Ten Years Ago Today

Some things that happen in a person's life stay with them forever; whether they were directly involved, or not. That's the way I am about 9/11. Even though it's been 10 years, it still feels like it was yesterday. All the emotions, thoughts, everything are as raw now as ten years ago today.

I can't imagine what it's like for those who were directly, or even indirectly involved with the events that day. How raw the feelings and memories must be for them, even now.

The same question is asked every year, "where were you, and what were you doing,when the planes hit the towers"?

I was on my way to work, on the MAX, listening to KUPL. Just three days prior I learned that this really pretty glass building in Portland is the World Trade Center. For some reason I hadn't known that. I'd just always thought of it as the building with the merry-go-round in it.


Ironically, the song, "Only In America" by Brooks & Dunn, finished playing just as Amy King,(the newscaster for KUPL at the time), came on the air saying that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. At the same time, the MAX train I was on had just rounded the corner, and I could see down to where Portland's World Trade Center is. My first thought when I heard Amy say that, and looked toward the Trade Center was, "no it didn't, it looks fine". My naivety showed through at that moment, because I didn't get past Portland having a World Trade Center. I realize now that there are World Trade Centers everywhere.

On that day though, I was confused, because I didn't see any plane that had crashed into the Portland World Trade Center. I couldn't even fathom how it could have happened, since the building isn't that tall, compared to ones around it.

I kept listening to KUPL, with Lee Rogers, Jim E. Chonga, and Amy talking about what had happened. I heard them say it was New York, and finally understood. I also remember them emphasizing that there weren't a lot of clear details at that time, so they didn't want to say the plane crash was more than an accident. Then the second plane hit.

Even then, the Waking Crew stressed that despite what things appeared to be, until they had official word, they were cautioning listeners to not be overly alarmed. I kept thinking how good they were at their jobs, to stay so professional, in light of what was happening.

Throughout the day, I listened to the radio. KUPL had switched to, I think, CNN, and was broadcasting that live. For the most part, once the attacks were over, the broadcasters hashed, and rehashed all that had happened that morning. As new information came in, it was passed on to the public; but most of the day after awhile was just the same soundbites and interviews.

I kept my radio on all day, as there was no TV at work to see what was going on. For me, that was almost worse. As hard as the videos are to watch, hearing voices come out of the radio, talking about all the horrible things that had happened, and not having anything concrete to link them to was unnerving. Yet, I couldn't stop listening. For some reason, I felt that if I just kept listening, suddenly everything would make sense; it didn't, but I kept listening.

I also felt that, even though I wasn't there, I needed to hear someone on the radio say what I was thinking. There was a lot of talk about the buildings collapsing, all the paperwork, smoke, dust, everything filling the streets, etc.; yet no one was saying anything about the PEOPLE. I just kept thinking, "yes, this is REALLY bad, but they were just things, what about the people, why isn't anyone talking about the actual victims?

Finally, at some point during the day there was a soundbite of a woman who said EXACTLY what was going through my head, and how I was feeling. I have no idea who the woman was, she was just another disembodied soundbite, among the many that day; but she was MY soundbite. I latched on to it every time I heard it that day; for some reason it gave me comfort to know someone else out there felt the way I did.

Driving home from work that afternoon, I noticed something different about the traffic on I-205. At first I thought maybe I was imagining things, but eventually realized I really was seeing what I was seeing.

I-205 northbound can be a virtual parking lot most days. Add in a lot of merging traffic, and it can be hectic. On September 11, 2001 however, that wasn't happening. Instead of the usual, "try to cut someone off to get in front of them", and all, drivers were actually being courteous to each other. I remember seeing one car that I'd see almost every day on my way home. The person almost always cut someone off, just to be in front, didn't use their blinker, the whole nine yards. On that day though, this person actually not only used their blinker, they let people merge in front of them. The whole thing was kind of surreal, because so many people were actually being polite on the roadways.

Over the next few days I was either watching TV, or had my radio on, constantly searching for answers. Looking back, I don't know why I felt there had to be instant answers, I know life doesn't work that way; but I wanted them anyway. Ten years later I'm not really sure I have them even now.

I remember a couple days after the attacks, Aaron Tippin released a song, "Where the Stars and Stripes and Eagle Fly". Aaron said he'd had the song for awhile, and felt that it fit the current situation, so he released it. All proceeds from sales of the single went to help victims of the attacks.

In the grand scheme of things, I'm sure that fact is trivial; yet, it's one of the questions I still have in the back of my mind. Why, even though Aaron Tippin's song is still played on the radio, is it pretty much ignored in comparison to other 9/11 songs?

Granted, the three songs that come to mind, Alan Jackson's, "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning"; Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue"; and "Have You Forgotten", by Darryl Worley, are all powerful songs. All are deserving of recognition for their remembrance of 9/11.

