Celebrity

The other night we went to a large birthday party for one of our relatives. It was a surprise party and was an extremely well done affair with great food, good company, and a great band. But there is another reason we'll remember that night. One of the guests brought a local celebrity. So as much as I/we enjoyed the night, there was always one eye occasionnally glancing over in that corner of the room.

Now, I have always felt that celebrities get enough wanted or unwanted attention. So I don't approach them and try not to stand there gapping in awe in order to respect that many of these people would like to return to being another invisible face in the crowd. But I could not help but keep covertly checking over in that direction to see what she was like. How did she interact with others? How did she hold herself? How well does she dance? I have to say that although we did not speak face to face, she's quite a respectable person and very outgoing. She's also incredibly thin. They say TV adds five pounds, but she seemed to lose ten to twenty stepping out from in front of the camera.

And it was also fun to watch the others at the party. From what I saw, everyone respected her space and allowed her to enjoy the party with the company that she came with. But there were many who like myself would glance over to see what was going on. Once, a couple of teenage girls sat there with their mouths gaping open gazing at her as she crossed the room.

It's interesting because last summer I had also seen her co-star from our favorite Quebec television series. I had gotten into the elevator to leave work. A couple floors down, she got in. Part of me wanted to say that I enjoyed her work in the series, part of me wanted to allow her her space, and another part wasn't entirely sure it was her. So I kept my eyes forward, but I swear that out of the corner of my eye it looked like she was staring at me. As I turned to verify if that was the case, the doors opened at another floor and more passengers got in before I could look in her direction. When we got to the ground floor, it seemed everyone was continuing to the basement, so I headed out and on my way. From what I heard behind me, she didn't realize it was the ground floor and the others told her how to get out. It was then hearing her distinctive voice that I was positive it was here. But with my body already on the way out, I would have felt awkward doing an about-face.

Although it would have been nice to talk to her and say that I wish the series had continued, I still prefer to allow celebrities to lead lives with as little unwanted attention as possible. They likely get enough recognition on the street without my input. They're people doing their jobs like everyone else. It's the way I'd want to be treated also if I were in that position.

Tour Guide

A line of sycamores in the gardens of the Chateau de Versailles, France. Winter 1991-92.

Recently, Patrick, a Flickr member whose pictures I've been viewing regularly, mentioned that he was going to Versailles. So since then, I've been offering what I know about the city and places that I recommend seeing.

It reminds me how much I really enjoy doing this. There is just something inside me that wants to share all the great things that I have encountered. Be it in Chicago, Montreal, Versailles, Paris, or anywhere else I've been. It could be just giving tips before people head there. But of course I'd love to actually be there with them to see what they like compared to myself and also to see how much they enjoy the same things that I do.

Sometimes I'm almost too eager. Taking people on whirlwind tours of the city to see as much as possible. When people came to visit when I lived near Paris, on the first day we would start at the Latin Quarter, see Notre Dame, the Louvre from the outside, walk the length of the Tuileries and the Champs Elysee, see the Arc du Triumph from the outside, then head to the Eiffel Tower likely climbing to the top just before sunset to see the city in the daylight and at night.

But I always enjoy having visitors and taking them on tours of the places we've lived. You could say it is how I met my wife. After returning from my first stay in France, I introduced myself to the French students on the opposite exchange and offered to show them around. In the first month we visited Chicago, Springfield IL, Oak Park, and Pittsburgh on a grand tour of everything Frank Lloyd Wright. We were going out by the end of the tour. Even the following year, I organized trips through a student organization to many of the same places.

Of course the best is to share it with family and good friends. Again, my first stay in France was a bit bitter sweet. On one hand I was experiencing so many interesting things. On the other I could not share it with family and friends firsthand. Eventually that did happen, but it was really just a sampling of the total experience. It's one of the things I'd love to do if we ever won the lottery. Set aside money for each friend and family member, then take a trip with them. Whether it's a cross-country road trip or a trip to another continent. The key would be to share a place they would enjoy seeing.

No Drugs

So the answer to the last post was #4. 'I have done illegal drugs' is a false statement. I kinda figured it would be easy because since almost everyone has tried them at one time, why would you include it in a list like that. Either way, it looks like I got some splainin to do. The other four items will be elaborated on in the coming weeks.

