CSJ: It always hits me whenever I come across the phrase '9/11', but it when I was typing in today's date on this blog entry, it really made me stop and remember what I was doing when the horrible events of 11 years ago unfolded.

I was on the air right here in EC (although we were temporarily broadcasting from the basement studio while our current studio was being remodeled), and a co-worker came down to ask if I'd heard about a plane hitting a building in New York. Our Internet connection in the studio at the time was slow at best, so I remember running upstairs to the newsroom to watch the live coverage and then running back downstairs to talk about it on the air. Then, when the towers went down, we switched to all-news coverage from our sister station and I was glued to TV coverage in our conference room.

I remember the weather here was a crisp and bright blue day, just like it was in New York. In fact, anytime we get the first bright blue, sunny and low-humidity day each fall, it gives me pause, and takes me back to that horrible morning. Jack Diamond, a fellow morning radio host who works in Washington DC, wrote the following thoughts, and they sum up my thoughts this morning, too:
 

I was on the air when the world changed forever. So many good and innocent people lost. So many heroes found this day. So many amazing stories. I choose to remember and respect those lost, those who did help and those who tried. Those who remain brave today and live their lives to the fullest and will not be deterred. My love and thoughts to all today. I will never forget, and I will always love and respect you and all who love this country and it's incredible mix of people. God Bless America. Land of the free, home of the brave.