Screened In

Another observation from my recent travels: On both my Denver trip in July and my Baltimore trip in September, I was accosted by in-my-face screens.

In July, one of our planes returning from Colorado “featured” seat-back screens that allowed passengers to plug in headphones and pass the time with pay-per movies or pre-programmed poppycock. Will and I didn’t realize the screens could be turned off, so we were subjected to the perpetual-motion pictures with no headphones handy and no desire to ingest the drivel—sound or sight. A few minutes into our predicament, I arrived at what seemed like a most appropriate solution: I covered the screens with our seat-back barf bags. Still, my peripheral vision was invaded by the suspense flick my neighbor had purchased rights to see, and it was a long, awkward flight.

Last week, when I went to work out in the Baltimore Hilton’s well-stocked exercise room, there they were again: Screens! Everywhere. At every workout station: the elliptical machines, the treadmills and the stationary bikes. The only non-screen option was the weight bench. Given my current running hiatus (due to injury), I stepped onto the souped-up elliptical machine (a LOT fancier than the one in the A-Town ladies’ gym) to see if I could try to tolerate the screen while working out. I decided I could—but I didn’t like it. At first, I tried to watch CNN without sound. Now, watching CNN is always kind of a downer, in my opinion, but without the sound, even more so. I changed channels a bit, seeking something suitable for the half hour I planned to be stuck staring at the so-called “Cardio Theater.” Finding nothing palatable, I turned the screen off…And stared at myself for the remaining 28 minutes. It was weird.

Note to the Hilton: In addition to free Internet, mini fridges, and full-sized ironing boards, please add to your list of amenities: a workout station for poets!

How To Be a Poet
(to remind myself)

Make a place to sit down.
Sit down. Be quiet.
You must depend upon
affection, reading, knowledge,
skill — more of each
than you have — inspiration,
work, growing older, patience,
for patience joins time
to eternity. Any readers
who like your work,
doubt their judgment.

Breathe with unconditional breath
the unconditioned air.
Shun electric wire.
Communicate slowly. Live
a three-dimensioned life;
stay away from screens.
Stay away from anything
that obscures the place it is in.
There are no unsacred places;
There are only sacred places
And desecrated places.

- WENDELL BERRY -

Barbie barfing in bag image borrowed from: www.bjandtony.com/DeeNewOrleans.htm