Wednesday, February 29, 2012

I Want to be a Billionaire...

... So freakin' bad... In the words of Travey McCoy I would love to be a billionaire someday along with a lot of people in America. It's not just because I am enjoying an upgrade to First Class on United at the moment - because truthfully that didn't cost me anything, or because I want to live a Paris Hilton cushy life, but it is because it would be great to be able to not worry about money, give to those in need and live a really fun lifestyle while I am at it. So in this pursuit I work really hard - BUT I also noticed something when I settled myself into First Class today for the first time in my life (yep, I was a first class virgin until today). Everyone was reading legit, old-school newspapers. They weren't even reading them on iPad 2s or Kindles - they were reading the actual newspaper hot off the presses - I saw the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. And yes it is probably because they had them strategically placed in the First Class Cabin, but I would also like to think it has something to do with being in the upper class and also that the PR industry is alive! I realized today that what we read and spend our time doing says a lot about where we are in life and where we are going. Take Exhibit A for an example -
For those of you that weren't swept away by Downton Abbey and particularly Matthew Crawley this Fall and Winter (he is the fine English gentleman behind the paper) I must point out that they were CONSTANTLY reading the newspaper. Not just because they were in the rich upper class and had nothing else to do besides social galas and tea/dinner parties, but because they wanted to be informed of the world's happenings. On the first episode of DA the servants even ironed the newspapers when they came every morning so the ink would dry and not get all over the place. I can only believe that the similarity between the elite of Downton Abbey and the last 5 hours I have spent in First Class, it is that they read the business section of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal everyday. My economy-class days of reading the latest People and US Weekly need to come to an end if I want to keep riding up front.

As a PR professional it also gave me pride in my industry. Thank you First Class/ I have learned a lot from you today. I also got to eat ice cream sundaes, the best gourmet salad I have ever had and steam my hands with hot towels. I don't think I can go back...

2 comments:

  1. everything i've learned from seinfeld supports the not being able to go back theory. proof - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2JKXbVGq7A

    (i'm jen {sorenson} anderson's sister-in-law btw) (:

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  2. Thanks for being excellent company during the flight to NY! I would never have guessed it was your first time "up front".

    (Hope you don't mind that I snuck a glance at your blog between flipping pages of the Journal)

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