I was working in California last week finishing up the editing of a Major League Baseball documentary I've been working on since this past summer.

For the second time in my life, I took American Airlines. Now I'm proud to be an American, but I can't say I was proud to fly on that airline. Here's why:

On the departing flight I got stuck in a middle seat. The guy on my right was, you could say, "larger". You could also say he took up not only his seat - but half of mine.

The 20-something woman next to me was so hungover she literally reeked of booze. You could smell the booze coming out of her pores! I even lifted the front of my shirt to cover my nose for most of the trip.

And considering the size of my nose...suffice to say my tshirt is sufficiently stretched out. Takes a lot of fabric to cover that thing...

And on my flight back to New York? I once again got the middle seat. But, thankfully, I didn't have a hungover woman sitting on my left this time. Instead, I had another huge guy sitting next to me!

I literally had like half my seat, considering I lost a little on the left and right side. But did I get half my ticket price off? Of course not.

I think when we pick our seats, we should be able to see who we're sitting next to. Man, woman, height, weight...I want the whole thing.

Small bladder? Then sit on the aisle please. Me? I've got a great bladder. So I'm a window man.

I'll take an international trip and not bug the person once. Maybe if they get up, I'll get up too. But that's about it. I'll never ask someone to get up so I can use the restroom.

And see, if I entered that information when I bought my ticket? There would be a mad rush. A bum rush if you will .. me being the bum .. to sit next to me.

I think we should have a say in our flight! Not the actual flight pattern or anything of that sort. Nor in selecting the pilots. But on the details like who we sit next to. And what movies are gonna be played.

Because you know what was on my flight? Lassie. LASSIE. Honestly? Is this some sort of a joke? I did not see any kids on the plane. Now if this was a plane going to Disneyland or something, great! But it was mostly business people stuck watching that dog of a movie about a dog.

And then the movie on the return flight? The Queen. I'm sure it's a fine movie. Helen Mirren just won a Golden Globe for it. But it's a movie about Princess Diana. And so the only people watching the movie on the flight were women. I don't know a guy - other than Larry King - who talks much, or watches movies about, Princess Di.

Well my point in this little rant is that I think we should have more of a say in these sorts of things. We're at their mercy when it comes to travel, and it drives me crazy.

Yet you may be surprised to hear that I don't think this is the best approach when it comes to the Church. 'Cause when Church is involved, I don't think it should be a democracy. I think it's best if God is in charge. The Holy Spirit has guided the Church for 2000 years .. so let's let the Spirit, through the Pope and Bishops in union with him, keep leading the way. The more guys like me get involved, the worse things will get.

But the plane? That's for us. Or even just me. And if they leave it up to me? Don't worry - I won't stick you with a middle seat, either. You're one of my myspace friends.