my dash was already full of 9/11 pictures just now. FYI.

Man, our local news websites have been slinging 9/11 pictures up all week, and it bothers *me* to suddenly see them with no warning, which made me think, DAMN, if it's bothering *me,* it's got to be so much worse for people directly affected by it.

Personally, I'm trying to avoid all the "anniversary" stuff as much as humanly possible. Some years on 9/11 I've re-read the Natter thread from that day, but I'm not even sure I want to do that this year.

At least one business has gone under

The Dog is gone? Also, where's the private line you're talking about?

In other relevant questions, can I go home yet?

And here is possibly the oddest first world problem I have yet to face: I volunteered to put on a safety harness at a fall protection training this morning, and at the end the trainer gave me the most ridiculously patriotic hard hat I've ever seen. There's a screaming eagle on the front with "United States of America" on a banner underneath it, and rippling flags down the sides. It's a BADASS hard hat, but I don't know that I can bring myself to wear it. I can't decide whether to subvert it with stickers or give it to someone who will appreciate the "America, fuck yeah!!" nature of it.

Toddson, the people in the industry found it ironic too, but the laughter was somewhat muted by the billions it cost to meet the NRC regulations that came out of the Brown's Ferry Fire.

My not-then-ex drove an unmarked Crown Vic with a police package as a detective. That car could drive on anything and survive just about anything except hitting a deer at 100 mph. Deer have been poorly educated about blue lights and sirens. The ex didn't have a scratch, though.

Yeah, I opened some of this week's comics to find 911 tributes in the back and thought "If this is making me feel weirded out, what's the reaction of New Yorkers or people who knew someone that died?"

I'm crossing my fingers that places I eat out this weekend won't be serving meals on commemorative plates or somesuch.

My cousin died in the Pentagon that day and I know I personally don't want to read or see any of the tributes. I am wondering how my New Yorker houseguest would like to spend that day.

ETA, it's not that I don't want to read or see anything about it. I just get so sad and also tired of the bombarding of images, headlines, etc.

There's a screaming eagle on the front with "United States of America" on a banner underneath it, and rippling flags down the sides. It's a BADASS hard hat, but I don't know that I can bring myself to wear it. I can't decide whether to subvert it with stickers or give it to someone who will appreciate the "America, fuck yeah!!" nature of it.

I'm not going to lie, I feel like just the fact of you wearing it subverts it in the BEST POSSIBLE "America, fuck yeah!!" way.

Because seriously.

I decided I should just wallow in 9/11 and get it over with today. So [spoiler fonted for those avoiding it] I tracked down my photo of me in front of Lower Manhattan from Ellis Island on Sept. 9, 2001, reread Natter and sars from Tomato Nation's post about Don, and found Peter Jennings on YouTube from when the tower fell, and now I'm done.

I'm going to the movies, possibly buying a new shower curtain! Exciting.

I think smonster needs to wear that helmet while wearing a t-shirt that says "America Fuck Yeah!"

Yeah, my weekend plan is pretty much: boycott the tv, radio, and OMGSHUTUPALREADYNYTIMES. And if possible the in-laws, as they are of the American-flag-wearing tribe.