It's one year later. Where were you then? Where are you now? How have you changed?

Fast Company ^ | September 2002

[Poohbah]

I was in a meeting about two miles away from the Pentagon. When the news hit, we all were in a sort of shock; we could see the smoke rising right outside.

That night, I was in a hotel in Crystal City, across the Jefferson Davis Highway from Reagan National Airport. It was the weirdest experience--it was way too quiet.

I wound up driving cross-country from Washington to San Diego to get home.

[RolandBurnam]

I was getting ready for work when I heard the news. I went into work and then everyone was watching the news in the conference room. I told my boss I wanted to take a personal day as nothing was getting done anyways, and I went water skiing the rest of the day.

[skeeter]

I heard about the first WTC crash shortly after getting out of bed, and the second as I was leaving the house for work. I spent the rest of the morning watching the coverage, together with hundreds of others, at the Stanford Medical Center blood bank.

[Spyder]

My brother-in-law called and woke me up a little before 5 a.m. My husband had flown back to Korea the day before but was still up (it being around midnight there when we talked). I waited till the kids got up on their own to tell them. I still get shivers thinking about it, couldn't believe the images on the TV screen when I flicked it on (the towers had collapsed by the time he called).

[wimpycat]

I was working when my co-worker came in and told me to log on to the internet. "This is bigger than the Hindenberg!" he said. This was after the first plane hit, but before the second. I looked at the still photo on CNN's website, but my mind was on something else at the time. I thought it may have been deliberate, but was reserving judgement. Then someone in my office, I don't know who, mentioned a second plane had hit---then I knew. I couldn't log on to any of the news sites, they were all bogged down, so I kept refreshing Free Republic's threads for the running commentary. Then my co-worker told me about the Pentagon getting hit, and I thought it was a wild rumor; I didn't believe it--then when I found out it had, in fact, been hit, that's when I started to feel sick on my stomach. One of my co-workers had the TV in her office and we were all watching after the first collapse, but I had just walked down the hall when I heard a collective gasp and moan coming from the office where the TV was. I ran back and discovered that the second tower had collapsed. I went to lunch, and saw an SUV with one of those little American flags sticking out the driver's side window, and I knew this country would react properly.

I called my husband at work after lunch, and he was so upset that he left work early. When I got home, he'd already hung out our flag. We were, of course, glued to the TV, and listening to the Congressmen singing "God Bless America" on the Capitol steps, and Bush's speech that night about getting the terrorists "and those who harbor them", really let me know that this country and this President would react to these attacks the way we should, once and for all.

On Election Night 2000, I didn't get one wink of sleep. Strangely enough, on September 11, we had no trouble falling asleep that night.

[Romulus]

Where were you then?

I was at work.

Where are you now?

I'm at work right now.

How have you changed?

Not sure. Still think giving myself "permission to grieve" is a stupid therapy-culture slogan.

[SouthernFreebird]

I was buying supplies for my kids 'spirit week' at school. I heard the news in the store....... ran to the schools and got my young'uns and sat at home in shock, just crying....

I haven't stopped since, it's made me a damn crybaby.... I see pics of 9-11 and still cry....

and yet I also feel so hardened inside. I wouldn't feel a thing if every Arab/pali/islamic/middleeastern man, woman and child was wiped off the earth right now.

[Constitution Day]

BTTT for later reading

[angkor]

I was in a meeting about two miles away from the Pentagon.

I live a few miles from the Pentagon.

Saw the smoke cloud a few minutes after impact. I couldn't make my business meeting because of the gridlock (all gov workers sent home). When the LPG tank at the Pentagon blew, it shook the windows miles away. We thought it was a nearby truck bomb at first. My wife had already gone to work.

So I went home and watched the F-15's escort jets down to the Reagan National tarmac, and chase the Fox News helicopter away from the Pentagon.

That night my wife and I drove up 395, past the Pentagon (still in flames) and into DC. We were literally the only car on the road.

In DC, a deserted ghost town with roadblocks everywhere manned by various police departments, where they would not normally be (14th and Constitution). Strange flying motorcades of three cars up and down Pennsylvania Ave.: a black Suburban followed by a black sedan followed by another black Suburban, flashing lights only no sirens.

Then the anthrax, opening the mail with concern for weeks. Then the CAP flights above DC, you could see them high in the sky at night, making wierd 90 degree turns to hook up with their buddies. Eight at a time or maybe even more, I couldn't keep track.

Things felt better when Reagan National opened again.

I hope a lot of Islamists have been killed.

[Billthedrill]

I heard about it from a hand-held radio while awaiting my bus ride to work. Thought the first one was an accident - the world's lousiest pilot, I remember saying. When the second one hit there wasn't really much doubt.

