The Where Were You Meme...
Aug. 1st, 2005 03:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
grnvixenbelatedly yanked from Angelbedwell. Cut for probable length
1. When John F. Kennedy was shot (11/22/1963)
Grade school. I remember they announced he had been shot over the intercom at lunch, then his death later when we were back in the classroom. In particular I remember our teacher burying her face in her hands.
2. Where were you when man first walked on the moon: Apollo 11 (7/20/69)
working at a summer camp. We were not a primitive camp and had gotten a tv so everyone could watch the landing. It was a clear night with a bright moon and I remember staring up at it that night and thinking how far, and how close, it now was.
3. When Mt. St. Helens blew (5/18/1980)
I think I was in KC. I don't remember my reaction the day of but do remember the awe as the pictures started coming in. The power of Mother Nature.
2.5 When the Hyatt sky-walks fell in Kansas City (07/19/81)
This was a friday night. Some friends had been trying to talk me into going to the tea dance but we had never made it. I was at a local SCA event that evening. When I heard about the tragedy it really hit home. For the next week everyone was checking with friends and relatives to be sure they were allright or had not lost anyone. So many close calls too, one friend was supposed to have been working on centerpieces for a convention at the hotel that weekend. The flowers were late or he would have been crossing the lobby at the time of the fall. Another friend was one of the emergency personel who responded and never got over it, despite a lot of counseling. She had to change her career. I also remember being proud of how the greater KC area responded; the emergency crews working together, the long lines to donate blood. I also don't remember much of a problem with crowds at the site.
3. When the space shuttle Challenger exploded (1/28/1986)
At work at Lee Jeans. A friend was at home and had been watching the launch, called me in tears, then the radios in the office started carrying the news. I couldn't quite believe it, especially that they were all gone and noone survived. Despite being able to remember the Mercury capsule that burned on the ground, this was the end of the magic of the space program for me.
4. When the 7.1 earthquake hit San Francisco (10/7/1989)
Don't remember the exact moment/where I was on this one. It was a bit of a shock but not totally unexpected for anyone who has ever lived in California.
5. When the Berlin Wall fell (11/7/1989)
As a kid who had grown up during the Cold War I'd been following this for awhile. I know there was an 'official' date for the fall but the very fact that people had been spraying graffit on it for days I knew meant it was going to come down. Several years late I had the opportunity to see the pieces of the wall that are setup in Fulton, MO, where Churchhil gave his Iron Curtain speech. Having a moment all by myself I went and stepped through one of the pieces.
6. When the Gulf War began (1/16/1991)
Again, the start was not a big surprise. Didn't like it and was glad when it was over.
7. When the first World Trade Center bombing happened (2/26/1993)
Don't really remember, and if it wasn't for 9/11 I'm not sure it would have been on this list.
8. When OJ sped off in the White Bronco.(6/17/1994)
Just starting vacation (camping event), altho I was going back and forth from site the first couple of days. Therefore I managed to miss a lot of the media obession with the whole thing, thank goodness.
9. When the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed (4/19/1995)
At work. Found it hard to believe, especially the level of destruction from one device.
10. When Princess Di was killed (8/31/1997)
It was a rennfaire weekend. We didn't hear about the crash until we were at home that evening. At first I couldn't believe that it could have been that serious, that people had died and Princess Di was so seriously injured. I think I kind of expected the cushion of privelege to have provided a buffer of protection. Subconciously I kept expecting the medical updates to have good news but they never did.
11. When Bush was first announced President (11/7/2000)
I thought it was several weeks later :)..............
12. When terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center (9/11/2001)
At work again. I heard some folks in the hall talking about a bomb at the World Trade Center and thought they were talking about the attempt in '93. Soon found out this was not the case. Tried to check CNN but the internet was overloaded. Our Chair was out-of-town but he kept a small portable b&w tv in his office so we set it up on my desk so everyone could watch, had just tuned in when the second plane hit. Even with the tv coverage it felt very surreal, especially with both towers burning. When the first of the towers collapsed I had missed the start of it and was wondering where all the smoke and debris had come from, where was the tower, and then realized what had happened. My first thought was of the firemen who must have been slogging up the stairs, knowing they faced one of the worst fires of their careers but never this.
