(11/24/04) I love flying coast-to-coast. Perhaps this is because I don't do it as often as some people, but I find it very calming to be in the air for a few hours, required to sit still, with no media imposed upon me except on tiny or distant screens that are easy to ignore. What's intriguing me on this trip, though, is the effect of the plane's particular "room tone" on my state of mind. The Boeing 757 I was on from NYC to Denver had a dense, airy hiss that seemed to fill my ears and make me feel a bit spacey. I found I could do some rather procedural, rote work on the project I'm doing, but couldn't really put ideas together. Now I'm on a 767, hearing a much deeper, layered white noise, a low continuous whoosh with an underlying rumble. This is a wonderful sound: now I can think.
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