General Discussion

RobinA

(10,478 posts)

195. My Reaction Was Different

Mon Jul 22, 2019, 12:23 PM

Jul 2019

I was 9 and my parents woke me up to watch. I was never very impressed with the whole space thing. Kinda like the Vietnam War, it had been around my whole conscious life and I considered it (at the time) background noise. I was very upset when the Apollo fire happened and I had developed a bit of a grudge against the space program because of that. I didn't like launches, because even at that age I knew if I watched enough of them I'd see one blow. Sadly, eventually one did. I was more interested in splashdown, because it meant the guys were safe, even though it was bumpy in there.

Anyway, I watched the moon walk because my parents said it was important. It was grainy and I could never understand what they were saying, but I saw it. My parents were right to force the issue. I'm far more pro-space than I was at 9 now that I understand the things I could not at 9. Watching the Apollo 11 documentary, I was surprised at how much I actually remembered. I was paying attention, even though I wasn't interested.

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Did you see Man walk on the Moon 50 years ago? [View all] edhopper Jul 2019 OP

knr. i was 6 and remember it clearly. Appreciate what those brave ppl did. Kurt V. Jul 2019 #1

About the same age - 5 1/2 maxsolomon Jul 2019 #196

I was in my early twenties. dhol82 Jul 2019 #2

Yes, I did. I was enthralled. Arkansas Granny Jul 2019 #3

Yep. I wasn't quite 5. JHB Jul 2019 #4

I was almost 21. murielm99 Jul 2019 #5

I was 24 and 9 months pregnant alfie Jul 2019 #6

Wow! That was a long pregnancy. TheCowsCameHome Jul 2019 #66

I was 19 with a week old colicky infant samnsara Jul 2019 #75

Yes I was 14. redstatebluegirl Jul 2019 #7

Same here. SCVDem Jul 2019 #113

Was 15 DeminPennswoods Jul 2019 #130

yes Skittles Jul 2019 #8

We had a death in the family that weekend mainstreetonce Jul 2019 #9

that's sad. barbtries Jul 2019 #71

Just a few weeks before my 5th birthday alphafemale Jul 2019 #197

Oh yea for sure! bluestarone Jul 2019 #10

sounds like we're about the same age.... mike_c Jul 2019 #11

Yes, I'd just graduated from college, watched on B&W tv. The Velveteen Ocelot Jul 2019 #12

I was 9. I remember. rateyes Jul 2019 #13

I was a couple weeks shy of my 8th birthday. Remember that day clearly! LiberalLoner Jul 2019 #14

I couldn't watch the whole thing through GP6971 Jul 2019 #15

Yes, it happened the day after I turned 21 and I was at home with sinkingfeeling Jul 2019 #16

I was 7 FoxNewsSucks Jul 2019 #17

Heard it on radio. tonedevil Jul 2019 #18

Yes! My dad sat us all down for it. bitterross Jul 2019 #19

Oh, yes! Literally awesome. The afternoon before, while Hortensis Jul 2019 #20

I was 14, living on Nellis AFB. Very hot summer day. The whole family was watching our B/W TV. yonder Jul 2019 #21

I saw it. I listened to or saw all the Apollo launches and landings. lunatica Jul 2019 #22

I did. Useless in FL Jul 2019 #23

I was 5 years old misanthrope Jul 2019 #24

My mother tells me I did! GulfCoast66 Jul 2019 #25

Me too. Chellee Jul 2019 #165

I was almost 7 at the time. amb123 Jul 2019 #26

Yep...whole family was there. N_E_1 for Tennis Jul 2019 #27

I was a young mom of 19 Democrat 4 Ever Jul 2019 #28

I was nine. CousinIT Jul 2019 #29

Yes. Lint Head Jul 2019 #30

I was 13 years old visiting my grandparents in Chicago kimbutgar Jul 2019 #31

If you grew up in my socioeconomic class misanthrope Jul 2019 #57

Same here! MuseRider Jul 2019 #74

Oh hell yes. hunter Jul 2019 #32

Yes. I was six and always JenniferJuniper Jul 2019 #33

Do you live up on a hill? MuseRider Jul 2019 #77

yes richsonpoordad Jul 2019 #34

I was 20 years old and was a camp counselor that summer. Stonepounder Jul 2019 #35

I was at camp that summer too. Scurrilous Jul 2019 #108

Yes lordsummerisle Jul 2019 #36

22 yrs old then, working in a law office... they had a tv going... secondwind Jul 2019 #37

The TV was snowy. I was impressed by the delay in radio/TV transmission time irisblue Jul 2019 #38

I was 14 and was riveted by it. trev Jul 2019 #39

I was 18 and working for Mayflower as a summer job in D.C. panader0 Jul 2019 #40

21 and watching with my wife to be. GeorgeGist Jul 2019 #41

Yes. I was 9 years old and remember it vividly. Nt MANative Jul 2019 #42

I was a just a kid, messing around an old quonset hut shed at my grandparents yaesu Jul 2019 #43

