My family and I are finally on board the plane that is taking us to Cape Cod for a long-anticipated summer vacation.

Perverse as it may seem, I actually sort of look forward to air travel these days because of its enforced limits on multi-tasking. (If you want to read my last post on the subject of multi-tasking, click here, although then you will be multi-tasking, as you’ll be reading two things at once, so bear that in mind.)

Without the phone, the internet, the kitchen, and the dog, I have the luxury of being unable to do anything except write this. Well, plus maybe listen to my iPod, glance at the in-flight movie (“Kung Fu Panda”), eat, and avoid conversation with the woman sitting next to me, who is suffering from Blackberry Withdrawal Syndrome. (You’d recognize the symptoms if you could see her: she has gone all inert, drooping in her seat, apparently unable to address any unwired task, like reading the Us magazine in her lap. Typical B.W.S.)

Anyway, here’s what’s bugging me: just before boarding, I heard the news that John Edwards is apparently no stranger to multi-tasking himself: he’s admitted he was simultaneously having an affair and running for president.

So, just as I was looking forward to a light task load for five hours, I find I have several new things to do: I have to be stunned by J.E.’s insanity, and feel relieved that he’s not the Democratic candidate, I need to be pissed off at him on Elizabeth’s behalf, and I have to just generally be disgusted that he’s such a big fat jerk.

Processing all these feelings will take time and energy that could have been devoted to refining this post, or to a more focused appreciation of Jack Black’s finely nuanced performance in “KFP.”

Ah, well. At least I’m not suffering from B.W.S. And, hey, I’m on my way to Cape Cod. (Yes.) More on that later……

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