Also, yes, Toby Keith, and I think Darryl Worley have gone overseas to play for the troops. However, in ten years I've never heard if any of the proceeds from these three songs has gone to help with the events of 9/11. Granted, they could have, and it didn't make the media; however, to me, I would like to know if any has.

Aaron Tippin has also made trips overseas, as well as contributing his song to 9/11; yet, as I stated earlier, his song goes pretty much unnoticed compared to Alan's, Toby's or Darryl's. I guess in the back of my mind there's this little part that's bothered by the fact that three people, even with all they've done good, are still making money off 9/11, from their songs. Yet, the one person who donated his song to the efforts is all but ignored.

I realize, this is a petty thing on my part; it is part of all the feelings I have about 9/11 though, so I'm sharing that as well.

Over all, people gather a lot of experiences during their lifetime; some good, some bad. What happened on 9/11 is something I hope no one ever has to experience again.

Congrats to KUPL!!!

Woo hoo!  According to the most recent Arbitron ratings, KUPL is THE #1 country station in the Portland Metro area...Congratulations KUPL!!!

Considering this blog is linked to the KUPL website, you may think my congratulations are a bit biased.  Actually, I'd be wishing them congratulations, regardless of whether I had this blog or not.  I've been a KUPL listener for a long time now, and have seen a lot of the changes the station has been through; including moving from 98.5 to 98.7 on the radio dial.

Like any other listener, there's things over the years I've liked, and things I haven't.  Let's face it, it doesn't matter who, or what it is, no one/nothing will please everyone all the time.  It's life, it's what makes things interesting.

I, like other listeners, wasn't happy about how things happened with Lee & Alana.  After Lee, (and Jim E. Chonga), being at the station for so many years, it was sad when it all came to an end.  I also realize though, that it was business.  That doesn't mean things should have happened how they did...it's just how radio works.

Listeners of Lee & Alana definitely were NOT happy about the change.  A lot of things were said about never listening to KUPL again, etc.  And a lot of those listeners did stop listening.

I've always felt however, that before giving up on something that's changed, it should be given a chance to prove itself. If I didn't truly believe this, I would have stopped listening to KUPL when Smokey Woods left the station.

On January 4, 2010, KUPL, (now owned by Alpha Broadcasting), started their new morning show, "Simon & Sam in the Morning".  It was a rough start.  Even listeners who stayed with KUPL were not happy with the new show.

At a station event that same month, the morning show got an earful about what listeners liked and didn't like about the new show.  To their credit, the morning show team did take to heart what was said, as the following Monday you could hear some changes taking place.  It was still a rough go however.

If it wasn't hard enough trying to get a new morning show running, the afternoon drive time shift was, in my opinion, "all over the place"...It seemed like it took forever to finally have a permanent person at the helm.

Not long after the afternoon drive slot was filled, yet another change took place at KUPL.  Rick "Bubba" Taylor was let go after 25+ years at the station. Some listeners who'd stuck out the morning show change began bailing after that. I still had the "stick it out and see how it goes" mind set; though I did check the "other" station occasionally, to hear what they had going on. 

I'm a person who likes live DJ's on the air.  For me, it's as important as the music that's being played.  That's why, even though the "other" station had more music variety at the time, I kept listening to KUPL...The DJ's at the other station just didn't hold my attention.  I'm glad I stuck it out with KUPL.

By April, 2010, "Sam" left the morning show and Earthquake Jake became a permanent part of "Simon in the Morning".  Things just seemed to steadily take off from that point.  "Simon in the Morning" has evolved steadily over the past year, and they really make people laugh.  What I like about them is, they're real...You can tell what you hear on the air is what you get in person.  The laughter is genuine, not forced, and you can tell, Scott, Jolynn and Jake really get along.  While not trying to take anything away from Lee Rogers, or anyone else previously on the KUPL morning shift, to me, this is the best, most real, morning show KUPL has ever had in all the years I've been listening.  More proof for me was when a friend of mine, (a die-hard listener of the "other" station), told me she'd switched over permanently to KUPL.  This is a person who, guaranteed, wouldn't have done that if she didn't want to.

To be honest, I was excited when Lola came to KUPL.  I'd remembered her from the other station in Portland, before I'd started listening to KUPL.  Liked her then, and still like her now.  Again, just my opinion:  I think Lola is a great shot in the arm to middays on KUPL.  Like the morning team, Lola is a "what you see is what you get", person; she's real.

Over all, I think KUPL has dialed in well to what listeners want; not just with the DJ's, but with contests, music, the whole station package in general.  Obviously it's not something that happened overnight; it's taken over a year to get to the point KUPL is under the leadership of Alpha Broadcasting. As stated at the beginning of this blog though, the latest Arbitron ratings are solid proof of how well KUPL is doing.  So congrats again KUPL!  Keep up the great work!