12 years old and GLUED to the television. Ferrets are Cool Jul 2019 #44

Same here. This morning, I posted my recollections on my Facebook page. n/t John1956PA Jul 2019 #116

... Ferrets are Cool Jul 2019 #170

I was in my third year of teaching, and the school set up TVs so we could watch. pazzyanne Jul 2019 #45

Yes. Living in Houston as a teen. kairos12 Jul 2019 #46

I heard it while driving. jalan48 Jul 2019 #47

I was six but I never forgot Demonaut Jul 2019 #48

Yes I was 7 Tribalceltic Jul 2019 #49

Yes colsohlibgal Jul 2019 #50

Our son was born June 10, 69. We watched,listened, tape with periodic baby cries bobbieinok Jul 2019 #51

Yes Dave in VA Jul 2019 #52

I was 13 and at summer camp. . . DinahMoeHum Jul 2019 #53

Yes. madinmaryland Jul 2019 #54

I sure did. Will NEVER forget it. Seemed like hope was infinite then. n/t TygrBright Jul 2019 #55

Yes. I was 21 years old. EOM. TruckFump Jul 2019 #56

I was 16. BadgerMom Jul 2019 #58

Yes MacKasey Jul 2019 #59

Saw it with friends randr Jul 2019 #60

Yes! sdfernando Jul 2019 #61

Growing up in the late 50s, fascinated with Sputnik... moonseller66 Jul 2019 #62

21, in married student housing with my very pregnant wife. n/t rzemanfl Jul 2019 #63

8 years old SilasSouleII Jul 2019 #64

Yes I was 18 and just graduated from high school FakeNoose Jul 2019 #65

Yes. 13 years old. Boomerproud Jul 2019 #67

i did. barbtries Jul 2019 #68

At Kansas University MuseRider Jul 2019 #69

I was in San Diego gladium et scutum Jul 2019 #70

I saw one moon landing. Don't know which Apollo it was. My dad made a joke that someone's toothbrush applegrove Jul 2019 #72

yep!!! it was pretty cool..kinda scratchy and snowy on the b/w set samnsara Jul 2019 #73

No, I was in the Army in Vietnam Crabby Appleton Jul 2019 #76

Yes I saw it when I was in the army stationed in Germany. We watched it in the dayroom on a doc03 Jul 2019 #78

Yes I watched Rebl2 Jul 2019 #79

I was 15 days old Thew Jul 2019 #80

11 here... I can still see the room getagrip_already Jul 2019 #81

Yes I did podex101 Jul 2019 #82

Absolutely! SeattleVet Jul 2019 #83

I was 8 and my mom woke me up from my sleep, along with my sibs meow2u3 Jul 2019 #84

21, watched it with my 15 month old son mountain grammy Jul 2019 #85

Yes! marigold20 Jul 2019 #86

Yes, it was must-see TV in my house Martin Eden Jul 2019 #87

Absolutely. Igel Jul 2019 #88

I was 3.5 Gore1FL Jul 2019 #89

Yes, I did see it and remember it like it was yesterday. llmart Jul 2019 #90

I was twelve-years-old and watched at my friend's house. Laffy Kat Jul 2019 #91

with happening 50 years ago..... uptrumps_but Jul 2019 #92

Yes I did. My dad was a contractor for NASA. jojog Jul 2019 #93

i was a small boy when that happened and my mouth hit the floor and ate it up. AllaN01Bear Jul 2019 #94

Yep.. i was a teenager. 14 years old and fascinated by it all. honest.abe Jul 2019 #95

9 yrs old. Watched it at a neighbor's house since we still didn't have a TV. eppur_se_muova Jul 2019 #96

I remember that hologram! misanthrope Jul 2019 #120

Yep, red He-Ne laser -- that's all we had back in the day. :) eppur_se_muova Jul 2019 #174

I was six. warmfeet Jul 2019 #97

I did! With my family! CottonBear Jul 2019 #98

Yes. I worked in Q.C. for a company which made items for the space ship. Frustratedlady Jul 2019 #99

I was 16, in Ft Lauderdale with my Family, visiting relatives. Talitha Jul 2019 #100

Parts of it... mnhtnbb Jul 2019 #101

I had my appendix out Marthe48 Jul 2019 #102

A way you will never be. spike jones Jul 2019 #103

I was 50 days old proud patriot Jul 2019 #104

Yes. My husband (just returned from bootcamp), I and our 1 month old daughter watched together. ancianita Jul 2019 #105

So many cool stories Marthe48 Jul 2019 #106

Yes! LAS14 Jul 2019 #107

Yes! And just the year before, proActivist Jul 2019 #109

My favorite movie edhopper Jul 2019 #110

Two formative movies I saw that Summer I was ten...2001, A Space Odyssey and Kelly's Heroes pecosbob Jul 2019 #123

You gotta stop edhopper Jul 2019 #133

Two yeses here. LakeArenal Jul 2019 #111

Yes. I was 9. CentralMass Jul 2019 #112

the days around July 20, 1969 are quite memorable.... VarryOn Jul 2019 #114

Apollo 11, Earth SCVDem Jul 2019 #115

Yes n/t trackfan Jul 2019 #117

Yes.. Historic NY Jul 2019 #118

My wife and I just watched it all again exactly fifty years later. hunter Jul 2019 #119

