Monica and I attended the Virginia Tech vigil that occurred yesterday evening at Mt Trashmore in Virginia Beach. I’ve posted a short clip on YouTube that I’ve also embedded below. It was a great way to pay tribute to those whose lives were tragically cut short on 4/16/2007.
Monthly Archive for April, 2007
Yesterday was tougher than I expected it to be. I was able to watch and listen to some of the convocation online, and I thought that Governor Kaine and President Bush spoke very eloquently. What moved me the most was the stirring poem by Professor Giovanni and the impromptu “Let’s Go Hokies!” chant that followed. It brought tears to my eyes.
This has really affected more than I thought it would, and I guess that’s because I went to school there. This kind of thing isn’t supposed to happen in Blacksburg. I found out yesterday that a friend of mine was supposed to be in that German class in Norris Hall at 9 am, the one where only four people walked out with the rest either dead or injured. He started to leave for class, but for some reason just stayed home. Thank God you did, Brian.
It’s things such as that scenario that I keep thinking about. What would I have done if I would have been there? I’d like to think I would have tried to stop the guy, but the truth is I probably would have reacted as others did, turning over desks and barricading the door.
The media have really pissed me off during this whole ordeal with the constant questioning of the administration’s actions and timing after the first shooting. The truth is no one thinks anyone is capable of such horrific acts. It was great to see the students give Dr. Steger a standing ovation during the convocation. I hope they all know that the Hokie faithful stand behind them one hundred percent.
I used to like seeing or hearing about Virginia Tech in the news. That usually meant our sports teams were doing well, or perhaps one of the colleges was ranked in a list that some magazine had compiled. I can remember during my time there screaming for us to get more attention because we all knew our football team was good, but no one else knew because who had ever really heard of our little university with the long name tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Southwest Virginia?
Well, everyone knows who we are now.
Yes, people in the sports world have known about us for some time now, but now Virginia Tech will be remembered forever, spoken about in the same sentence as many other tragedies that have befallen this
nation. We are now very famous in a way that makes me sick to my stomach – infamous as it were.
It’s been eleven years since I was a student at Virginia Tech, and I remember those days fondly. I still keep in regular contact with fraternity brothers and friends and try to visit whenever I can. My sophomore year was spent on campus in West AJ, the same dorm where this nightmare started yesterday morning. I lived on the first floor on the side closest to the Cochrane dorm. I’ve walked down that hall since then and memories from that year flash back in my mind, and I usually smile and hide a chuckle. Different kinds of memories will flood the minds of people walking down those halls now.
I made the walk over to Norris for various classes in that building, and I even recall having one on the second floor. I cannot imagine being there yesterday morning; it’s difficult to imagine why anyone would ever do such a terrible thing to innocent people.
My prayers are going out to all affected by this tragedy; my heart aches for you. May God grant peace to all who are suffering, and may He lay his hand on my beloved university during this difficult time.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all the students, families, faculty and staff of Virginia Tech as they deal with this terrible tragedy.
We here at brimon.net are Hokies (legitimate and by association) and we are deeply saddened by the events of today.
School
Two weeks and a day! That’s what I have left of school. I am currently trying to survive my internship (preceptorship) and it’s going well. I’m a little tired but that was to be expected. Working 12 hours shifts is tough but I’m learning a lot and love the job. Taking on a full load of patients was a scary thought before the week started but I’m handling it okay and have to praise all the nurses out there who do it every day. After this week is over, I have 2 more weeks of lecture, one test and one gigantic final on May 1st. I can do it, I can do it, I can do it……
Everything Else
It is Brian’s birthday this month and I gave him a classical guitar as a gift. He has been wanting to learn the guitar for a long time and our good friend James has been teaching him and even letting Brian borrow his guitar. I thought it would be a perfect gift and he loved it. He practices every night and has a lot of fun. James and Krystyn were very generous and bought him a case for it and I am very thankful for their assistance in purchasing the guitar as I had no idea what to look for. You guys rock!
My mom just left after visiting for 10 days and we had a lot of fun together. I love listening to the latest Spanish music with her, watching our favorite novela “La Fea Mas Bella” on Univision and eating that wonderful Puerto Rican food she makes so well. She is the best cook in the world and I truly believe she could open a restaurant and make a fortune. I guess I’m a little biased but she rocks in the kitchen!!
Weather
Sucks right now. I’m waiting to put the jacket away but no such luck yet.
Vacation
Still planning. Not sure where we want to go this year. Last year we went to Disney World for a week and had the best time in the world. Trying to top it this year but Brian and I LOVE Disney so that will be hard to do. We’ll see.
That’s all for now.
