288 20 70359 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I remember 5 years ago,I hear it first on tv.I was shocked oh my god what happen.The news speaker was talking so exited.I couldnt believe it.after that I felt a tear running on my face.now every time I remember that I feel so sorry and I think 11 september was a day that humans all over the world cried and evils laughed. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story20442.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2006-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 85.185.7.95 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I had a hospital appointment. At 2pm British time I was applying mascara and trying to watch the BBC at the same time. Suddenly the programmes were interrupted for a news flash. Reports from New York that a plane has crashed into a skyscraper. How awful, I thought. Airport congestion? Bad weather? Within minutes a second plane hit. I went as goosebumpy as I am now typing this. The newscaster is going crazy. Terrorism was the only answer. The audacity and evil of these people stuns me. Suicide bombing on a colossal scale. Less than a week before myself and my friends had sat in the pub and discussed the impossibility of dealing with terrorists who relished death. My taxi arrived, forcing me to move. I spoke to the driver who hadn't heard. He switched on the radio and every station seemed to have the same vague story. My local hospital is a military one, the only one left in England. It has treated soldiers for over150 years and it serves the local community too. I reach the department and find doctors, nurses, admin staff and patients crowded around the tv in the waiting room. People are calling out theories, horrified. Some are panicking. I recall one elderly man proclaiming that if America is being attacked, we are next. A couple of women are weeping, something that I'm sure would normally attract scorn or amazement. There is none on show today. Military personnel are present, no doubt harbouring their own theories. The only other time in my life that I recall such a standstill is the death of Diana. But this is larger scale. The deaths are greater and the shock of us all is palpable. By now people in the World Trade Centre are hanging out of the burning buildings. They have only two choices left in the world and both will end in death. I have always believed in symmetry and natural justice but not any more. I imagine some super agency springing into action and saving those people. I can't believe that "they" would let those people die. I have to face the reality that "they" are not invincible. It takes a little time for me to realise that my appointment has been delayed for nearly an hour. Inside the treatment room, the consultant and I talk about the tragedy. I'm having laser treatment, which burns. For once I don't complain, grateful to be safe on the ground. By the time I leave the hospital, there are soldiers guarding the gate. The new taxi driver tells me about the Pentagon crash. We have a conversation of if's, but's and maybe's. Like the people in the hospital, we are unanimous in who we believe may be responsible. No names but generalisations. Only time will tell. I go straight to my parents house for tea. My brother has arrived too. We watch the live pictures on tv. News is coming in all the time. Canary Wharf, a London skyscraper, has been evacuated. Another plane is believed to be flying off course over the US. My father, a former sailor, states that there would be no choice but to shoot that plane down. My mother and me, being female, can't talk in such cold terms. Killing more innocent passengers to save people on the ground is a hard choice to make. In Britain we've lived with terrorism for many years. Bombs in shopping malls, office blocks, banks, pubs, barracks and remembrance parades. 10, 20, 30 people killed in one go. For all what those victims have suffered, nothing comes close to what happened to the World Trade Centre. May those poor souls rest in peace. X Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story8639.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-11-10 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 195.93.33.12 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I can still remember the feeling that came over me when I received a phone call from my sister on the morning of September 11, 2001. When she told me that an airplane had just flew into the world trade center and they were calling it a terrorist act. I felt a fear unlike anything I had ever experienced before. She told me to turn on the news and as we sat there watching the chaos, the second plane hit and my fear began to grow even more. You hear about things like this happening in different parts of the world, but you never expect that anything like this is going to happen here in the United States. Then as we were watching, the third and fourth planes crashed and all I could do is wonder what is coming next? We have a habit of taking things for granted and when something this disastrous happens, it makes you rethink everything. Being a young mother of three, it is really scary thinking that you have to worry about these kind of acts taking place and how you can possibly keep your family safe. You never know when or where something like this is going to happen so you can never be fully prepared to deal with this kind of tragedy. The one thing that stands out in my mind the most about 911 is standing outside in my yard with my children looking up at the sky watching the military airplanes fly overhead after the last attack. I won't ever be able to watch airplanes flying overhead anymore without feeling apprehensive. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story5841.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-12 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 205.188.209.38 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I opened my eyes and ears immediately after the first plane crash. I saw the fiery tower on a broadcasting news station on my television. I heard the frightened and shocked voices explaining how the first plane smacked into the tower on my radio. I used the television and the radio through the whole ordeal as the 9/11 tragedies made world history. My life hasn?t changed because of the 9/11 tragedies, but I was clearly affected by the results. Currently I work with charities and volunteer services. Before the 9/11 tragedy my time and contribution wasn?t so necessary along with other charity givers and volunteer workers. After the 9/11 tragedy funds and helpers were in constant demand throughout America. Everything that occurred during the 9/11 tragedies should be remembered. The unity and the strength of the people after the 9/11 tragedies should be remembered the most. I didn?t fly a flag after September 11, 2002, not because I?m not patriotic only because I don?t think just the American flag should have been in the air. Still my feelings for the American flags are still the same I?m proud and would be happy to raise the American flag for I was born in America. The Indian and the Puerto Rican flags would also be risen by my hands for my ethnic background is based on both ethnic groups. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story2072.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-10 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 209.10.31.34 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: On September 11, 2001 I was at home watching the Today Show NBC with Katie Couric and I can still recall her face when she broke the story. I felt like I was right there with her. All I could think of was, what next? I cried, but I still could not come to reality that this was happening in our country. Since that day I feel like over the year since 9/11/01 I have changed for the better. I realize now what it means to be an American. I feel like now I can educate my 3 children on what it means and what it feels like to be an AMERICAN. God Bless the U.S.A. Love Patricia D. Miles Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story5647.