patgund | Random thoughts

I've been resisting the urge to comment on the 1 year anniversary of September 11th, preferring to look forward rather than back. However, I do have some random thoughts on it... I spent September 11th of 2001 getting ready for my third interview at the research lab I now work at. I had just finished the paper and was changing into my interview clothes, (I had been 5 months out of work at this point and had a primary partner who was 5 months pregnant, so I was getting rather desperate), when said primary called me up to tell me about the first plane in the WTC. My first impulse was, quite honestly "Is this going to pooch my interview". My second thought was a concern that my then-primary would be recalled, (she was medically retired from FEMA after her third heart attack. They did think of recalling her, but the combo of three heart attacks + 5 months pregnant shot down that idea). The interview, BTW was postphoned. Spent part of the day talking with friends on AIM and ICQ, trying to figure out what happened. Then decided to drive to LA to spend the evening with other friends. On the way there, saw a car in front of me roll over. Parked, grabbed my chirugeon's kit, (large first aid kit I use at SCA events), and went to check on the person. They were out of the car and shocky, but otherwise okay. Got them calmed down and checked them over until relieved by an EMT. Then continued on my way. Spent evening with friends, checked on my then-partner, went home. Flash forward to September 11th, 2002. I drove to work, spent as much of the day in Business as Usual mode. I did pause for a while to walk to the cliffs near the glider port and watch the waves, finally releasing a batch of seeds, (native flowers) into the wind along with a prayer to the Lady. I then walked back. While the president of the institute allowed us to leave at 4pm, I ended staying until 8pm, babysitting a problem server. To my point of view, working normally was the best way I could say "See, you haven't damaged us, you haven't changed us, we're still here. And helped me to avoid the steady steam of politicians milking this event for their own gain, and helped me to ignore, for a day, an administration seeking to destroy the principles this country was founded on in the name of security.