Not So Random

So today is the 7th anniversary of the first event in my memory that forces the question "Do you remember where you were/what you were doing when you hear [blank] happened?" (I was only 8 months old when JFK was killed, 5 years old when MLK was shot... don't remember those... I have memories of the moon landing in '69 [though not specific] and of '74's resignation [but that is mixed with so much of that summer's Watergate hearings]... [and yes, I have memories of '81 assassination attempt on Reagan... but that event didn't change the world])

I remember waking up early, as usual, to check email and news websites before going to work. The LA Times had a small bulletin in the upper left corner of its homepage, saying that one of the towers of the WTC was on fire. Hmmm. That's random. By the time, I was done and ready to shower, the page had updated to say that the fire had been caused by a plane hitting the building. Huh? That's bizarrely random.

At that point, I got up and turned on the TV in bedroom; Lisa was already in the shower. I told her, and the coverage was still on when she finished and I started my shower. Which was interrupted by Lisa coming in and saying that a second plane had just crashed into the second tower.

What the fuck? This is not random at all.

And the day went on. News got worse. A great boss sent all us home from work to be with our families. Just about every kids' parents showed up at Bard to pick up their kids.

And our world changed.

Today, the candidates were to make a joint appearance at Ground Zero. McCain, instead, bailed and showed up at the crash site of United 93... the politically cynical side of me says he chickened out of being on the same stage as Obama in a purely speech-making event (instead of a "town hall meeting" setting)... and maybe at this point I should watch my animal metaphors (given the outrage in the last couple of days over the "lipstick on a pig" remark). And, of course, this gives McCain the chance to show up at the site of the plane that had passengers who "fought" against the terrorists... since the old man wants us to believe that he will "fight" for change for us... sigh.

[my bad... they meet at GZ later today... but my cynicism remains]

More animal metaphors lately: old fish wrapped in a newspaper still stinks (this followed hot on the heels of the "lipstick on a pig" reference... and I actually heard a republican [on Fox, natch] say that not only was the pig a reference to Palin, but the "old" fish was a reference to McCain... though I'm shocked that talking head didn't say that the stinky fish wasn't a reference to Palin on so many socio- and physio- logical levels [sorry]). Oh, yeah... and don't forget "vetting" ... which originally meant to refer to veterinarians checking horses to be bought to ensure their health before purchase.

Now, back on the "world changing" front... is it just me, or did the reality ("YOU can be a star") shows really blossom (and note I didn't use an animal metaphor there) after 9/11. Maybe it was that people were so unsure of being alive tomorrow (as 3K+ people were snuffed out that day), that these shows preyed on those fears and allowed viewers to accelerate their fame collection. Maybe it was the glorification of the "everyman." I don't know.

But I do know Sarah Palin is our American Idol candidate... you, too, could be a heartbeat away from the White House (if only John McCain would have picked YOU)...