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.
I mostly lurk, and would love a chance to win a prize.
9/11 2001 was my then boyfriend, now husband’s 20th birthday. He was in England, I was in Oslo, we were both worrying about our friends in New York (who I didn’t manage to contact until 3 days later). It was not his best birthday.
This is also the day of my mom and dad’s anniversary; they’re coming up on 40 years in the next few.
I’m grateful they’re still around to love, annoy, and help me through my life.
7 years ago my dad drove me to my high school. The news was on the radio and no one really knew wtf was going on.
I remember sitting outside my 11th grade Spanish class waiting for my bff, and laughing with her about how it could never happen. The US attacked…never.
And I remember my teacher running down the hall to open the door and turn the tv on. His daughter worked in the WTC and he hadn’t heard anything from her.
And I distinctly remember feeling like the lowest p.o.s. ever when I saw the news. And knowing that I had been wrong. It was happening. It was real.
That day will forever stick with me. Not just for the news, but I found out that day what pride was (and OH how the mighty did fall), fear, heroism, and grief. I will never ever take something so terrifying so lightly again. Its something I recall everyday, and I am incredibly ashamed of how I behaved that morning.
And my teacher’s daughter was killed. He never even got to say goodbye.
Today I first felt guilty because I was enjoying my average day, with those I love around me. Then, feeling guilty seemed wrong, so I stopped. I both want to remember and move on, and keep loving!
Great idea Sarah. Once is an awesome film. Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová are actually touring around the U.S. right now. I think they are in New York next week.
It’s another crazy beautiful fall day here in Michigan, just like it was seven years ago. I remember taking my almost five y.o. out for a walk in the fields near our townhouse, just wanting to get away from the news for a few minutes.
Now he’s in 6th grade and we had to go pick up his little sister from 1st grade. We talked about why the flag was out today. I was surprised they didn’t say anything at school.
My loved ones are well and safe.
My husband’s poison ivy is finally clearing up.
My cat is as stupid as ever.
I am alive in a world where flowers grow.
That is enough.
The September 11th attacks still have the ability to make me cry, even 7 years later. I just recently re-read the book 102 Minutes and was in tears thinking about the fear, sadness, bravery, tragedy and love that happened that day. May we always remember those who are gone and treasure those who are still with us. I think I am going to go give my kids a few extra hugs now.
Was a little late getting the girls to school this morning, really need to get the routine down better. Spent hours at school counting Box Tops for Education. Lunch was bland, but at least the younger one took a nap after so I could relax on the couch with some mantitty for an hour. Have a U6 soccer game in two hours, will probably order pizza for dinner.
Am very thankful for my utterly mundane day.
Holy cow a lot of comments. Ballroom is awesome possum cheese!! and I know this is off topic but there are not smart bitches skins for the new ipod nano! the 4GB square one) get on that!! lol
I was eleven. My childhood ended seven years ago today. It has taken me seven years to regain my faith in the world.
I have yet to read all the comments but I am pretty sure no one has wish y’all a Happy New Year!
Today is the Ethiopian New Year, which always awkward to say since it shares the date with a not so happy event (to say the least).
Which show us that even thought this experience marked us and reflected our international policies, it is definitely not an international experience.
Today is my fairy goddaughter’s fifth birthday!
Life and hope are the best path of remembrance.
Oh, Strictly Ballroom! I love that movie! I remember when it first came out – mmmmmmmmm, Rumba. And that final scene with the dancing, and then the music fails, and the clapping…. I’ve got to rent it asap!
And I remember seeing Glen Hansard speak at the Oscars – he and Marketa Irglova were so cute together, and his speech was great. Hers too, despite the flub around her speech (although I felt a bit bad for her, being brought back…)
I’ve been watching History channel, and my heart aches. I keep thinking back to the morning of 9/11 and the shock and horror of that day….
Wow. The date slipped past without me even realizing it. I guess because that day was such a blur.
The night before on 9-10 my daughter (4 yr old at the time) had an accident in the yard that resulted in a gash between her eyes that went down to the bone. We ran her to the local urgent care with a blood soaked towel and ice on her head only to be told by the doctor that he wouldn’t suture her up because it was her face and he didn’t want to scar it. So we drove another twenty minutes to the closest hospital.
