Personal Space Violation at 35,000 Feet


My flight was returning to St. Louis from a National Speakers Association convention in Phoenix. I was trying hard to concentrate on some writing, when, out of nowhere, the flight attendant walked up to me, slapped my chest/nametag, laughed and walked away! And because I was deeply immersed in my creative thoughts – I jumped so high I nearly hit my head on the television screen!

But I didn’t make a fuss. After five years I’ve become accustomed to these violations. Yet, I’ve never come to understand this phenomenon: why is it that complete strangers feel it’s acceptable to touch, slap, poke and pull on my nametag, when it would be just as easy to simply say, “Scott, do you know you’re still wearing your nametag?”

Luckily for the flight attendant, she happened to violate someone extremely friendly and forgiving who didn’t call the airline with a customer complaint.

On the other hand:

“Make a customer happy and he’ll tell five people. Make a customer upset and he’ll tell twenty people. But make a speaker and a writer upset, and he’ll tell thousands of people for the next 20 years every time he gives a speech or writes a book.”

Anyway, that incident is in the past. I don’t want to call needless attention to the actual name of the flight attendant or the particular airline.

GLORIA PAULSON, AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 2886 FROM PHX TO STL, JULY 21ST, 2004 04, EST 9:51 PM.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

When was the last time your personal space was violated?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That guy with the nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

It’s A Jeep Thing…You Wouldn’t Understand

Have you ever seen these stickers on Jeeps? If so, you probably respond the same way I do: I don’t get it.

Exactly. Non-Jeep owners have no idea what these stickers mean. But, recently I got the inside track on this unwritten Jeep rule thanks to my cousin Justin, Jeep Driver Extraordinaire.

For years, online stores, shops, catalogues and dealers have encouraged Jeep owners to show their pride and enthusiasm with these officially licensed It’s A Jeep Thing…You Wouldn’t Understand accessories. Contrary to popular belief, however, they have nothing to do with marketing, brand arrogance or the intent to confuse the heck out of other drivers stuck in rush hour traffic. In point of fact, it’s all about creating community.

Today Justin and I were enjoying the beautiful summer weather while cruising around in his Wrangler. He pointed out to me that, since he started driving his Jeep over the summer, he’s been greeted and waved to by more people on the road than ever before! And the key point is, they’re always other Jeep owners! They wave to one another as if to say, “Hey, nice Jeep…brother.”

So, in light of the recent unfolding of the Jeep Community Mystery, I admit the following: I love Jeep owners.

Why? Because Americans spend an average of 72 minutes in their cars per day. The air and noise pollution that emit from these boxes destroys our atmosphere, both biological and psychological; all the while shutting us off from the rest of the world. But Jeep owners are different. They nod their heads, tip their caps and smile to each other. And even in the most unlikely places, they build front porches.

Take that, Guy Who Added Road Rage To The Dictionary!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go sell my Nissan on ebay.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

How do you combat the evil forces of road rage?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That guy with the nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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