Plane People

So I travel enough to be lucky and am perplexed by certain plane behaviors. Perplexed is a nice way of saying in some instances I am annoyed and/or disgusted. Below is in no way an exhaustive list as that would simply take too long. Its a start but the truth is I could write a novel just about if you should or should not recline your seat. Personally I hate that person with every fiber of my being when they do it in front of me.

First, the people who disregard the boarding process. If you never fly anywhere ever and didn’t pay for premium- you know your not going to get to board first. Yet- inevitably these people flock to the gate and get right in the way of those who are trying to board.

Second, “the cool guys” who stand at the front of the plane talking to the flight attendants. Do you really think they want to talk to you? They have to be nice to you and they likely would prefer you sit down, watch a movie and leave them alone.

Third no offense to all parents on this one, but just the ones who do not respect that I also paid for a ticket and do not want your child kicking me the entire trip. I also don’t want to play with them when I am trying to watch a movie with a glass of wine. Truly I understand children will be children and sometimes misbehave- and I am nothing but sympathetic when this is happening and the parents are trying to stop it. This paragraph is meant for the ones who do nothing and act like having children is a free pass to take over the world and have no regard for others. This last part extends well beyond plane travel into every day life.

Finally, people who take off their shoes. I get this and have done so for long international flights. That said- I brought a specific pair of fuzzy slipper socks for that purpose which were stored in a ziplock bag until they could be washed after wearing to keep the germs contained. Furthermore- I would never wear them into the bathroom. That said- I have seen people go into a the plane bathroom with no shoes and have to wonder why that person has not yet contracted some sort of deadly bacteria. Also- if you take off your shoes and you are barefoot- that is gross no matter if you go in the bathroom or not- and don’t then put them up so the person who has to sit next to you has to look at your toe fungus!

Today’s Rant

Ok so I have literally only seen like one episode of The Handmaid’s Tale but what I understood the premise to be is that in modern society- women woke up one day, lost all their rights, and those who could reproduce became sex slaves to the people in power. What an outlandish premise…. or not which is why the show is successful I bet.

When I look at a lot of what is happening today- like many, I fear some version of that could become our reality. I don’t quite know why this movement has gained so much ground and support? I look around my own circle and see people who are whole-heartedly supportive of human rights. But maybe that is the problem Those of us who are not surrounded by it have not done enough.

I remember sitting in my bed on a Saturday morning in probably 2015 doing what I do on lazy mornings- drinking coffee and scrolling Facebook. I was so enraged at the Religious Freedom Restoration Acts that popped up in many states and passed some (here’s looking at you Indiana). That said – I spouted off to my husband about the ignorance of people, maybe posted something in outrage- and then nothing more from me.

And here we are today. We elected the 2015 villain of my Saturday morning scrolls to the office of VP of our country (no need to even get into the current President- as this post would become a novel). We are facing an honest crises for women wherein Roe v Wade could actually be overturned. The make -up of the Court is ripe for it. Liberals are out-numbered by 1 as it is and we still have to cling on to hope that RBG can hold out another year and a half or the make up gets worse- and of course that the election outcome is different than last time. Lots of reasons to be scared here.

I realize that many people out there are not upset by this because they think abortion is wrong. However- nobody is forcing them to get one by saying others have rights. Do you remember the 1990’s movie If These Walls Could Talk? It shows the danger women are in when forced to seek illegal, back alley abortions -throughout history. It must be really easy to just see right and wrong here- but it also occurs to me that the people who see life in such back and white shades likely have faced little adversity, hardship, or struggle. Or perhaps they just lack empathy. Who knows- but for me I find this a scary time that we are living in.