In truth, I have only been offered marijuana only twice in my life. The first time I shrugged it off because I was the driver that night and I had no idea what my reaction to it might be. At that point I hadn't even tried alcohol. Plus I feared a situation where I could not get the car back home and have to explain it to my parents.
The second time was in college and some of my co-workers at the photo store said they had some and would have it after hours upstair. I backed out of that one because: I already had something going on that evening; I wasn't too keen on their company to start with, much less trying something new with them; and lastly because I figured another offer would come up at some point.

Now before y'all start thinking I'm a goodie-two-shoes, it's not that. I see it like this. When I was a kid, I had a best friend named John. We hung out together until we went to high school. I placed into third level classes while he was at second level. So we didn't have any classes together, plus I joined the cross-country and track teams so my afternoons were taken up. We rather quickly grew apart only seeing each other when we passed in the hallways. We each had a new group of friends. I ended up in the brainy running crowd, he became part of the heavy metal crowd. By junior year he was heavily into drugs and dropped out of school. So what I am saying is that part of the fact of why I have never done drugs is because of the crowd of people that I was around. My friends didn't do them, so it greatly diminished the possibility that I would.

So that's it. That's the story. Nothing more.

Two Degrees of Separation Only

One thing that I've thought about recently is that before getting into blogging, all of my good and close personal friends were people that I either went to school with or worked with. I really can't think of any people who I have met outside of those circles that I have become very good friends with. I don't have any problem with it and it really works for me. But it does seem a bit odd doesn't it? It really make me seem like an introvert. Now, I'm not outgoing, but I've been good at getting people together in the past.

And even aquaintences seem to fall at most one degree of separation from that. They are friends or aquaintences of the people I had direct contact with. But none of those blossomed into real friendships. Does it require that I'm cooped up with someone on a day to day basis for relationships to work? Am I the only one?

Now, in my defense, I was never comfortable striking up conversations with strangers. I always prefered strong (or light) one on one interaction with people I know well and see eye to eye. Or groups of the same people. I've always wondered if it was a product of growing up in the city. Keep to yourself in the sea of people.

Another possibly lame excuse is architecture. In school we worked late hours sequestered in our studio together at times missing much of what was going on around the rest of the campus. Even the year when I lived with non-architecture students who were some of my best friends, I was at home the least often of the group. Those close architectural quarters also fostered good and lasting friendships. We also seemed to be speaking the same language and sharing the same passion. Many love affairs and eventual marriages were born out of it including our own. Then we went on to the work world, but the paycheck was the biggest change. Still the long hours and close quarters. And so many of the same people. There was such a network among architects in Chicago that you never seemed more than two degrees of separation from another architect. We were always going to the same lectures, exhibitions, and parties.

But why do I bring this up. Well, the blog world has broken that seal. I've started meeting people from other professions or who I did not go to school with. The world outside. Not that I was not in contact with others before, but it is more that a comfort level has been reached. Friendships are happening. Even exclusively virtual contact with people I have never met. Though I hope to have the chance to meet those people someday since I still feel at least one face to face encounter says volumes about who a person really is. It really is a brave new world and I really have to say I've been enjoying it.

Thanks, everyone.

More Europe

There have been a few posts added to the European Memoirs blog since I last mentioned it here. The posts include: a trip to the French Alps; a trip to visit someone in Holland; a class trip to Chartres, France; a tour of the Pantheon in Paris; a description of the EuraRail Pass; and some words about homesickness.

After the holidaze I hope to post about time spent in Rome, Florence, and Paris.

When Barry met Larry

I used to work for a large firm with offices in many cities. The namesakes of the firm and the head office were in New York. The namesakes would come around to the other offices from time to time and it was a fairly big deal. In addition to being namesakes of the firm, they were as close to being celebrities as you can get in our line of work. I'm sure if you watched a week of the Discovery Channel, you'd be sure to see one of them at least once on a show as an expert. Although they had reached this "status", they remained some of the most personable people you could work for (as you shall soon learn). Although their company employed hundreds of people, they were not hesitant to talked to those unknown to them. Their approachability also took the edge off any hesitation to approach them because of their celebrity.

