something was very wrong. There was urgency & fear in the news report. The towers were hit. I rubbed my eyes, took of my jammies and started the water for my shower. As I waited for the water to warm, it hit me. What was I doing? I needed to watch the news.

I turned off the faucets, slipped into my bathrobe and sat in front of my TV. My little brother knocked on my door & he looked completely ashen. He asked me if I had heard. I had.

My stepdad left for work, and to drop my brother off at school, and I began to try to get ready for work. My Mom called, who works for the Sherriff's Dept., and she told me they were on "lockdown" (not allowed to leave the building). I just panicked and began to cry. She then told me to get ready and go to work. To keep as distracted as much as I could. After talking with my Mom & Grandma, I finally left for work.

The streets were empty. Where there were people, it was quiet. We watched the news all day long at work. I emailed my stepmom, completely numb and horrified. I printed out that email & I still have it in my safety belongings box. I emailed my best friend, too (who has since passed away) and we vented and talked all day long.

We couldn't even get through to our office in Manhattan, which was so awful, wondering and waiting. When I finally spoke to the New York staff a week or so later, their stories were unbelievable. I would sit for hours on the phone, listening, stunned.

I never, ever want to repeat a day like that. At that time, it was speculation, panic, rumors & I felt completely vulnerable and frightenend. I would lie in my bed, wide awake, in absolute fear.

There is still so much sadness, as was evident when I went to see United 93 at the theater. You could hear a pin drop during the entire movie, until those brave passengers rushed the cockpit. People erupted into cheers, standing on their feet. However, as the plane plummeted & the movie closed, people left the theater in complete silence. I couldn't even sleep that night, imagining how scared I would have felt. My stomach is in knots now. I don't think it will get any easier anytime soon.

My prayers and heart are with all of the families, friends & firefighters, police, and any other volunteer and person involved with the horror of that day. I can't imagine a pain like that ever heals completely.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Not to speak for him, but zapppop is loathe to talk about 9/11. He says it's because he's sick of hearing about it (and I don't doubt that's true), but I think there may be something deeper to it.

I remember taking him to see United 93 and being angry at him for playing video games on his cell phone thru the whole movie. So he confessed to me that, as well as his famous phonographic memory, he also has a photographic memory with little control over the replay of disturbing imagery. And he did not want to watch United 93. He'll watch gory horror films, so I think he classifies 9/11 as disturbing as well as tiresome.

I am in the same boat as Zap on this. A little overexposure and a lot of disturbance.

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

But he's not reluctant to make light of the event with tasteless t-shirts.

Except this part

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by FEJ

It is a day on the calendar that something tragic happened. It is also a day where great things have happened.

Yep...it was the day the Battle of Vienna Started. This was the greatest victory for the Polish Army and also marked the high tide mark of the Ottoman Empire's push into Europe.

[Not Afraid]

I had a incredibly awful day that day and it changed my life - but it had nothing to do with new York.

[madmonkeygirl]

NA so did i. Basically Matt had had seizures throughout the night and i called into work at early our time here on the west coast. Due to not being able to go back to sleep i turned on the tv to see what was going on. Right before the second plane hit Matt came around and we watched as the second plane hit the towers. I had a few friends in who lived in New York and didn't know if they were ok or not til much later on in the day. I believe later on that day i had to take Matt in to the doctors.

[scaeagles]

Personally, I think Bin Laden is already dead. I think his recent tapes may even allude to it. He looks markedly younger in the tapes than in earlier ones, and whenever the speaking refers to current events, the video seems to freeze. I might perhaps be twisting in some odd conspiracy theory, but it would seem in the best interests of al Qaeda to give the illusion that he is still alive. his death really couldn't be considered martyrdom if he died hiding in a cave, and he is certainly the figure head of al Qaeda. I certainly don't claim to know, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was dead.

I don't think it is Bush using bin Laden videos as support for Iraq....I think it is bin Laden (or whomever making the videos) making Iraq a rallying point to al Qaeda, because if the US defeats the insurgence there (as the success of the surge would seem to indicate is happening), then al Qaeda loses momentum. A premature US withdrawal would equate to a tremendous victory for al Qaeda, whether al Qaeda was a reason for the invasion or not.

[CoasterMatt]

al Queda still believes it crushed the Soviet Union...

[scaeagles]

I suppose the biggest thing that saddens me now, looking back, though - and I say this without pointing fingers or placing blame because every aspect of the political spectrum has participated in it - is how that day has been made to be political. Even the concept of memorials and ceremonies on the anniversary have become political with all parties looking to gain political advantage in some way or another.

That sickens me.

I realize we all have differing perspectives of what using it for political purposes would entail.

[wendybeth]

I think Bin Laden has discovered Miss Clairol.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Personally, I think Bin Laden is already dead. I think his recent tapes may even allude to it. He looks markedly younger in the tapes than in earlier ones, and whenever the speaking refers to current events, the video seems to freeze. I might perhaps be twisting in some odd conspiracy theory, but it would seem in the best interests of al Qaeda to give the illusion that he is still alive. his death really couldn't be considered martyrdom if he died hiding in a cave, and he is certainly the figure head of al Qaeda. I certainly don't claim to know, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was dead.

Take note. I agree with Leo. 110%.

Originally Posted by wendybeth

I think Bin Laden has discovered Miss Clairol.

I was just saying I think he uses Just for Men.