Where were you when?

Dan Same

I thought it would be interesting to talk about where people were during historically significant events. What will happen is that someone will mention an event and the next person will say where they were, and if they so desire, how they felt (although it's not at all vital that they do so.) The events can be either positive or negative, but they can not be a personally significant event such as a birth, wedding or a first date. They don't need to be earth-shattering but they should be of at least some importance.

I'll start off by saying that I was at home when Australia qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup; our first World Cup appearance since West Germany, 1974. I had actually forgotten it was on ;% and was watching my regular show when my mother yelled down with excitement, having seen Australia kick the goal that forced Extra Time. I rushed upstairs and watched the rest of the match, including of course the penalty shootout that ensured our qualification. I was absolutely thrilled and extremely excited, and to this day, it remains one of my sporting highlights.

Next: the moon landing. (Obviously not every event will be as significant as this one, but I thought it would be a good one to start off with. )

A7ce

Next: the moon landing.

Inside my Mom.


Next: When the Berlin Wall came down ?

Pendragon

I had not yet turned two...I suppose I was at home playing...wow that's so odd that The Wall came down (looking back) not that long ago...:o

~Pen -{

Dan Same

Pendragon wrote:

I had not yet turned two...I suppose I was at home playing...wow that's so odd that The Wall came down (looking back) not that long ago...:o

Pen, could you nominate an event for the next person to say where they were?

Pendragon

whoops..sorry ;%

where were you when the Space Shuttle Columbia crashed in 2003?

~Pen -{

highhopes

Pendragon wrote:

whoops..sorry ;%

where were you when the Space Shuttle Columbia crashed in 2003?

~Pen -{

When I first read your question, I was thinking "Challenger," which I guess dates me a bit. I'll mention that first: I'd just sat down at my desk at the newspaper I was working at when an Associated Press "urgent bulletin" came over the wire saying to the effect that something went wrong during the launch. We turned on a TV in the newsroom and saw the plume smoke that ended with trails going in all directions and it was immediately apparent what had happened.

As for Columbia, I believe I was riding in my car. I think it was a Saturday or Sunday and I turned on the radio. I remember thinking "not again."

Hugo Drax

The death of Diana, Princess of Wales was undoubtedly one of the biggest historical events of my life. I say that because I remember being so taken aback by the national mourning that accompanied her passing. I was 13 at the time and I can remember that it was a Sunday morning and I remember turning on the TV to see that the news was running on all stations. I remember Martyn Lewis announcing that Diana had been killed in a car crash in Paris along with her partner, Dodi Fayed. I remember my mom coming downstairs and I remember telling her. She didn't believe me at first. Then she saw the TV. My dad had gone out that morning and I distinctly remember him returning with the words: 'Have you heard what happened?'

youknowmyname

Event: Princess Diana's death.

I was in our kitchen and my mom wasn't cooking dinner, she was just watching the tellie. I made dinner that night, chili burgers.

Next: President George W. Bush's re-election in 2004

s96024

Only significant historical events I can remember where I was, was Dianas death. I was about 12 and was on holiday in Turkey. I remember over hearing someone say she had died and went and told my parents. The only other thing was 9/11, I was at school and had skipped a class and was watching it in our common room and actually saw the second plane hit live. When school ended I was telling everyone, but not a single person believed me.

FelixLeiter ♀

I vaguely remember seeing, on what must have been the Monday morning, on tele, the news that Diana had died.
9/11, I was at school but I listened about it on the radio all the way home, this would have been around an hour after it had happened cus of the time difference.
George Bush's re-election: I was on holiday at Disneyland and we saw about it on the tele at the hotel in the evening.

NEXT: 7/7 bombings

Honey Rider

FelixLeiter007 wrote:

NEXT: 7/7 bombings

I was at home when I turned on the radio and heard that there had been a terrorist attack in London. I couldn't believe it, especially since I was still getting over my joy at London getting the Olympics (over Paris), so for two events to happen involving the same city on such extreme ends of the spectrum in such a short period of time was bizzare to say the least. When I realised that it was definitely real, I became horrified and extremely relieved when I heard that a friend of mine who had been travelling in London at the time was safe.

Next: the announcement that Daniel Craig was the new Bond.

Pendragon

I was in my highschool library on a free period. I remember going "WTF?? who's this guy?" then I looked him up, and decided to rent some of his movies later.

next: Bush won the election again John Kerry

~Pen -{

youknowmyname

Pendragon wrote:

I was in my highschool library on a free period. I remember going "WTF?? who's this guy?" then I looked him up, and decided to rent some of his movies later.

next: Bush won the election again John Kerry

~Pen -{

This election is the same election as the 2004 re-election, mentioned above.

Daniel Craig as Bond. I remember a friend of mine saying that he was going to be Bond way back when it was just rumour mill. We were at a San Diego Padre's baseball game. The other time, in my apartment at Mi6, going "SWEET!"