The firm grew fast in the time I was there. In our office we increased from 35 to over 100 in three years. It was quite dynamic to have so many new people and there were some very interesting characters among them. Larry Green was one of those characters. Larry was a happy fellow and he was very friendly. So friendly that it got annoying at times. He was someone always interested in what was going on, but at times going too far or hanging on your arm too much. He meant well and had a good heart, so for many of us that was enough to overlook the less than positive points.

So one day I went to the bathroom. As I was using one of the urinals, I heard a cellphone go off in one of the stalls. As was habit among the busy higher-ups, the phone was answered. A few words into his short phone conversation, I realized it was Barry Hansen, one of the namesakes. He finished his call and moments later I hear from the adjacent stall "Hello, Mr Hansen. We haven't met, but my name is Larry Green and I work here for you." Barry replied quite happily without a hint of annoyance "Well I'm glad to meet you Larry, I'm Barry Hansen." To which Larry came back with "I'd shake your hand but..." Barry had an equally playful reply that I can't remember because I was so stunned. There was a bit more back and forth, but I hurriedly washed my hands to escape this bizarre lovefest. I walked out the door but held it open enough to see them both exit their stalls and cheerfully shake hands before washing them.

It was definitely the oddest moment of my 9 to 5 career.

Public Consultation

For those of you not living in Montreal, the hot topic of the last week has been the mayors decision to rename Parc Avenue along with Bleury Street to Robert Bourassa Avenue. Many people are furious for a variety of reasons. Some are upset because they feel Parc is an integral part of the collective memory. Some are upset because another avenue is being renamed for a politician. And others are unhappy because they don't feel Mr. Bourassa was deserving enough to have a major thoroughfare named after of him. But the biggest reason people are upset is because the mayor made the decision without public consultation. He did not consult the general public, nor the local community leaders, nor the local elected officials. He decided it within his administration then announced it to the public as a fait-au-compli.

While I completely agree with this last point, I also feel a tinge of guilt. You see, seven years ago I was on the other side of the coin. One day my supervisors came up to me and asked if I was interested in working on the New Chicago Bears Stadium. Growing up as a Bears fan, it was a dream come true. The only thing that could top it would be a worlds tallest building or work on Wrigley Field. It was very beginning stages so I could have the chance to see the building from start to finish.

As with other projects, it is not always in the best interest of the project for the public to know about it until the development reaches a certain point. Many times the goal is to have a well thought-out project before it goes under the microscope of public scrutiny. While other times it is to advance a project to a point so that the public could not prevent or distort the project from being built. Sometimes this is done for the developers financial gain, and sometimes it is done to prevent a good project from being designed by committee. A perfect example of this is the site of the World Trade Center. Daniel Libeskind designed a wonderful soaring building that has now been completely redesigned by David Childs and pressures from every possible person connected to it. It will still be a good building, but quite likely not a great building.

This was the worry with the Adaptive Reuse of Soldier Field. The concept and design of the project were extremely bold. Gutting a classical lakefront landmark and placing an ultra-modern stadium situated in and spilling over the existing facades. The project was quietly developed over a couple years, then when it was getting close to ready for construction, it was opened for some public hearings. But the mayor and his connections helped get the project approved with some additional funding. Many in the public were furious, particularly those who did not like the mayor to start with. The project went through the wringer of public opinion only after it had been approved and started construction. It was called the "mistake by the lake" and an ultra modern toilet bowl. People were generally polarized as either loving it or hating it. Even to this day.

Personnally, I'm not proud of that aspect of the project. Though I had no part in ramming it through the approval process, I did keep my mouth shut about it for a couple years. Why? I felt it was a great project. Something the city would be proud of. A better stadium than any other in the league. Plus it was so unique with an unconventional layout and design. And I still feel very strong it is a great building. Not only for the spectators, but also the guy walking or driving alongside it.

After it opened, the camps were still divided. But it seemed that many, especially the spectators, liked the new stadium. Though the one thing that remained and remains a sore point with so many was the lack of public consultation. In very rare instances, something good can come of it, but for the most part the public must be able to have their voices heard. Who knows how many more people would like the project had they not felt it was shuffled in behind their backs?

October Travel Break - First Half

The first half of our October travel break has now been posted on the European Memoirs blog. It includes Munich, Oktoberfest, Salzburg, Vienna, and our arrival in Prague. There's a couple interesting stories among the sites seen, but the ones I find more interesting are during the second half. So there is much more to come.

