Today is March 11, 2002. As I'm sure you all know, today marks the six-month anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. All times listed below are in Eastern Standard Time. Some of the information in this message was taken from the ABC News web site.

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Throughout the summer of 2001, I had been looking forward to getting a new computer. I had designed one on Dell's website several times over just as something to drool over. Then I got the news my mother could actually afford to get it for me. Anyone that was around me during that time can tell you it was all I'd talk about, even though I had a child on the way. That computer was important to me, a distraction from the waiting responsibility of fatherhood. I got my brand new Dell (dude) on September 10, 2001. The machine I did configure, rather ironically, happened to be black.

My first time on the 'Net with this machine was around 11:30 CT on September 11 from Iowa State University. I was scrounging things up in a hurry for the 2:14 AM "joke" sending, with CNN on in the background. Granted, it pails in comparison to the tragedies of that day, but I will always remember that night of frantic searching using a brand new computer to do something that I really didn't want to do. It may seem cheesy, but the black color of this computer has always and I think always will remind me of that VERY dark day.

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I happened to watch the CBS special "9/11" last night. I honestly hadn't planned on it, but found myself fixated on it after it had already been on for an hour. Several quotes from firefighters were the type you just don't forget. After both towers had been hit by planes and before either had fallen, one firefighter remembered the sound of bodies hitting the ground: "I remember looking up and thinking, 'How bad is it up there where the better option is jumping?'" The sound of bodies landing on pavement, cars, or whatever it happened to be was quite loud, unavoidable and apparent.

What struck me the most from what I saw of the two-hour special was the utter confusion among the firefighters. They knew something terrible had happened after WTC 2 (the south tower) collapsed, but they had no idea of what had transpired. They heard a deep rumbling that was gaining in intensity; darkness and dust was taking over the North Tower's lobby they happened to be in. Then it was all over, as far as they knew. They made their way outside, looked up at Tower 1 and just figured Tower 2 was on the other side. They never thought a 110-story building would just be gone, and who could blame them.

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Here are some of today's scheduled events.

A memorial will be held at Battery Park, Manhattan. City officials, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg, will dedicate a temporary memorial, including The Sphere, the centerpiece of the World Trade Center plaza that was damaged in the attacks. The 45,000-pound steel and bronze sculpture created by Fritz Koenig in 1971 was partially damaged but determined to be structurally intact. Two moments of silence will be observed, one at 8:46 AM, the other at 9:03 AM -- the times each of the World Trade Center towers were hit.

At 10:00 AM, on the White House South Lawn, about 1,300 people are expected to attend a commemorative ceremony, including 300 family members of September 11 victims, 150 ambassadors of coalition countries, members of the military and members of Congress. In a speech, President Bush will remember the victims and talk about the cause and progress of the U.S. military's mission.

At the Pentagon, a ceremony is planned to mark its attack at 11:00 AM. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is scheduled to speak.

At 6:25 PM, the well-publicized "Tribute in Light" will be switched on for the first time by a child whose parent died in the attacks. The dual-column lights are scheduled to be on from 6:30 -- 11:00 PM for 32 straight nights.

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I hope you all have a safe day. The Weekly bunch will have to wait for next week's e-mail from me for a joke; the Daily folks only have to wait for tomorrow.

Never Forget 9/11.