Where were -YOU-?

[Tom Artingstall]

I think we've all had those moments in our life where you make it a point to remember exactly where you were when you heard about it, because you know someone's going to ask you when you're older. So, share them! This is also a great way to test how old you are. Was the death of Bin Laden the only one on your list? Or do we have Escapists who still remember buying a colour tv to watch the Moon Landing?

I'll start us off:

The Obvious One - 9/11 - I was at school when it happened, but since I was a kid they didn't tell us about it. I found out when I was walking home with the kid who lived next door. His younger brother came running out to tell us there had been a big plane crash in a city and lots of people were dead. We didn't think much of it, it was just a plane crash. But when I stepped into my house, I'll never forget the look on my dad's face, as he sat on the edge of the couch, staring intently at the tv, and the moment I walked in he mumbled, "Oh my god..."

And that was when I knew that shit had got real.

The Less Obvious One - London Bombings (7/7) - The London tube bombings (for you international readers) was essentially Britain's 9/11. Although not nearly as grand a scale. They occured on 7th July 2005. 52 people, including the 4 bombers, were killed, and more than 700 injured. Although not nearly the scale and impact of 9/11, it did teach us that domestic terrorism wasn't just a problem for the USA. I found out about half an hour after the bombs themselves, during a physics lessons. Another teacher came in, started talking to our teacher and before we knew it he'd pulled out a radio so we could all listen to the reports.

The Recent One - Death of Bin Laden - About bloody time am I right? 2nd May 2011, the modern substitute for Hitler got his comeupance courtesy of a hot-lead enema by the US Navy SEALS. And good on them. I'm fortunate, if this had happened with the technology of ten years ago, I might not have heard for weeks. I was working on a ship at the time, off the coast of Australia, and if not for modern information technology, I wouldn't have been able to read the morning news on my laptop that day and heard that Karma had finally caught up to that fucker.

Okay, your turn guys. Huge moments in your life and where you were!

 

[Colour Scientist]

I remember sitting in my grandparet's house at Christmas when they announced the tsunami in Phuket, Thailand. Not sure why that one resonates with me so much but I remember it really clearly, the entire broadcast.

After that, I remember our teacher putting on the 9/11 broadcast when we were in school. It was a very strange thing to watch live, especially when the second building fell.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

9/11 -- School
London Bombings -- Home
Bin Ladin's Death -- School, maybe at home

Living on the fucking edge.

 

[Baron von Blitztank]

For all of these events, I spent my time at home. Completely oblivious to what was going on with the outside world.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

9/11- In 5th grade, eating lunch when the principal came in and told us of something that happened in New York City. I didn't think much of it, until I got home and saw the news...

London Bombing- ...Don't remember.

Bin Laden's death- ...Don't remember either, probably at home.

 

[MrTub]

I do not recall where I was at either dates.

And comparing bin laden to hitler is quite odd imo.

 

[Tazzy da Devil]

I think I was at school for the London bombings, but for the other two I was at home asleep because it was like, 2 in the morning.

 

[Jonluw]

I remember where I was when the Utøya shootings started.
That's pretty much all.
I was visiting a friend when news came that a bomb had gone off in Oslo, and we spent the rest of the evening watching the emergency news broadcasts.

I wouldn't really call it a huge moment in my life though.

 

[Broady Brio]

9/11 - I was at school.

7/7 - I was at school.

5/2 - I was most likely at school.

I am a boring person when it comes to these kind of things.

 

[Vicarious Reality]

The Obvious One - 9/11 -
I was playing near the tv when i saw scyscrapers burnin, didn't pay much attention


The Less Obvious One - London Bombings (7/7)
O, yeah, that, i was actually mowing the grass on the graveyard when i heard about that in my headpones with radio, it was kinda worrying

The Recent One - Death of Bin Laden - About bloody time am I right?
That was so overdue, i couldn't give a shit

I remember reading about it in the newspaper wen the Libyan revolution started, while flying

Huge moments in your life
Would be when i move and start to go to new schools, not when i hear about southern terrorist dickheads killing eachother

I remember sitting in my grandparet's house at Christmas when they announced the tsunami in Phuket, Thailand.

You too? lol

 

[The Funslinger]

I do not recall where I was at either dates.

And comparing bin laden to hitler is quite odd imo.

I think he just means in terms of public perception, he was very much "that guy".

 

[The Funslinger]

The Obvious One - 9/11 -
I was playing near the tv when i saw scyscrapers burnin, didn't pay much attention


The Less Obvious One - London Bombings (7/7)
O, yeah, that, i was actually mowing the grass on the graveyard when i heard about that in my headpones with radio, it was kinda worrying

The Recent One - Death of Bin Laden - About bloody time am I right?
That was so overdue, i couldn't give a shit

I remember reading about it in the newspaper wen the Libyan revolution started, while flying

Huge moments in your life
Would be when i move and start to go to new schools, not when i hear about southern terrorist dickheads killing eachother

I remember sitting in my grandparet's house at Christmas when they announced the tsunami in Phuket, Thailand.

You too? lol

Oh, the Tsunami. I remember the day before that, decking this fairly overweight kid who some other kids convinced (for their own amusement) to pick a fight with me. Needless to say, the appropriate joke was made...

Edit: I know it's immature of me, but "Phuket"! Fantastic.

 

[wooty]

9/11 - High School
July 7th - College
Bin Ladens Death - Pub

The natural evolution of every self-respecting male.

 

[Antitonic]

9/11 - When was this, 2001? I would've been in high school. The biggest reaction I remember was from my mum after I woke up: "Something happened in America, I don't know. Want some toast?"
London Bombings - Can barely remember anything about it. I was in exam-mode in high school, and didn't have time for anything else, practically.
Bin Laden - At work. Found out on a lunch break, but during the news, other people switched to "How I Met Your Mother". Priorities, people!

Princess Diana's death - I was in Primary school. They made us write a report about it. I didn't care, so I spent the time coming up with terrible puns and drawing tombstones. It's sad that the best I could come up with was "Die-Ana". I mean, really?

I don't really find myself interested in the news much. There were some shootings recently, in the next suburb over. Still don't care.

 

[Captain Pirate]

9/11 - I have not a fucking clue, I was 6 years old.

London Bombing - I was playing football with my friends in the sun, I remember because my friend was being really worried because his dad worked in London.

Osama's Death - At around midday I was half asleep and checking facebook and wondering if it was true.

 

[savageoblivi0n]

The only one that sticks in my mind is 9/11, mainly because of the fact that I was in AIT (secondary training for the Army) at the time, I'll always remember walking into the dining facility after PT that morning and seeing the news reports with everyone standing around the TVs, the Drill Sergeants shoulder to shoulder with us Privates..and knowing that our whole outlook on our jobs and the world had just changed forever

 

[badgersprite]

I don't think I've ever had a moment where it was so important that I specifically remember where I was when it happened. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm not diminishing the significance of tragedies like 9/11, the London Bombings or the Boxing Day Tsunami, but it seems kind of selfish to think that it had a profound effect on me individually compared to the people it actually happened to, or the people who actually live in those areas.

Really, the unfortunate truth is that tragedies like this happen all the time all over the world. It's a bit like asking, "Do I remember where I was every time I saw something horrible on the news where lots of innocent people died?" because that would mean remembering every single day of my life, more or less.

I'm actually far more likely to remember where I was during different bushfire seasons, simply because they hit closer to home geographically and I had a genuine reason to worry about whether my home or anyone I knew would be affected.