I liked this a lot. I fly into cities that are no longer home but are as familiar as the path from my front door to my bedroom, cities whose maps I can draw from memory - and flying in, they always look so much prettier, almost stylized versions of themselves, and I wonder why I ever left.
Of course he is. But his reaction to the emptiness and darkness of space vs. the vibrancy and life of Earth seemed spectacularly authentic to me. The fragility of us, and our “predicament” was a revelation for him (as I’m sure it would also be for me.) His emotional reaction and honesty about it was my first “not full of shit” experience of him.
As a fellow denizen of the window seat I will choose either side of the plane primarily based on expected views or time of day/sun location. However, all else being equal, I seem to always favor the port side. Perhaps it is a vain attempt to reclaim some of the illusion of control I experience while driving?
I used to travel every week for work in window seats on planes (I'm a #nevermiddle), and I found this piece very relatable. I love looking out the window at the clouds or the topography of our world. For as much anxiety as I have with flying still, I also kind of love it.
i relate to this a lot: "I’m a window seat guy. How anybody can be anything other than a window seat guy is beyond me. The window seat has so many things going for it: control over the shades, a wall against which to lean one’s head, and the surety of knowing that you will not have to stand to accommodate anybody else’s bladder. Nor do I ever ask to leave my aisle. Though I am now an older gentleman, I am blessed with the urinary carrying capacity of a much younger person. My prostate will probably begin to have some words on that front in the coming years, but for now, I remain master of my domain."
and also, i think you've answered your own question, as to why someone might be "anything other than a window seat guy": people whose bladders are less powerful than your mighty bladder, and who want easy access to the bathroom without having to bother potentially sleeping people to get to where they need to go!
The worst is being in the middle when the other 2 people clearly wanted some space. I flew a year ago for the first time in many years. The window seat was a singer I love and I didn’t tell her I knew her because I wanted to give her privacy.
Your description of The Overview Effect is exceptional.
With regard to "as we prepare for our “final descent”, a phrase I have always found needlessly morbid" - that is how the pit of my stomach felt as I turned my calendar to 2025.
Retired now and flying only for pleasure(?!?), I do remember a previous life where I spent many hours in airports, on planes and realizing that every Sheraton looked pretty much the same. With all that though I never get over how so many tons of titanium, aluminum, carbon fiber and humanity manage to lift into our atmosphere and return, almost universally, safely to terra firma in some other locale. Gone are the days of meals served on China, beverages in crystal and peanuts but the mystique of flight and gazing down at a world and wondering if all that is pure chance remains. Hopefully we can both always keep a little of that awe-fullness. Happy New Year to you & Martha.
As someone who travels for work, thank you, this is spot on. I occasionally have a feeling of awe mixed into the annoyance of being strapped into my window seat with someone’s arm slabs fighting me for the arm rest. I fly coast to coast a lot and my favorite time to fly is east coast to west just before the sun goes down. You get to follow the sunset for an hour or two. It’s even better somehow if you get bumped to first class. Safe travels!
I just received We Are One book by Edgar Mitchell, who swears to have had that “one with the universe” experience, like Neal Brennan on ayahuasca, though I still do not subscribe to either’s associating the experience with a creator god, i enjoy the quantum physics behind it all.
You never fail to deliver. The pilot always says “before we begin our final descent” and I wonder why the word final is included. Aren’t we just beginning our descent?
I liked this a lot. I fly into cities that are no longer home but are as familiar as the path from my front door to my bedroom, cities whose maps I can draw from memory - and flying in, they always look so much prettier, almost stylized versions of themselves, and I wonder why I ever left.
Except D.C. because f%#^ that traffic.
No I totally get that. Was just being a little cheeky.
William Shatner is full of shit
Of course he is. But his reaction to the emptiness and darkness of space vs. the vibrancy and life of Earth seemed spectacularly authentic to me. The fragility of us, and our “predicament” was a revelation for him (as I’m sure it would also be for me.) His emotional reaction and honesty about it was my first “not full of shit” experience of him.
As a fellow denizen of the window seat I will choose either side of the plane primarily based on expected views or time of day/sun location. However, all else being equal, I seem to always favor the port side. Perhaps it is a vain attempt to reclaim some of the illusion of control I experience while driving?
I used to travel every week for work in window seats on planes (I'm a #nevermiddle), and I found this piece very relatable. I love looking out the window at the clouds or the topography of our world. For as much anxiety as I have with flying still, I also kind of love it.
Soon you'll deplane, having never planed to begin with. Stand by for all call.
Really great. You’ve really hit your stride as a writer of Substacks.
dear michael,
a fun piece!
i relate to this a lot: "I’m a window seat guy. How anybody can be anything other than a window seat guy is beyond me. The window seat has so many things going for it: control over the shades, a wall against which to lean one’s head, and the surety of knowing that you will not have to stand to accommodate anybody else’s bladder. Nor do I ever ask to leave my aisle. Though I am now an older gentleman, I am blessed with the urinary carrying capacity of a much younger person. My prostate will probably begin to have some words on that front in the coming years, but for now, I remain master of my domain."
and also, i think you've answered your own question, as to why someone might be "anything other than a window seat guy": people whose bladders are less powerful than your mighty bladder, and who want easy access to the bathroom without having to bother potentially sleeping people to get to where they need to go!
thank you for sharing as always!
love
myq
People with weak bladders are "lesser than" and therefore did not figure into my accounting of how anybody could choose aisle over window.
The worst is being in the middle when the other 2 people clearly wanted some space. I flew a year ago for the first time in many years. The window seat was a singer I love and I didn’t tell her I knew her because I wanted to give her privacy.
Ever been on an Ultra Long Haul? Now you've got something to prove!
hahaha fair enough!
I sit on the aisle so I can run to the loo any time I want to. Except for the carts, so, actually, not that often.
Your description of The Overview Effect is exceptional.
With regard to "as we prepare for our “final descent”, a phrase I have always found needlessly morbid" - that is how the pit of my stomach felt as I turned my calendar to 2025.
I am a window seat lover, too! Great minds….
Retired now and flying only for pleasure(?!?), I do remember a previous life where I spent many hours in airports, on planes and realizing that every Sheraton looked pretty much the same. With all that though I never get over how so many tons of titanium, aluminum, carbon fiber and humanity manage to lift into our atmosphere and return, almost universally, safely to terra firma in some other locale. Gone are the days of meals served on China, beverages in crystal and peanuts but the mystique of flight and gazing down at a world and wondering if all that is pure chance remains. Hopefully we can both always keep a little of that awe-fullness. Happy New Year to you & Martha.
As someone who travels for work, thank you, this is spot on. I occasionally have a feeling of awe mixed into the annoyance of being strapped into my window seat with someone’s arm slabs fighting me for the arm rest. I fly coast to coast a lot and my favorite time to fly is east coast to west just before the sun goes down. You get to follow the sunset for an hour or two. It’s even better somehow if you get bumped to first class. Safe travels!
I just received We Are One book by Edgar Mitchell, who swears to have had that “one with the universe” experience, like Neal Brennan on ayahuasca, though I still do not subscribe to either’s associating the experience with a creator god, i enjoy the quantum physics behind it all.
You never fail to deliver. The pilot always says “before we begin our final descent” and I wonder why the word final is included. Aren’t we just beginning our descent?
Love this piece, Michael. Thank you for your gifts of observation and communication! Happy New Year!