Ode to October

October is my favorite month. We have quite a history together and I enjoy it's place in the change of seasons.

Many milestones in my life have occured in this month. During my second year of high school cross-country, I came in fifth place overall for the final race of the year after spending the year as a middle of the pack guy. It was the highlight of my high school running career and I never ran that fast again. I completed three marathons (89, 99, & 01) during the tenth month of the year. I started dating my future wife one mid-October evening and later married her an October afternoon almost seven years later. And our first daughter was born during this month.

But I feel a magic at this time of year regardless of the history.

Autumn offers my favorite weather. Summer is fun for the warmth, but my fair skin prefers cloudy days. And the problem with winter is that you spend your free time in the dark five days out of the week. Cloudy can be depressing in long stints, but darkness can be so empty. There is something about the autumn reprise from the summer heat. Similar to how spring is a break from winters chill. But for me spring heat never comes fast enough. Fall offers a moderate to chilly temp that is for the here and now. There is no yearning for that cold weather that follows. A time to enjoy long sleeves and light jackets that provide all the warmth and protection you need. Cooler temperatures that don't require hats and gloves. Just you and your rosy cheeks. Just enough to enjoy a cozy fire.

There is magic in the sights and smells. The oft mentioned color explosion, but also the scent of those leaves as they decay. Cool temperatures provide crisp views free of summer's haze or winter's smog. Fall is a rapidly changing landscape as plants prepare for hibernation. It's the time of harvest and a celebration of death. The best time for a good bowl of chili is while watching a football game with your beverage of choice. The month of apple picking and pumpkin carving. An damp earthy scent fills the air. A gloomy gothic moment before the earth goes to sleep that ends appropriately with Halloween.

September Class Trips

Two more posts have been added to my European Memoir blog. They encompass two trips. One to the chateaus of the Loire Valley and the other a day trip to Rouen and Honfleur in the Normandy region. These trips were largely uneventful story-wise and they are largerly about the places visited. This is probably because I spent much of them running around on my own. There are a few interesting people stories coming up in posts of the October travel break.

Much more coming soon.

Europe Revisited

Last winter I started another blog called European Memoirs. So far, I have spent a total of 19 months in Europe between living there and a couple trips. So I thought it would be best to document those times before more of it slips from memory. The blog laid largely untouched for the last 8 months so I thought of something that would help me finish at least part of it by next summer.

My first stay abroad was when I went to study there from Sept 1991 to May 1992. Of my time spent over there, those nine months were the most memorable. Probably because it was the first time. Seeing as it was almost exactly 15 years ago, I thought it would be great to blog the stay in real time over the next nine months. I had written journals during that time, but they were fairly dry and didn't elaborate on many observations. They tended to be "did this" - "saw that". In addition, I still can't find the journals from two of the big trips. Must have lost them during the moves over the years. It's something I'm still kicking myself over. So, much of what I write will be from what is left in my memory.

Posting to the other blog will take time away from this blog. I will post links, but there will be fewer posts here . Just over the past week, I have kept coming up with topics I'd like to cover. So there is a possibility that it may become a nine-month vacation from this blog. But I will try not to let that happen. Also, I hope it will be of interest to you, but for the most part that blog is written as a personal record for myself. Kind of like rewriting a trip journal though it will inevitably be blog-like. Heck, thats what a blog is. An online journal.

Since coming up with this idea a week or two ago, my mind has been filled with memories and recalled observations. Then there are all the slides from the trip that I have been sorting through. And the other night I read sideways through my old journal. It has been amazing how my memories are swirling through my head. It is also surprising how my memory of the cadence of time is different. Whereas I thought it was weeks before I ventured into the big city, it turns out it was only days. Or how I thought I took weekend trips only once a month and then only in the second half of the stay. Turns out there were trips every other weekend with many in the fall. Looking back now, it really surprises me how much was packed into those nine short months. Not to mention how much time it will take to blog it. But I will enjoy every minute of it, so that's what matters. What better way to spend your winter free time.

So there it is. Another blog. Four posts are already written. I am in the process of embellishing those posts a bit. There should be a flurry of posts in early October when we went on our first trip.

