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 working in a lady's house doing some electrical work. She had the TV in the den on and tuned to a news network. We were discussing some things when I noticed the scene unfolding on the TV in the background. She turned the volume up and we stood watching for several minutes. The first building had been hit, and I recalled saying at that point, even before anything else happened that what we were watching was not an accident.  As a pilot and understanding the flight rules and restrictions in that metro area..... no way was that an accident, and a few minutes later that was confirmed as additional planes hit additional targets.

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 also in the West Coast at that time and got a call from back home with the sad news.......turn on the TV......and was silently shocked for quite some time.........
 
 
To all our fallen brothers and sisters, we salute you!!
 

 
We will NEVER forget!!

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 in my home office, working, when my wife called me out into the kitchen. I have had a compulsion to turn on the TV news at breakfast time ever since.

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

I was working with a team of people in a data center. Someone used the intercom system to play a radio broadcast after the first plane hit. We all pulled up news web sites and watched live coverage in stunned confusion. When the second plane hit the WTC, awareness dawned that this was not the actions of a single lunatic. We sat, glued to web sites, watching as the story unfolded.
 
Emotions ranged all over the spectrum. Shock, sadness, rage, and horror ran in circles around the room. It was a terrible demonstration of humanity's capacity for evil. 

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 had an ARD meeting for my middle son at his middle school at 9am (Central).  My wife and I drove separate cars to the school so we could each go to our own jobs after the meeting.  This meeting was a big one because it was the first one we had with our lawyer and the school district because they were not providing an education to our disabled son.
 
we don't have the TV or radio on when we're getting ready for work, so we didn't hear anything about it until we got in the car.
 
I left the house about 8am heading to the school, as did my wife.  that's right when the 2nd plane hit the south tower.  I wept.  My heart felt so heavy for those innocent people killed that day and the loved ones, the wives, the husbands and the children of those who would never see their family again because of an act of terrorism that had nothing to do with them.
 
I'm tearing up now thinking about it again.  I do every time I think about it.
 
I also knew it meant war was coming soon and prayed that innocent lives would be spared.