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 172.134.64.172 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I had been renting my house in Washington since moving to Texas. When I arrived August 31st after a 23 hour drive, the place was in shambles with a wall of trash in the driveway. After twelve 15-hour days, we were starting to see the light. I very rarely give thought to the weather, or introspection. I distinctly remember thinking how odd it was, because it was dead calm, beautiful blue sky, and peaceful. I though, "I cant believe what an beautiful day it is". It was Sept, 11. About 7:30. I sat with my morning coffee on my front steps and for a brief moment, I wasnt so sad about my situation. I have rarely felt that way in my life, stuggling to get ahead. I just dont reflect that way. How ironic that it all began as I sat there thinking of the beauty of the day. I was painting in the basement with the radio on, when my neighbor came over. We watched the people jump. I called my father, and we cried together on the phone for the peoples lives. My neighborhood was filled with Army people, and the wives were frantic. Then people started arriving home to my neighborhood from the pentagon, about 8 miles away. The sheer shock is what struck me, and our incomprehension of such incaring. We cant understand it. As they closed the highways to traffic, noone could get home, so Army personnel started walking home! What a sight, people streaming down the freeway in high heels, officers, enlisted men, office workers. Everyone just wanted to be with their family. So did I Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story9189.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2003-04-16 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 24.117.10.141 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: i will never forget that day. I was in school and i had heard about the twin towers and the Pentagon and the crash in Penslyvania. And my teacher had turned on the tv to the news and i saw some horrible immages that will never leave my head. I saw people jumping from the wtc and that is just something i will never forget. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story8590.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-10-28 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 66.90.159.44 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I reallt felt bad because they were the most innocent people who were killed for nothing. I think that was very wrong of them to crashed them planes into those buildings like that. At that moment when it happened, it mad me very devastating to sit there and watched them do something so bad like that. Everyday I sit there and pray for all the people who lost their love ones, family members, and friends. When we had the September 11th anniversary at school we lit candles and song "God Bless America" to the innocent people. It was very mean and stupid of them to go and do something so dumb because they don't like America. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story8094.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-23 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 64.12.96.206 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I had a baby August 12 and was at home on maternity leave.The TV was off and I was just relaxing with my kids and my mom.I then got a call from my husband screaming to turn on the TV. I turned on the TV and a few minutes later the 2nd plane hit the world trade center. At first I thought it was replay of some kind. Then oh my God I realized it was real. I just could not beleive , all the innocent souls lost,the destruction .it was and is mind boggling. I am 34 yrs old and pray to God I never have to witness such destruction and disregard for human life in my life time Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story3121.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 208.201.121.10 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: For some reason,I didn't turn the television on the morning of 9/11. I was happily oblivious to what was happening on the other side of our country. I first heard about it while driving my son to the busstop for school. I thought it was some sick joke and that the DJ had a seriously perverted sense of humor! When I returned home and turned on the TV, I saw that this was no joke. Our precious country had indeed been attacked. I stumbled through the day in a state of numbness. Even though I had not suffered a "personal" loss, I felt a sorrow that went so deep. Sorrow for the families of those lost...sorrow for a world gone crazy. We had a service that evening at my church. We gathered in our sorrow and prayed for our leaders, our country and those putting their lives at risk. We prayed for God's mercy on this country, this country that had turned our face from Him. I found it strange that so many people who support striking the name of God from our schools, our government and any public place, would now turn to Him. I hoped that people would change, and allow God back in this country! I remember our pastor saying, "people wonder when we will get back to normal. Well, let's hope we never get back to normal, if normal means turning away from God and treating our fellow man with disrespect". I agree....We must never forget what has happened! We must not turn our backs on God again. We must not let those people who died, die in vain! God Bless America! Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story3507.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 209.179.147.144 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I am afraid that it will happen again. When I heard about it I was problary in class. I heard about it when I got home. It was on the news also my grandmother was watching it. The next day at school I heard about it on Channel 1. I am very thankful that it didn't happen to my family but sorry it happen to others. They had lots of people that lost close famliy members that cant be replaced. They lost mothers, fathers, sister, brothers, anuts, uncles, and grandparents. I am very sorry for the kids that lost their parents at a young age because of the crash. I wish you good luck and yes u will make it. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story20462.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2006-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 68.186.239.238 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: TOWERS OF WORDS: THE PLACE OF POETRY IN CRISES  As a human, I watched the Towers implode from my office window on Duane Street, six blocks from ground zero. I thought, - What to do? My response was to write a poem. And I wasn't alone. Towards the hole in the energy center, towards the sacred burial site of steel, concrete and ash, words began to emerge, looking for meaning, mourning, attempting to understand. Words on Missing Posters, words on makeshift memorials, scrawled on post-its and written in the dust on the windows of J&R Music, on the canvases at Union Square, in emails.  The impulse to build a Twin Towers of Words, to create a poem replicating/ remembering what had been blasted by humanity's failings, a response of art, this came later. The word went out that a Tower was being built at the People's Poetry Gathering website (www.peoplespoetry.org). The Gathering, a biennial festival of international poetries sponsored by City Lore and Poets House, is a place where all traditions of poetry, written and spoken, are celebrated, where connections are made and understanding is meaning. It was a perfect site for poets to post their hearts, and they did, often leaving whole poems rather than simply adding a line. So I wove lines together, creating a single poem out of the many submissions. 