I was at Stepping Stone a recovery center for GLBT in San Diego. We had just woken up did our chores for the day and getting ready for our morning meeting before breakfast. When one of our Counselors Mark Nitzche came in and turned on the tv and told us what was going on. All programming for the day was put on hold.
[Edited 9/10/09 20:03pm]

I was at work. My boss didn't want us to go home.

i was in my apartment in chicago. i was working a graveyard shift temp job at a law firm and i had just gotten home and was in bed watching the today show. they were going to have a feature about "what happened to whitney houston?" and then out of nowhere they started showing the infamous footage as it happened.

i had only lived in chicago for a few months when 9/11 happened, and before that i had lived in new york for six years. so the first thing i did was call my best friend who lived in the lower east side at the time, to make sure she was okay. she was in hysterics from the first plane and we were on the phone together as the second plane hit. i remember her saying she could hear outside her window what was happening on television.

that night i remember going to a laurie anderson concert. i was really surprised that she didn't cancel, but when she performed it seemed really important to her that she be able to play music and talk to her audience about what happened that day. it was part concert, part...i dunno...therapy session? it was surreal but i have to admit it was very comforting.

Anxiety said:

I dunno why, but somehow that makes me like Laurie Anderson more.

I had just gotten back from class and I came home, turned on CNN and I knew the world would never be the same again. I will remember those images for the rest of my life

I'll post before some asshole jumps on and starts talking about how arrogant we Americans are for mourning our dead.




I remember the morning very clearly. We were having an argument during breakfast about whether or not Michael Jordon should come out of retirement. I felt he should have just bowed out gracefully, yadda yadda yadda.

Then I went to my cube to prepare a software package that had been causing me a great deal of problems in preparation for an important day of testing with a client in New York that was very demanding and bossy--10 of their testers were going to test the package and I was under pressure to ensure everything went smoothly.

Fred, one of the developers stopped by and asked me if I heard that a cesna had run into the trade center.

I laughed out loud and said, "how the hell does a Cesna accidentally fly into one of the largest buildings in the world?". I actually thought it was hilarious, the notion of a tiny single engine airplane somehow not seeing that this biggass building was in it's way...even in bad weather.


Well, when I went to to coffee room to look at the T.V., to my surprise there was a big gaping hole in the building. This was no cesna.
And more importantly, the sun was shining..It was just as beautiful in NYC as it was in Tampa that day.

As we sat there watching, I felt uneasy about the fact that such a large plane would get close enough to the trade center. It just didn't feel like an accident to me.

The the second plane slammed into the other building. At that time, from the angle of the helicopter that was reporting the incident, we thought that there was an explosion from the other side of the same tower.
Withing a minute we were informed that it was another plane.

That's when I realized that all hell was breaking loose. I knew that being 'brown' in America was going to be even more of a liability. I felt sickenned. At that time there was only speculation that Bin Laden was behind this, but I already knew that he was. I already knew Bush was going to go insane with this stuff, and that people were going to get irrational.

There are very few moments in my life where I feel sickenned at humanity so intensely as I did that morning. There were people walking around our building desperately trying to our Midtown Manhattan office--one of my coworkers had a mom that worked in the midtown building adjacent from ground zero.

Across the highway from my building sat the Tampa International Airport. For the first time ever, within a few hours, it was completely silent. The entire day was awful, depressing, eerie.

As weird as it sounds Bin Laden, Bush--all the major players in this tragedy and the events that transpired afterwards, pushed me more leftward and towards more political action.


911 was terribly tragic. I mean, to the point of being heartbreaking to me. But the chance for unification and bilateral relationships that Bush squandered made it all the more tragic in the years to come. It's like we're still feeling the affects of 9/11 and so are the Iraqis, who despite having legions of citizens who applauded the actions, still had nothing to do with the events.


Just thinking about that day depresses me.

