Inspired by something C.Ann said on another post

[Blondy876]

She mentioned that watching Katrina is watching history and I couldn't agree more but it got me to thinking, what are your "I can remember where I was, and what I was doing, when that happened," moments?

The ones that stand out for me are:

Both the space shuttle disasters

Challenger- It was a snowy day and I was watching a movie with my Dad, his friend called and said "did you hear" and when she told him he didn't believe her.

Columbia - I was getting ready to go shopping and it came on the news. I remember sitting in front of the mirror thinking, "Not again"

Princess Di's death -I was watching CNN when they broke in an made the announcement


9/11 - I had just gone back (only been for 2 days) to work after having my dd. I had been home with her for 2 1/2 years and the decision to leave her was a tough on. I really questioned myself that day. I was standing in my classroom when the principal came in and said there was a plane crash. Then she came back and said they didn't think it was an accident. She kept coming in to keep us updated. I finally had to tell her to stop, it was too upsetting. There was no way I was going to be able to keep my composure long enough to teach.

The Tsunami- every time the news reported the death tolls I cried.

I am sure there are a couple more but those are the ones that come right to my mind.

What are yours?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

All yours...not that these are big--just happen to remember precisely where I was...OJ's Car chase (closing the floor/sales job)....OJ's verdict (radio station)....When Phil Hartman died (at work)

Hurricane Hugo (with an affectionate song called Hugo the Happy Hurricane that a local station made--pretty funny at the time).

 

[aprilgail2]

Challenger- I was outside shoveling snow and my mom came to the door and told me

OJ verdict-I was in Foxwoods Casino

Columbine shootings-we were on our way to see Billy Joel at the Meadowlands

9/11-Just dropped my daughter off for her first day of preschool

 

[MinnieM3]

John Lennon's death

Pres. Reagan's assassination attempt

Pres. Reagan's death

Challenger

Hugo needless to say

 

[Beth76]

I was in 4th grade at school when the principal told us about the Challenger.

I was getting dressed getting ready to leave the house to go somewhere when I just happened to turn on CNN during the Columbia flight.

I was at work when I found out about Princess Diana.

Funny, I was sitting exactly where I am now (at my parents' lake house on their computer) when I read about JFK Jr. disappearing.

Had just finished watching LA Law rerun when I turned on Regis & Kelly and found out about 9/11.

OJ car chase-was watching it in my room. The verdict, I was in a college lecture and someone was listening on headphones.

Not that this is catastrophic, but I was in Paris on a tour bus when they announced Frank Sinatra had died.

 

[babar]

challenger...I was in grade school and our teacher came in crying and told us the news, they cancelled school, and my dad came home that day from a business trip. i remember feeling just very weird, but i didn't really understand why.

princess di....i was in my first apartment, and we were going out, but stayed glued to the television until they offically announced her death. i wasn't actually sooo upset by it, as I was just watching and watching.

911....at work, reading the DIS and then turning on the news station. i remember leaving work (downtown chicago) with EVERYONE...going home, getting gas, hugging my boyfriend while not saying a word, and just starting at the tv for hours

the start of the iraq war.....watching the live war with the news until 4 in the morning


and less dramatic, frank sinatra's death!!!...in california at the time watching everyone put flowers by his star on the walk of fame....

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

3rd grade for the Challenger
School for the OJ chase
Home for the verdict
Home when the massive police shoot out in LA happend (the one with the bad guys in body armor)
On my way to the gym for Phil Hartman
Getting ready for work on 9/11
Home for the Columbia
Princess Di at my friends house

 

[babar]

Beth!!! glad to know you remember Sinatra's death too!!

 

[goofygirl]

John Lennon- I was only 10 and I remember hearing my mom say "Oh my GOD!" from the other room.

Challenger- I was in high school and was told my 4th period teacher. That's all we talked about til dismissal.

The San Francisco earthquake that happened during the World Series (late 80's, or so?)

Rodney King verdict- I was shocked at the verdict. And the riots that erupted had me glued to the tv.

Hurricane Andrew- I still remember that footage of homes reduced to matchsticks. I was worried because my grandmother was (and still is) in Florida.

OJ- at work we all stopped what we were doing to hear the verdict. I remember hearing a gasp throughout the whole building.

Diana's death. What a shocking night that was. It took about a week or so til her death sunk in with me. The anniversary (Aug 31) still makes me upset.

JFK Jr's death- another young death, very sad and upsetting. Dan Rather reported it and held back tears during his newscast. I'll never forget that.