Air & Water Show

It is the event on the Chicago calendar that I looked forward to the most. The Chicago Air & Water show. I'm not a fan of the military, but something about those planes gets my blood pumping. It's a combination of the speed and the awe that a man-made object could do the things that they do. I had seen it a couple times when I was a kid and I loved it. But during my high school and college years I didn't get the chance to see it.

Photo courtesy of Stephanie in Chicago

When I returned to the city and started working 9 to 5, my excitement for it returned. Our office was on the top floor of a low-rise building just steps from the lake. One Thursday afternoon, there was that signature shrill followed by the loud deep rumble as they passed overhead. Everyone (OK, only us newbies) rushed to the window to see what it was. The practice for the airshow that weekend was taking place. We could not see anything from our windows so we were forced to keep working while it seemed the jets were passing only feet above our building. On the following day we walked down to the beach during our lunch hour to catch a glimpse of their practice. It was both a practice and publicity as the sounds of jets rumbled through the canyons of downtown and into the surrounding neighborhoods. Signalling to everyone of this weekends event.
Photo courtesy of ozmodier.

It's an event that draws two million people to the lakefront. An ideal setting with the city behind you, the lake spreading out in front, and the show overhead. It's a well planned event starting slow and rising to a huge finale. The start is usually the water portion with rescue divers (my uncle used to fly the CFD chopper), jet skis, and pontoon boats that are normally visible only to those nearby. Then the large planes like the B-52 bombers or the B-1 bombers are brought out. These are followed by bi-plane or prop-plane squadrons doing synchronized manouvers. There is also an acrobatic prop-plane performing their tricks. Mixed in are segments displaying the features of jets like the F-15 and the F-16. Occasionally the Apache or Blackhawk attack helicopters come out alsoPhoto courtesy of Stephanie in Chicago.

Photo courtesy of ozmodier.

Photo courtesy of Adarsh Bhat.

The finale alternates between two groups, the Air Force Thunderbirds or the Navy Blue Angels. For me, this is by far the highlight of the show. They flyby both slow and fast. The sound gives me chills. I can't explain why. They perform the show in front and above the beach between North Avenue and Fullerton Parkway. They would normally flyby parallel to the beach though sometimes come in from other directions in front. One interesting aspect of this type of show is that "backstage" is behind you or anywhere out of eyesight. For instance, a plane can go into a vertical climb until it is nearly invisible to the eye. Once they reach that point, the pilot can then turn to the direction they need to prepare for the next manuever. You don't see them again until they return. There are many gaps in the show where they are out setting up for the next element. For me it almost seems a tease, because you find yourself scouring the sky to see where they are or where they'll be coming from.Photo courtesy of ozmodier.

Part of that anxiousness may be due to one of the final elements of the show. They have a manuever where two planes are each coming toward the beach from the right and left. Your concentration is on them to see what they do when they meet in front of you. Just before they meet there is a huge rumble as one of other jets has come in low behind you completely catching everyone off guard. It gives you goosebumps.
Photo courtesy of ozmodier.

Other than at the beach, many watch the show from their hi-rise condos or from their rooftops. It gives a different perspective than at show center. We lived in a three story building the four years before moving here. The first year, we climbed the ladder up to the roof and I found the show just as fun. Since we lived behind the hi-rises lining the lakefront, our perspective was the backstage portion. We could watch them dive into show center for the manuevers then circle out over the city to setup for the next one.
Photo courtesy of zech zoo.

The final element of the show was very exciting from our location. In the maneuver, they start from high above show center. They come straight down and fan out to where they are flying low over the land/water in six different directions. They all go out, turn around, then return retracing their path back up to the sky. The show would end with them disappearing into the sky above. The thrilling part from our location is that the planes are not more than a hundred feet above where we were standing on the roof. You could make out all the details and see the pilot even at that speed. It was quite something to experience. Photo courtesy of ozmodier.

My excitement for the show has even led me to create a photo pool on Flickr. That is where all of these photos have come from and you can see more great photos in the pool. As much as I'm trying to convey the experience, it is really something that has to be experienced first hand to get the full sensation.