I was home just starting the day, 6am pacific standard time. I had just turned on the coffee pot and turned on my daily news show which happens to come out of Los Angeles. They cut in from New York to say that the first twin tower had just been hit, I remember thinking that was about as bad as it could get. When all of a sudden they mention the second building getting hit. I screamed for my husband who was in the shower to come and watch....
It was such a scary feeling of the unknown. My cousin from mexico city called within minutes and my niece who at the time lived in Stockholm Sweden called crying.
I took my kids to school and went to work, my kids school had them on lock down all day long, they did not even let them out to recess. My work was at a stand still, everyone was in the conference room watching tv, we were finally sent home at noon. All of Santa Barbara was closed, all malls and stores seemed to close. The saddest day by far..

copied from FB: I was 19 and in bed. We being on the west coast, it had to be around 7 AM or so at the time, maybe a little earlier. My boyfriend woke me up and we watched it unravel, right in time for the second plane to hit.

at home, in bed. woke up around 1PM or so, turned on my 'puter, with the whack ass dial up connection i used to have . saw something about it on my main page, then turned on the tv and was like .

I was at school and we were in an assembly. Everybody was sent back to class, and we were told we'd have to go home early.
My brother came to pick me up, and traffic was awful. We got home and watched it all on the news

I was in my apartment. I turned on the tv to check my digital listing of what time Big Brother 2 was going to be on that evening. The first plane had already crashed and at the moment it appeared to be some sort of accident. I felt the need to call my mom and tell her about it and while I was on the phone with her, the second one hit. I could hear my neighbor through the wall say "Oh my god, there's another one" at the the same time I was saying it to my mom. And then I said, "Mom, this isn't an accident."

I just got off the air. I met a dude at my house (we both worked 3rd shift). My fast ass was doing the grown up. We both got pages that the WTC had been hit. I figured, ok 'nuther 1993 scenario. Got mines, and sent him home and I went to bed.


It felt like I had woken up to Armageddon. I woke up at 1pm and it was all over the news. It. was. so. quiet outside, and I lived on a busy street.

I was at home helping my sisters get my nephews ready for school. My Mom came knocking on the door,and asked if we had been watching TV. I said yeah cartoons,why? She said to turn to the news,and when I did,they were showing the plane flying into the Twin Towers, I was shocked at what I was seeing,and that it was really happening,and not a movie. Made me feel sick.

There is a couple that run a little grocery store here,and they are from Afghanistan,and they had big American flags on the windows of there store. I think they really feared that they would be seen as the enemy after those events happened.
[Edited 9/10/09 20:59pm]

I was at my copy editing gig at Rubber & Plastics News.

My wife called, wondering if I'd heard that a plane crashed into the World Trade Center. It was awful news, but, frankly, I sloughed it off. Catastrophes are a dime a dozen these days. She called back a few minutes later, nearly hysterical, to tell me a plane had hit the second tower ...and I knew some crazy $#@! was going down.

I told my coworkers, and we all ran down to the meeting room, where there was a television. Editorial staff from several other magazines in the building already were there, watching in utter shock. When the first tower imploded, I recall people recoiling, bursting out in tears, dashing back and forth desperately trying to make phone calls, etc. From then on, it seems my wife was calling every 5 minutes with worse news -- about a Pentagon strike, about a strange diverted plane over Cleveland, about rumors the National Mall was ablaze, about all national air traffic being halted, about local highways being shut down. It was insane.

Management let us go home about 30 minutes after the second tower collapsed, and my 45-minute drive home took nearly 2 hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

I feel odd, maybe even a bit guilty, about my reaction when I think back. I was deeply disturbed by the loss of life -- and numb -- but somehow I wasn't afraid, insecure or even particularly... offended. Rather, I just had an overwhelming sense the U.S. was suddenly, finally part of "the rest of the world," for better or worse.
[Edited 9/12/09 8:08am]

