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This is a sad terrible thing. I think of those parents and families. How in one day their whole world is turned upside down. Forever.

My son is campus Public Safety at a major college here in Oregon. He see's this as terrible also. He feels it essential that dialog continue with regard to safety and response plans.
He fears this could happen on his campus as well it could happen anywhere. One of his concerns is how do we inform people; public and professional what is happening in a concise uniform manner and form a plan.

I did not vote either. Too soon for me too.
Very sad.

My daughter is a student at VA Tech. This whole thing has been incredibly horrific. Kathleen called me at 8:00 am yesterday morning from class. She told me the school was in lock down mode, and she was ok, not to worry. Needless to say, she spent 3 hours on the floor in her class waiting. I got to talk with her online (MSN) when they were released. She went to her dorm and was able to get on her computer. All of the cell phone service was down by then, it overloaded so we couldnt talk. I still havent talked with her since yesterday morning, although my wife chatted with her online again tonight. Turns out she knew the shooter, was in a class with him last semester, and evidently tried to approach him (Kathleen is one of those who never knew a stranger). I imagine she's pretty freaked out by all of this, and I *hope* she'll decide to come home since school is closed the rest of the week. I'd drive down to get her, if she wants. Luckily for us, her boyfriends family lives in Pulaski, a nearby town, and she stayed with them last night. I hope she calls soon, I miss her voice!

Mark

Mark, I'm glad she's safe and ok...this will be a hard thing for her to live with now I'm sure..thanks for the post.

DJ

Mark - that is a chilling story. I forgot that your daughter goes to Tech. I'm so thankful she is alright.

Man, this is has been a difficult week. I am riding down to Blacksburg tomorrow morning. My Blacksburg office is at the VA Tech Corporate Research Center, which is part of VA Tech's campus. A couple of my employees knew some of the victims.

Vann - thank you for your message. I cannot remember a time in my life where I have cried so much over the course of a couple days as I have this week. I have not been able to concentrate on work or anything else.

The agony of this week is indescribable.

I spoke with my daughter last night. I sensed it would be best to stay clear about any issues regarding the shootings. We made small talk. I could sense she was upset. She told me she spend $70 having her hair cut and highlited at the mall this afternoon.."Great, I said..would love to see what it looks like!". She doesnt want to come home because she says that she'd be inundaded by people who want to ask a thousand questions and she just didnt wan t to deal with that. I told her I totally understood. So, Elizabeth and I will drive up this weekend and spend a couple days with her and her friends. Thats about all there is really. The rest now is going to be a long healing process. It's hard to grasp this when your still in the middle of tremendous grief, but I know from personal experience, healing does come eventually. Pretty much the only universal advice I can give, is to surround yourself with people who love you, and distance yourself from people who don't know how to love you..it will make the process somewhat easier!

Well, gotta go. Yong, take care of yo'self. Hopefully will see you soon!

Mark

MCoop,
Careful you don't break her ribs when you first hug her. I'd be holding my girl so tight she'd be in danger. I never knew what fear really was until I became a parent. I know one of the most powerful senses of relief in your life was when you KNEW she was not one of the victims. Thank God she's physically unharmed.

Yong,
My thoughts and prayers for you as well...I cannot imagine the emotions you have gone through.

Mark - I also did not realize your daughter went to VT. I was nervous enough waiting out hearing about some kids I know there, I can't imagine what it was like with one of my own there. Enjoy the visit!

mcooperstein wrote:I spoke with my daughter last night. I sensed it would be best to stay clear about any issues regarding the shootings. We made small talk. I could sense she was upset. She told me she spend $70 having her hair cut and highlited at the mall this afternoon..
Mark

I too am glad she is safe and will soon be in her parents' arms.

Be encouraged, Mark....... your daughter did what every (well, most) women do when we are upset! Go to the mall - shop or get our hair done! That was probably a very therapeutic act on her part and she is probably ready to talk and ready to learn from you how to put it all behind her.

I thought it was cute that she mentioned the mall/hair to you early on. I could relate!

The media went too far airing that stupid video. They are just about as sick as he was.

Mark, glad to hear your daughter is ok...and Yong, my condolences. I didn't know you were an alumnus. Hang in there.

We will be looking at colleges soon for our daughter who is a HS Junior. I have an additional set of criteria I need to think about now....

Nice to see my employer stepped up; this was posted internally this morning:

IBM's condolences to Virginia Tech

IBM has extended its condolences to officials at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), where at least 32 people were reported killed Monday by a gunman. IBM is an active recruiter at the university, and has, over the years, hired many fine students from this well-known institution.

IBM had no recruiting events or recruiters on campus Monday. We will continue our efforts to contact "our" students -- those Virginia Tech students who have already accepted our employment offers following graduation, and others to whom we have extended offers -- to determine if any need our assistance at this time. The company also is contacting current student coops and interns from Virginia Tech, offering our services and condolences.

We extend our condolences to all IBMers with ties to Virginia Tech during this sad and tragic time.

I've been in Blacksburg since yesterday morning. It is surreal to ride around town - a place I built 20 years worth of memories, now altered forever by this unfathomable tragedy.

I have not wept this much over the course of three days as I have this week.

I'd like to stay here for a while, but I have to ride back up to Northern VA tonight to prepare for my trip to India tomorrow. It will be hard to concentrate on business matters next week.

my wife and I are heading to blacksburg tomorrow to spend a day and night with my daughter and boyfriend. Yong, your going to India? Kewl!! Hope to see you soon.... Mark

Mark - I hope you have a good weekend with your daughter. The weather is finally turning spring-like, and there are hardly any better places to be in this world than Blacksburg on a sunny spring day.

I rode back last night to Northern VA on my Roadster. It got cold near Lexington and I wound up having to wear my Gerbing heated attire again. I spent two days spending time with my employees and graduate student friends. It's been a long, difficult week.

My flight leaves at 4:55 this afternoon. I'll post some thoughts and messages while I'm overseas.

Saw my daughter. She'll be OK...eventually. Everybody I talked to in Blacksburg is in shock pretty much. To make matters worse, there is media people *everywhere*, in town, on campus. They got class rosters for the film class that the shooter was in last semester, and they've been trying to contact all the kids in that class, including my daughter. She's not into talking to anybody other then close friends and family. Virginia Tech has decided to kick all the media off campus by tomorrow morning when classes resume. That's good. People need to start moving on, and it will be difficult with reporters harassing everybody. The school administration is doing a first class job (IMHO) of helping faculty, staff and students to work through this tradgedy. Kathleen said that she has the option of finishing school now and taking whatever grade(s) she's earned, or completing the course(s) and taking finals. She's not sure what she's going to do, I think she'll prolly complete some of her courses, and take whatever grade she's earned for others.

I want to thank everybody who's written/called me for concern for my daughter. It really helps to know you have friends out there!

Mark

Yeah Mark, it was unreal to see so much media in town and on campus. By Thursday as a good percentage of the students left to spend time with their families, many of the media crew were walking around filming downtown and campus trying to eek out whatever material they could to air on television.

We're used to a low key life in Blacksburg save for football season when ESPN comes to town. But one thing that has stood out during the unfortunate week is how intelligent the VA Tech students are and how articulate they are. I'm so proud of how well they have represented themselves, the university and by association its alumni.

Glad to hear your daughter is doing alright.

Through all this tragedy, I believe the media's role has been awful! Their attempt to fill the 24/7 news cycle has lead to them milking every possible angle, from every possible source!

I am glad your daughter is OK Mark.