I was 10 MFM008 Jul 2019 #121

I was 13 remember marlakay Jul 2019 #122

On our turquoise blue naugahyde sofa pecosbob Jul 2019 #124

Yes scarletlib Jul 2019 #125

I remember it clearly. I was working with elderly patients at a psychiatric hospital. Vinca Jul 2019 #126

Yes, I was 9 treestar Jul 2019 #127

I had to "see"it via a transistor radio (remember those?) zeusdogmom Jul 2019 #128

Pregnant for second kid. tavernier Jul 2019 #129

I was 15, and remember it well. nt Granny M Jul 2019 #131

I was 15, too. Silver Gaia Jul 2019 #137

I was with a group of friends. Granny M Jul 2019 #155

I was 9 and we were glued to the tv LittleGirl Jul 2019 #132

Yep. I was 19 years old. nt tblue37 Jul 2019 #134

We watched from my Uncle's place in Huntsville, Alabama, where he worked on the Apollo pgm... SWBTATTReg Jul 2019 #135

You betcha! Bayard Jul 2019 #136

I was so mesmerized by it that murielm99 Jul 2019 #138

Yes Daphne08 Jul 2019 #139

I was watching on our small B&W TV, while studying for doctoral language requirement. TryLogic Jul 2019 #140

YES! love_katz Jul 2019 #141

I was still doing fetus stuff then. Codeine Jul 2019 #142

I'm sure I did, but I was only six, and didn't have a good understanding of what was going on. Crunchy Frog Jul 2019 #143

We went next door to watch it on the neighbour's TV TrogL Jul 2019 #144

Our small class of ancient Greek had gathered together to do our homework, as we did every Karadeniz Jul 2019 #145

Yes jpak Jul 2019 #146

Yes. nt Ilsa Jul 2019 #147

I love reading these stories! I can only imagine how exciting it must have been to be a kid back lunamagica Jul 2019 #148

I was 15 SouthernLiberal Jul 2019 #149

Always liked this scene misanthrope Jul 2019 #150

I have no memory of Apollo 11 Brother Buzz Jul 2019 #151

I was 5 and remember my mom sitting me down in front of the tv to watch it AdamGG Jul 2019 #152

Yes. Down on Cape Cod while on vacation. edbermac Jul 2019 #153

I was 11 JPPaverage Jul 2019 #154

I was 17. ashling Jul 2019 #156

Did I read some where, that during that time period the most popular show on TV yuiyoshida Jul 2019 #157

It wasn't the most popular show on TV then misanthrope Jul 2019 #161

Nope sarge43 Jul 2019 #163

I was 16, and I remember that the streets of our little town were deserted. Number9Dream Jul 2019 #158

Yes, I did. OldEurope Jul 2019 #159

Yep. Won't see it today, though. I've got DirecTV. Iggo Jul 2019 #160

26 at the time sarge43 Jul 2019 #162

yep, teenager Hermit-The-Prog Jul 2019 #164

I was 11. I also saw the launch from a pontoon boat in the Indian River. n/t ColesCountyDem Jul 2019 #166

That is very, very cool! edhopper Jul 2019 #167

It was awesome! ColesCountyDem Jul 2019 #194

I was 7 BumRushDaShow Jul 2019 #168

I was 9 years old. n/t ChazII Jul 2019 #169

I was a rowdy 20 year old. SergeStorms Jul 2019 #171

Sadly no Niagara Jul 2019 #172

My college boyfriend & I were bumming around & in Paris. Watched on a tv in a store window. stuffmatters Jul 2019 #173

I was almost 21, in college yellowdogintexas Jul 2019 #175

I was 7 SallyHemmings Jul 2019 #176

No I heard it Runningdawg Jul 2019 #177

I was -7 years old krispos42 Jul 2019 #178

I was 6 kwijybo Jul 2019 #179

Recommended. H2O Man Jul 2019 #180

Dad was a NASA engineer ThoughtCriminal Jul 2019 #181

I'm seriously envious misanthrope Jul 2019 #191

Yes, it was an intense week with three victories MasonDreams Jul 2019 #182

No, I was 4 ellie Jul 2019 #183

I was thirteen at the time NoPasaran Jul 2019 #184

Yes ornotna Jul 2019 #185

17 in 1969 Schmice3 Jul 2019 #186

Didn't happen Ahpook Jul 2019 #187

Post removed Post removed Jul 2019 #198

This "old fart" was 17 and trying not to be FailureToCommunicate Jul 2019 #188

YES absolutely. One of those moments you remember so vividly, even as to where we were! n/t MFGsunny Jul 2019 #189

Yes, my whole family was huddled around our small, flickering black & white TV. SunSeeker Jul 2019 #190

I remember it all happening but not much else... tenderfoot Jul 2019 #192

I was 21 & in college, had read sci-fi since I could read. It just seemed like where we should be... Hekate Jul 2019 #193

My Reaction Was Different RobinA Jul 2019 #195