Up in the Air.

"How much does your life weigh?"

A fortnight or so ago, I saw a film titled Up in the Air. The overall story is about a man, Ryan George Clooney Bingham, who basically is relationship-less. He travels the Midwest (a place of my heart) and fires people for corporate bigwigs who don't have the bravado to do it themselves. He practically lives and thrives on airports, novelty airline bottles of alcohol, and collecting sky miles. He has absolutely no problem being alone. He stumbles upon and finds love with a female version of himself in an airport bar. Ryan is then told by his greasy boss to take the "new girl" under his wing and show her the ropes, and that's all there is to say without giving anything away.

The script was sublimely crafted, and George, along with love interest Vera Farmiga, were fantastic. Many scenes were stolen, however, by a veteran of the horrendous Twilight franchise: Anna Kendrick. Of Twilight, Anna isn't one of the big hoody hoo stars (she's just one of the angst-ridden female's human friends), but in Air she is the magnetic, hysterical, and green protégé. My eyes were literally glued to her when she was onscreen. Incredible. So clearly I loved the film directed by Juno's Jason Reitman. On to the next subject...

After my second viewing, I traipsed over to the local Barnes & Noble for some paperback grub where I find none other than my high school English teacher. The woman with the plan: Trudy Duvall. Here's the conversation we had, verbatim:

Mrs. Duvall: Oh! Steven. What are you up to?

Steven: I just got out of Up in the Air.

Mrs. Duvall: Me too!

Steven: For the second time.

Mrs. Duvall: Me too! I didn't like it the first time. Then I read some stuff about it, went back, and really liked it. I'm taking you liked it?

Steven: Loved it.

Mrs. Duvall: Really? I find that hard to believe.

Steven: Why?

Mrs. Duvall: Steven, it was an adult dark comedy. How did you resonate with it?

Steven: [Shrugs] I don't know, but I loved it.

[Conversation continues, Mrs. Duvall makes a Precious joke, so on.]

The film made me ponder about my life and what I've made of it, what I will make of it. It made me feel both stark and saturated at the same time. I loved the film because I think I could be Ryan Bingham. I think I could easily find my home in hotel after hotel after hotel while I briefly touched the ground. I think I could nest in American Airlines, up in the air. I think I could pick up and go from place to place.

Then I wonder, where would I be without the connections I've made in my life? Without the lifelong friends and family. Without the people I can bump into at Barnes & Noble. Without the man that dumpster dives outside my apartment.

But alas, each day is a different day. Perhaps tomorrow I'll feel differently.