Some find time their time on an airplane to be a perfect time for working, reflecting, meditating and even praying. You can usually find several handfuls of business men talking loudly on their Blackberries prior to take off and immediately upon landing. These are the same guys who spend the flight working on spreadsheets and PowerPoint proposals.
Then you have the writer. This guy is in the zone from the moment he takes his seat next to the window. The writers always choose window seats. The sky at 30k feet seems more inspiring to them than the passing beverage cart in the isle. Considering their speed of typing and the intensity spread across their face, I can only assume the great American novel has been written during our 4 hour trek to the Caribbean.
I’ve often heard other itinerate speakers talk about their times of revelation and meditation while aboard these flying vessels. While, most of the time, I have a nack for finding God in odd places, I must say that airplanes are the last on my list of preferred sanctuaries for prayer and contemplation.
First, you have the often forgotten co tinuous hum of the plane’s engine. This is one of the worst aspects of the actual flight. A sound that in any other circumstances might be somewhat lulling, when mixed with the closest quarters you will get to another person prior to marriage, the ability of flight attendants to find your elbow with the corner of the beverage cart despite it being pulled closely to your chest, the slowly forming bruises across your knees due to the seats being designed for pigmis and the unshakeable feeling that although you’ve flown dozens of times, that strange clanking sound could be bad, that same sound morphs into nails scraping across a chalkboard.
I found people’s ability to work and be inspired in the midst of flying to be nothing short of remarkable.
On a side note, I believe that the items contained within the SkyMall catalogue should no longer be novelty, but standard for society. If a watch can have a hidden camera, then why wouldn’t it? If patent pending gravity defying sneakers are possible, then shouldn’t all sneakers defy gravity? If a RoboCup ball return robot exists, then these puppies should be installed at every country club in America. I say, no more regulay roses. Only roses dipped in 24k gold. If a blue tooth earpiece can “improve your hearing and enhance your image” then all blue tooth devices should. All apartment porches should come standard with the Porch Potty Premium. This grassy outdoor litterbox for dogs, comeplete with a scented fire hydrant and working sprinkler system, should not be limited to the ultra wealthy, but available for all. I say, if one tomato garden is upside down, they all should be. Then it would no longer be upside down.
Anyway, since I just wrote this blog on a plane, half of my thoughts are void. Enjoy your week, see you around the 25. I love you all.