110 lines were selected, one for each floor in the Towers, from more than 150 submissions. Steve Zeitlin and Joe Dobkin helped with the creation.  The second tower was invitational-I sent out 130 invites, and most poets responded positively. Kathleen Masterson responded very positively-she was the first poet to submit a line. Eileen Myles edited some lines, including the first one, instead of writing her own.  Poets were invited to place their lines wherever they wished, so the poem kept changing, evolving into itself. About halfway through, my hard drive crashed and I lost all the names-very embarrassing to have to ask which brilliant line was whose. Robert Kelly wrote back, "Who cares? Aren't we all the poet? It sure is all the same crisis anyhow." The poets range from the wellknown to the unknown, from teenagers to septuagenarians, text, hiphop, language, avant garde, formalists. College professors, homeless poets, politicos, cynics. Again, Steve Zeitlin and Joe Dobkin helped form the poem.  In a crisis    In times of crisis      Poets lose words        They loose them           Find them here            Find some              -Bob Holman _________________________________________________________________________ TOWER ONE 1   In a crisis, poets lose words     You can find them here     Wisewomansaid: crisis = danger + opportunity     Wisewomansays: Como el f?nix, alzemonos de entre las cenizas un pueblo unido. 5   Dress in purple grief     And do Nothing-listen to Silence     Do Anything-get between our lobes & valves again.     Topfloor. Hold eyes. Hold hands. Take wing.     Better to fly than do nothing. 10  Out the window, PS 234, "Teacher, the birds are on fire."     Fire turns into sky,     Better to fly than do nothing, better to fly.     Soaring eagles spy glowing ember-     The pyres of the Phoenix and the Turtle burn wholly. 15   Wailing whispers. Lost angels     Wrapped in dust drift down,     An avalanche of ash disappears the world,     With every breath, a shower of shoes.     The day's sandwich is uneaten. 20   My sense of security jumped out the window.     I cannot determine what is the worst thing.     Fear rips out my tongue.     The dead race for the sky.     My peace lies beside your peace. 25   Gone Calder, gone Nevelson, gone Lichtenstein, gone Mir?     Follow us as we run up streets.     How fast can you run, tough rubber boots?     The fireman's feet blister,     Dogs listen, breathing pain. 30   We have become the heat-slick melt of infrastructure.     Who should I hate for this?     You called me? Hello?     Can we answer?     Your cell phone call our last connection voice stream 35   To that spinning jig dirge called life.     That nothing sound - I want to get it tattooed on my chest.     Shhhhhh you can hear the twisted bedrock groaning.     I nominate the silence.     Then finding the lost words of poets 40   I tremble as I write.     My peace lies beside your peace.     "Drop a sandwich, drop a bomb."     Let's dream our flying dreams again,     Let's collect the scattered polka dots 45   & And put them into coffee cups to circumnavigate utopia.     Loose words - the antidote emerges,     Unfurling through the eyes of my 12-year old daughter.     Dig for strength. Do not presume to know.     Arms circle children, comfort the distant. 50   We pay in children.     Maybe we should tell them our names     To silence fear, anchor life.     Maybe we can learn their names.     Call me. Call me you. 55   Someone tries to light a candle but tears keep putting it out.     What's the worst thing? My son asks, "Is God still alive?"     What does it matter? Oculus blinded.     We're bleeding, we're alive.     Tie a string on my finger to remember to be kind. 60 Maybe if I fill up the hole in my stomach I can fill up the hole in the building       and plug up the emptiness fill up the hole plug up my heart in my stomach       the building fix and patch and fill in the emptiness fix the world my head       my heart the building and stuff in and fill and patch my heart and fix the       world and and and stuff and patch and fix and fill and fix     I wish I were a large gorilla,       able to swat planes out of the sky,       then perhaps I could dream about       bananas again, and days in the sun.     Then on the screen, a sports star tv high to the religion-bound     Dust like snow clouds, smoke like dry ice     Radio muttering war cries 65  Moviemakers rushing to the scene     Where the Twin Towers turn into the Coliseum     Extras fall screaming murder murder murder     Who died, who lived-thousands of lifelines,     Of stirs & swipes, flagging down right and wrong 70 Desperate for a piece of silence, the silence of peace.     Now a microcosmic militia invades     Our homes, lives, and bodies     With killing snow     And bleeding intentions. 75  Mankind bitten by a recluse     Poison injected from a web secluded.     There was a Turkish girl who'd been sick at school.     Anthrax! said the doctor and the papers. Terror! Here!     Gonna wage holy war against you baby! 80  The trap of vengeance closes on the hand that sets it.     This crisis ends begins a new crisis,     Wicks of two candles forever burning out.     Give me crisis hope.     Give me a history more ancient than calendars to resurrect skylines. 85  Osama bin Laden I am haunted by your morning     Red sun rises on broken sky line,     The day hangs heavy on the sidewalks.     From far away we feel so close.     We all live in Ground Zero. 90  We are the endangered species.     Now from window, wind.     Now from sirens, sighs.     Cava mi cuerpo noche vacia. I'll grow in flowers to witness.     "There once was..." as all stories begin. But not here. Never again. 95  Rosebud on a flagpole. Ivy twines the cannon.     This place cannot hold the memories-they come alive,     Lead to a future, all and each, a dance that erupts.     This poem is in Shock.     Its sense of security jumped out the window 100 Through golden grates and iron barricades,     Sing! don't argue.     Chanting throats boil rage.     Mah ra kah sah sah Mah ra kah sah sah     With the taste of burning metal. 105 Slalom Aleichem Bismilliah, Alhamdulillah.     My peace locked inside your peace.     But that always toxic taste.     La illaha illa lah Kyrie Eleison     Like moths slapped silly by the bulb. 110 Tips my tongue that is loose       with words       words that cannot stop. 1 Bob Holman, 2 Steve Zeitlin, 3 Lois Wilcken, 4 George Zavala, 5 Jeffery Beam, 6 Bob Holman, 7 erik, 8 unknown, 9 Jan McLaughlin, 10 Bob Holman, 11 rob, 12 Jan McLaughlin, 13 Penni Moore, 14 Susan Katz, 15-16 unknown, 17 Roberta Singer, 18 rennie/Georgia A. Popoff, 19 Kristin M. Petersen, 20 Heather Bourbeau, 21 klonskyj, 22 stargazer lilly, 23 Gary Mex Glazner, 24 Ellen Feighny, 25 Susan Katz, 26 Karen Karpowitch, 27 Karen Karpowitch/aerohead, 28-29 aerohead, 30 unknown, 31 John Kulm, 32-33 unknown, 34 Mauree Pendergrast/David Osgood, 35 Gary Mex Glazner, 36 Gary Mex Glazner/Joe Dobkin, 37 Gregory W. Farrell, 38 Joe Dobkin, 39 Susan Katz, 40 Joe Dobkin/Bartolome de las Casas, 41 Ellen Feighny, 42 Joe Dobkin/unknown 43-44 denise, 45 denise/andruid, 46 andruid, 47 Gene Bryan Johnson, 48 Stacie Barry/unknown, 49 Paddy Bowman, 50 Ellen Feighny, 51 Jill Bressler, 52 erik, 53 Jill Bressler, 54 unknown, 55 Martha Garvey Jr., 56 klonskyj/Leonore Gordon, 57 Heather Aileen Mahoney/Catherine Rauch, 58-59 D. Sturmbaugh, 60 Paula Panzarella, 61 Joseph McElroy, 62 Vincent Katz, 63 binda23/Steve Zeitlin, 64 binda23, 65-66 Steve Zeitlin, 67-68 Susan Katz, 69 erik, 70 Gene Bryan Johnson, 71-74 dck134, 75-76 Molly O'Neal Stone, 77-78 Ed Foster, 79 Jack Foss, 80 unknown, 81 Martin Tsahai, 82 Gregory W. Farrell, 83 Susan Katz, 84 Rebecca L. Metzger, 85-87 binda23, 88 unknown, 89 moteck, 90-92 unknown, 93 Javier Eduardo Perna, 95-97 unknown, 98 deafpoet, 99 Heather Bourbeau, 100 Joe Dobkin, 101 Heather Bourbeau, 102 Gary Mex Glazner, 103 erik, 104 Heather Bourbeau, 105 erik, 106 Ellen Feighny, 107 Susan Katz, 108 erik, 109 Ben Zeitlin, 110 Susan Katz. Poets listed as "unknown" are those we were unable to reach to get their correct attribution. In some cases the names that appear here are taken from email addresses. Some lines were added after the graphic image of the towers was created. