Flyin' Hi

Just a little something I'd like to share.

Confession time. I'm a nervous flyer. And it seems to have gotten worse as I've gotten older. I used to fly quite a bit when I was young, so I don't understand how this neurosis has developed. But there it is. I hate taking off, I hate being in the air, and I'm somewhat ambivalent about landing, because at least I know I will (hopefully) soon touch ground.

So the trip to and from Arizona was interesting to say the least. I got my doctor to prescribe me some relaxants to help me out, but quite frankly, what I really needed was something to knock.me.out.cold.

On the way there it wasn't too bad, but on the way back, the turbulence was nasty, and yes, I freaked out. Even though I was stoned out of my mind, I was still frightened enough to clench my husband's arm so tight that it has left five tiny little finger-print bruise marks on his arm. I'm not kidding. Who knew I had the strength of ten Grinches plus two?

I tried to do some drawing on the way back to calm myself down, but it didn't really help that much. I was high on the drugs (and yes, even though I really shouldn't have, I had two rye and cokes), plus my hand shook just out of plain fear. Or was that plane fear?

So for your enjoyment, I thought I would share my creative side when I am stoned and scared shitless. It's not a pretty sight. Please forgive the language. I thought I was going to die, ok?

You can see the full size version here.

Comments

[R J Keefe]

Oh, Patricia, I think that I am going to print this drawing and carry it with me next time I fly. Not because it will make me feel better about flying, but because it will give me a feeling of solidarity. I hate turbulence!

[AGK]

I've never flown...and I'm scared to. Ummm...not sure this has helped any ;)

[Z Houle]

You know, I used to be nervous about flying, but now that I've done it a few times, it ain't so bad. I actually like it, even. One thing that always strikes me when I'm up in the air is that I'm seeing a view of the world that, historically, very few people have. You know, Alexander the Great may have conquered huge swaths of land, but he never saw any of that land from such great heights. Stuff like that is mindblowing -- at least, to me.

Most air accidents -- which are very, very rare -- tend to happen within the first and last eight minutes of a flight. It's something like 95 per cent of all accidents that happen upon take-off and landing. Stats like those, I find, can be somewhat reassuring. I haven't really freaked out during turbulence mid-flight as a result.

That said, I do have a friend who has flown a lot, and he says the same thing you seem to be saying: that the more and more he flies, the less and less 'normal' it seems to him, and the more uncomfortable he is about it. Maybe it is different strokes for different folks?

Who knows? You're talking to a guy who now works sorta within the aviation industry, so meh-be I'm biased. Ha!

By the way, I love your psychedelic side. You should do more of this. :-)

[patricia]

That would require taking more drugs.

Hmmmm.......

[Sarah]

Yes, that TO - Phoenix route is often brutal. I once, on same route, demanded through tears to a flight attendant that the pilot change altitude. When they ignored my request, I took yet another xanax. If I could draw worth shit, I'd give it a go...nice cartoon!

[David]

Sorry. I'm kind of in the same boat. I flew a bajillion times as a kid and loved it. I particularly loved the take off and landing. Now I'm particularly nervous about those points. I haven't had to get doped up yet but I may wind up there eventually.

[Al]

I caught fear of flying after 50 hours in the newsroom - I work for ABC News -- on 9/11, and have been straightening it out ever since. After a lot of flights with Xanax and drunkenness, I have weaned to just occasional and controllable nervous sparks. (I don't mean to chest-thump, I mean to say "It's beatable".) The bright side of it is that those of us stricken are invariably described as "creative and intelligent" -- something about being double-extra right-brained.

Helpful to me:

The free online course at http://www.fearofflyinghelp.com/

http://www.thisisyourcaptainspeaking.com -- there's a book there that's great.

Give your brain a LOT to do while flying: Headphones plus a book, or drawing plus music, or watch a movie on one of those personal DVD players.

Useful trick for turbulence: Put a half glass of water on your tray table, and watch it not spill, and think about how you can't successfully rest a cup of coffee on the dashboard of a moving car for more than five seconds.

[patricia]

Al, thanks for those links! I need all the help I can get, if I want to convince my husband to ever fly with me again...