I happened to have spent the night at the Grand Hotel in Minneapolis that Particuliar night, and I've always enjoyed when I was scheduled late and also the following morning, because then I would get to sleep in the fancy Rooms; I was Scheduled at 8AM (or perhaps 9 can't quite recall) and I awoke in a extremely pleasant state that morning as tho a new awakening had began and then as the morning progressed I remember feeling helpless and I tried to help the buisnes travelers whom needed to get to traveling, .....and it was all unReal, and... there happened to be a Candle Sitting Across the Street from my place;; A Miniture Altar had been set up , it comforted me, I still can't even believe it

I was in school. Just finishing up The Pledge, ready for homeroom. Not even realizing the world was forever changed. My dad's friend had a son who worked in the area. Luckily he was unharmed and walking across the bridge during the evacuations. Even though he was safe, I still felt a lot of pain. I was glued to the TV. They kept them on all day in school. Once I got home, you couldn't even watch shows. The news had taken over for about 72 hours I think. I was scared. I kept thinking Chicago was next.

Years later, I fell into this obsession over the "conspiracies" over 9/11. Why that one building came down demolition style, the structure of the bldgs., etc. I think a part of me felt like it was still unreal.

I have to admit that the fear never left me after that day. Not even after my conspiracy search was put to rest. I know it's pretty bad and selfish to think that way. I can't imagine what true pain is for those who lost family. I just hope that A. Coulter (or whomever that tall, skinny, horseface big mouth is...) doesn't step up and start running her crass mouth.

I hope that this day will be one of solemn remembrance and not the wild franchise of years ago. I'm still in shock over those World Trade coins with the 3d towers that rose and fall.

Well, I don't want to leave this post on a sour note. I'm not very big on praying but tomorrow/today, I will be praying for those lost and for those who have lost.

elemantary school

I was at my apartment and my then bf called me from work telling me to turn on my TV. I saw the second plane crash into the tower live on TV shortly later .

My friend called me to tell me to turn on the tv right after the first plane hit (I was in Houston, TX). I saw it all after that. An air conditioner guy came over to fix my AC. It was a nightmare feeling. And just the buildings themselves hit me on a certain level: When I was little I used to be into the tallest buildings and would try to make the empire state building and the world trade center out of boxes in my room. King Kong '76 made them quite iconic to me as a kid.

I was at work, talking on the phone to one of my clients. She asked me if I had heard about the plane that crashed into the WTC? At first we thought that it was an accident.
In our office, we were not allowed to have radio's and we did not have internet access at the time.
There was a TV in the meeting room, some ppl started to gather in there to watch the news until our manager came in and told us that we had to go back to work and the TV was not to be used to watch the news.
I spent the rest of the day getting news from our clients over the phone.
Once I got home that night, all of the pieces were coming together as I watched the news for myself.

I had jury duty for the first time that day, around 11am they told us to go home without telling us what happen. I ran into my sister on the way home and she filled me in on what happen, we got home and watched in shock at what was taking place.

Grocery shopping.

...

i was home in long beach ca ... i woke up early n watched the news from the start .. sad to think just how evil ppl in the world have been and are ... peace to u n yours. say a prayr

By request. Temp sticky

I was a freshman in college, staying on campus. I was getting ready to go to class and one of my roommates was watching the news in the living room, going "oh my god". I watched for a little bit, but I couldn't watch for long. I was gonna be late for class, so my day went on to be honest.

I was going to school taking legal studies.

I had just turned on the tv prior to leaving for school.

The one tower had already fallen. I saw the 2nd tower go down

When I got to school it was the talk of discussion prior to a class starting.

My sisters husband saw it on tv and he

I was on a much needed holiday in Yorkshire and heard the news of the first plane while I was walking past a cafe in Scarborough.
As I travelled back to the cottage I was staying in I listened to the unfolding news on the radio. Just as soon as I got back switched on the TV in time to see the 2nd plane hit.
I sat glued to the TV all afternoon in total shock and disbelief.

I was in my classroom, when another teacher called the room and told me to put the news on. The kids and I watched first in fascination, then in horror.