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story9311.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2003-05-12 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 146.96.204.160 Annotation Annotations to this item. da Notes Notes about this item. see image #2014 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I had just started a new job on Sept 10th and as part of the job, on the first day, I was sent to of all places Ottawa to conduct some employee meetings. I was to start a series of meetings on the hour every hour with the first one at 9am. No one showed up and one lady finally came in a little after 9am and said, "I am so sorry about what has happened in your country" I was confused. When I went to the breakroom and saw the coverage and the crowd surrounded the one wall mounted TV there, the reality hit. Being in Canada's capital, I was not only concerned about possible attacks there, I was really feeling isolated and scared that I would never get home - Atlanta. The following days, I just cried all day and finally on Thursday, I met a group of Americans in the hotel concierge (did not know them at all) who had gotten the last rental car in Ottawa. This kind man offered to drive us over the border where we could all get other rentals or fly to our homes. That day, we drove from Ottawa to Syracuse. I drove another 400 mi alone from Syracuse to Baltimore where I boarded a flight to Ottawa. On the drive there, I saw spontaneous "God Bless America" signs and I would occassionally get teary myself. I held it in until I curiously drove past the Pentagon in DC and then I lost it. On the flight, I was terrified and no one on the flight spoke at all. We were all just kind of suspiciously staring at each other and just wanting to get home wherever that was for everyone. When I finally saw my husband at the airport in Atlanta, I just burst into tears. I was finally home in America with my family. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story5733.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 152.163.188.6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I worked directly across the street of the Trade Center in the World Financial Center for 5 years. I had been on the express bus, coming out of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel when the first plane hit. We heard the dispatcher tell the bus driver that a plane hit into the WTC and it seemed to be an accident. After hearing that, we all started to make our way off the bus and on to our jobs. I was walking towards my building, standing directly across the street (on Liberty St) when I was stopped by a police officer. He told me not to go any further because there had been airplane parts all over the street and it was dangerous. So I stayed there just watching the 1st tower burn. I could see all the fireman & police officers getting people out of the building. The people were running, some were injured & burnt. It was so horrific to see this. After 10 mins of watching, I heard a loud sound as if something were falling from the sky. When I looked up, all I could see was this huge plane right over head flying 100's of miles an hour directly into the 2nd tower. That's when I realized it was not an accident, we were being attached. I could hear the sound of that plane going into the building making a huge suction sound then exploding into peices all over the area. From that point I ducked so I wouldn't be hit. I know at that point I was not thinking about saving myself or heading somewhere for safty, I was knumb and couldn't move. My whole body was in a state of shock. Here were these two huge buildings that I've associated all my life with home and they were on fire. From where I was standing I could hear these banging sounds that sounded that little bombs exploding, days later I realized it was the sound of bodies falling from the windows hitting the ground. Still standing in ora after mins that seemed to be as long as hours, a panic came over everyone around me and that's when I could hear the police officers screaming run the building is collapsing. Well I never ran so fast in my life. I ran towards the water thinking that if one building was falling the others where going to be right behind it sort of like a domino effect. If there was anywhere left to go it was going to be in the Hudson River. At the time I was running, I turned around to see what was going on behind me and it looked like a scene right out of the movies. This huge gray cloud that looked solid like a marshmello was right behind me and it was coming quick. I got as far as I could go, covering my face with a ripped towel that I fellow next to me handed me. When I was finally able to squint my eyes open, I couldn't even see 10 feet in front. Everyone around me was covered in dust, as was I. It wasn't just dust, it was a pinchy fiberglass feeling that was over your skin. Immediately I got it in my eyes and had to remove my contacts because they were burning me. The air was starting to clear when I was able to find my cell phone and call home. Not knowing that no ones phones were working, I tried to call out and nothing was happening. I remember thinking two things, this was the end of the world and I was going to die on this day, and my mom & fiance was probably watching this on CNN not knowing where I was because they hadn't heard from me. Looking for anyway out of the city, I went towards the Staten Island Ferry and just as the ferry was docking in the pier, tower 2 was collapsing and the dust was getting thick again. As I boarded the ferry, the deckhands were handing out life jackets so I grab one and made my way on too the ferry. It took us about 5/10 mins. to get out into the water because the harbor was not clear enough to depart. When we were finally out by the Statue of Liberty, there was a sign a relief in me but I still didn't feel safe until I was home. When I finally reached my house, I remember running in and my mom was standing at the top of the steps in tears. We both huged each other as tight as possible and cried. At that moment I thought to myself, how glad I was to be alive & able to come home to my family. There was a lot of tears from that day forward, watching TV, going to funnerals, even the day I had to head back into the city for the first time after 9/11. Things will never be the same here in NYC but we've all gained the strenght to go on with our lives and I know that no one will ever forget that day or those people who lost their innocent lives just trying to make a days pay. And for the heros who were trying to save the people, they've gained more than just respect from me... Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story3427.