I very distinctly remember where I was on 9/11. I was on my way into the city merrily sleeping through my everyday ordinary commute on what was not an ordinary day. From the moment I arrived at Penn Station, I knew something had gone terribly wrong. But it took me some time to piece it together. People were talking but there was no real information. 

I remember taking the bus across town (the subway had been shut down). I was anxious for information and so I didn't finish the bus ride to the office and instead, got off early in front of a bank on Madison Avenue that had huge television monitors in its windows. I stood there for a good long while trying to absorb what was happening before walking the few blocks to the office.

Nearly 10 years later, I will also distinctly remember where I was when I learned that Osama bin Laden had been killed. What I could not have been imagined was that Facebook was the messenger. 

My husband and I were watching the Mets game in the kitchen (well, really he was watching, I was making the kids lunches). Around 10:30, my daughter bustled down the stairs with computer in hand to announce that Facebook was lighting up with the news. We both turned to our computers and the hints quickly grew louder. By 11:15, two Facebook pages had over 78,000 and 150,000 "likes" each. Similarly, at the Mets game, fans starting cheering, this time not for the game but loudly "USA" -- all because their electronic devices were lighting up with the news.

Quite an example of the power and speed of social media in our world.

Where were you when you learned the news -- and did social media play a role?