Tomorrow I head out for the Un-Job Fair in Denver. Usually the day before such a trip is spent getting ready to travel.
My wardrobe has been chosen, the notes for my opening speech, Why Aren’t We All Self-employed?, and my afternoon workshop, Building a Winning Portfolio, are packed. My boarding pass is printed.
That was the easy part.
Since this trip involves nearly ten hours in airports and on planes, a great deal of thought went into picking the perfect travel companion.
For me, having a nicer flight begins with bringing along a book I’ve been dying to read. After all, I seldom have ten hours of nearly uninterrupted time to hang out with a great story so I do not take the selection of my travel reading lightly.
I also do not leave this decision to chance hoping to grab something acceptable at the airport shop—unless I’m in the mood to cuddle up with Vanity Fair. Like many trips, this one includes a novel that I’ve recently rediscovered.
An early mentor of mine used to remind me that the biggest influences in our lives are the people we meet and the books that we read. I’ve kept that in mind ever since I first heard it. I am not about to spend my time with the mental equivalent of airport food.
Bringing along the right book not only enhances my flying time, it also helps ensure that I’ll arrive at my destination in a happier state of mind.
This month we’ll be exploring the connection between reading and the Joyfully Jobless life. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite reads and reminding you that it’s important to read for inspiration as well as information.
If you’re already an enthusiastic reader, your To Read List may grow longer.
If reading isn’t part of your business plan, I’ll do my best to convince you that your life and your enterprises will be richer if you take it up. It’s not just an airplane journey that gets better with the right book companion.
As the oh-so-entrepreneurial Walt Disney once said, “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on Treasure Island…and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life.”
So, what book did you choose?
I knew somebody would ask! I’m bringing THE MOONFLOWER VINE with me. I may have read it decades ago. I remember it was a favorite of my aunts. Margaret’s book club just read it and that’s what brought it to mind. It’s a bit of a departure from my current passion for the Maisie Dobbs series. I’m going to be writing more about those in a future post.
The quandry is- do I read the book or focus on the people I meet in the airport?
Which choice will have the best influence? Hmmm.
On a long enough trip, there’s time for both! And, of course, having a book is a fine way to avoid people you don’t want to talk to.
Yum! Books and Travel ~ the top two on my love list 🙂
As you said Barbara,
A good read should be on any trip plane as well as bus, bus as well as train. Wherever you can seat and get a moment to yourself. That’s definitely part of my business plan.
Have a great day
Oh, I agree wholeheartedly with this! I also take time to pick out just the right books for travel and vacations – and if it’s going to be a long trip and I want to take several books, I look for ones at garage sales or second hand book shops so if I want to leave them behind as I go along, I won’t be out a lot of money. Can’t wait to hear what your list entails. I just recently enjoyed The Elegance of the Porcupine.
Nothing like a good book for a trip! I’m a fan of looking out the windows (even when flying), but there’s nothing like dipping into a different world for a while too.