Recently in General Category

I was shocked when I wandered across CNN's web page Saturday morning. I was just expecting to see more of the same news: US getting ready to go to war with Iraq, The intense cold in the rest of the country, Tsi-tsi fly mating season beginning in Southern Africa. I didn't expect to see such a world shattering piece of news on a web site. I guess its my first notification of a disaster by web. Of course, I am talking about the breakup of the Shuttle Colombia over Texas and Louisiana.

Like most people around my age, I remember where I was when the Challenger exploded back in 1986. I still get sad when I think of that accident, and this accident just re-opened old wounds. Why do I mourn seven astronauts that I barely even knew. I knew the basics of the flight: a very rare all scientific flight, good ol' Colombia, the second shuttle and the first one to orbit the earth, and that at 16 days, it seemed like an awfully long time to be up in space.

But why do I mourn this group of people? I think because they are very similar to the firefighters and policeman who ran up into a burning crumbling building on September 11, 2001 and those passengers on United 93 who told some terrorists what to go do with themselves and sacrificed their lives to save others. These astronauts: Rick D. Husband, William C. McCool, Michael P. Anderson, David M. Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, and Ilan Ramon were doing something that most of us only dream about doing. They were visiting the stars and expanding our knowledge of the universe. They transcended earth-as-normal and worked for all of us. They helped us believe that no matter what sort of zaniness goes on in the world, that somehow it is all insignificant, and maybe, just maybe things will turn out all right.

I certainly hope that the investigators will be able to figure out soon what exactly happened, and that it doesn't take us years to recover. Part of me hopes that it will spur innovation and maybe new types of shuttles. Another part of me worries about those guys up on the International Space Station whose ride has just broken down and they don't know when the next taxi home is. Deep down though I feel that things will be all right.

Some useful links:
CNN's Shuttle Coverage
Nixlog's Columbia coverage including Infographics links

What a strange year it has been. On September 10, 2001 the most important thing that was on my mind was that ESPN had way too many pop-up ads. I was also still chuckling over the movie "Rat Race" which I had just seen. Five days earlier, I was hired by Disney to start on Oct. 6. I was nervous about my tryout for "The Weakest Link" to be held on September 11, and I was looking forward to a day at the LA County Fair. In the back of my mind, I was thinking of getting into the Tour Guide business. Something I think I would be good at, plus a great way to travel around the world. All that would change the following morning.

Susie rang the phone around 6 or 7 in the morning. I can always count on a call from her when something like an earthquake happens. I remember waking up to the phone and hearing that the TV was on. Roger occasionally will have the TV on in the morning, but something was amiss. I stumbled out of bed and into the horror of what we all witnessed that day. I think the first tower had already collapsed and the second one was still there.

I look back at that day and some of the entries that followed. I watched TV a lot (well being unemployed there was not much else to do). At the time, I didn't think it affected me more than any other disaster normally does, but looking back I realize it was different. I didn't sleep well for months. My whole plan of getting into the tourism industry was shot. Even a backup plan working for an airline seemed far out of reach. A year later, we still haven't moved. I have only been on a plane once since that fateful day - and that was to interview for Yahoo. My annual birthday party almost didn't happen, more than a month later, not many people were in the partying mood. It wasn't until mid January, that things slowly started to return to normal.

So here it is a year later. I feel like a whole year has just flitted by. I find myself in basically the same position as I was last year - still looking for a new apartment and a better job. Next month, I will turn 30, and it is my goal to make next year more productive (really not that hard when you think of it). I also am going to work on my relationships. I think every level of relationship in my life has suffered the last year, and I resolve to make it up to everyone.

As you remember September 11, think of all the people who lost their lives and how it has changed or not changed your way of life. Don't dwell on the negative, but use this event and create positive from it.

9-11-2001

Well the apartment on the street of yesteryear was directly out of yesteryear. Needless to say, we won't be moving there anytime soon. No AC, smallish rooms, and no garage as promised pretty much shot down this apartment. One of the other oddities - no cable in the front room - only in one of the bedrooms. I think if there had been an AC, we might have overlooked some of the other items. The building was built in 1948 to house Warner Brothers employees, so it had cool history, but when the rental guy says the power in the building isn't able to handle something like even a window AC, you tend to get worried about your computers and TV.


Mandel's big party was a success. I even managed to eek out a win during the Hollywood Squares segment of the party. Me and my fellow contestant tied at one game a piece, and then he missed the tie breaker sending me into the bonus round. Since this was a Match Game/North Hollywood Squares party, the bonus round was a Super Match. I managed to do OK, ending up with enough cash to get something from the small box. I was happy as all get out. Someone later in the party managed to score something from a bigger box, and a great time was had by all.


It did make me wish that I had more time to hang out at people's parties. I've missed my fair share of events in the last month or so due to the busy schedule at the park. Hopefully, as my seniority improves, I will get some more weekend nights off. Or at least, I'll move into something else that will give me the weekends off again.