Alan Fox

As an employer, I used to hate holidays and weekends. After all, I was working at the office Saturdays and holidays, while paying other people in my office not to be there.

During the past half century my pattern has gradually changed. I haven’t worked on a Saturday or a holiday for years.  After all, isn’t that why I worked evenings, Saturday’s, and holidays for all those years?  So I wouldn’t have to do it now?

Which brings me to one of my favorite subjects, the idea of productivity. I have a need to be (or at least feel that I am being) productive. So, on my time off I read books because that is educational and entertaining. I also play solitaire on my iPhone. (I can rationalize almost anything).  After all, if I relax while playing solitaire, then I’ll perform better (and be more productive) after a little relaxation.

But there might be a small flaw in my reasoning. Yesterday I played solitaire all day. Rationalize as I might, I was not productive at all. (Although I was very, very relaxed).

Do you think I’m on to something?

Well, then maybe you’d like to conduct your own experiment and then write an essay about the best ways to be productive.

I’m going fishing.

Figuratively.

Alan

Last week I flew from Edinburgh back to Los Angeles. I still marvel at the fact that I can step onto an airplane in London, sleep a bit, then wake up in Los Angeles.  No long ocean crossing with dangerous storms to ride out. No crossing the prairie in a covered wagon pulled by oxen for months at a time.

Unfortunately, I didn’t travel alone, but in the company of a zillion or two microbes that hitched a ride inside my lungs.

I seldom take comfort in the travails of others, but I did smile when my pulmonologist just told me that he had traveled through London recently and came home with the same diagnosis: Bronchitis. He said that it’s not from the airplanes which have great filtration. It’s the airports that get you. (While I’d like to think that my pulmonologist is exempt from lung diseases, I suppose that’s about as absurd as my CPA not having to pay income tax).

And the Heathrow airport, which is the primary hub of both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic and serves more than 84 million passengers a year, is a model of … what?  A modern shopping center that doubles as an auto parking lot and a security company with restaurants open 24 hours a day but seldom busy?

Question:  When does eleven hours seem like a very long time?  Try an airplane ride when you don’t feel like either reading or watching a video.  While it might be better than the slow train, the next time I think I’ll take a night flight.  At least then I can sleep.

I know that you don’t want to take any more pleasure from my discomfort.

So I’ll stop.

Alan

I’m sitting in a British Air business-class lounge at London’s Heathrow Airport, about to return to Los Angeles after an eight-day stay in Edinburgh, Scotland. Daveen and I were there, once again, to attend the annual Fringe Festival where hundreds of entertainers perform before thousands of theater goers. It is touted as being “one of the greatest celebrations of arts and culture on the planet.”

Daveen asked an Edinburgh taxi driver if August was the best month for business. To my surprise, he said, “No.  Traffic is so heavy that it takes a lot of time to get around.”  I imagine, with the throngs of people crowding the city, that he is correct.

My dad had discovered the Festival about forty years ago, before it became hugely popular. Daveen and I have been to the Fringe four or five times. Since most of the performances are an hour long, it is possible to attend four or five shows a day, and in. prior years we’ve always enjoyed most of the shows we’ve attended.

In the past, I’ve always picked the shows we’ll see based upon the reviews conveniently available in festival related newspapers distributed throughout Edinburgh. This time, alas, the reviews had migrated on-line. While that might seem like progress, I found it more difficult to navigate the multitude of information. Rather than make it easier to find which shows to see based on reviews, I found it nearly impossible.

Unfortunately, as a result, I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed only two of the more than twenty performances we attended. And the two best shows, including Nina Conti, an outstanding ventriloquist, were both on our final day and were both recommended by a friend.

As I’ve written before, whenever I’m asked if I am looking forward to a vacation, my answer is that I try to stay focused on the present moment, so I never really “look forward.”

Well, I now realize that in fact I was looking forward to Edinburgh  — how else could I have been so disappointed?

I’m remembering the closing line in a letter written to me more than sixty years ago.

“Dreams are extremely fragile outside the womb of the mind.”

To that I would add “Amen.”

Now I’m going to focus on USC football.  I’m dreaming that they will win the national championship this coming season.

Alan