Today I’m over at the Midnight Ink blog, Inkspot. I’m sharing some thoughts on a movie about writing that I thought was interesting, and I’m sharing some regrets about having murdered a few of my characters. Hope you’ll pop over.
Thoughts on flying:
Security, post 9/11, was a lot tougher than I’d realized. Wow.
They don’t make coach seats for tall people. And, I have now come to the conclusion that I have monkey arms. When I was finally allowed to pull out my trusty laptop on my flight, I had to hunch up my shoulders to be able to fit my hands on the keyboard. And I had my pointy elbows jutting out on either side of me. I should have been labeled as a sharp object.
If you sit in the middle seat and are writing about killing people (especially a scene involving a poisoning, which I was revising), some people read your text and look at you and read and look. So I pulled up Windows LiveWriter and started writing my blog for today, instead. The topic of my blog? “Murdering Characters.” Didn’t seem to inspire any more confidence in my co-passenger. It’s amazing how well I can block things out, though, when I’m typing.
Does the airport food seem more expensive to you? I don’t think I’ve ever gotten such an expensive meal for one at Qdoba before….
There are interesting characters in airplanes. One of them was furious at not being allowed to use the first class bathroom and plowed through 1st class, loudly, in protest, cussing all the while. (I was in coach, and it was interesting seeing the flight attendant trying to block him.)
I don’t think an airplane is a good place to loudly make out. Just me?
I’ll be sure not to make out on my flight on Thursday! :) And I will try to use the bathroom a hundred times before I board! One of my flights is three hours, so I may have to use that tiny, germ infected bathroom in the sky. But I’ll avoid it if possible! And that’s too funny about people reading over your shoulder! The joys of air travel, right?!
Hey, I live in Orlando and am back from my cruise. Give a shout!
> I don’t think an airplane is a good place to
> loudly make out.
It’s the ideal place. Captive audience.
It doesn’t sound like the flight was boring, though. I was sitting in a window seat once when a very high pitched whistle started. The window had developed a leak in mid-flight! I spent the rest of the flight wondering if my pregnant belly would keep me from being sucked out of the window.
No, it is not! That’s just rude for everyone around who has to hear that!
I know what you mean! On my flight from Delhi to London last month I spent the first two hours writing upcoming blog posts. When I finally put the notebook aside, the guy next to me said, “Wow, you like to write, don’t you?” I’m pretty sure he read everything I wrote.
I’m taking a flight bak to Oregon next week – thanks for reminding me of things I don’t like about flying!
Although spooking your seatmates with the murdering characters stuff is funny.
L. Diane Wolfe “Spunk On A Stick”
http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
I think airlines/airports are doing everything they can think of to make flying as uncomfortable as possible – and succeeding. I have seen an ad for something that you put over your computer screen that makes it impossible for people to read over your shoulder. I don’t remember what it was called though.
I like airplane bathrooms – everything is so tiny. Also it’s nice to be able to close the door and have a space (tiny though it is) to myself for a few minutes.
People reading what I’m writing? Hate it. Hate it hard. I’ll have to get one of those screen things before I take my laptop on a plane (and I can’t imagine not having my laptop there).
People making out? No, no, a thousand times no. There’s just no dignity there. I’m glad they’re happy and in a fulfilling relationship. I just don’t need to hear every slurp.
Elspeth
Oh gosh, I can just see you in that middle seat. We’re about to fly from Albuquerque to Houston to Newark, NJ to Edinburgh on 9/26. Now, I wasn’t looking forward to the flight part before reading your blog. Now, uh oh. I’ll let you know how it goes with my new little netbook.
Karen
I’ve actually seen flight attendents block passage to the section from a perso needing to use the bathroom. I make it a point to get my digective tract in order a few days before I fly because airplane bathrooms are disgusting.
Stephen Tremp
Jody–I hit the bathrooms every chance I got so I wouldn’t have to go on the plane!
Terry–I am hostage on the grounds of Disney! Not that that’s a bad thing, of course. I have no car here and am totally at the mercy of shuttles to the parks. On the upside, I think I’m going to eat lunch at Epcot! What country should I choose? If you’ve got a season pass, come join me!
Diane–Maybe your flight will go much better! And, yeah, it was actually kind of funny. I wondered for a minute if he was going to report me to airport security (and I’d already had a rough enough day with them.)
Jane–If I started flying a lot, I’d definitely have to get something like that. I was able to block the guy out, but he distracted me for a while. I’m not used to people reading over my shoulder.
Singularity–Very true! I think they delighted in the collective disgust.
Janel–That would have completely wigged me out. Especially when I was pregnant (I was especially fanciful during those months.)
Kristen–Gosh, you’d think he wouldn’t want to draw attention to his snoopiness!
Stephen–I was NOT going to the airplane bathroom. Despite the enormous amount of coffee I drank.
Elspeth–Maybe I should have taken my laptop into the tiny bathroom and stayed there! :)
I am a total amateur at writing, but I think it would be fun while sitting on the plane to write about the characters around me. If they’re nice then they “might” live in my story, but if they are not nice then…
Maybe next time, try writing your seat-mates into the scene. Then have them murdered :) Might be fun to see if they react to descriptions of themselves and their demises! Hope you’re having fun at Disney (little envious here)
Before I retired in February, I travel a lot in my job, so, I guess I’m kinda used to the 9/11 rules and hassles. Whether it’s those rules, the crowds, the expense, me being a curmudgeon, or just plain old and cranky, traveling is not the enjoyment it once was for me. You about have to blast me out of the house…particularly if air travel is involved. Yuk. Oh, I see a perfect opportunity for you to score one of those mini notebooks. Plenty of room to write with those and easier to cart around than a full-sized laptop. DH, are you listening???
Best Regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog
I’ve gotten pretty good at post 9/11 travel — can now get my shoes off and my laptop in a bin in record time, and put it all back together again in a jiffy. I hate the middle seat, so whenever possible I book ahead and pay what I need to pay to sit on the aisle. And I don’t write on the plane, I read. I carry those clean wipe cloths to deal with the tray table, armrests, and restrooms.
My problem is the dirty air and my paranoia about the health of the people around me. When I travel in October, I think I’ll be a nervous wreck if even one passenger looks feverish, complains of a headache, or coughs.
I tend to fly mostly on SWA. Traveling with my husband is best since he flies SWA so much that he always has a boarding pass that puts him at the front of the line, while I’m way back far into the B group. He’ll get on, get a seat in the exit row and save me a seat. I do believe that tall people should be allowed to board early. My son is 6’10”. Watch him squeeze into a standard middle seat!
Helen
Straight From Hel
On 9-11 I wrote about Myrtle Clover which shouldn´t be too bad, but the day before I wrote about terrorists and bombs. Afterwards I wondered whether it was such a good idea, but I haven´t been arrested yet so …
Karen–Hope it goes well! Your trip sounds awesome.
Galen–Wow, it sounds like you’ve got it down pat. Yes, a tiny netbook sounds much better. I’ve got one of those laptops with the extra-large screen (to help me with my writing.) Doesn’t work so well on a plane.
Journaling–And, since I’m a mystery writer, kill the ones I don’t like. :)
Jemi–I thought about it. Of course by then I was all worried about getting detained since I’d gotten in so much trouble in the airport. :)
Patricia–Everyone started coughing on cue as soon as we took off. Germy! I’m with you.
Helen–I can not even imagine. He must have his knees pulled up to his chin!
Dorte–Too funny! You’re right…they might come looking for you.
I can just see you trying to type. I’m the type of person who switches to a size-4 font and hopes it gives them a headache.
Tara–Now THAT’S a good idea! Just let them try and squint at it! :)