WHERE WERE YOU WHEN IT HAPPENED ?

I was driving to work listening to a funny morning show. They stopped their comedy for a minute to report the first plane. It was assumed that it was a private plane. They went back into their comedy routine and then a few minutes later they stopped again and reported the second plane. I just remember the feeling of realization of what was happening. And then the feeling of sadness, anger, and freaking out wondering what was gonna be hit next. I showed up to work, turned on the TV, and we all gathered around. No one really spoke. Not much work got done that day. A very emotional day. I will never forget it.
I also remember in the following days and weeks the incredible amount of American pride and feeling of resolve that seemed to be felt by everyone. American flags were popping up on so many houses and businesses. It was a beautiful thing to see us come together as a country. I wish that feeling could have lasted longer.

I was sleeping (I'm on the west coast) and my (then) wife woke me up in a panic.
 
I have a niece who is a United Stewardess. She was out on medical leave. Her normal route was # 175.

I was in an empty swimming pool. I swam here every day and it was usually crowded and I couldn't understand why there was nobody in the pool this time. It was bliss and I stayed in there for almost 2 hours. Then I went to the supermarket and kept hearing snippets of people's conversations, something about people being trapped on upper floors, a fire etc. I went away thinking there had been some kind of gas explosion in some apartments or something. I forgot about it while cycling home. Then at home I turned on the TV just in time to see a replay of the first tower falling. It looked like it was being demolished and I remember thinking "why on earth would they demolish a perfectly good building like the WTC?" Then I saw footage of the plane hitting the second one and everything clicked into place (yes I was slow that day). It still bugs me now thinking back to that blissful time in the pool and knowing that while I was gliding through the water people were throwing themselves out of 80th floor windows to escape the approaching flames. 
 
PS I was NOT in New York then!

I was driving to an appointment here in NY. I called a friend of mine to verify our golf outing that afternoon. He works for a large defense contractor. He answered his cell in a hushed tone and quickly realized I was unaware of what was happening. He said we are under attack and that he would not be leaving his office for days or possibly weeks. He said I needed to get home and turn on the TV. I hung up just as I was approaching the toll booth on the New York State Thruway outside of Syracuse, and saw two F16 fighter jets go screaming overhead on full afterburner and loaded to the teeth with missiles. Surreal doesn't begin to describe that day.
 
Randy

Was barely awake (West Coast you know) and got a call from my Mom to turn on the TV (usual comment "What channel?"  "Any channel.").  I watched the first plane with her for a bit then called a co-worker who had just returned from NY (and being on top of the towers).  While we were watching the other plane hit and we were deer in the headlights for quite a while.  I finally went into work almost two hours late and got chewed out by some asshat who couldn't care less what was happening.  I avoided him when I left work early and he wasn't saying anything to anyone the next day.

I was on the first floor of the sign manufacturing company that I ran back then, in Swindon, in the SW of England.
 
My co-director always had the TV on and we stood around the huge layout bench watching in disbelief as the appalling events unfolded.
 
I still remember that a sales guy we had working for us acted very strangely, bustling around almost maniacally with his work..looking back he was perhaps trying to pull the day back to 'normal' I guess.

I was working in the EMS evaluator's buggy that day for DCFEMS. I heard about the first plane on the news station on the AM radio. Stopped at 8 Engine and saw the second plane hit on TV. Left the firehouse and got about two-three blocks away on East Capitol when they hit the box for a report of a plane into the White House. Started to respond on that, and while coming around the Capitol they struck another box for mutual aid to the Pentagon. As I hit Pennsylvania Ave I could see the smoke from the Pentagon. A few more blocks up Pennsylvania Avenue they struck a third box for a report of a car bomb explosion at the State Department. I called my wife, told her not to worry, and not to expect me home anytime soon.
 
The car bomb turned out to be false. We thought we might relieve the guys over at the Pentagon, but they kept us in an underground garage as a quick response strike team should something else happen. The folks at Shanksville responded to the plane that was heading for the White House, my original call. I've been to Shanksville several times. I always say a prayer of "Thanks" to those folks.
 
Long day. We lost a lot of really good people.

Working, at the drape and blind company in Terrell, TX. The seamstresses always had a radio on (usually to some type of music I didn't like) and they interupted their playlist for the announcement of the first strike.
Like many folks, I assumed it was an accident, since planes have hit buildings many times over the years.
The second strike proved that idea wrong.
The ladies were weeping. I was angry.
 
When I got home from work last night, the room mate was watching "120 Minutes that Changed the World" on History.
A scene near the end struck me; hundreds of firefighters carrying their gear, maybe a hundred pounds each, walking many blocks toward the towers, and knowing that when they got there they would have to climb perhaps 50, 60, 70 stories to get to the fire.
And they still did it.
 

I remember for weeks afterwards, the absolute first thought on my mind when I woke up every morning was "I can't believe they actually did that." And then I would lie there trying to imagine myself in that cockpit intentionally flying into a skyscraper and just thinking it was impossible that someone would actually bring themselves to do it, then reminding myself that they actually did. I think it was the first time I realized how fanatical and far removed from reality these barbarian refugees from the 7th-century really are. 
 
Every year around this time there'll be a surge in 9/11 footage videos posted online and I'll always end up amazed at how much I haven't seen. I watched one a couple of nights ago which was 30 minutes of some guy with a video camera wandering around Ground Zero right after the first tower fell when everything and everyone is covered in a thick layer of dust and people are wandering around confused. He gets right into the north tower and wanders around for a bit as cops and firefighters run around frantically. Then he goes back out and films the flaming ruins of the south tower and talks to some of the people around the scene. Pretty soon of course the north tower starts collapsing right above him and what amazed me was, as everyone around him runs for their lives, he not only stays where he is but actually stops to wipe his lens - as it's collapsing - to make sure he gets good footage. It's amazing how people's perception of danger changes when they're behind a camera. 
 
Of course nothing touches the Naudet brothers' documentary. It's absolutely horrifying footage but probably one of the most historically significant accounts of that day. Your heart rate will double while watching it. 

I was in Saudi Arabia on an oil camp. There were probably around 20 different nationalities, evey one equally shocked and stunned.