9/11

This is SO NOT the blip I intended for today, though I knew I wanted to say something of the anniversary that is being marked. I wanted to post a sunset to signify the end of a day sadly the last one for too many, but couldn't get a decent one; then flowers to remind us of the beauty of life (got that); then a most unusual cloud formation to remind us of eternity (got that too), but driving back home; managed to snap this from a fast moving car (G was driving) and I am thrilled that it barely needed any straightening. Just a bit of cropping. The natural haze and grain - a reminder of the imperfect world we now live in.

So why this one for today? Because it reminds me of life going on. One of the things people (especially in this part of the world) were warned of was not to build tall buildings which could be targets, but of course, over 90% of Dubai's skyscrapers have been built post 9/11.

I was chatting with my colleague Louise today about what was she doing on September 11, 2001. Everyone I ask can remember the day very clearly. She was just 13. My youngest nephews (SweetArt's kids) were 3 and 4 and they were able to tell their Uncle Tom who arrived from Australia a day later, what had happened.

I realised that Louise has lived in a world full of turmoil for half her life, and will do for the rest of it. I felt quite lucky that I grew up in a relatively "sensible" one or rather that I didn't have such world changing events happen while I was in school. I hope that comes across as I intended. I can't help feeling sorry for the present generation. Any of us who travel by air still experience the effects of that day; some others on a much larger and more horrific scale.

I hope those of you who read my journal will share what you were doing on that day. I was 15 minutes away from leaving work when a colleague came into my office to tell me. It sounded so ridiculous, I told him to stop talking rubbish. Then driving home, had a call from SweetArt, in tears and barely able to talk, relaying what was going on. She was at home (in Dubai) watching it on TV. We had dinner together later that evening.
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... And I got to come home for lunch and G very kindly baked a banana cake for me to take back to work. What a treat.

AND I got in touch with one of our trainers whose bio I had read in a brochure. I have wanted to meet her for ages. She will be in Dubai next week running a Business Analysis course for us, so after obtaining permission to write to her; I sent an email offering to show her Dubai and she has accepted! I was fascinated by the fact that she has a Phd in Nanotechnology! Looking forward to Monday next week. :D

AND I made a brief appearance in Spotlight for yesterday's blip! Thank you my faithful blip buddies for putting me there! :D