Ohiofarmgirl'sAdventuresinTheGoodLand-where ya been? whatcha been doin

[savingdogs]

Your blog post is awesome...... best tribute to 9/11 I've seen....

But here is my 9/11 story....
I was working from home here in WA state as a transcriptionist, with me were my three children (hubby at work) who were 19, 9 and 5 at the time, all sleeping. My main transcription account was an Armenian-American chiropractor who had four offices in the New York area, one in Manhattan, who did independent medical examinations and I typed up his finished reports and made them pretty. I got all my work electronically, via internet and I didn't even know my doctor's address, as I actually was an independent contractor working for the intermediary transcription pool, but he was my main account and my main source of income, which at the time was really good. Life was good. Hubby made great money and we had our pretty house and I was working from home. Hurrah!

But on the morning of 9/11, we were behind the times being on the west coast. I awoke to a phone call from my mother, who sounded very strange, kind of strangled, and I had to ask her right away what was wrong, like who died? She said "War has started...." and I said, "What?" and she said, "just go turn on your TV" and I said I'd call her back.

I went and turned on the TV and immediately saw footage of the second airplane hitting the second tower. It was actually a re-run of the actual event which had happened awhile earlier, but I didn't realize that. I screamed and ran and awoke my 19-year-old daughter, who came and joined me at the TV, and we held each other and cried as we watched the events unfold. My sons woke up and came out to see the two of us already emotional wrecks and I tried to somehow explain the unexplainable.

As the days slipped by, we went through the gamut of emotions and were happy at least to see the national pride erupt, because that was something that had ALWAYS been a part of my family, a very strong belief in this country, and also for Hubby (who is a nationalized citizen who had to take the test and make the oath). But I began to worry because I did not hear from my Armenian chiropractor/employer. I began to worry that his building had been too close and tried to figure out from my paperwork which office he would have been at that day and my worry began to mount. The intermediary company called and left messages without response, so I began to worry that my doctor had perished or something very bad had happened. It was a very odd feeling, not knowing where your boss is or even WHO he really is, or where he was, but I had worked for him about seven years.

Finally, one day as I turned on my equipment, I hear his voice, kind of gruff and scratchy, starting his report, "This is Doctor ....." and I burst into tears, I was so relieved for him. I actually sent an attachment to the report, telling his office staff who downloaded his reports to please tell the good doctor that I was very happy that he and his office survived. He never did get busy again though. I never got back the volume of work, eventually had to stop doing transcription and felt because of my increasing hearing issues, I should try a different field (which was a good thing), and started working part time for the veterinarian, which cut my pay to about half of what I made before. The direction of my life did change, and here I was, someone living several thousand miles away from where the terrorists hit.

What effects the USA effects me is the lesson I learned. While I've always bled red, white and blue when cut, I have forever been awed by the sacrifice and bravery of the people in this country, the firemen, the soldiers, the Seals. While I've had my own way to volunteer I've stuck with, so many did things so much more brave, more noble, and so many paid the ultimate price. I have a friend who lost her son to a bomb in Afghanistan so I can clearly see how we still are involved in the repercussions of 9/11. I just have to take off my hat in respect and this morning I sang along with my rusty voice as the memorials were played on television.

OFG your barnyard tribute was a joy to read......feel free to repost this if you wish on your spot.

 

[Henrietta23]

I was working at a school where the administration forbade us to turn on any TVs or radios in the classrooms because they didn't want the children upset. Staff spread the word from class to class to adults only. I heard about it while on break in the staff room. It took a good little while to absorb it. I went back to the third grade classroom I was helping in and tried to call the teacher over to the side to make sure he had heard. He hadn't and when I told him he thought I was joking. It was too much to comprehend. Staff started calling people they knew who might be home. I called my parents who were able to tell me what they were seeing on TV. I needed to find out what airline was involved if possible because a close friend is a pilot for American. He was luckily able to call a few people to get us to spread the word that he wasn't in any of the planes involved and wasa actually in St Louis. DH tried to call his parents who live about 30 miles north of the city but their phones were out way up there. A day or so later we learned that the nephew of the school speech pathogist was a pilot in one of the planes that hit the towers. In that sleepy little town in the "quiet corner" of CT we had that close a connection. By the end of the day we learned that DH's parents were fine, our friend Tom was fine as well his father and sister who both worked in the city. It was a few days before I heard from my college roomate and her DH who live there as well.
As for school, one of the 6th grade teachers handed out copies of the local paper as his kids were dismissed like every other day. It never occured to him that the story would be all over the front page already. So the kids found out and the older ones were seriously ticked off that we had kept it from them. Chaos took over as we tried to get frantic panicked children onto buses. A number of parents had come to pick up their kids early as well.

