I should have posted this yesterday

but now's almost as good.



"The view from my apartment was the World Trade Center. And now it's gone. And they attacked it. This symbol of American ingenuity and strenght and commerce. And it is gone. But you know what the view is now? The Statue of Liberty. The view from the south of Manhattan is the Statue of Liberty. You can't beat that." - Jon Stewart, 9-20-2001

My last view of the towers was from Jersey, flanking the stage of Liberty state park on one side with the Statue of Liberty on the other. I'll never forget that. I'll also never forget my first trip back, on the Greyhound, going though Jersey and not seeing the towers. I'll never forget that day, the numbness, the not knowing.

I just realized I'm unintentionally using the "never forget" meme that has long been scornfully associated with those who experienced this tragedy from afar, and I'm almost tempted to edit it out. It's not that I mean to look down on what they felt from this. I know that everyone was affected in some way, and I know many were affected more than me. I've just listened to David Cross to many times, and it doesn't feel right speaking about this without being as expressive and eloquent as possible. This was the most important shared event of our lifetime, and to fall back on "Never Forget" and "United We Stand" seems a disservice.

Anyway.

An inch one way or the other, a butterfly's wing flap as it were, and the effect on my life would have been far greater. I still can't think about it without feeling empty. I'm... I'm going to have a glass of 12 year now.