Posted by BrendaTx on 8/13/12 2:58pm
Msg #430318

I'm ok (OT)

I decided I should check in so you would not have to check in with me as the news of the shooter near campus has gone national and I'm getting lots of folks checking in with me. As many of you know, I work on campus. Reports say that one civilian and one officer are dead...do not know much more.

There is an older neighbor area around campus. A shooter fired automatic weapon(s?) from the house that is approximately two blocks from the football field. My office is several blocks west of there. The problems started during the time that the entire campus staff/students/faculty was going to lunch, as best that I can tell.

I was not near there because I took a day off. Otherwise, I would have self-centered and irritated that traffic was worse than usual in my lunch path and trying to get around it.

See http://kbtx.com for updates if you are interested.

Back to your usual programming. Thanks, everyone, for checking in with me.

Reply by jba/fl on 8/13/12 3:00pm
Msg #430320

Thanks. n/m

Reply by BrendaTx on 8/13/12 3:07pm
Msg #430323

Re: Thanks.

Sorry for all the repeated phrases...typing while watching reports...doesn't make for good prose.

Reply by MW/VA on 8/13/12 3:11pm
Msg #430325

Thanks for checking in. I saw it & immediately

was concerned for your safety. :-)

Reply by Yoli/CA on 8/13/12 6:37pm
Msg #430349

Thanks for letting us know you're ok! n/m

Reply by Shoshana/AZ on 8/13/12 3:14pm
Msg #430327

So glad you're ok!

Reply by MistarellaFL on 8/13/12 3:22pm
Msg #430331

Wow, didn't even know something was up yet

Thanks for checking in.

Reply by Stephanie Santiago on 8/13/12 4:06pm
Msg #430335

I read about the shootings a little while ago...

I'm glad to hear you took the day off - sometimes things just work out.

Stephanie

Reply by MikeC/TX on 8/13/12 4:41pm
Msg #430337

Thanks for the update

I saw this, and immediately wondered if you were anywhere nearby since I know you work at the college. It was a good time to take a day off...

Reply by Les_CO on 8/13/12 4:51pm
Msg #430339

Glad you’re okay! n/m

Reply by Claudine Osborne on 8/13/12 9:10pm
Msg #430355

Re: Glad you’re okay!

Just glad you are ok..Thanks for checking in and letting us know!

When will this stuff end?

Reply by BrendaTx on 8/13/12 9:34pm
Msg #430358

Thanks all. It's been a very disturbing day. n/m

Reply by 101livescan on 8/14/12 12:09pm
Msg #430419

Scary that events like this are happening nearer and nearer to us all the time. Too close to home. We had a SWAT team standoff, man was killed. Domestic issues, he led police on a high speed chase through town, endangering the entire community on surface streets for 10 miles, then got out of his car and put a gun to his head, SWAT got him first. In the middle of a quiet residential neighborhood and community park where families picnicked that day. Gotta be drugs or mental illness. Sad, crazy, unpredictable world we live in these days.

Glad you're safe!

Reply by NJDiva on 8/14/12 6:00pm
Msg #430457

I agree Cheryl! I definitely agree...

" Sad, crazy, unpredictable world we live in these days"

Reply by JanetK_CA on 8/15/12 12:37am
Msg #430481

Re: I agree Cheryl! I definitely agree...

" Sad, crazy, unpredictable world we live in these days."

Yes, it is - and I'm so glad to hear that all are safe!

It might be helpful to note that one of the biggest things that has really changed to bring these tragedies "nearer and nearer to us all the time" is the immediate, constant and even global media coverage. these days, we hear not just about what happens in our own town or county, etc. but anything around the country and sometimes internationally, if it's sensational enough. In generations past, we probably wouldn't even have heard about most of them, let alone have had in-depth, close-up coverage.

I've read that these and other unsavory events are no more common than they used to be - and in some cases less so, depending on what neighborhood it happens in (but that's a whole other subject) - it's just that we now have 24-hour news coverage, instant internet and smart-phone news feeds, Tweets, etc., etc.. etc. Doesn't make them any less tragic, but maybe it means we need to work just a little bit harder at keeping it all in perspective.