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 192.147.58.6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: On that morning, I was over my aunt's house to watch my godson. She had just left her job and I went over anyway to watch my godson while she was looking for another one. That was a rough morning for me and I was taking a nap on the couch while he was napping too. My aunt was cleaning and the TV was off. I vaguely remember hearing the phone ring. The next thing I knew my aunt was turning on the TV and waking me up saying that the WTC towers had been hit by planes. I was still kind of out of it but when I saw what had happened I woke up real quick. I was in shock. I called my mom at work and told her. It was just so unreal. Then I heard that the Pentagon was attacked. I have a relative that works at NSA and he is in that area sometimes plus it was real close to home. I called my godmother to see if she had heard from him but she hadn't. She told me not to worry that he was fine. I'm lucky I suppose that I don't know anyone in New York City but I have relatives that do. I called my family in Seattle. I just had to make sure everyone was alright. Everyone was fine and accounted for thank God. I found out later that my relative at NSA was ok but he had a close call. He was at an early morning meeting that morning and had left the Pentagon about 10 minutes before the attack. Now it is very important that I spend as much time as possible with the ones I love and tell them often how much they mean to me. It has brought to heart just how fragile and precious every life is. I spent that entire day watching TV for news about what had happened and for a week or more afterwards. It was like reliving it all over again but I had to know what was happening. I'm very proud of our leaders and their response to this horrific attack on us. When I heard about the people on Flight 93, I was astonished and proud to be an American. I can only imagine what they must have been going through in their last moments. My hearts go out to them and the ones they love. I live in Richmond about 2 miles from the airport and the National Guard air field. The absence of airplanes during those first few days was eerie. I hated hearing the fighter planes fly because I never knew if something else had happened but at the same time it was reassuring that they were there to protect us. When the airplanes began flying again it was like things where almost normal again. I was never much of a flyer and I haven't been on a plane in the year since the attacks. I would like to think that I would fly again if I need to. I would like to think that I won't let these cowards keep me from living a normal life. It's been fairly easy for me to go on with my life. September 11, 2002 was a very difficult day for me. I stayed home all day watching the memorials. I cried most of the day and still do when I think of all those people who died in a senseless act of terrorism. It's kind of strange for me. I'm a big history buff and love to learn about the events that have shaped our lives, made our country and others stronger, and changed how we look at the world. This is the first time I have ever really been directly affected and this is one of the pieces of history that I wish had never had to live through. The memory of this tragedy is imprinted on my mind, my heart and my soul forever. I will never forget the courage and compassion of the heroes or the sacrifice and selflessness of those who gave their lives to save so many others on that fateful day. We, as a country, will never be the same but we are already showing that this has made us stronger and more united then ever. The only thing the terrorists have accomplished is to make us angry and strengthen our resolve to end terrorism in every and any form in which it exists. My love and prayers go out to the victims and their families. May God be with you always. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story7553.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-15 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 152.163.188.6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: i was at home 11 months pragent with my son. i reamber the phone ringing, when i answered it was my husband telling me to turn on the news the world trade center was just hit. i went and got my sister-in-law and we just stared at the tv with disbeilfe. and then we started to cry togeather. i then had to explain to my 8yr daughter what was happening and my sister had to tell her childern. it was so hard to see all those people who were dieing. with one year behind us the hurt for the families is still there. it makes me realize that i can not take nothing at face value. i don't let my family leave now even when i am mad without them knowing that i truly love them. my thoughts and prayers are all ways with the families of 9-11. life will never be the same.MAY GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU! Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story5805.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-12 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 64.12.96.8 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: This is my journal regarding the events and aftermath of September 11, 2001 September 11, 2001 (9am) I normally stroll into work on the 17th floor of the World Trade Center (Tower 2) around 9:15am. Around 9am on Tuesday, September 11, 2001, I was on the express bus going to work and we had just gotten to the toll plaza of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel when someone exclaimed that there was smoke coming from the world trade center. I looked up from my book to see a huge plume of smoke blowing south east off of WTC 1. I am one of the fire wardens on my floor and my first reaction was to grab my cell phone to make sure my co-workers knew what was going on and that they were getting out of the office. The answering message picked up. Someone reported that a plane had hit WTC 1. We all began to talk about it thinking it was a small commuter style plane or even a stunt plane that had had an accident. There are many stupid people who have tried stunts involving the WTC and we speculated this was one gone horribly wrong. I saw what at the time I thought was a helicopter go towards and behind the buildings. I was trying to call my husband and was looking at my phone when I heard faint thunder. Someone screamed. I looked up to see a huge ball of orange fire, like a mini atomic blast, engulf the top quarter of MY building. I remember exclaiming "Oh my God! I work there!" and then the bus got very dark. After a split second of panic I realized it was because we had just entered the Battery Tunnel (the bus was an older model with small windows and the driver had the internal lights off). With one voice we, the passengers, began screaming to the bus driver - "Stop! Don't go in! Where did he think he was going anyway?" He kept driving forward. He stopped after a minute or two, when the traffic ground to a halt. We were stuck, could not go forwards or back. The last thing any of us had seen was Hell being unleashed on our friends and colleagues (this was a downtown only bus - all the passengers worked in the financial district). Panic and confusion broke out. My cell phone had a signal, but I could not get a line out to call anyone. People were screaming that we were being bombed, yelling at the driver to let them out of the bus or to back out. I truly thought I was going to die - underground and in the dark. Every day, twice a day, I passed through this tunnel, 150 feet below the river - and at least a few times a week would morbidly daydream about what might happen if a terrorist attack occurred while I was down there. Wouldn't taking out the river crossings be a logical attack pattern sure to cause many deaths and wreak long-term havoc? My worst-case scenarios normally included rushing fire enveloping and flooding water crushing everything in its path. I was terrified that I was about to find out if my predictions were right. My world narrowed to trying to dial my cell phone and chanting in my head "Get us out of here, get us out of here, get us out of here..." A lot of the passengers were crowding the driver yelling at him or pleading with him to let them off the bus. Some were trying to make calls, I heard one woman praying. I don't remember anyone crying. I have no memory of the driver making any sort of an announcement to us or giving us any information. I got very angry