Why do I do these things at ludicrous times?  It's nearly 3am...

meme (from Fernwithy)

1. When John F. Kennedy was shot (22/11/1963)
Trying to get to my mother who had put herself in what should have been MY playpen while she was sewing. I wasn’t 12 months old.

2(I can’t believe this wasn’t on the list!!!)Man Landing on the Moon (20.7.69)

We watched it at school.  I remember whinging to my Mum and uncle, who were glued to the B&W image of crater after crater going past the screen, “Do we have to watch this AGAIN?” It snowed here the next day (something that happens once every 20yrs maybe) and it was jokingly blamed on the moon landing.

3.Sacking of the Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam (11/11/1975)

A very big thing here in Australia.  I was sitting in class when the outraged teacher came in and told us.  The class cheered and the teacher was furious with us.

4. When Mt. St. Helens blew (18/5/1980)
I have a vague memory of it.  It was a long way away and not very important to a typically self-obsessed 17yo.

5.When John Lennon was murdered (12/8/1980)

I was at work. Listening to the radio (talkback).

6. When the space shuttle Challenger exploded (28/1/1986)
Hubby and I were newlyweds.  Woke to the news and couldn’t believe our ears.

7. Hoddle St Massacre (9/8/1987)

Way too close to home.  Only a few suburbs away.  Things like this happen in America, not Australia!

8. Tiananmen Square Massacre (4/6/1989)

Pregnant with baby #1.  I literally threw up. Had nightmares about it for months afterwards.

9. When the 7.1 earthquake hit San Francisco (7/10/1989)
I was still in shock from the birth of baby#1, who was not quite perfect, so I’ll excuse myself for not remembering this.

10. When the Berlin Wall fell (7/11/1989)
Watched with awe.

11. When the Gulf War began (16/1/1991)
Pregnant with #2. Couldn’t stop watching CNN. Remember being inconsolable over the Kurds; particularly a young mother who had just given birth to twins and had them die.

12. Murder of 2yo James Bolger by two 10yolds. (12/2/1993)

This one affected me badly because son #2 was the same age.

13 When OJ Simpson was chased in his White Bronco (17/6/1994)
Remember seeing it on the news and thinking ‘what a fuckwit’.

14. When the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed (19/4/1995)
Another one that hit me hard.  Baby #3 was 5months old and had just joined her brothers at Day Care.  The thought of leaving my children there and having them blown up… 

15. Port Arthur Massacre (28.4.1996)

Didn’t hear about it until the day after the actual shootings. Police had Bryant under siege, but he’d already killed 35 people.  Couldn’t believe it.  I’ve been there and it is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places on the planet.  Brought home how small Australia’s population is – nearly everyone knew someone who was touched either directly or indirectly.  Wept for Walter Mikac whose wife and two girls (6 and 3yrs) were chased by Bryant and gunned down.

16. When Princess Di was killed (31/8/1997)
I was taking photos of my neighbour, who was suffering domestic abuse and wanted documented proof, when we heard she’d died.  My heart went out to Diana’s sons, specially poor little Harry.

17. When Bush was first announced President (7/11/2000)
Can’t say it was high on my agenda.

18. When terrorists destroyed the World Trade Centre (11/9/2001)
One of the rare nights when we were in bed before midnight, then hubby answered phone call from friend and hurriedly turned on TV.  I knew from his exclamations that they weren’t just discussing a movie.  When I joined him in front of the telly the first building had gone and we watched in absolute horror and disbelief as the next one fell.  The images of the planes going into those buildings is one that twists my heart even now.  This affected my kids too.

19. Bali bombing (12/10/2002)

Like Port Arthur, this touched all Australians.  Everyone knew someone.

20. When Columbia disintegrated during re-entry over Texas. (1/2/2003)
I was preparing to go back to school and was so stressed my hair was falling out.  So, while I was horrified, this didn’t hit me as hard as it might have. 

21. Madrid bombing (11/3/2004)

I’m ashamed to say I paid this very little attention.  I was under a self-imposed news ban, which was the result of hearing a news report about a 2yo killed (in his own driveway) in a road rage incident in Perth.  I get so upset and enraged about these things that I can’t function properly, so the only recourse I could see was for me not to watch the news.