 

[old fashioned]

Here's my contribution for the day.......

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

Can you remember 'where you were' 10 years ago as we were being attacked?

I had gotten up to get DH off to work that am and snuggled with DS12 (2yo at the time) on the couch while DS10 (2 months) was sleeping in his crib with the local news on the tv. The reporters were saying that 'something' was happening at the first tower but nobody knew yet just what it was. Then the station kept jumping from local news to the national news as they were all speculating about what had happened. As I watched, the second plane was coming into view and then hit the second tower as live broadcast. All the blood drained & I slid off the couch to the floor in shock. The reporters were stunned and was saying it was definately an attack. After several minutes, they were talking with the correspondent at the Pentagon about such happenings & the possibilities it all meant. Then the poor guy at the Pentagon jumped as books & papers started flying & the room he was in started shaking..........the third plane had hit the Pentagon just down the hall from him. Then as National Security and top officials were scrambling with what to do and getting all air traffic grounded, the news was talking about the 4th plane that wasn't responding to commands to land & was outside of it's flight plan and the crash.
DH had come home early that day, by 10am. He normally wasn't due home until around 6pm. His boss sent everyone home to be with their families.
I was terrified and didn't leave the house for 3 days.


to all


ETA: to say this is from another thread and the link is to a music video.

 

[AL]

I"m not able to post to your blog (I am at work... shhhhh)

I was sitting at a traffic light on my way home from an overnight shift in the ER. The DJs said "apparently there has been an accident, a small bi-plane has crashed into the World Trade Center". I still feel kind of guilty about this - but I didn't know anything abou the WTC and while I hoped nobody was hurt, I didn't give it a second thought. I was home and in bed before the DJs knew the truth.
A couple of hours later I woke up for my 2nd job. I was living at home and when I walked by, my mom was completely transfixed on the TV... she looked at me with shock and disbelief, tears in her eyes and told me we were under attack, the whole world had gone crazy and "they" were crashing planes across the country. I went on in to my 2nd job (martial arts instructor) but we sat in the lobby on benches and the floor and watched a the tiny TV. To this day I don't remember what, if any, part of the attacks I saw live and what was video replay.... I immersed myself so much in the news it all runs together.

now that time has passed, my friend who is in counter-terrorism in the FBI still will only mention the shift he pulled watching over pieces of the jet from the Pentagon, and knowing that some of the debris was human parts. His wife was driving and saw the smoke and flames. A Dr from the ER was frantic because his sister worked on the 91st floor of the WTC.... he later found out she had called in to work that day, apparently the first time ever or in a very long time.

I have all my life wanted to be a part of Search and Rescue, and the events 10yrs ago made that desire even stronger. Now that I am healthier and getting in shape to be able to handle wilderness and rubble searches, I am visiting our local SAR and working towards becoming a fulll-fledged member. I would love to have a SAR dog, but Rio and his knees won't cut it.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

thanks everyone - especially for the stories. i'm putting them in comments now on the blog.

one of the great things that we were reminded of today at church - and by others... was that the next day - 9/12 - was the day we all pulled together. so many things could have gone wrong but instead.... as a nation we all rallied. i'm really proud of that.

 

[Britesea]

This was very moving

http://youtu.be/QZKgojQnx1k

 

[Farmfresh]

Where I was on "the Day" was at work. At the time I was working at an Alternative School with students ranging from K-12.

Many of the kids at this school either had mental illness or had major traumas in their lives in the past. We did a record check poll one time, before "the Day", and of our 80+ students 13 of them had lost family members in the past and 8 of them had personally WITNESSED a family member or other person be murdered! How the events of "the Day" affected these already at risk children was our biggest concern.

