Hello everyone,
Right in the depths of the late fall, dark and cold, Clay fans have a joyful moment to celebrate: the birthday of our favourite singer-man.
All the best of happiness, health and fulfillment to you, Clay! Know that so many of us are thinking of you today and wishing you well, "always and forever"!
Happy 33rd birthday, Clay!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Have you heard of Rick Rescorla? A 9/11 hero
Today is September 11th. For anyone in North America, this date is a haunting one. It would be easy to spend the day feeling so very sad. But I want to take this opportunity to focus on human solidarity, on the strength of people, on love.
Specifically, I want to pay tribute to a man whom I only heard about a few years ago - perhaps on the 7th or 8th anniversary of the tragedy. I have no idea how come I didn't hear about him around that terrible day itself, 10 years ago. Everyone should hear about the bravery of Rick Rescorla.
I will tell you in my own words what he means to me. Below I will give some links for those of you who want all the facts, but now, I am speaking from the heart.
Rick Rescorla was head of security for Morgan Stanley, one of the companies whose head office occupied many floors of one of the buildings of the World Trade Center. There were around 2,700 people who worked for Morgan Stanley and Rick Rescorla felt responsible for the safety of all of them.
On September 11th, 2001, when the first plane hit the first tower to be attacked, Rick Rescorla gave the order to evacuate the entire staff of Morgan Stanley. Those in charge of the World Trade Center had asked everyone in both towers to stay put, saying things would be fine, but Rick Rescorla knew better. After all, he had predicted such an attack since the towers were first attacked back in 1993. He wasn't going to take any chances with the people whose lives and safety were entrusted to him. So contrary to those orders, he immediately went about organizing an orderly evacuation of all 2,700 people. 2,700! It must have taken a long time. Two by two, people walked down the dozens of flights of stairs and left the building to safety. They all lived.
A dozen people out of the staff of 2,700 of Morgan Stanley didn't live: one of them was Rick Rescorla. You can guess why? After evacuating his people, he - and a few others with him - went back into the building. By now, the tower where Morgan Stanley had its offices had been hit by a plane too. He began helping other people get out, helping the wounded down the stairs.
The last anyone saw of Rick Rescorla, he was walking back up into a tower to save people's lives. That image makes me tear up every time. He had to know he was likely going back up to his death, yet he did it, to attempt to save others. The tower went down soon after that. No trace of him was ever found.
Every time I think of Rick Rescorla, I wonder if I would have had that kind of courage. He saved the lives of 2,700 people! Morgan Stanley - to my knowledge - is the only company whose offices were in those two towers and who did not experience huge numbers of deaths among their staff. Thanks to the incredible bravery and foresight of one man. He trusted his instincts and his knowledge and experience with terror - and he acted swiftly, going against the grain, making the people he worked with his first priority, regardless of what anyone else said. They are alive thanks to him.
I am remembering and giving thanks for the hero that he was. Thank you, Mr. Rick Rescorla - and may you rest in peace. You are a lesson to us all.
For information on Rick Rescorla:
- Rick Rescorla Memorial: http://rickrescorla.com/
- Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rescorla
Specifically, I want to pay tribute to a man whom I only heard about a few years ago - perhaps on the 7th or 8th anniversary of the tragedy. I have no idea how come I didn't hear about him around that terrible day itself, 10 years ago. Everyone should hear about the bravery of Rick Rescorla.
I will tell you in my own words what he means to me. Below I will give some links for those of you who want all the facts, but now, I am speaking from the heart.
Rick Rescorla was head of security for Morgan Stanley, one of the companies whose head office occupied many floors of one of the buildings of the World Trade Center. There were around 2,700 people who worked for Morgan Stanley and Rick Rescorla felt responsible for the safety of all of them.
On September 11th, 2001, when the first plane hit the first tower to be attacked, Rick Rescorla gave the order to evacuate the entire staff of Morgan Stanley. Those in charge of the World Trade Center had asked everyone in both towers to stay put, saying things would be fine, but Rick Rescorla knew better. After all, he had predicted such an attack since the towers were first attacked back in 1993. He wasn't going to take any chances with the people whose lives and safety were entrusted to him. So contrary to those orders, he immediately went about organizing an orderly evacuation of all 2,700 people. 2,700! It must have taken a long time. Two by two, people walked down the dozens of flights of stairs and left the building to safety. They all lived.