I'm no different, but I have noticed some people who were borderline multiculturalists hardened their own attitudes considerably. The durnedest people are buying guns. The durnedest people are waving flags still, a year later. I expected the whole thing to have died down by now, I guess, 15 minutes of fame and on to the next sensation. It hasn't. It won't. And international Islam is still too ignorant and too self-righteous to see the ramifications, and if it keeps talking is going to wind up on the wrong end of a level of anger they seem to think only they have a right to.

[BlessedAmerican]

I had gone by daughter's early and was waiting for stores to open. I had a bit of last minute shopping to do for a trip to China on September 13. Her husband called and said turn on the TV. The first plane had just hit the first tower. We were sure it was a terrible accident and then we saw the 2nd hit. That one sent me to my knees litrally and spiritually, I have chills now just writing it. What an awful morning that was and days to follow were so numbing.

How am I different? I am more thankful for my county than ever before and a day never goes by that I do not thank God for it and ask Him to watch over us and especially those who serve to protect us. I am much more aware of who the real heroes are in our country. I look at police and fireman and recue personal so much differently. I appreciate them and respect them like never before. I was always close to my family but 9/11 has brought a new urgency to say I love you and to make time to call, write and visit.

[dpa5923]

On Election Night 2000, I didn't get one wink of sleep. Strangely enough, on September 11, we had no trouble falling asleep that night.

You know, I never thought about that until I read your post, but you are absolutely right.

May God bless America, and bring death to her enemies.

[lonestar]

A friend called and told me to turn on TV. Right after I did, the second plane hit. We were both speechless. It was so obvious it was intentional.

I don't care how far geographically I was from NYC, the Pentagon, or a field in Pennsylvania, on 9/11 my heart was there.

I still miss Barbara Olson.

I still feel that things aren't and never will be quite the same as before that day. Right now and 24/7, they are plotting against us.

We better not become complacent.

[AUsome Joy]

I was at home when my son called frantically and told me to turn on the TV. The first plane had just hit the North Tower. My daughter's group had just moved to the WTC and we didn't know which tower she was in or which floor. As we talked the second plane hit. After that I was completely shaken. When the towers fell I just knew that our daughter was gone. I couldn't watch. My friend called and prayed with me. Her son was on a plane from Newark to San Francisco, but she didn't know which flight. (His plane was grounded.)It wasn't until 11:30 am that I finally got in touch with my son-in-law and discovered that my daughter was OK.

Since I live in NJ we began to hear the heartbreaking stories of those who were missing. The loss of all the people and the loss of the buildings has caused a grief that goes very deep. It feels like your heart hurts. Even though I still worry about my daughter having to go in to NYC every day, I have lost a lot of my personal fear of flying and traveling and carrying on life as usual. (Our mail goes through the postal service that had anthrax also.) So I now have the attitude that 1.God is in control and He is Sovereign. 2. Live life to the fullest.

[Poohbah]

When the LPG tank at the Pentagon blew, it shook the windows miles away. We thought it was a nearby truck bomb at first.

Well, that explains the truck-bomb-outside-the-State-Department rumor...

Then the CAP flights above DC, you could see them high in the sky at night, making wierd 90 degree turns to hook up with their buddies.

I had to go to Reagan to cancel my ticket and get the paperwork done for my expense account on the 13th. I was walking back across the parking lot (the only guy there) when two Apache gunships flew past. They had full munitions on the wing stations--Hellfires and 2.75 rockets--and at least one bird had the MASTER ARM switch on, because the cannon slewed around and pointed at me (I figure the gunner saw me walking across a deserted lot and was wondering what was up).

My only thought was "Dear God, please don't let that guy have a spastic trigger finger."

[Sunshine Sister]

Sept 7th - grandbaby born
Sept 8th - brother died
Sept 11 - four airplanes crashed into fields and buildings - thousands dead
Sept 12th - found out about brother
Highest of highs, lowest of lows all in a matter of days

[austingirl]

I was driving to my health club to work out when I heard about the first plane hitting the WTC. I immediately thought it was terrorists - they like those towers. When I got inside I asked the kid at the desk if it was terrorists or an accident. He looked at me like I was crazy, "An accident."

I saw the second plane hit live on the TV over the treadmills. I screamed at the stupid CNN announcer who wondered if there was something wrong with Air Traffic Control, "Say the T word, it's terrorism!"

I tried to finish working out, but when the Pentagon was hit, I truly lost it. How could they get the Pentagon? I went home and got there in time to see the WTC towers fall.

I fell to my knees and asked God to save our country.

With the apologists and peaceniks running rampant less than one year later, I am sickened that so many have forgotten. I never will.

[abner]

I was getting ready for work when the first plane hit. I was listening to Howard Stern on the way to work(AM doesn't work in that car) they were all freaking out about the 2nd plane. I listened to the coverage all day at work and was glued to FR.

After 9/11 we decided to buy our US Flag Balloon. We wanted to earlier, but there sadly wasn't enough interest in a giant American Flag.

We have been flying it ever since and handing out pocket Constitutions wherever we go.

[abner]

Sorry about your brother. That is terrible.