with him one minute and then the next thought how horrible for him, just a regular Joe, driving his bus and suddenly he holds the lives of 30 people in his hands. After a while the driver, without saying a word to us, left the bus. While we all assumed he was going to try and get some info on what he should do, we were all mad that he had left without a word. A few passengers tried to open the door, but the driver had somehow secured it. An SUV came towards us from the Manhattan side. One of the passengers got into the busdriver's seat and began honking the horn. The SUV paused by the driver's window. Word began to filter back through the bus that the towers had been struck by commercial jetliners and that city was under attack and being bombed. I was now certain I was going to die and heard a roaring in my ears, felt a squeezing in my chest and my face and extremities got all pins and needley. I began to ask the other passengers with phones if they could get a call out because I needed to speak to my husband. No one was getting out although everyone kept trying. I didn't want to die without being able to say good-bye! We must have been in the tunnel about 45 - 50 minutes when we felt the tunnel vibrate. In my mind's eye I imagined a huge white cloud rushing through the tunnel at us like in movies I had seen about nuclear holocausts. Later I saw replays of the collapse on TV and the clouds of dust and debris rushing through the canyon-like downtown streets looked just what I had pictured in my head. I realized then that the vibration I had felt was Tower 2 collapsing, but at the time it happened I was clueless and thought the tunnel was going to break up. Just after that, the driver returned to the bus and began to back us out of the tunnel. We cheered him then - let me tell you! I was never so relieved as when I saw daylight beginning to filter in the windows. We cleared the tunnel and we applauded our driver as he began to turn the bus back into Brooklyn. Cell phones began to ring, but still no one could get a call out. We all noticed a huge white cloud just beginning to spread out over the toll plaza from across the river. Looking into it I saw something sparkly all through the plume that was heading towards us. "What is that shit?" I said pointing and just then a lady on the her cell phone cried out that the Pentagon had been bombed and the man in the seat in front of me said that WTC 2 had collapsed. That news sort of went in one ear and out the other as I thought they meant the top that was burning had come away. The word 'war' began to be tossed around and I wondered aloud if the sparkly cloud I had seen was maybe poison gas (it was in fact a mix of fiberglass, asbestos, metal, glass and paper from the WTC 2 collapse - we are getting papers in lawns here from the explosion, I'm tempted to see if any are from my office - NOT). The driver sped through side streets as I continued to try to get through to my husband, Gerry. Finally we came to my stop and I ran home. I was shaking like a leaf and dashed to the house phone. I dialed my husband's work number and turned the TV on to NY1. The clock on my cable box said 10:25. There was a picture on the screen of what looked like the same image I had first seen from the bus - smoke pouring from the top of WTC 1. I did not see WTC 2 but assumed it was due to the angle of the shot, which was from the north. I was not listening to the audio since the phone was connecting my call. Gerry answered the phone. "I'm OK," I blurted out. He began to sob immediately. We spent a minute frantically re-assuring each other we were OK and then I had to hang up to call everyone else. I tried my parents in FL but got a circuit busy signal. I knew I could reach them online so tried to call Barbara (my birth Mother) in the Bronx. She picked up and was freaking out. I was staring at the TV reassuring her that I was Ok, when suddenly Tower 1 collapsed. I remember screaming "Oh my God!" and then the realization hit me that there was nothing BEHIND WTC 1. I began to scream incoherently into the phone - "it's gone!" and "everyone I know is dead!" The next thing I knew I was sitting on the floor by my bathroom and sobbing and gasping. Barbara was shouting through the phone, which I had dropped at some point - I'm sure she thought I was under attack or dying. I was pretty hysterical. I had not comprehended what I had heard earlier when they said that WTC 2 had collapsed. How could I comprehend it? It was incomprehensible! There were things I needed to bring home from my cubicle, my pets (2 frogs and a crab) needed to be fed and my plants watered! I spent more time in that place than I did in my own home - how could it be GONE?! When I could halfway function again I told her I was not hurt but that all my friends might be dead and hung up on her. Not the best thing to do, but I was hardly thinking straight. I began to page through my cell phone's directory, praying I had someone from work's home number in it. I had one number; I had to dial 5 times before the call got through. I asked for Gygi and, praise the Goddess, she was there. She sounded as bad as I did and I asked if she had been there. She then realized who she was speaking to and told me yes and that everyone had gotten out. "But, did they get away?" I asked. Gygi said she did not know because she ran for the Brooklyn Bridge the second she got to the street. Before she hung up she re-assured me that everyone HAD gotten out. I sobbingly thanked her and told her how glad I was she was alive. I then tried my folks in FL again and got through this time. Still shaking, I next thought of my 2 best friends, one of whom works at Verizon across from Tower 1. I knew his habits and knew he would have been getting to work around the same time I normally do. I could not raise him on any of his contact numbers and even went to his apartment down the hall on the off chance he was home. No luck, so I went downstairs to my other best friend's door. I knew she had no reason to be in the downtown area so I was not concerned for her safety as much as I needed to have someone with me. There was no answer from her door either. I was beginning to feel the waves of bad panic threaten to overwhelm me again and knew I needed to be DOING something. I grabbed my laptop and got online and began to contact everyone on my work address book to try and locate my friends and co-workers in the building. I began connecting to folks and we began to spin an info web, with me in the center. One by one folks checked in safely. The home office in London left me a voice message asking me to call in if I was able - they were doing a head count of survivors from across the ocean. We swapped info on whom we had found and my spirits began to climb as the number grew. This continued into Wednesday. I dropped into bed around 5:30am Wednesday and was back online less than 2 hours later, trying to locate people, keep communications flowing and making sure my online campus was still running and my clients' needs were covered. Other friends from the WTC began to check in as well and I began to ride a real high. By 6pm Wednesday we had accounted for all our people and only 3 had been injured enough to need immediate medical attention, but essentially, we were whole. Wednesday night I finally stopped for the first time. Then the reality of what had happened finally caught up with me. I had spent 2 days just surviving - doing what I needed to do to get from moment to moment, but not really being IN any moment long enough to process it. Wednesday night was very bad. I finally passed out (literally) around 5:30am - but was up again by 9am Thursday. Thursday I spent reaching out to folk. Talking and swapping stories. Friends and colleagues validating each other's nightmares and miracles. Learning about the folks I know that didn't make it - no one in my immediate circle but in my extended one there have been losses. 