Marvels

Unable to sleep on the return plane ride from Las Vegas, I was left with my thoughts. (Don't you feel sorry for me?) Staring at the only thing I could see (the cabin lights were out and my overhead wouldn't turn on), the in-flight information such as the map of our trip, speed, temperatures, etc., I was struck by this: What was I doing, with 270 other people, more than 7 miles in the sky, traveling at 636 mph in a long steel tube?????? I know air travel is commonplace, even ho-hum in 2011. But, seriously, think about that: 270 people, 7 miles up, 636 mph! Wow!

I was reminded of the Wright Brothers, who were successful with their own money, while a Smithsonian-sponsored effort to fly, complete with federal government subsidies, failed miserably. There's a lesson in that somewhere, isn't there?

That said, who designed airplane seats? I was very tired, yet couldn't find any position that was comfortable enough to allow me to sleep. Of course, tie in the last half of the flight, quite bumpy, and I never dozed off. So, I was up at 5:30 AM on Sun and went to bed/sleep at 10:30 PM on Mon. I don't think I've ever stayed up so many consecutive hours. I think I'm still dragging a bit.

And, one last thing, obesity isn't a handicap. How many wheelchairs impeded others' in moving through the airport, wheelchairs pushing obese people? And, several of us, tired at the late hour, noted before the flight the number of grossly obese people. Each of us noted, "I'm not sitting next to that guy...." The few of us who were talking about it, grousing, were fortunate enough not to draw an obese seat-mate. But there was a tiny woman who wasn't so lucky, smooshed into her seat next to a window. I know, I know, "Obese people have rights." Yep, they do. But so do people who aren't obese. I do nothing to infringe on their rights, but they, in this seating situation, do infringe on mine. Airlines have luggage size limits--weight, length and width--for carry-on baggage. There should also be limits for people, requiring the purchase of two seats if needed. (And, being obese shouldn't qualify one for a handicapped parking sticker!)