With the memory of Sept. 11’s terrorist attacks on the minds of most all Americans, businesses in L.A. and elsewhere tried to regain some traction last week but it wasn’t easy. Here are some observations on getting back to work.


J.R. Capps

Vice President, Investments

Salomon Smith Barney

I’ve been awfully busy, perhaps busier than normal. I’ve talked to a lot of people and everybody’s concerned, but nobody’s freaking out. People ask questions like “what does it mean that we’re going to war?” The bottom line seems to be that we’re all holding each other’s hands right now. And a lot of people are saying “I’ve got extra money, let’s buy now.” I don’t think I’ve had a sell call all week. I just remember buying. Right now I’m wondering, who’s selling?

Scott Harden

Creative Director

Subvergent

It’s been a little frantic. We had one of our partners stuck on the East Coast. Over here on this side we were doing everything we could do to get through it. Since then, it’s been nose to the grindstone making sure we get all our work done, and that we get it done on time. Our partner is back now, but we’re still playing catch up. We took Tuesday off but after that we were back in bright and early. A lot of our current projects are in the non-profit space. So the show must go on.

Elizabeth Blozan

Freelance Writer

It’s been chillingly normal. Everything is normal but there’s this big horrible feeling. I didn’t go to Mass, I didn’t go to Pico Boulevard and light a candle. Of course I’ve listened to the news on NPR and watched in on TV. It’s been normal in a way that’s dislocated from meaning. Everything in my life is normal, but it doesn’t feel like it means anything. There’s nothing in my day-to-day life that gives any shape to how much things have changed.

John Tamanaha

Vice President of Communications

Los Angeles Avengers

In dealing with the press and the public, things have been much different. They’re dealing with things that are of a very serious nature. There were several projects I was working on to build momentum for our coming season and obviously all of those plans and preparations have basically stopped. For the last week, even though it’s been hard to concentrate, I’ve been trying to do things that are internal. It has puts things in perspective. When something like this happens to the nation and to the world, building the awareness of a sports franchise is not a top priority.

Cathy Griffin

Managing Director

Korn/Ferry International

Not normal at all. I find people aren’t unfriendly, but they’re not friendly. They don’t drop by your office and they don’t smile. It’s like there’s a depression that everybody is wearing on their shoulders and it shows. Yesterday I took my secretary to lunch and when we returned there weren’t any messages. Normally my phone never stops ringing. Things aren’t normal because you don’t do what you usually do. My friend’s mother died last Sunday, completely unrelated to the World Trade Center incident, and nobody called to tell me. My other friend had major surgery, again, nobody told me. Everybody is distracted right now. My list of 200 things to do is now 10. Some I’m waiting to do, some I’m too tired and some are inappropriate.