It has just been a very nauseous, empty feeling in the bottom of my stomach all day today; Like a vacuum gradually emptying my insides into a black hole.

After I woke up this morning and got ready for work, Christine told me what was on the news. "There's been a bombing," she said. "In New York."

I tried to go to CNN's website, but could not. I tried to go to ABC News's website and could not. I tried to go to CNBC. Nothing. No website would come up at all. Finally, I had to kick Maya off the television and change the channel from PBS to CNN.

The second tower collapses. (Image from Yahoo News)

It was only a few moments after I turned on CNN that the second WTC tower (tower 2) collapsed. I could hear screaming and saw a huge cloud of billowing smoke and dust creeping down the cement canyons of downtown Manhattan.

Quickly, I learned what had happened. Two planes had crashed into the World Trade Center. Another one crashed into the Pentagon. The news agencies were bracing themselves (and their listeners/viewers) for further attacks.

American Airlines made a statement they could not account for a handful of their planes and were concerned. Within minutes they ammended that statement to say they were VERY concerned about flight 175. The news agencies were speculating that flight 175 could be destined for another U.S. target somewhere.

Then I learned about another crash... this one about 80 miles from Pittburgh. That wasn't flight 175. For a long time I kept waiting for news of another crash.

I finally went to work. On the way, the radio newscaster mentioned flight 175 - and that United had confirmed that it had crashed but they were not revealing the location of the crash. It was also mentioned that United Airline's website would have updated information.

It wasn't until later in the afternoon that a buddy in an IRC channel I was in pointed out that flight 175 was one of the planes that crashed into the WTC.

A freaky day.

My home away from home

South Manhattan - July 2000

Having been to New York City three times in the last two years and planning to make yet another trip in February 2002, I've grown quite affectionate of the City That Never Sleeps. It's painful to see this city and the people who live there delivered a blow as harsh as this.

The view of the southern end of Manhattan Island without the World Trade Center towers reaching up into the sky is going to be gut wrenching and sad.

On the second day of our first trip to New York City for the Spring 2000 LinuxWorld Conference & Expo, Chadd and I walked from Midtown to the World Trade Center. It was a long walk - especially in late January. We got there after dark, but we could still go in and go up to the observation deck on the 108th floor of the south tower.

"What do people do here?!" I remember asking Chadd as we walked through the World Trade Center. He wasn't sure either. All those offices... devoted to world trade? A shopping mall in the basement which sat above train and subway stations. Huge banks and long flag displays which featured flags from dozens of nations. It was clear the World Trade Center played a very important role in international free trade.

And now... it's gone... along with thousands of people inside.

Here are some of my images (and memories) of the World Trade Center in New York City. You may also want to view video footage I put together of a visit to the World Trade Center.

	The first and second floor of Tower 2 was decorated with flags from dozens of countries. You walked by this display of flags to buy your ticket to go to the observation deck.
	Near the entrace elevators of the observation deck on the 107th floor was a large poster of Rudy Giuliani - Mayor of New York City - welcoming visitors from all over the world to this recognizeable landmark.
	Here I am. I'm riding an escelator down into the basement to catch the subway back to Midtown.
	Here was the view from the courtyard outside the towers looking up. It was an amazing sight.
	Here was the view east down Vesey Street - which ran through the World Trade Center. The towers were on the south side of Vesey and building 7 is on the north side.
	Here is a picture taken of a 4-month-pregnant Christine in July 2000 standing in front of the south tower between two bovine art exhibits depicting the twin towers.