Remembering a certain sunny September morning

if I had 100 wishes . . . I would give them all to you

Some people listen to music when they work, others embrace silence. My constant studio companion is KUOW. My mornings begin with NPR on the clock radio and move on to local and international programing (BBC and The World) when I enter the studio. Sometimes I pay close attention, but often as not it's background noise to keep me company throughout the day.

wish tickets

Commentators are focused on the upcoming 10th anniversary of 9/11. Stories from survivors, witnesses, first responders and many others fill the airwaves. "How has 9/11 changed you?," is a frequent question. It's not unlike the query "Where were you when Kennedy was shot?" (5th grade recess - playing kickball at Briarwood Elementary, Florham Park, NJ) Spending today creating Wish Tickets for the upcoming Solumination Sale has given me ample opportunity to ponder this question and remember that morning.

As per usual, NPR started my day. Sometimes I'm not totally awake and mis-hear stories – at first I thought that they were reporting about King Kong, a plane and the Empire State Building! Finally realizing that something was horribly wrong, I rushed to the TV just in time to see the catastrophic events unfold. I remember to saying to Hattie, a 6th grader at the time, "I'm so glad your papa's in Florida!" She then reminded me that no, Bob was in DC.

I figured he was at the NOAA offices in Silver Spring, but still freaked out that he was in a city where planes were crashing into buildings. He was finally able to phone and let me know that he was OK even though his meeting had been in a hotel across the street from the Pentagon! Well then I really lost my tiny mind and said "You have to come home, NOW!" That was easier said than done - took him 5 days to return to Seattle. Planes weren't flying and no rental cars were available. When he walked into the house, we hugged and cried and hugged some more . . . he kept repeating, "I just wanted to get home."

Today as I make my art full of wishes, I think about the people who didn't make it home and the families, friends and co-workers who were waiting for them. This is how 9/11 changed me. I'll carry them all in my heart and hold those that I know and love even closer.