THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’

I cannot tell you how much I enjoy reading Sherri Burns’s editorials. The first thing I do after boarding is to flip to her page to catch that great smile she has and then to dive into the words of inspiration she has for those of us who live on airplanes. Burns and her staff have provided me with some great chuckles, fond memories, and plenty of information on numerous subjects.

Remembering your 40th anniversary issue [September 1], I think about what life was like back then. It is amazing how the world has changed. I long for the days when everything was simple and laid-back. Now, everything is hectic. Sunday afternoon used to be a time when you could relax, take a break, and enjoy the day. Today, the weekends go by so fast, and it is next to impossible to leave the office on a Friday without thinking about the pile of work on your desk.

We take our computers with us on vacation to keep our e-mails down, and to go anywhere without our cell phones would be a sin in today’s world. Good ol’ new technology. Just imagine what life will be like in another 40 years. As to Burns’s question about the premicrowave days: My dad ate peanuts in the office 40 years ago.

Stephen A. Travis, Issaquah, Washington

Dear Stephen: While it’s true that we live in a society that seems to always be on the go, it’s clear that you value taking a breath once in a while. And, it seems that instead of using your computer to do work on a Sunday, you use your off time to compose eloquent letters to magazines. We’re beyond flattered.