**Things were different then- we could get direct calls into our rooms; my Mom called to ask if I knew what was going on. She was concerned because my Dad, who drove an 18-wheeler, called her from NYC to say he was on the George Washington Bridge and that a plane had hit the Towers. He had just made a delivery on Church Street, a street right near Ground Zero, and was leaving the City. He told her what happened, and to turn on the news.**

My class and I watched, and more people kept joining us in the room. Then the first Tower fell. Then the second. The adults in the room and I were trying to console the students, while keeping it together ourselves.
One of my students realized her Mom worked in the Financial District and got upset- she left class to go look for her sister in the building- I had to follow her while she checked classrooms. She was becoming hysterical. (Her Mom eventually called the school, thank God!)

**Meanwhile, my Mom kept calling because she lost touch with my Dad via cellphone. SHE was frantic. About 3 hours later, the dispatcher called her to tell her he contacted them on his CB to say that he was back in NJ and on his way to the yard with his truck.

Where I am, U can see NYC from the Reservation. Kids were leaving by the carloads to go look, plus parents were rushing to pick their kids up, so they locked down the school and cut the TV feed. A group of us gathered around radios to hear what was going on. It was such a hard day.....

2 teachers lost siblings that day, and a few students lost parents...

I went home and sat in front of the TV for hours and cried.

My family and I were living in Hudson, Wisconsin at the time and as I recall, it was just a normal day like any other!! I got my husband off 2 work and my son off 2 school and I got myself another coffee and sat down 2 watch Good Morning America and there was an article on there about heart disease which was interesting me cos my husband is a diabetic sufferer, anyway suddenly it was cut in with BREAKING NEWS that a plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers in NYC and at first it was thought 2 b an accident!! I mean, how can it b an accident when it was a beautiful sunny clear day in NYC as it was for the whole country if I remember????!!!! Anyway, Bryant Gumbal was on the phone with an eye-witness and during that phone conversation a second plane hit the other tower, then, immediately, I thought "Osama Bin Laden!!!!!". Then shortly afterwards another plane hit the Pentagon, then a fourth plane ploughed into that field in Shanksville, PA which later we learned was aimed for another US landmark(Possibly the White House). I immediately got on the phone 2 my parents in the UK and told them 2 turn on their TV which they did while I was on the phone and they they couldnt beleive it!! That event sort of made me, in the USA, feel closer 2 my parents, cos they were watching the same event on their TVs as I was watching on my TV in the USA!!!!

Anyway, since that BREAKING NEWS notice on TV the world has never been the same since!!! And I am convinced that the events of 9/11 have really been one of the causes of the huge worldwide credit crunch and recession that we have been experiencing this past year!!!! Also, now its no longer a joy 2 fly anywhere due 2 added surcharges on luggage, we now have 2 moreorless strip at security checkpoints!! We have liquid stipulations now in our hand luggage!! Theres tighter Immigration procedures, u name it!!!!

Also, when a NATURAL disaster happened, like Hurricane Katrina, the Government couldnt rake up enough money for disaster releif cos it had all been spent on that "illegal" war in Iraq!! Saddam Hussein had nothing 2 do with 9/11!! New Orleans and LA, MS and AL is STILL suffering 4 years later!!!!!

We (my husband and then 2 1/2 yo) had just started holidays and were driving around our state (Tasmania aus).

After our second day of driving, we had an early nite,then both woke up with headaches- so hubby got up to get some water and panadol -it was Tuesday night here.
He turned on the tele to what he first thought was a movie, but soon found out it wasnt

He came in to our room and said to me "they have bombed the world trade center", i groggily said, its been done before,(remembering the 1993 bombing )and rolled over to try and go back to sleep

Next thing he says "they have bombed the pentagon ( he didnt realise at that time it was plane strikes that was doing the damage.) This, i knew, was major...i think i said...omg WWIII is going to happen.

We watched the news coverage for hours, in shock and disbelief....feeling totally helpless thousands of miles away.

It wasnt until Wednesday morning (Oz time) that we realized the enormity of the situation...the hijacks, the towers collapsing...so many innocent lives lost.

That day was very surreal, everybody we encounted in our travels that day was in shock...glued to radios or their tvs