In quiet acknowledgment of today and the massive and painful significance of it, I’m hosting a giveaway. Leave a comment, any comment – silly, happy, thoughtful, or wiseass (we love wiseass! Or, even better, wiseacre!) – and you’ll be entered to win one of the following prizes:
An Eccolo leather journal from my favorite drool-worthy store, Ninth Moon.
A DVD of Oscar winning film Once, whose co-creator Glen Hansard was the source of the “Make Art, Make Art,” quote in the title.
A DVD of Bitchery favorite Strictly Ballroom because dancing is HAWT, yo.
Why the prize fiesta? Because we are alive and creating, and for that I am blissfully thankful.
Just an ordinary day…cheese grits and bacon for breakfast and homework and soccer practice after school…
I remember, as a kid, my mom telling me to “remember this day.” It was the day the wall between East and West Germany came down. I remembered it years later, when I met my husband, and learned that his mother grew up in Germany, then fell in love with an American airman and immigrated. My hubby is the youngest of their six children (and, incidentally, 11 years older than me, which makes his oldest sister older than my mother.) Also, he was working near the Pentagon on 9/11, and several of the women I worked with had husbands in the Pentagon. Come to think of it, my dad’s cousin works in the Pentagon, as well. And the plain that went down in PA that day? About ten miles from the house where my husband grew up.
Now, my hubby is active-duty Army, and he got back in May from a 14-month deployment in Iraq. It’s amazing how quickly I became unable to fall asleep at night until he’s lying beside me in the bed.
Also, as just a random tidbit of info, my grandfather was a career Army officer, and he was assigned to the Middle East in the 50s and 60s because he was a linguist and could speak and write several Arabic languages/dialects. My mom was actually born in Baghdad while he was assigned there, and when they lived in Ethiopia, he shook the hand of Haileigh Selasse. Now, sadly, he’s very nearly nonverbal and wheelchair bound as the result of a stroke some years ago. But he’s always going to be my superhero.
It is my son’s birthday. It is a good day.
Lament what we have lost, but go on.
To do otherwise is to give power away.
On my son’s tenth birthday (seven years ago), he went to bed saying, Why did it happen on my birthday.
When he got up the next day he said, Every day is somebody’s birthday. But today I got to get up and have my parents and sister. It’s all good.
And that was the last negative thing he ever said about his 9/11 birthday.
I forgot the significance of today’s date. Even though I was paying bills and flapping through my calendar yesterday, I never realized that if yesterday was the 10th of September and Friday will be the 12th of September, today would be 9/11. Is this healing or early signs of Alzheimer’s?
The morning news was going on about a 9/11 survey but I was in a hurry and gust gobbled down my breakfast and dashed out, still not realizing the date. Maybe I should get more sleep at night. . .
robinjn: That picture made me smile!
I hope that every act of kindness I do in this world makes what happened seven years ago less likely.
I’m almost glad of the “OMG HUUUUUUUUUUURRICANE” news stories today. It’s an easier thing to think of.
I actually forgot what day it was. Not the holiday, the actual day. I knew it was Thursday, but that was it. Forgetting what happened is wrong, but I’m all for ending the mass paranoia that America’s been plunged into.
This year, I am ignoring the date. After years and years of dreading September as a month in which only bad things happen, this year, I’m celebrating quietly all the good things.
My niece will be six in a week.
I like my job.
My cat is healthy.
I successfully defended my dissertation last week, and can now be called Dr. Snarkhunter.
I will graduate this semester, after seven long years of graduate school.
The trivial and the serious make for a fantastic combination, I think.
Someone on my blog-reading list had to explain to his daughter today about the significance of 9/11. Reading that, it struck me for the first time in a while – it’s been seven years. There are people walking and talking now that weren’t alive when the towers fell.
This is a good thing. They don’t have the memories and triggers that I do. (Although, being a New Orleans girl, I got more bad memories and triggers from 2005 than 2001. But still.)
Sometimes when I wake up I think I’m still dreaming – then one of my dogs starts licking my face and I realize I’m awake.
It was my birthday yesterday.
I never make a big fuss about it since my birthday 8 years ago when I found out that the man I loved was seeing someone else at the same time.
My current love wanted to spend my birthday with me and I told him I didn’t want to see him on the anniversary of that horribly painful day. He insisted on coming over anyway and I spent my birthday in floods of tears as I had known I would.
Now I feel such a fool. How can I hold on to my own slice of a sad past when here we are remembering a day 7 years ago when something so terrible happened? When we are reminded of the people who have rebuilt their lives in the face of devastating loss, who have managed to survive the inexplicable and not give up.
When I see my lover this weekend I’ll say again what a fool I was for being upset and dragging up the past. I’ll thank him for coming to see me. I’ll thank him for holding me and crying with me while I cried at my memories.
I’ll tell him I’ve remembered all those who lost their lives, or lost their loved ones, and I’ll thank him for coming back, for being persistent in the face of my doubts and for giving us the second chance that so many other people never had.
Note to self: give hubby an extra long hug and tell him how much I appreciate and love him when I get home from work.
Lynda Barry writes, “What is an idea made of? Of future, past, and also meanwhile.” That’s what happens when we make art. We so desperately want to be in the present and to look forward, today especially. But there’s no escaping the past. Let’s make art today, use our ideas, in all their times.
I’m a lurker who likes prizes.
Thus far, it’s been another ordinary day, and that’s just fine by me.
I took a rollercoaster ride today (in Toverland, south Netherlands)
I’m so happy I made it out alive, I almost kissed the floor.
