Wednesday, January 30, 2013

What was to be airborne


I hate flying, but I love the takeoff.  I love the feel, I love the sound, and I love watching the ground move away.  But then the fun is over and you're just in small tube 30,000 feet above the ground surrounded by strangers, some of whom are infants and toddlers and behave accordingly.  Then there is the classic decision of whether or not to strike up a conversation with your neighbors.  Do they want to be left alone or if started will they not shut up for the rest of the flight?  This admission will not shock those that know me, but I typically opt not to start the conversation. 
I typically resolve my flight issues by sleeping through the trips.  I traveled a lot for work from 2007 to 2009 and I used drugs and revised sleeping schedules to condition myself to sleep on planes, which may be another reason my mind enjoys the trigger of the takeoff.  Although, the sleeping strategy works best when you have the window seat and can be problematic when coupled with other seating assignments.            
The worst part of flying though is the experience in the airport.  It's like if the DMV made you take off your shoes or if your church made you show up at least an hour early to sit there or wait in line.  In an upcoming trip I have a 4 hour layover.  The city hardly matters, because that's almost the perfect amount of time to not be able to get out into the city, do something, and get back through security.  It's a 4 hour layover in an airport which is a problem for me, because in recent years, I have had to work very hard to not be bored when I’m close to lots of food.  Thus, the airport is an impossible scenario for me, so I will no doubt be found at JFK at a table laden with all manner of foods while I people watch and watch or read something innocuous.  

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