She had to be strapped down to a mummy board, we told her she was getting to dress up for Halloween early and be an Egyptian Princess Mummy, to have six stiches put in between her eyes. I just remember crying so much and being so thankful that she hadn’t lost an eye by mere eighths of an inch. We got home at about two am. Then I woke up the next morning to a phone call telling me what was happening and was still in such an adreline deficit from the night before that none of it made sense until several days later.
I’m grateful to be alive today. I’m grateful my kids are whole and healthy. I’m thankful for the SB board and for the hot pants joke because it made me laugh so hard I cried.
For some of us today is a day to remember or mourn. For others it is a day to celebrate a birthday or anniversary or birth. For many in the world it is just another day. But in whatever you do today, embrace it fully. Realize that life is not a rehersal, this is the real thing, so mean it.
Wow, what a lot of positive emotion here. Tempting to make many comments (separately, to increase chance of teh win), but I won’t. I’ll just add that a community like this one makes any day better, because I read through threads and go, “yeah, that too!” a lot. Here’s a special shout-out to those of us who remember the Kennedy assassinations (yes, both of them), MLK, Malcolm X. the Challenger and Columbia, and all three 9/11 planes and their aftermath.
Here’s my bit of silliness, brought to mind by “the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow” and the Hot Pants story:
When my youngest son was much younger (he’s 15 now), we were in the grocery store in the cereal aisle. Ahead of us was a mother whose kid was really acting up—on the floor, screaming and throwing a full-body tantrum. I was feeling pretty smug about having “the good kid” in my cart (the good kid who is the youngest of a family of film buffs, who make a practice of topping each other with film quotes at every opportunity).
Mom-of-screaming-child yells, “If you don’t stop that, you’re going to get a spanking!” And my smugness evaporates instantly when my four-year-old sings out, “A spanking! A spanking! And after the spanking, the oral sex!”
We didn’t buy any cereal.
Thanks, all, for the wonderful combination here of humor, passion, caring and nostalgia. Oh yeah, and the ladies above are quiet right: vote, America, vote.
I’m with Suze in the line where our asses nor our acres are wise, but Alex would get my vote for Prezzie with the Hot Ass Story, LOL. I never win anything and I am as clueless as they come sometimes, thus making me the grown up version of baby Lucas, evidence follows here:
http://pamalaknight.blogspot.com/
My own husband is a firefighter, so my memories of that horrible day, seven years ago, are of him crying into the phone telling me of all the death and destruction as I drove back to Chicago from Milwaukee, purposely avoiding I-94 so that I wouldn’t pass the airport. It was the longest, most terrible two and a half hours I can remember.
Oh, SonomaLass, I would have given my left kidney to witness your Python-spouting child. You’ve brightened my day.
The Hot Ass story isn’t mine. It’s Madd’s. I just quoted it because I liked it a lot.
I’m one of those silent lurkers but a faithful reader-
thanks for interjecting a moment of gratefulness into a sad anniversary- and for that I’m thankful- you remembered the day in a positive way-
Or if you really want to get caught up in technicalities, you can look at as “Living with fear is like living in socks.”
Gotta love Spanish.
Movies, music, and people like those who blog and comment here are reasons enough for being alive and being grateful for every day we have on this earth.
-analysis13 is a very appropriate confirmation code!
Thanks Alex for correcting me and sorry Madd for not giving credit where it is due.
SonomaLass, that’s brilliant! Much funnier than my younger sis and I as kids loudly asking my parents in the middle of the crowded video store why we couldn’t rent “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.”
Prizes? Yes, please.
Once? So awesome. Downloaded the soundtrack about 20 seconds after finishing the movie.
Ditto Strictly Ballroom. Hot hot hot—Mercurio’s slide-and-turn across the dance floor on his knees?!? Gawd.
And I adore Ninth Moon—this is likely a common occurrence, but when I ordered from them last December for holiday gifts, I received a lovely handwritten note with my package thanking me for the order and wishing me success in all of my writing goals. Nice, nice people.