Great Flood of 1993

In August 1993, I attended my first class of Architectural Design Studio in grad school. It was the class where we would determine which professor we would have for the semester. It was also a chance to see our friends if we had not seen them already and to meet people entering the program. It was there that I met my wife who was there on an exchange from France. But I digress.

It was announced that all of the design studios would be going to help do damage assessment for the cities (Hardin, Kampsville, Grafton, and Alton, IL) hit by what is know as the Great Flood of 1993 along the Illinois, Mississippi, and Missouri rivers. The assessment would be followed by a design project to rebuild the damaged areas of the cities.

Our studio worked at Hardin, IL. Although the waters had receded considerable, the waters were still high and trapped in places where the levees broke. The pictures show two such areas. The other side of the flood plain is three miles away. There were still places where roads were blocked and debris was still prevelent. It had been less than a month since the height of the flooding and the watermark was evident thoughout the city on homes and signs. There was also a network of sandbag walls between the houses showing the lines of defense against the rising waters. I believe the townspeople continued to build the walls, but were forced to progressively retreated from wall to wall as the barriers were toppled. The levee break on the other side of the river is what saved the remainder of the town.
Our job was fairly simple. We were to enter the house and determine at what height the water levels had reached. In some homes this was fairly simple with a light or dark brown line on the walls. In others the line had to be taken from lines on the windows since the walls were covered in black and green mold. We were not there to determine the livability of the house or whether it could remain standing. From my understanding, the watermark elevation would tell the government how much aid each house would receive.

The loss of possessions was amazing. People did not have the time or the means to remove their things. Property is relatively very cheap in the flood plain, but that lower price comes with risk. As with Katrina, people judge that risk by the previous largest event. "We were OK after the last one, so we will be OK for future events." But this was the biggest event in the history of the area. The water had risen 17 feet above flood stage and four feet higher than the previous record in 1973. The water level had reached about five feet above the first floor in most of the places that I remembered. There was not much that could be salvaged from that.
As far as our project, each student concentrated on parts of the cohesive whole. The studio split into two groups. The pie-in-the-sky group and the realistic group. We were part of the pie-in-the-sky group. The bulk of the area that had been flooded would be raised to above flood stage and be redeveloped. My wife created a marina while I created a waterfront recreation/commercial strip with a patchwork of steps down to the water. Each step could mark the river levels at different times. And depending on the river level, a different pattern and waters edge would be visible. Other projects included a community center, a boat launch, an observation tower, and community housing. Although they liked the ideas, the city did not have the means to carry out large projects like this especially after the flood. Even for the realist group.

I returned the following summer to visit a friend who lived nearby. It was a strange scene. Life had returned to normal. The flooded fields had returned bright green with vegetation. But out in those fields were farmhouses you could see straight through. Abandoned. In the city, there were also empty houses and abandoned lots. Right next to homes where people had cleaned up and returned to normal.

It's an experience to see these things firsthand. We saw only the aftermath, but it still gave a sense of place and we met and talked to the people who lived through it. It also has helped me understand what people are going through in events like Katrina.

A Fitting Introduction

My first trip to Montreal, Quebec City, and the province of Quebec was in December 1993. During the trip I met my future in-laws for the first time and learned how to downhill ski. The most appropriate aspect of the trip was that the temperature was minus 40 during our stay. When we visited Quebec city, we spent much of it running between tourist shops in order not to get too cold.

Any trip to Montreal is incomplete without a visit to the Belvedere overlooking the city. What is normally a short uphill stroll turned into a slippery bone-chilling brisk walk. The fingers of our friend Valerie even froze to her metal camera while taking a picture of the panorama above. The above shot shows how her breath crystalized on her hair during the short walk. Click on the photo for a closer look.

Thank goodness that I now have proper clothing and footwear to endure winters here.

A Tuesday in September

I was running late for work as was par for the course at that time. It was hot and I was sweating with the bright sun blasting through the El train windows. The train was packed. I was forced to stand, basically hovering over this woman wearing a Walkman in a single seat near the window. We were approaching the Armitage station as she talked to someone on her cellphone. She was talking louder than normal and I took it as she was doing it on purpose to get attention. After she was finished, she turned to those of us standing up and said a plane had hit the World Trade Center in New York. Still believing she was looking for attention, I completely ignored her. People are always trying to get noticed in the crowded city, so it becomes force of habit to ignore attention-getters.