1. When John F. Kennedy was shot (11/22/1963)
Grade school. I remember they announced he had been shot over the intercom at lunch, then his death later when we were back in the classroom. In particular I remember our teacher burying her face in her hands.
2. Where were you when man first walked on the moon: Apollo 11 (7/20/69)
working at a summer camp. We were not a primitive camp and had gotten a tv so everyone could watch the landing. It was a clear night with a bright moon and I remember staring up at it that night and thinking how far, and how close, it now was.
3. When Mt. St. Helens blew (5/18/1980)
I think I was in KC. I don't remember my reaction the day of but do remember the awe as the pictures started coming in. The power of Mother Nature.
2.5 When the Hyatt sky-walks fell in Kansas City (07/19/81)
This was a friday night. Some friends had been trying to talk me into going to the tea dance but we had never made it. I was at a local SCA event that evening. When I heard about the tragedy it really hit home. For the next week everyone was checking with friends and relatives to be sure they were allright or had not lost anyone. So many close calls too, one friend was supposed to have been working on centerpieces for a convention at the hotel that weekend. The flowers were late or he would have been crossing the lobby at the time of the fall. Another friend was one of the emergency personel who responded and never got over it, despite a lot of counseling. She had to change her career. I also remember being proud of how the greater KC area responded; the emergency crews working together, the long lines to donate blood. I also don't remember much of a problem with crowds at the site.
3. When the space shuttle Challenger exploded (1/28/1986)
At work at Lee Jeans. A friend was at home and had been watching the launch, called me in tears, then the radios in the office started carrying the news. I couldn't quite believe it, especially that they were all gone and noone survived. Despite being able to remember the Mercury capsule that burned on the ground, this was the end of the magic of the space program for me.
4. When the 7.1 earthquake hit San Francisco (10/7/1989)
Don't remember the exact moment/where I was on this one. It was a bit of a shock but not totally unexpected for anyone who has ever lived in California.
5. When the Berlin Wall fell (11/7/1989)
As a kid who had grown up during the Cold War I'd been following this for awhile. I know there was an 'official' date for the fall but the very fact that people had been spraying graffit on it for days I knew meant it was going to come down. Several years late I had the opportunity to see the pieces of the wall that are setup in Fulton, MO, where Churchhil gave his Iron Curtain speech. Having a moment all by myself I went and stepped through one of the pieces.
6. When the Gulf War began (1/16/1991)
Again, the start was not a big surprise. Didn't like it and was glad when it was over.
7. When the first World Trade Center bombing happened (2/26/1993)
Don't really remember, and if it wasn't for 9/11 I'm not sure it would have been on this list.
8. When OJ sped off in the White Bronco.(6/17/1994)
Just starting vacation (camping event), altho I was going back and forth from site the first couple of days. Therefore I managed to miss a lot of the media obession with the whole thing, thank goodness.
9. When the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed (4/19/1995)
At work. Found it hard to believe, especially the level of destruction from one device.
10. When Princess Di was killed (8/31/1997)
It was a rennfaire weekend. We didn't hear about the crash until we were at home that evening. At first I couldn't believe that it could have been that serious, that people had died and Princess Di was so seriously injured. I think I kind of expected the cushion of privelege to have provided a buffer of protection. Subconciously I kept expecting the medical updates to have good news but they never did.
11. When Bush was first announced President (11/7/2000)
I thought it was several weeks later :)..............
12. When terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center (9/11/2001)
At work again. I heard some folks in the hall talking about a bomb at the World Trade Center and thought they were talking about the attempt in '93. Soon found out this was not the case. Tried to check CNN but the internet was overloaded. Our Chair was out-of-town but he kept a small portable b&w tv in his office so we set it up on my desk so everyone could watch, had just tuned in when the second plane hit. Even with the tv coverage it felt very surreal, especially with both towers burning. When the first of the towers collapsed I had missed the start of it and was wondering where all the smoke and debris had come from, where was the tower, and then realized what had happened. My first thought was of the firemen who must have been slogging up the stairs, knowing they faced one of the worst fires of their careers but never this.
