Friday, January 18, 2008

Nightmare At 30,000 Feet

This week I traveled over 5,000 miles by plane for an ‘Interactive University Training’ development thingy for work. I endured two full travel days (about 12 hours each), took six planes and four taxi’s, ate some of the most god awful airport food I’ve ever had the misfortune to swallow, AND I drank too much. The conference itself was fine, as a matter of fact it was pretty damn productive, but those travel days could have been downright life threatening had I not had my music. Being able to tune out the unwashed masses at public places such as an airport with my tiny little portable audio device is one of my greatest pleasures. It’s a great way to pass the time.

On the plane it’s even better, because you can actually relax; just shut your eyes, forget about the grossly overweight insurance salesman sitting next to you smelling of cabbage and ass, and enjoy the sweet sculptural sounds of Miles Davis or AIR emanating from those little white head phones. All is well with the world, until...

...some song about death comes on.

I already have an irrational fear of flying and hearing some song about death or dying during some intense turbulence can be, to me anyway, quite unnerving!

So next time my job sends me somewhere by plane, I’m gonna create a ‘Happy Playlist’ on my iPod. Here’s some I’m thinking about putting on. If you have any suggestions, let me know.

No Kenny G, please.

Wouldn’t It Be Nice, by The Beach Boys
Here Comes The Sun, By The Beatles
Live Forever, by Oasis
Guess I’m Doing Fine, by Beck
Stayin Alive, By The BeeGees
Grin, by The Wonder Stuff


And songs I need to DELETE from my iPod before I fly:

Tombstone Blues, by Bob Dylan
Dear God, by XTC
Nightmare at 20,000 ft, by PWEI
Stop Breathin', By Pavement
My Dark Hour, by Steve Miller
Why Would You Wanna Live, by Wilco
Watch Me Bleed, by Tears For Fears
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space, by Spiritualized
Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now, by The Smiths
All Dead All Dead, by Queen
We Have Explosive, By Future Sound Of London

5 comments:

Hal Johnson said...

Ha! If you have R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World as We Know It," you might want to put that on your delete list.

Uncle E said...

Yes yes, can't believe I forgot that one, Hal.
Good catch!

PHILIP FOUNTAIN said...

Personally, on flights I always try to make sure the playlist includes a little Buddy Holly, maybe some Ricky Nelson and definitely some Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Brave Sir Robin said...

I have had the misfotune of being stranded in the Tenessee airport for 8+ hours.....without the Ipod!! Try that one on for size!!

Uncle E said...

Rob, what's a "misfotune"?
And Phil, Mr. Holly's 'Peggy Sue' WAS playing on my iPod! Some frightening shite.