Next: Moon Landing

Hardyboy

youknowmyname wrote:

Pendragon wrote:

I was in my highschool library on a free period. I remember going "WTF?? who's this guy?" then I looked him up, and decided to rent some of his movies later.

next: Bush won the election again John Kerry

~Pen -{

This election is the same election as the 2004 re-election, mentioned above.

Daniel Craig as Bond. I remember a friend of mine saying that he was going to be Bond way back when it was just rumour mill. We were at a San Diego Padre's baseball game. The other time, in my apartment at Mi6, going "SWEET!"

Next: Moon Landing

Tsk, tsk--this was the first event mentioned!

Willie Garvin

I've seen all of the Moon landings and every one of them was awe-inspiring.I'll just talk about the first one--Apollo 11.The year was 1969.I had recently graduated from high school and was home with my family.We watched all of the coverage, sometimes changing networks while the experts talked during the long hours before the capsule landed.

We stayed with CBS for the actual landing itself-and in time we saw civilian astronaut Neil Armstrong leave the spacecraft to walk out onto the surface of another planet.

After Mr.Armstrong said,"That's one step for a man,one giant leap for mankind.",Walter Cronkite joyously announced,"Man on the Moon!"

Of course,up until that moment the only time any of us had ever seen anything resembling this great event was in science fiction films.Indeed,CBS even showed clips from a variety of SF movies as part of their early coverage to illustrate how mankind had imagined trips to the Moon might one day appear.And in varying ways these things were interesting.Some of the movie predictions even came fairly close to the mark.

However,the world would never seem quite the same again.What had once been considered only the province of science fiction was now science fact--because this time,the Moon landing was real.


Next--Hurricane Katrina.

Hardyboy

Willie Garvin wrote:

Next--Hurricane Katrina.

Practically there. I lived in Baton Rouge at the time, and the day before Katrina struck we all chuckled over how we might get a day off work. When the hurricane itself hit, BR received rain and wind, but nowhere near the damage of New Orleans. My power was knocked out that day and it stayed out for days, with my only connection to the outside world being the radio. I remember hearing the initial reports that NO was safe but that the Superdome had received a lot of damage, and then came the news the levee had broken. The evacuees came soon after that. It was a nightmare.

Here's something I vaguely remember, which dates me and which I know most of the kids here won't be able to answer. . .

The day Richard Nixon resigned.

Loeffelholz

I was 12 years old when Nixon resigned, and I watched his speech live that night on television. It was CBS---not like it made any difference, as it was showing on ALL THREE CHANNELS at the time (!); the only difference was that, to me, Nixon always looked a bit more pale on CBS I was aware that I was watching history unfold before my eyes, and it was fascinating stuff.

Next: Apollo 13 (the actual event, not the film )

Pendragon

not even a thought in my parent's minds...;)

next: when it was announced that Steve Irwin (crocodile hunter) had been pierced through the heart by a sting ray?

~Pen -{

youknowmyname

in my apartment, watching steve irwin on Crocodile Hunter. my roommate told me nonchalantly, and I fell out of my chair. I couldn't believe it. such a fan. can't believe it has already been a year.

next: when Pierce Brosnan was announced as the new JB for Goldeneye

Brosnan_fan

youknowmyname wrote:

next: when Pierce Brosnan was announced as the new JB for Goldeneye

It was mid '94, and Timothy Dalton had just quit shortly before.

At the time I wasn't too impressed with LTK, and no Bond films had been made for 5 years. I was actually beginning to wonder where the franchise was going, but I did feel the choice of Brosnan was (a rather) wise one. Now his tenure is over , I have no choice but to move on.


Next: The LA riots of '92

youknowmyname

At home in the San Francisco bay area, waiting to hear from my dad who was living in Los Angeles at the time. I was worried sick.

next: Christmas Tsunamis a couple of years ago

youknowmyname

or should i say Christmas tsunami...no s.

Scorupco

youknowmyname wrote:

Christmas Tsunami a couple of years ago

I was over my grans when some family members came to visit and announced the news, before watching it on the telly.

Next: 9/11

Mr Martini

Scorupco wrote:

Next: 9/11

I was just waking up. I woke up after the first tower was hit, but before the second tower was hit. Watching everything on tv was horrible. I still had to go to work also. When I arrived at work a co-worker had the radio on. When I took over his checkstand a couple customers asked me, "What's going on?" I had to ask them "You haven't seen any news today?" When they said "No" I told them what happened. I remember the whole day as clear as a bell, even driving by SFO later in the evening and not seeing one car aroud the place. And also seeing the electric sign saying Airpor Closed, eerie.


Next, The Berlin Wall being torn down.

Pendragon

a bit redundant there boys...

~Pen -{