A STOLEN LIFE

I get so tired when I see parts of my life show up on the big screen, especially when I haven't been properly compensated. However, I'm able to easily let it go this time, after all, who wouldn't be flattered by having George Clooney portray them on film?

Those of you who know a little bit about me know that I spent several years flying for work. When I was with WaMu Capital Corp in Seattle, they would fly me up from SFO every Sunday and fly me home every Friday. Living in five-diamond splendor at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel was kinda nice, as well. This commute schedule lasted a year before the gravy train reached the station with the collapse of the housing market. WaMu (a part of Washington Mutual Bank) failed and was bought out by Chase. I eventually left securities and made a rather easy transition to a new career. I am now an Junior Copywriter for a struggling major retailer in San Francisco.

Anway, I mention all of this because I finally saw UP IN THE AIR last night, and it brought back some amusing memories. Watching George as the business traveler who could pack a suitcase so efficiently, who could aptly pick out which security line would be fastest by seeing who was already in line, knowing nearly all the airport codes by heart, doing whatever it took to earn those extra air miles and achieve that elite status was like watching myself. Those were all things I did and did very well. As a United Airlines Milege Plus 1K flier, I also received in-flight thank you cards from pilots of whatever flight I was on. So cool.

The film also perfectly portrayed the seemingly cocoonish-lifestyle of the business traveler. You are kind of cut-off from regular folks and it is a bit strange and stressful at times (at least for me) when your only human interaction is with airline and hotel staff (it got pretty old being called Mr. Crayne after a while).

It is nice being back on the ground and I can't imagine what it would be like to fly as regularly today as I did back then, with the ridiculous security measures that are now the norm.

By the way, it's a hell of a movie.