A September To Remember

I can't believe it's been five years since the infamous 9-11. Whether you think it was all part of a government conspiracy, a scam, or that Bin Laden is responsible, it's on that day that life in the U.S. has changed for so many of us. The most obvious affect on most of us is the extra security checkpoints and procedures that we have to endure at the airport. Before 9-11 your loved ones could pass through security checkpoints without a boarding ticket. Before 9-11 you didn't have to worry about folks seeing your hole-y socks because of a shoe check. I shudder to think about it but there may come a time when you're expected to come naked at the airport and still have a cavity search for hidden explosives.

Those hassles pale in comparison to all of those who lost loved ones at the World Trade Center. I couldn't even begin to imagine the psychological turmoil survivors are still facing. It irks me that opportunistic movies such as World Trade Center come out and they can't even get their facts straight.

Hemingway I remember my first moments when I first heard about what happened. I was late as usual to my job. I was jamming to one of my CDs so I hadn't been listening to any radio reports.

I remember walking into my office and noticing a lot of somber, confused faces. I had no idea what was going on but noticed a bunch of folks by a TV. I went to my desk to put my bag away and as I walked towards my desk, that's when I heard people talking about it. I remember it being a surreal moment.

I went over to our "mini" fitness center to watch the TV and within minutes, saw both planes crashing into the World Trade Center. I remember being stunned. I stayed for a half-hour to watch the news, leaving eventually when it got to be repeative.

It was hard to work that day with all the focus being on what just happened. I surfed the Net for more information. It was pretty crazy day.

The event even affected something mundane as Big Brother 2. At the time, the three remaining houseguests had all information from the outside world shut from them. Debates raged all over about how cruel it was to keep that information from them and whether the game should be stopped, especially since one of the contestants had a relative that worked in the World Trade Center at the time that was missing (and I believe was later counted among the dead).

Was it a government conspiracy? Was it a scam? Was it an act of terrorism?

Will we ever know the real answer? Somebody knows.

Oddly enough, part of Madonna's lyrics to "Live To Tell" seems an appropriate way to end this entry.

"If I ran away, I'd never have the strength to go very far. How will they hear the beating of my heart?

Will it grow cold? The secret that I hide. Will I grow old?

How will they hear?
When will they learn?
How would they know?"