"Blizzard of the Century"- 1995 (I think ?) Off from work 2 days. I remember looking out the window over and over again and saying " My God! Its STILL snowing!!"

9/11- I will never forget that morning when someone at work broke the news and said,"A plane crashed into the WTC and it was hijhacked."

Tsunami- I don't think I even knew what a tsunami was until December. I couldn't believe how many died.

Pope John Paul II's death- my mother and I both had the news channels on for hours, waiting for "the word." We both were holding vigil and we are not even religious.

And now Katrina...

 

[Kermit]

In addition to most of the ones mentioned above (I don't remember the Reagan assassination attempt, as I was really young), I remember Oklahoma City. I was a freshman in college and in my apartment for lunch when I saw it. I had one more class that afternoon, but I didn't go because I was glued to the TV. My professor made fun of me for skipping class the next time I went.

Also, I'm from DFW, so the Waco thing was a big deal. I was watching when they were battering the compound and it broke into flames.

What was the name of the girl who fell in the well? Jessica something? I was really young then (3rd grade maybe?), and I remember being ecstatic when she came out okay.

 

[trip]

I'm one of the older DISers.

JFK assassination - 9th grade English class.

 

[tevagirl]

I was sitting in a van on top of Mt Haleakala on Maui when I heard the OJ verdict and having breakfast at the Trail's End Buffeteria in Fort Wilderness when the first plane hit the WTC.

 

[babar]

I also forgot to mention the Pope's death.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

i was in my 5th grade class in NH watching when the challenger blew up

9-11 with a close friend my DH calle de freaked and was liker go the the baby and go home

oklahoma bombing i was on my way to an obgyn checkup and the mbta was shutting down i was freakin out

oj on my way to work at the neaq

jfk jr at my families homes in maine my gram was in tears

diana i was at home i got up and watched her funeral at 4am cried all thru it to sad

actually all of these things made me cry

 

[Nancy]

I'm one of the older DISers.

JFK assassination - 9th grade English class.

I was in Kindergarden for that one, but actually remeber it very clearly. Mainly because there was an announcement for the teachers to go into the hall and close their doors. My teacher came in and she was crying. (I don't know if that was just the news that he had been shot, or that he had died.) She then turned the lights off and we had rest time for the rest of the day. I also remember watching the funeral on TV so we must have had the day off of school or was it a Saturday?

Princess Di, I was up all night and still remember the reporters face when he had to announce that she died.

So many sad memories over the years.

 

[parrothead365]

Challenger -in the NAVY and at work listening in on the radio.

9/11-here at work... we played heck getting all those planes on the ground.

Columbia- here at work.. remember the quite that came over the place when the truth began to come clear.

I was washing dishes at a resturant when Elvis died.

 

[magicfan]

The Oklahoma bombing: We were driving home from a trip, listening to it on the radio.

The Space Shuttle: I was at College, everyone was talking about it.

Princess Diana: Was on vacation and saw it on the news from my hotel.

9-11: I woke up to a family member talking on my answering machine, telling me we were at war---she was freaking out and very scared. Nice way to wake up. Then I turned on the news and watched in complete horror.

Rodney King verdict: Someone brought a TV into work and time stood still while everyone watched it.

That's all I can recall at the moment.

 

[Rajah]

The biggest events I remember are the same as yours, Blondie. I can remember other major events (like the Pope's death, Columbine, etc), but not *exactly* where I was at the time when I heard them. Just really those listed by Blondie.

 

[mookie]

9/11 - I was in my shower. I have a radio in there, and the station "casually" reported that there was "some sort of accident at the the WTC.

OJ chase - I was waitressing at work.

OJ verdict - at college surrounded by all of my sorority sisters, huddled around this little tv.

Princess Diana - I was (again) at work in college waitressing, and when I came home, my boyfriend (now DH) woke up from a slumber and told me. We hadn't heard it all night.

Challenger - I was at home with the chicken pox in the 7th grade, so I watched it all live with my mom.

I'm sure there are more, but I'm just not thinking of them right now!

 

[experiment626mom]

Challenger - I was home sleeping and my ex husband woke me up to tell me.

Columbia - My dh and I were in a local diner when it came on the news.

Princess Di- It was the night before I was having a birthday party for my mom. I went to bed thinking she was all right with a broken arm. (per cnn) When I got up the next morning, they were announcing she had died.

John Lennon - I was in my room watching Johnny Carson, not something I normally did. They cut in to say that he had been shot.

9/11 - I was driving to work when the first tower was hit. I was parking my car when the second got hit. I remember sitting in the parking garage not wanting to go into the high rise I worked in.