Then I came home and an Amazon parcel with Terry Pratchett’s Nation inside was waiting for me in front of the door.
Sometimes the most trivial things remind me that I like life.
Thank you for acknowledging the day. I can still remember, after all the shock and horror and tears, the miracle of finding out that laughter wasn’t dead after all.
The night of the concert (you know the one, it was on all the networks at once) I went out for sushi with my best friend. While sitting at the bar, the sushi chef and the diners next to us. The chef mentioned that when he went to sushi school he had a Hispanic classmate (rare for that type of cuisine).
The diners then mentioned they also knew a Hispanic sushi chef. Wondering if it was the same person, our chef asked them, “Was he extremely ugly?”
This, of course, came just as I was taking a sip of wine, which promptly ended up all over the bar as I spit it out laughing.
“And I’m pleased your name is practically unique
It’s only you
And a would-be PhD in Chesapeake
Who writes papers on the structure of the sun
I’ve read each one”
– I Google You, by Amanda Palmer
Like all fine Americans, I am commenting here because I believe in turning days of rememberance and mourning into greedfests. GIMME!
In all seriousness, I give it five more years before we start seeing 9/11 sales.
whenever I see contrails, I remember when I didn’t. And why.
Al_the_Girl, I do the same thing. I still feel happy when I see planes flying overhead. The silent skies afterwards were eerie.
This is weird. I missed a call this morning on my phone from a number I didn’t recognize. Went to check it again in the missed calls list at is is notated as having come in on 9/11 at 11:11am.
Felt kind of creepy to me….
I’m pleased that my kid brother not only made it safely back from Iraq but says that being there made him like Iraqi people better.
An Old Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
This is weird. Phone beeped to tell me I missed a call. The Missed Call Log records it as having come in on 9/11 at 11:11am… from a number I don’t recognize. No VM was left.
Feels creepy…
How many real men does it take to change a lightbulb?
None. Real men aren’t afraid of the dark.
Oh nos! You have introduced me to another drool worthy store! On the plus side, its a nice distraction from a day of cleaning…..
Good luck everyone!
(I sure do feel like it will take an army44 to get the house ready for our dinner party this weekend)
I know for other people, today is significant due to the WTC and Pentagon attacks (so many people forget the Pentagon, it seems). That morning, I was due to go to the hospital (in Boston) to see my dad, who, the day before, had surgery for cancer. Suddenly the WTC tower, burning, flashed on screen, and we all know what happened after that.
About an hour in, my father called, still barely conscious from the surgery, voice absolutely croaking, to tell us not to come to the hospital.
One year to the day after the WTC attacks, my dad died from cancer.
For me, today’s about a different memory. Thankfully, no one ever expects anyone to be cheerful on September 11.
A vivir con miedo es como vivir a medias.
A life lived in fear is a life half-lived.
I sat down at my desk this morning and got my notebook out to write the date at the top and as I wrote 9/11 I said to myself “ah, a simple date that is no longer so simple and will never be just numbers on a page.” I then looked at my calendar and saw Patriot Day – didn’t know that existed.
I know I should be thinking about the victims, but I tend more to think of the war that started and wondering if it will ever end.
Sorry no sarcasm today… =]
world11 – quite fitting…
You made me have with the tearful eyes, so that makes you Evil Bitch Sarah today. *kiss*
I really wish I was able to bring the funny to you this morning. I could link you to my Livejournal full of cat stories?
I love the movie and the proverb, but I always get caught up on the technicalities. My brain can’t help thinking, “but it says ‘Living with fear is like half living’!”
And in any case I’m partial to:
“¡Prefiero morir de pie que vivir siempre arrodillado!”
I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees!
(though technically it’s “than live kneeling”)
Oops sorry- technical difficulties on my end led me to believe my first posting did not go through…
The opposite of war isn’t peace, it’s creation!
change91: they only are missing one number.
Is it sad that I hadn’t really realized it was 9/11 (despite the little 11 on the calendar in my toolbar) before people started posting about it? Actually, I don’t think so. I like to think this is an event that we can eventually move on from, so that it becomes, once again, just another day in the life.
Also, in case politics are gettin’ you down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf1y9s73Nos
DOCTOR Snarkhunter, CONGRATULATIONS!
And to wiseasses an acre wide, to Tonto and Hot Butts and kids who want to know the truth, to flying Harlequins, to tears of joy and sadness, to laughter and to life! Congratulations to all of us. We care and that’s what matters!
As others have said above, far better than I, today is a day for writing or reading, and being happy that I can do so.
I also really like the idea of raining romance novels down on places where there is a love shortage.
And OMG, Strictly Ballroom is one of my favorite movies of all time! If a desperate man emails you begging you NOT to send it, that would be my poor chick-flick, musical, luuurv-story tortured husband…I think it’s a Hello Dolly kinda movie night, tonight…
I live hoping we can learn from the many acts of courage and generosity we witness each and every time there is a tragedy, be it man made or a natural disaster.
For those living in countries that grant them the right to vote: exercise that right! Speak up and take part in deciding your own future.
Thank you, SBSarah.
(veriword: speak 12—yes!)
The expiration date on my credit card is 9/11. It always makes me think of this day.
Oh yeah, and this isn’t exactly wiseass or wiseacre but…
http://www.bettybeauty.com/
I think this giveaway is a sign from the universe that I really should go to Salsa class tonight. I hope everyone else isn’t too depressed to come.
And yet another sign – it will help keep me a firm46.