At that time I was also working with the most amazing group of teachers and therapists EVER. Our school Interventionist for example had worked as a fireman in his younger years and was decorated for bravery from the fire department for pulling some people out of a house fire. He had then gone to the police department and had decorations from that job as well. One of our teachers was a Sergeant in the Army Reserves and trained as a Hazardous Materials officer. One of the teachers was a retired Army Para-trouper two more were a married couple of the best kind of BIG American Farmer Rednecks that you could ever desire. Even our school nurse was hard core, she was a tough inner city RN that was working at a school while her kids were small. If we the reports were true and we WERE at WAR, I felt like I was surrounded by the best people possible.

Our school secretary acted as out information officer. As the day unfolded she was monitoring the news, keeping in touch via phone with her husband and relaying info to the rest of us as we needed it. Our therapist team had a rapid meeting and came to a consensus as to how the children would be informed, panic controlled and traumas delt with over the next days.

We were told that schools were a possible target for the terrorists, so our already tight building clamped down even tighter. We served lunch in the rooms, movement in the building was very limited. All of our emergency preps were ready. We were ready for most anything.

The first part of the day was VERY intense. The kids were told the building was doing a lock down drill, but as much as possible the day went on. I think only one or two students were picked up by parents early. After the actions of Flight 93 the decision was made that the High School students would be informed about the events of the day. I think some classes even watched the news footage. By the end of the day each child had been given at least some kind of information, so that we could give them support and help them if necessary.

It was a LONG stressful day.

 

[lorihadams]

I was sitting on the floor getting ready for work...watching the Today Show and saw it happen. I remember sitting there just in awe that something like this could be happening. I saw the first plane hit and thought that it must be a horrible accident....then saw the second plane hit. It was like someone hit me with a brick. I was so stunned I did what I had to do...get ready and go to work. I had the radio on on the way to work and heard about the next plane and by the time I got to work the last plane had gone down. I worked at Hooters at the time and I have to say it was the quietest day of work I had ever had there. All the tvs were on all day long watching the ongoing footage.

Now, I was getting married in 11 days. My maid of honor lived in Northern Va and her father worked at the Pentagon at the time. I tried all day long to get in touch with her to see if her dad was okay and got word that night that he had just left the building on an assignment before the plane hit.

I was grateful that we weren't flying anywhere on our honeymoon. We drove to the mountains and stayed in a cabin with no phone and no tv or radio for a week. I was glad for a break from all the coverage, to be honest. I think it was just sensory overload for a while.

All I can remember from that day is just feeling numb. Numb but sad and helpless and angry and shocked all at the same time. I had to push all of it away to focus on my big day but my wedding will forever be tied to the tragedy of 9/11.

Today my husband bought me a .357 magnum for our 10th wedding anniversary....somehow it seems fitting that I should buy a gun on 9/11. :/

 

[AL]

thanks everyone - especially for the stories. i'm putting them in comments now on the blog.

one of the great things that we were reminded of today at church - and by others... was that the next day - 9/12 - was the day we all pulled together. so many things could have gone wrong but instead.... as a nation we all rallied. i'm really proud of that.

Ten years ago NEXT weekend I went on a motorcycle trip with some friends to north Alabama. We took all backroads. It was small towns and backwoods the whole way and we were drowning in red, white and blue. There were flags on homes, businesses, churches; they lined the streets on light posts, trees and fences. It was a beautiful, heart wrenching thing.

 

[savingdogs]

thanks everyone - especially for the stories. i'm putting them in comments now on the blog.

one of the great things that we were reminded of today at church - and by others... was that the next day - 9/12 - was the day we all pulled together. so many things could have gone wrong but instead.... as a nation we all rallied. i'm really proud of that.

Ten years ago NEXT weekend I went on a motorcycle trip with some friends to north Alabama. We took all backroads. It was small towns and backwoods the whole way and we were drowning in red, white and blue. There were flags on homes, businesses, churches; they lined the streets on light posts, trees and fences. It was a beautiful, heart wrenching thing.

We never stopped flyin' ours.

*looks out window at beautiful American flag proudly flapping in the breeze over the otherwise raggedy Dizzy Dog Ranch.*