Where I worked at the time, I was among a group of people who kept up with the latest happenings via the internet. One of us always following the latest news events or sports scores. So when I got in I immediately asked what was this thing about the plane. I figured it was just some errant Cessna. They told me it was two commercial jets and one flew into each tower.

By then someone had dragged out a TV from somewhere and was watching it all live. I went over and saw the replays of what had happened. But there was this odd ambiance in the office. We were an office of close to a hundred at the time, but only about ten people stayed glued to the TV. Only half of the others like myself checked in from time to time to see what was the latest news. The others just kept on working.

My father called up and asked if we thought the buildings would remain standing. You see, the company where I worked designs the structures for skyscrapers. The branch office that I worked at has worked on many tall buildings in Chicago while the head office in New York office works on some of the world's tallests. Only having a few years experience, I asked around. Nobody thought they would come down. They had survived the initial impact. That was quite impressive in itself. We figured the fire would be put out.

So I wandered back to the TV. One guy says to me very emotionlessly, "One of them came down." WHAT!?! You have got to be kidding! Being so early in my career, the thought never entered my mind of a building coming down. I have seen first hand buildings being demolished with explosives, but still. The building didn't come down in Oklahoma City. I even saw the wreckage of Miller Park crane accident up close. Where the strongest and largest steel members around were twisted and deformed like rope. But still, I could not believe this. So I stayed and watched the second one come down, still in disbelief.

But now what. Two other planes had crashed and there were rumors that there were still a couple planes unaccounted for. We were a couple blocks away from the Sears Tower. If the building fell, it would probably not hit us. But what if the plane missed and hit us? Offices downtown were letting out for the day and people were flooding the streets to get home. Again, the aire in our office was odd. There was no official notice that the office was closing. Word of mouth got around that they said you could go if you like. So many just kept on working. Finally it was both that rumor about the unaccounted for plane and that my wife had left work that I decided to go.

I got outside and the masses were gone. The streets were eerily deserted with just a few stragglers like myself. I was even able to get a seat on the El. And of course the sound of planes passing overhead was missing.

At home, my wife and I watched the coverage into the night. We just could not stop watching. I could still not believe the buildings had come down. I wanted to see the footage over and over to figure out what happened. I wanted to hear the stories of those that experienced it. Is this a one time event or the start of something? I wanted to any information they could offer. I guess I was trying to understand it like everyone else.

It has become the "Where were you when you heard Kennedy was shot?" of our time. There are and will be so many other accounts like this. I figured this is my space and there is a different perspective being in the construction industry.

My Beaujolais Nouveau Story

This morning French wine lovers are waking up with a hangover. Last night at one minute past midnight the newest batch of wine from Burgundy's Beaujolais region was released. Around the world people hold Beaujolais Nouveau parties to celebrate the occasion. And to start the festivities the celebrant yells out 'Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!' ('The New Beaujolais has arrived!')

This leads to my Beaujolais Nouveau story. Everytime I hear the word 'Beaujolais' this is what comes to mind. Ten years ago (it's been that long already?) I spent my second stint living in France. This time, as with the first, I got by without a visa. Instead I stayed in the country by doing back to back 3-month tourist visas by leaving the country every three months. Nobody really checked, but I didn't want to chance it. And it gave me a chance to travel a bit.

It was getting around the time that my previous 3-month visa was up and I needed to leave the country. The school, where my fiancée at the time was finishing up her studies, advertised a weekend bus trip to London. So I signed up. The night of the bus departure the guy (Guy) who rans the school cafet (café) decided to have a little Beaujolais Nouveau party. He served bad Beaujolais and the school horn band came and played. There was quite a bit of merriment with swing dancing, drinking, and French hors d'oeuvres.

It came time to leave and as those of us who were leaving went down to the bus I noticed that most of the others were first or second year students. Most were away from home the first time and they were very inebriated. As the bus took off everyone was singing, laughing, making loud comments... Suddenly from the back of the bus someone starts screaming 'UN SAC!! UN SAC!!!' Almost instantaneously there was that distinctive human roar and a loud splashing sound as the aisle filled up with semi-digested wine and party snacks. With that, a very astute student jumps up and screams 'Le Beaujolais Nouveau est Arrive!!!'