wendywhohoo for the questions:1. When John F. Kennedy was shot (11/22/1963)
Three years before birth. Let me say publicly, so that all can here, "I don't give a fuck that John F. Kennedy got shot." I do, however, care that Johnson wound up as president.
2. When Mt. St. Helens blew (5/18/1980)
I dunno. 8th grade? A big non-moment for me. I do remember a few of the last moon missions, Voyager reaching Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto, and Viking landing on Mars.
3. When the space shuttle Challenger exploded (1/28/1986)
Sophmore year of college. I was walking down the hall to Steve Cerutti's room. People started poking their heads out. "The space shuttle blew up." They weren't kidding. I then saw the video and went to lunch.
4. When the 7.1 earthquake hit San Francisco (10/7/1989)
For some reason, I was watching TV. Linthicum, MD. I wound up calling Chris Knapp and hanging out at his house for a while, watching the aftermath.
5. When the Berlin Wall fell (11/7/1989)
I was working an all night job and getting four hours of sleep. It was historic and I barely paid attention.
6. When the Gulf War began (1/16/1991)
I was driving about in my Honda Civic, most likely to a pharmacy to fix a computer. I don't know much else. *sigh* I still miss 99 cent gas.
7. When OJ Simpson was chased in his White Bronco (6/17/1994)
I heard about it afterward and could care less. Sorry, that's a lie. No care at all.
8. When the building in Oklahoma City was bombed (4/19/1995)
I dunno. I think I was working for Dow Environmental at the time.
9. When Princess Di was killed (8/31/1997)
I dunno. I don't care. I never cared about her. I do recall everyone fascinated with her wedding when I was in high school back in Andover.
10. When Bush was first announced President (11/7/2000)
I dunno. Working in the government, I guess.
11. When the 6.8 earthquake hit Nisqually, WA (2/28/2001)
Really? I never knew this happened.
12. When terrorists knocked over the World Trade Center (9/11/2001)
I was at my desk at the NIH. Chuck walks in and said, "A plane hit the world trade centers." I tried to check the news sites, but got nowhere. This made me think it was true.
xpioti told me that the Pentagon got hit. I wound up watching the second collapse on big plasma screens in a big conference room. I could not go home, as I was essential personelle. Some folks went up to the roof to see the Pentagon smoke. 