... when the Cuban missile crisis was underway? At home. I remember going by my mother's bedroom. She was by the radio listening and praying. It was one of the few times I ever saw her scared or praying.
... when J.F.K. was assassinated? For some reason we didn't have school that day. I was at home helping to make Christmas ornaments, or some similar craft project.
... when the Beatles came to the United States? I was at home watching them on television and laughing at their long hair. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
... when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon? In a motel room. We were on vacation. It was particularly annoying that the Swedish exchange student with us kept ranting about how this was no big deal.
... when Apollo 13 was in trouble? I have no recollection whatsoever of this crisis.
... when the Kent State massacre happened? Still living at home with my folks. My sister, who was a senior in high school, had applied to go to school there. That was the end of that.
... when Nixon resigned. Who knows? It was such a relief though.
... when Mt. St. Helens erupted? I don't know exactly, but a work colleague who was in Seattle at the time told me about the mess it made everywhere....
... when an assassination attempt was made on John Paul II? I was at work at a Christian publishing company. We stopped everything to pray.
... when the Challenger blew up? Home with small children. My in-laws were in Florida at the time, and saw it happen.
... when the big Earthquake hit the San Francisco/Oakland area? Delivering a baby. Robert to be exact. He probably came out just as the quake was happening.
... during the first Gulf War? We had just moved into our present home. I made supper while watching the war every night on television. It reminded me of the Cuban missile crisis.
... on September 11, 2001? I was at home homeschooling the kids. Jack called from work and told me about it. That was the last of homeschooling for several days. People were numb from shock. The sky was eerily silent with no planes flying, except military ones.
... when the Columbia space shuttle disaster happened? Just getting ready to go on a day trip with Laura, and Jeannie and Ann Whiting. We talked about it and listened to the radio for a good chunk of the day.
Where were you when events happened that were big enough to make an imprint on your memory? What were they?
2 comments:
The September 11th Attacks on the World Trade Center: In the shower, preparing to go to WCC for French class. I couldn't believe what you were trying to tell me, and it didn't sink in until I saw it on TV. I remember feeling overwhelmed, stunned, confused, angry, numb, distraught, and profoundly sad all at once. I remember trying to comfort Laura, and maybe you too. I probably wasn't able to do a good job. I remember the teacher during French class trying to teach, but it was obviously a futile attempt. Even he knew it. He kept stopping every minute or so to remind us that we needed to press on and that we could focus on French to take our minds off the tragedy. It was well intentioned, but it was equally clear that he was saying these things as much for himself as for us. School was closed that afternoon.
Columbia space shuttle disaster: At a Christ the King men's retreat.
Start of the second Iraq war: At my apartment, alone. I believe I had just moved out of home, and the war had been brewing for sometime, but it was sort of surreal to here the radio talking about what was going on.
Columbine school shootings: At school. I remember driving home with you. Not much else really.
Hurricane Katrina: Actually, I don't know what I was doing, because I didn't find out until I went to class at U of M and gathered that something weird had happened in New Orleans. Turns out the whole place had flooded the day before. I had no idea.
That's all I got really. My memory's not great and the 90's and 00's have been, on the balance, much less eventful than the 60's. I don't have a moon landing or Beatles equivalent.
Columbine and Katrina never crossed my mind. It is interesting what impresses upon your memory and what just slips by.
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