Fear of Flying

Actually, it's not so much a "fear" as a "dread." I'm not afraid of dying because I'm one of those people who happens to believe that...if I'm supposed to die in a plane crash...then I'll die in a plane crash, whether I'm in it or it happens to crash into my apartment building or my car. I watch the news. It happens.

I simply detest the "nuisance" of flying. I hate trying to cram everything I'm going to need on an extended trip into a couple of bags and then wrestling with them and my laptop throughout the whole trip. I hate airports, long term parking, shuttles, airport security, teeny-tiny airplane seats with no leg room, and don't even get me started on airplane bathrooms. Ever try "holding it" from Honolulu to Dallas/Fort Worth? I have. Then there is baggage claim and more shuttles or taxis to get you to your appointed destination, and tipping each and every person you meet along the way. Yep, all things considered, I'd rather drive.

Luckily, this year, I don't have to worry about Dave, my boss, nagging me into going to our National Association's annual meeting. With the recession and everyone trying to save money, conference travel is an easy expense to curtail. For example, last year five people from the office attended the conference. This year, Dave will be the only one going.

The good news...I don't have to fly this year. The bad news...the conference is being held in San Diego. I've never been there and I've heard it is a beautiful city. Oh, well. You win some, you lose some.

I came upon the following video as I was surfing the Internet this morning, thus serving as the inspiration for this post. Perhaps if I flew Southwest Airlines more often, I might find the flying experience more enjoyable. Nah! But it's a nice thought. This is pretty cool. I, for one, have never encountered any flight attendant quite this "amiable" in my air travels.

Hip Hop Flight Attendant @ Yahoo! Video