But in this moment, as in so many others like it, when I took stock of their unhappy reaction to what I said, I felt myself at the cold, hard center of a perfect storm: We expect more from technology and less from each other.

CNN: We expect more from technology and less from each other

"I felt like I had the cold, the flu, something like that " she said.

CNN: A year later, 'heroic' E. coli survivor still battling

Even today, over six decades later, just hearing that long wail of the warning siren on old newsreels and films gives me that same cold knot of fear in the pit of my stomach which I always felt all those years ago.

BBC: Stanley Ross remembers the Blitz