3 confirmed and at least 5 more still unaccounted for. It has been a roller coaster day, with highs and lows - once again as night approached I knew I would not be able to sleep until exhaustion claimed me with a dreamless blank time. I am still waiting for that to happen as the one thing I know I won't be able to handle is lying quietly and letting my mind drift. Drifting is definitely not an option yet - too many bogeymen in my head. I need oblivion or activity. So I decided to get my story down. It has helped to focus on the events from a factual reference rather than to just relive the feelings yet again. I thank the God and Goddess for my good fortune and for showing me how very loved I really am! (The above entry was written 9/14/01) Tuesday 9/11/01 @ 6pm Well I have heard from some friends who were at ground zero. So far I have lost no one! But many workmates are still officially not accounted for. From one of my team members I heard that security would not let folks out of the concourse of WTC2 - she was pressed up against the glass looking out at the plaza until she saw the bodies falling from Tower 1. That was when folks stormed out despite the security people. Everyone was still standing around by Century 21 and Brooks Brothers on Church Avenue when the second plane hit - so I am afraid folks may have got caught in the collapse even though they made it out of the building fine. My best friend who was missing has checked in as well! He had gotten to the WTC right when the plane hit Tower 1 and somehow got into his office anyway (dumb shit!) after he made a few calls he left again and saw the plane hit Tower 2 - as the debris was falling (he witnessed a woman get sliced up by falling glass) he ran like the wind, by the time he got onto the Brooklyn Bridge Tower 2 was collapsing. My friend who worked up on the 75th floor of the building, who I was very afraid was dead, has also checked in! Luckily since Tower 1 was hit first she got out as well - but barely before WTC 2 went down! She was on the stairs when the plane hit and went tumbling down a flight of steps with 10 other people on top of her. My company (Pearson ed in London is our parent co) has been aggressively been trying to locate everyone, so far about 1/5th of our employees have checked in ok and the Pearson ed building in midtown has become an emergency space for folks to crash, locate family and get counseling. My husband still cannot get home. He just called me and managed to get to Queens but now is stuck there! Thursday, 9/13 Everything is sinking in and now I am so sad and depressed. I should be happy and yet I am not. I mean I AM happy that all my people are OK, but I can't help but feel as though the world will never be the same and I am mourning stupid shit that I should not care about right now. I keep thinking about my personal stuff lost and places I will never go or sights I will never see again. I keep reliving my moments of panic and get mad at myself cause I know it is over and I am safe but I feel scared and hopeless tonight. I have been keeping myself so busy during the days trying to be a good soldier and being a communications hub for my colleagues until the temp HQ got themselves together. Now that I know everyone is safe and I do not really need to be on top of everything cause everyone is in the know now it is hard to deal. I am scared to go to sleep, but all I am doing by staying up is making myself more miserable. Every time I turn the TV off or to a non-news channel I get very, very nervous and anxious until I put the news on again, which only makes me feel worse. I am supposed to travel to Trenton Saturday to my cousin Julie's baby shower - a joyous event, but now I do not want to go. I am afraid to get on the subway and go into the city to get a train. The thought of going into the city frightens me. The thought of being underground in the subway terrifies me - I hate feeling like this. I feel so stupid for being all fucked up like this - and guilty when so many other NYers are SO, SO much worse off than I am. Although no one I work with is currently missing (although I think some of my clients are now dead, but do not know and will not know for some time) friends and colleagues have friends and family who ARE missing. Its all a bit much. Am I just being a drama queen and making myself a victim? Sorry for dumping but I cannot remember when I have felt so miserable - Gerry has to work in the morning so he went to bed long ago and I am so pissed at him for not being with me and comforting me right now, but he has also had his own trauma to deal with and has to be up at 5 am so why am I being such a bitch about it? Friday, September 14, 2001 I finally passed out around 8am only to be up again by 9am. I have had @ 8 hours sleep in the last 93 hours. I can't sleep - it won't come. I just spent the last few hours with my friend Sue, who runs the BMCC command center at ground zero (Borough of Manhattan Community College) - that is where the morgue and rescue coordination center is. She has just come off a 72 hour tour of duty in Hell. I have heard way too much to write it all. The reassuring thing I learned is that my neighborhood should be safe from *targeted* attacks as we have a heavy Mideast population. The areas around us - Newkirk Ave, 3rd Ave and Coney Island Ave are where many cell members are so they will not hit here as far as terror attacks go. OTOH, A mob tried to burn down the corner smoke shop yesterday (run by quite nice and innocent Arab-Americans) and there were 2 shootings at Brooklyn College tonight and 9 bomb threats there this week so far - BC is a block away. The bombs were all fake, but the one at the port authority was real. The GWB bomb scare was not real, but bin Laden's guys were there testing security. Our building is incredibly diverse with Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Christians, Sikhs, Pagans - we are the true melting pot here. We did a candle vigil outside earlier tonight and many tenants came out to share stories - it is amazing how many people are directly affected by this here. I had a chance to reach out to some of the Muslim neighbors as I'm sure they feel they are a target for retaliation. We really will need to band together in the coming months for our mutual protection. If anyone wants to send encouraging notes to the rescue battalions they can be emailed to anewoman@yahoo.com - they will get them and they will mean a lot the the volunteers and regulars alike. Feel free to pass that email on to others wanting to offer encouragement. I still cannot believe all this... Monday, 9/17/01 Honestly, it has been tough. Each day I would hear of another associate still missing - which at this point is the way we say dead in NYC. No one says they are dead, just missing... Sat night I had a *huge* scary panic attack - never had one before in my life and I though my mind had slipped off the track for good, so Sunday I went to see my Dr who took one look at me and put me on anti-anxiety meds. They work great - I do not feel doped up or anything like that, but it takes the edge off the constant anxiety. Today was my first day back into the city, I had a choice of 2 hours underground on the subway or 2 minutes through the damned tunnel. I chose the tunnel for 2 reasons - 1- get back on the horse etc and 2 - there was no way in hell I was ready for 2 hours underground --especially with the trains stopping between stations for 20 minutes at a time while "police investigations" (read as bomb threats) go on. That would have been way too much, I'll work up to the train... So, even on the meds I had another panic attack on the bus and in the tunnel. I kept a walkman on and my eyes closed and my dear hubby came with me and was great at helping me manage the panic and fear. Going through lower Manhattan was awful -even though I kept my