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vangogh
04-15-2013, 10:47 PM
I just want to send my good thoughts and sympathies to everyone in Boston and everyone connected with today's marathon. I woke up this morning, saw the Red Sox were playing an early game and realized it was Patriot's Day and that the marathon would be taking place. I was thinking how the 15th is Jackie Robinson Day as well and all seemed like a pleasant day of celebration was ahead.

Within a few hours I heard the tragic news and have been following the events all day.

I'm not sure how many people here are from the area or know people in the area, but know that I'll be thinking about all of you and sending good thoughts and wishes your way.

WebEminence
04-16-2013, 01:06 PM
Amen to that. Sad that such a great city has to go through such pain. Praying for peace for those affected.

KristineS
04-16-2013, 01:13 PM
I don't understand things like this, and I'll never understand how why some people think violence is the way to convert others to their point of view. My heart goes out to the people of Boston and the athletes who trained so hard for this one day. It's senseless and stupid.

I think the best response (https://www.facebook.com/pattonoswalt/posts/10151440800582655) I've seen to all of this comes from Patton Oswalt. I liked what he had to say, and I hope he's right.

vangogh
04-16-2013, 01:32 PM
That is a good response. I was also struck by seeing people running toward the situation to help. I do think the majority are inherently good. We all make mistakes, but deep down I think most of us want to do what's right.

I realize this won't necessarily comfort those who were most directly affected yesterday, but I know Boston will survive and become a stronger city out of the events of yesterday. For a time people will find themselves being a little nicer and more caring toward others and everyone will feel a deeper connection. Those things will fade over time, but a part of them will always be there.

Harold Mansfield
04-20-2013, 12:36 PM
The agency I work with the most is in Boston, so I have quite a few clients in that area. One has a brick and mortar in Watertown where it all went down last night.
Everyone was pretty freaked out, but everyone I know is OK and none of them were at the Marathon.

vangogh
04-21-2013, 11:27 PM
Good that the people you know are ok and understandable for them to be freaked out. It had to be a scary week. A good friend of mine does timing for these races. She's working one locally at the moment that requires here to be here a few months, but she could have easily been working for the timing company that did the marathon and if so she likely would have right at the finish line just as everything happened.

billbenson
04-22-2013, 01:51 PM
Good that the people you know are ok and understandable for them to be freaked out. It had to be a scary week. A good friend of mine does timing for these races. She's working one locally at the moment that requires here to be here a few months, but she could have easily been working for the timing company that did the marathon and if so she likely would have right at the finish line just as everything happened.

Ya, but I don't think you can really look at it that way. Its kind of like a traffic accident. "If I were here two minutes earlier I would have been killed". Ya, but you weren't. You are going to have a pretty rough life if you spend it "what if-ing yourself".

I was in the back yard with my wife the other day. A huge limb fell out of a tree where we were standing that could of injured us. She went crazy saying we were just standing there. Ya, but we weren't there when the limb fell! So whats the big deal?

Of course I'm referring to the what if aspect only. I'm not diminishing the people that were killed or wounded in Boston.

vangogh
04-22-2013, 06:07 PM
Oh I didn't mean to look at it as far as how to live your life from now on. More someone I naturally thought about after hearing about what happened. She was telling me the day after they had meetings at work to discuss everything and what they could do to prepare for future events. She isn't planning on changing her life or giving up timing races because of this.

Just where my thoughts went. You think about those you care about and how lucky you and they were when things like this happened after you have time to get past the shock of what happened and feel sympathy for all those who weren't as lucky.

billbenson
04-22-2013, 08:19 PM
I'm assuming this is someone I know?

vangogh
04-23-2013, 11:19 AM
You're right. It is someone you know. I forget that sometimes.

KristineS
04-23-2013, 01:37 PM
Oh wow, I never thought about that aspect of things. I'm sure the events in Boston definitely shook everyone who works races in any capacity.

billbenson
04-23-2013, 05:31 PM
Yes, way to political, particularly for this thread. The political thread is still there for rational discussions.

Harold Mansfield
04-23-2013, 05:34 PM
You're correct. I'm going to go ahead and take it out. It's not the time or the place.

vangogh
04-25-2013, 02:01 AM
Yeah, probably not the best thread for the political message. This one is really about sympathy for what happened last week.


I'm sure the events in Boston definitely shook everyone who works races in any capacity.

They probably won't have the same feeling from here on out. There's always security, but I imagine it'll be stepped up from now on. I wonder if attendance is going to be down at some of the bigger races this year. I doubt that would last, but I can see where some people might decide to stay home while the memory of Boston is still in their minds.