I think a giveaway is a great way to lift the spirits. Great idea!
I completely forgot what day it was. Its not a huge deal here, unless you are from the states, but it does still make a person think of things to be thankful for and maybe give a loved one an extra hug.
I spent the day wearing my tiara for no reason. I did get a few odd looks but most people just smiled at me 😀 Nice to get a smile out of someone
I live near DC. The new Pentagon 9/11 Memorial was dedicated today. Last night I was reading the online Washington Post report on the new memorial. I cried over the pictures of the children who died in the Pentagon attack. It still can make me cry after 7 years.
I also think about how different my life is now. I changed careers. 9/11 (along with some other experiences) made me realize that I did not want to continue working in Big Business. I am now working for one of the Gov’t alphabet soup agencies. I don’t work terrorism, but I am working to try to help keep our country safe.
Seven years and so much has changed and remained the same.
Seven years ago I was doing my final placement in nursing school, today I’m doing a specialized nursing course back in school.
Seven years ago my husband was serving overseas, today he’s overseas.
My children have grown and so has my appreciation of life, the beauty of a warm day, and the need to remember the good and the bad.
We can only loose if we let others defeat us.
I love Strictly Ballroom! My friend who grew up in Melbourne and I have taken to calling each other “Tina Sparkle” if we are looking exceptionally lovely that day.
I remember 9/11. I was in eighth grade, and my classmate said “Did you hear about the plane that hit the World Trade Center?” Me, I was fresh off reading a book about insane hoaxes, and I thought it was just an April Fools’ Day thing. Then I remembered that it was September, and our teacher called us into the other room to watch the TV reports.
Confirmation phrase ago98—how apt.
*snicker*
When I was 16 and on a camping trip with my younger brother (had just turned 14) and our cousin (was about to turn 15), we were sent to the store (me driving with my brand-spanking-new license). I was a bit stressed, and had recently developed what would become a (to date) lifelong habit of co-opting British slang/swearwords. Snarkbro bitched and moaned and whined in the store, largely b/c we made him carry the box of tampons our cousin was buying. At some point, I got so sick of listening to him that I whirled around and shouted, “Just shut up and carry the BLOODY TAMPONS.”
Oh, and I have one those voices. You know the ones that carry through crowded rooms as though God himself had made you his messenger, and wanted everyone to hear you. Yeah.
Still not as cute or funny as “Then the oral sex!”
A day without coffee is called sleep.
My biggest claim to fame – I DATED THE INSPIRATION FOR STRICTLY BALLROOM FOR THREE YEARS! Yes, I did. Scott Hastings, Paul Mercurio’s character in film was inspired by the guy I dated for three years after high school, and let me tell you, they nailed him, but even more so, nailed his family. The mum was EXACTLY right, the father just a skinnier version on my ex’s dad and there was even a younger brother who danced as well.
I love the movie, but damn, is it a bit like a freaky time warp to watch *grin*
On a more serious note, my thoughts, prayers and wishes to all who lost loved ones in 9/11. I can only imagine what today means for you.
No repartee from me, just want to say Strictly Ballroom pwzn like whoa! in the dance movie category imo. All that crazy make up/glittery customes + ugly ducking to swan story + dash of sweet romance = Me rewatching the movie about 10 times.
If it’s not worth doing obsessively, it’s not worth doing 🙂
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen either of those movies. How crazy is that?!
And LOL at the Harlequins for Iraq comment. Good one! 😛
RebekahC
Oh, I would LOVE to win that copy of Strictly Ballroom.
Completely full of win. I pink, puffy heart that show so much.
The Paso Doble and Glen Hansard… nice.
I have the Once soundtrack in my car and I listen to it anytime I’m feeling mediocre or down….making that soundtrack something I’m grateful for 🙂
A pretty notebook! How did you know my weakness?
My confirmation phrase is early 37. I guess I’ll be turning 37 earlier than expected 😉
Wow you guys are so much cooler than ever before.
Strictly Ballroom is one of my favorite movies. It was the first soundtrack to a movie that I purchased and had to ask the store to order the movie so I could buy it.