A dozen people out of the staff of 2,700 of Morgan Stanley didn't live: one of them was Rick Rescorla. You can guess why? After evacuating his people, he - and a few others with him - went back into the building. By now, the tower where Morgan Stanley had its offices had been hit by a plane too. He began helping other people get out, helping the wounded down the stairs.
The last anyone saw of Rick Rescorla, he was walking back up into a tower to save people's lives. That image makes me tear up every time. He had to know he was likely going back up to his death, yet he did it, to attempt to save others. The tower went down soon after that. No trace of him was ever found.
Every time I think of Rick Rescorla, I wonder if I would have had that kind of courage. He saved the lives of 2,700 people! Morgan Stanley - to my knowledge - is the only company whose offices were in those two towers and who did not experience huge numbers of deaths among their staff. Thanks to the incredible bravery and foresight of one man. He trusted his instincts and his knowledge and experience with terror - and he acted swiftly, going against the grain, making the people he worked with his first priority, regardless of what anyone else said. They are alive thanks to him.
I am remembering and giving thanks for the hero that he was. Thank you, Mr. Rick Rescorla - and may you rest in peace. You are a lesson to us all.
For information on Rick Rescorla:
- Rick Rescorla Memorial: http://rickrescorla.com/
- Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rescorla
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Today is a Clay-versary for me
Hello everyone,
When I woke up this morning and noticed the date, I wondered why August 25th just made me feel happy... Then I remembered! Six years ago today is the first time I saw Clay Aiken live in concert (but not the last time!).
It was August 25, 2005 in Toronto, Canada and Clay was part way through his Jukebox Tour.
What a night! And what a ride since then...
I started this blog soon after that first concert, and wrote about that magical evening in a three-part post.
I re-read it myself to put myself back there and remember what it was like to be a Clay-concert-newbie. If you would like to read "Me and Clay's Jukebox tour", here you go:
And here's one of my favourite pictures from that concert (I didn't take it), snapped while Clay was singing "Tears Run Dry". Enjoy!
ClayKat
When I woke up this morning and noticed the date, I wondered why August 25th just made me feel happy... Then I remembered! Six years ago today is the first time I saw Clay Aiken live in concert (but not the last time!).
It was August 25, 2005 in Toronto, Canada and Clay was part way through his Jukebox Tour.
What a night! And what a ride since then...
I started this blog soon after that first concert, and wrote about that magical evening in a three-part post.
I re-read it myself to put myself back there and remember what it was like to be a Clay-concert-newbie. If you would like to read "Me and Clay's Jukebox tour", here you go:
And here's one of my favourite pictures from that concert (I didn't take it), snapped while Clay was singing "Tears Run Dry". Enjoy!
ClayKat
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Some more pictures from the live video chat with Clay yesterday
At the very beginning of the video chat:
Playing with the twist-tie from his bread bag (that he joked about):
Playing with the twist-tie from his bread bag (that he joked about):
Monday, August 01, 2011
Some pictures from the live video chat with Clay
The face he made when asked if he ever eats Spam:
Giving us a quick glimpse of one of his dogs, Raleigh (Durham was somewhere else):
Clay on video chat this evening!
Hello fellow Clayfans,
I seem to be following the ebb and flow of Clay's public life, since I don't come here very often these days, just as we don't see or hear from him too often.
However, this evening will be different: Clay will be participating in his first live video chat with us! You have to be a member of Clay's online fan club to be able to participate.
Will you be there? I know I will. I'll do my best to share with you afterwards, and let you know how it all went.
Hope to see you in the chatroom this evening (video chat begins at 8:30 p.m. EST)!
ClayKat
I seem to be following the ebb and flow of Clay's public life, since I don't come here very often these days, just as we don't see or hear from him too often.
However, this evening will be different: Clay will be participating in his first live video chat with us! You have to be a member of Clay's online fan club to be able to participate.
Will you be there? I know I will. I'll do my best to share with you afterwards, and let you know how it all went.
Hope to see you in the chatroom this evening (video chat begins at 8:30 p.m. EST)!
ClayKat
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
