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Might anyone else choose to share a listing of the national events that have given rise to the "where were you" memory when learning of the event ?
Mine (b: 1941)
45 - FDR death 45 - "The war is over" 57 - Sputnik 63 - JFK assasination 69 - Moon Landing 86 - Challenger (addendum) 89 - Berlin Wall 2K - Millenium 01 - 9/11 08 - Financal meltdown 16 - Trump victory
Anyone else?
Posts: 10507 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Mine (b:1950) 57 school integration white adults screaming at children JFK assassination 68 Russia invades Czechoslovakia 68 MLK assassination 69 Moon landing 86 Challenger shuttle explosion 89 Berlin wall comes down 89 Mandela takes a walk Wilder elected Governor of VA 2K Millennium 01 9/11 02 Iraq Invasion
Posts: 516 | From: Richmond VA USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Of the dates mentioned, there are two that are permanently etched in my memory.
In 1963 I was sitting in the waiting room of the ophthalmologist office waiting for those hydroxyamphetamine drops to take effect before having my eyes examined. I overheard the doctor telling the receptionist about the assassination of President Kennedy. I was fourteen at the time and thought there must have been a mistake. This could not be.
On 9/11 like millions of others, I was watching it unfold on tv, hating what I saw but unable to turn it off. The one image that stands out for me, was the look on President George W Bush's face when he was first told of the attack.
Posts: 169 | From: Northwest Wisconsin | Registered: Dec 2003
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In 1963 my eighth grade class was suddenly cancelled. There was no announcement why. Some of the kids went to the neighboring church (it was a Catholic school). I took the bus home and found my mother walking around the house screaming and yelling. That's how I learned of JFK's death.
In 89 I came home from work and turned on the TV to find people climbing over the Berlin Wall with Tom Brokaw standing in front of it. I stood transfixed in front of the TV for maybe an hour.
In 86 I was at work when a foreman told me the Space Shuttle exploded. I waited for the punch line. He told me it was no joke. I went to the Rec Room where there was a TV and saw the truth.
In 2001 I was in bed because I was on the night shift at that time. My sister woke me with a phone call telling me a plane hit the World Trade Center. I went back to sleep. She called me back telling me a second plane hit the other tower. Then I got up, and stood transfixed in front of the TV all day, giving my sister updates. When I got to work, a co-worker who was estranged from his wife, reconciled with her at the news.
Posts: 516 | From: Richmond VA USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: Might anyone else choose to share a listing of the national events that have given rise to the "where were you" memory when learning of the event ?
Mine (b: 1941)
45 - FDR death 45 - "The war is over" 57 - Sputnik 63 - JFK assasination 69 - Moon Landing 86 - Challenger (addendum) 89 - Berlin Wall 2K - Millenium 01 - 9/11 08 - Financal meltdown 16 - Trump victory
Anyone else?
It appears Lori wants to expand this topic outward to include circumstances learning of these "where were you" events.
Well, she's the Moderator around here; so her wish is thy command.
At age 4, I can distinctly remember my Mother saying to me in my Bedroom "President Roosevelt died, we now have President Truman".
I heard my Mother and Father talking about The War, and they did say to me "the War is over".
I was in boarding school and after Lunch I went up to my dorm room. On my bed was my New York Times. I turned it over; "Soviets Launch Satellite...." What????
I was a Sophmore at University of Illinois -Champaign. I had a 1200 (CT) class. Girls were standing about and crying. I asked one I "sort of knew". "President Kennedy has been shot". Went to the class which the instructor promptly CX'd.
I was taking a joyride that weekend with a friend on the GM&O. I was going to ride to St Louis to Bloomington; he was going to drive my car there, where we would switch off and he would take the GM&O home to Chicago. I would drive back to Champaign (Summer Session after I had got out of Service and went back). He says, "lets both go to Champaign, I'll just couch surf". There we saw the "Giant Step" on TV.
I was out making calls at my clients when my car phone (got it during '84) rang and it's a (girl) friend (of sorts). Very shocked, but driving safe came first.
I too saw the same NBC newscast Mr. Nicholson notes. I think we all knew that was coming.
Home and in bed, but a friend in California "just had to call me up".
I was working at my desk. I placed a call to the Employment Security agency regarding an upcoming audit of a client. The Auditor said "forget it; I have bigger fish to fry". "Thank you Ma'am, I'll call my client". Did that; their Office gal is crying. "Fern, what's going on?". "You don't know?? Someone flew planes into the World Trade Center". "Well, let me see what's going on". "By the way, IDES cancelled the audit". That was business for the day. My Sister calls me; said she was running around Greenwich, my Brother in Law was overseas, and my niece who had her "four post college girls' tenement" in Lower Manhattan and was walking Uptown to 125th St Station where she eventually got a train out to Greenwich.
I was out visiting my Sister in Greenwich, but anyone had to know something "big and bad" was about to happen. I woke up at the hotel that Monday...."Lehman bankrupt, Merill bought by BofA, markets crashing, emergency meetings...OMG".
I turned on NBC for the Returns. It didn't look right. Awful lot of Red on their map awful early in the game. I think it started to hit me that Hillary was in trouble when they cut to a reporter - a Black reporter - at a predominately Black precinct in Cleveland. The gal had also covered same during '08 (Obama) when she noted "electric" enthusiasm in the room. Now during '16 she reported "this place is dead". Shortly after they cut away from her, the NBC anchor announces that they called it for Florida Republican Senator Rubio. Now how many of those 90yos down there are going to split their ballot? That was my "aha", and I went to bed realizing the most stunning political upset in US history had occurred.
That's all folks.
Posts: 10507 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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