eyes shut the smell of the burning was strong and thick - very bad! By the time I got off the bus I felt as if I had run a marathon! BUT I DID IT! It was wonderful to be reunited with my co-workers and give everyone hugs. Also interesting to see how different everyone is in their reactions to all this. For some it was devastation, for others just another day, let's get back to work! Some of us swapped horror stories, offered comfort and a sense of not being alone in all this. One friend gave us a gift in the news that she is expecting. I hugged her and cried, but tears of joy this time. For the record, not one person felt that I was not as much a victim of this as they were. It was pointed out to me, by more than one person, that I should not beat myself up for reacting with fear even though I was not in the building since THEY could run to save their lives while I was trapped for 45 minutes thinking death was coming to get me (yes those comments made to me did a lot of damage since I was so fragile at the time they were made, if he wants to claim that as *power* let him!). That helped since I *was* beating myself up. They provided counseling for us, but honestly all they did was throw a "so, you have post traumatic stress syndrome" pamphlet at us and urged us to seek private counseling. Supposedly the firm will pay for that and I have an apt set up for tomorrow. That panic attack scared the sh!t out of me since I was suicidal during it and I have NEVER NEVER remotely felt that way in my life! I do not feel that way now either - it was something purely chemical happening in my brain during the episode. So please shrink me, cause I never want to feel that way again! We are supposed to go back to work on Thursday, but I think after that I will try to work from home for part of the time as I do not think I can handle an every day commute just yet. I will be there Thursday since it will be a strategy meeting. For now we will squat at Pearson in Midtown, our pres assured us that wherever the new digs are, we will be no higher than the 10th floor! They also said that we would be reimbursed for all personal property lost (that we had at work). Some folks lost wallets and cellphones, palm pilots etc (my boss had her tax rebate check there), I only lost my pets, my plant and a lot of personal, sentimental shit that was probably not worth more than $100 all together, so I will likely not make any claim on that. One of my co-workers has her boyfriend down at ground zero and the scary thing is that when she and I compared notes as to what our contacts there were saying (my girlfriend is in command of the staging area at BMCC) - they were both telling us the exact same stuff - even down to which was the only train cleared sabotage wise (the C train in case any NYers are curious). So on the one hand it was validation, but on the other hand makes me more scared than ever since they are telling us some pretty serious, scary stuff about what they all feel is coming our way. The ride back home was not nearly as bad as on the way in. I was definitely anxious, but not panicked; and as soon as we were past the tunnel and back in Brooklyn I was able to doze a bit. Gerry says he is very proud of me :-) I think I am proud of myself too, it will only get easier now each time and I truly feel I will be OK, after the last few days I had my doubts! So while it was a hard day in some respects it was a good day in others! I am hoping this was enough to allow me to sleep, since it has been 6 days now that I have been averaging only 2 1/2 hours sleep in every 24... *Still* a survivor! L'Shanah Tovah to those of you still counting on the old calendar! Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story1470.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-08-26 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 198.4.159.5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: After five years, I'm more convinced than ever that we are involved in a global war on terror. Here in America, we got a taste of what facist Islamists want to do to anyone in the world that does not embrace Islam, which means to submit! They are NOT like other religions and we must do everything we can to protect our borders. If that means profiling - so be it! If you have nothing to fear, you should welcome efforts to preserve the peace and freedom we enjoy in this country. 9-11 was not an isolated incident, nor will it be the last if we are not vigilant. We are living in very dangerous times, and the political partisan structure of our government had better understand that and quit trying to think that we can just pull out our troops, ignore it and it will go away. 9-11 will be like a picnic in the park if that happens. We will NEVER be able to go back to the good old days of rinky-dink bickering between parties. Gone are those days, and people had better realize it. This is much bigger than just Democratic and Republican philosophies - which are both laughable if we no longer have a country in which to live! And instead of helping, the press needs to stop pitting us against each other in an effort to cause controversy and sell news. They will realize too late the roll they have played in our national security. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story20603.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2006-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 71.89.131.148 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I was working at as a manager at a restaraunt at the time, and I was on my way back from the bank when I heard the news of the attacks on the radio. At first I thought it was a sick joke, I mean, who would ever imagine such a thing could happen? But than I realized how true it was. I was in shock. When I got back to the restaraunt, I was the only one there who knew, so I was the one to break it to my co-workers. One of the girls went to her house and got a radio so we could follow the news, and others tried franically to get in touch with family members who worked at the Pentagon. There was tears and anger. Everyone was in a daze for days. Thankfully no one there lost anyone in the attacks, but my heart goes out to all those that did. Later, me, my sister, and or friends watched the news together and cried and prayed for the victims and their families. And for days the sound of an airplane approaching struck fear in our hearts. Some of the fear has faded but will never be completely gone. I hope that nothing like this could ever happen again. But no one will ever forget that day. It truely is a day of infamy now. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story5790.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-12 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 205.188.209.38 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I am from Brooklyn, NY, and I had just joined the Marines. After completing my 13 weeks of basic training, we were required to go to Infantry school for two weeks. I reported to the training camp on September 4th. The following week, that Tuesday; September 11th, we were informed that two commercial planes had destroyed the World Trade Center. I didn't even know what to think...my stepmother worked with the same airline; United Airlines (thank goodness she wasn't on the plane), but she did know a couple of the stewardesses though. May they rest in peace. Anyway, my grandmother was also in NY. I couldn't think really...and seeing that I had just joined the Armed Forces..I didn't know if they were gonna send us out or what, (I'm female, they don't usually send us out)..but sometimes, you never know. It was just so crazy. What a way to hit a country hard. May God bless, rest and save the souls and be with the relatives of those lost. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story5330.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 205.56.145.38