This week’s Booking Through Thursday question is:
Quick! It’s an emergency! You just got an urgent call about a family emergency and had to rush to the airport with barely time to grab your wallet and your passport. But now, you’re stuck at the airport with nothing to read. What do you do??
And, no, you did NOT have time to grab your bookbag, or the book next to your bed. You were . . . grocery shopping when you got the call and have nothing with you but your wallet and your passport (which you fortuitously brought with you in case they asked for ID in the ethnic food aisle). This is hypothetical, remember….
BE IRRITATED! How many of us have found ourselves somewhere with nothing to read and all you can think about is that great book sitting on your nightstand…there’s really few things as frustrating. It’s those situations that make me bring a book even if I’m 99% sure I won’t have time to read. You never know…
Unfortunately, most of the books at the airport are mainstream and I’ve most likely either read them or don’t want to read them. So in this case I’d probably buy a magazine. Or maybe I would buy a book of sodoku. I’m really only very good at the very easy crossword puzzles (Tuesday in the New York Times is about as hard as I get), so that’s out. Worst case scenario? I’d play Tetris on my cell phone or solitaire on my Palm. I’m the Tetris MASTER!
Is this where I have to eat my words that the Kindle is not that great of an invention? ‘Cause I probably would have had my Kindle with me (if I were in to that kinda thing…).
What would you do? If you’ve already answered this on your own blog, leave a comment and I’ll come see what you came up with… 
It’s most unlikely I’d not have a book with me. I can’t do sudoku, but like word puzzles.
I have posted on my blog but BTT’s comments don’t seem to be showing my link to it.
Haha yeah I guess there’s always cellphone games. I didn’t think of crosswords but if I had one I’d be doing it. I actually quite like having a good book waiting at home – having it to look forward to is almost as good as reading sometimes. =)
I too would be irritated. I agree that most airport books tend to be ones I wouldn’t normally read. I too would probably buy a magazine, unless a good book caught my eye. A sudoku or crossword book would be a good idea ttoo ;0)
I don’t think a kindle would be so handy in that situation–I haven’t seen it but it looks bulky in the pictures and, like you said, I would imagine it was left in the bookbag by the door. Here’s my answer.
Once Amazon has subscriptions (like a library!) to etexts, then I’ll jump on their bandwagon–but not if I have to buy a kindle first. That thing is clunky looking (not to mention very expensive).
My response, with a reference to your blog, is here: http://www.melankolia.net/mikkoreads/2008/05/btt_mayday.html
Devices like Kindle certainly have some good sides to them!
Hmmm … I had a very different reaction to the question!
I’ll be frustrated without a book too, but I’ll be happy with a magazine or anything as long as it keeps my mind occupied.
I like your cell phone answer!
Great answer. I hadn’t thought about it, but I guess the ability to play games on your phone would come in handy in such a situation! Of course, my cell phone is so ancient, it doesn’t do anything as new-fangled as that. Maybe I need to start thinking about coming into the 21st century, hmmm?
I tagged you for a meme. Am I bad?
I didn’t think of my cell phone. I have Tetris on mine too.
I’d hope I had my iPod though.That would solve everything. Music, Audiobooks, and even a couple of games.
My response is over here. I feel your pain!
http://www.bostonbibliophile.com/2008/05/booking-through-thursday.html
i’d be so excited to leave my book at home because it would give me an opportunity to pick up the ever-riveting SKYMALL magazine–you know–the one the planes stuff into the seat pockets? hahahaha.
And I mostly resort to write poetry when I am not reading!
Here is my BTT post!
I’m actually more likely to leave my cell phone behind than a book.
I can usually find a book I would want to read at the airport. Magazines work well in a pinch though and there’s always people watching if I can’t concentrate on anything at all.
oh, yes I forgot about cellphone tetris!!! i love that game!
Oh! Sudoku. That would be good. That keeps my brain busy for a while. Happy BTT!
Trish ~
I’m not going to mention the “K” thing anymore, so I’d probably buy a trashy novel and moan and groan my way through it. I wish I were good at Tetris too, but I really, really suck at all those handheld games.
I thought about Kindle, too! It certainly would solve this problem…
Here’s my post: http://bookclubclassics.com/Blog/2008/05/01/booking-through-may-day/
It’s mp3s and magazines for me.
Sudoku would be another possibility (but then I’d have to buy a pencil, and would they let me on the plane with it? Sharp pointy object, you know…)
Thank God for the games on the cell phone. My favorite is Free Cell.
Good answer! I’m with you on the magazine or the sodoku.
That’s the advantage of not reading many mainstream books, in my case, I guess. I’d have plenty of material to pick from at the airport. Happy BTT.
I didn’t really think of using my phone for games or for entertainment hehe. I’ll probably bear with a magazine or something.
My answer’s here
depends on the airport
…any excuse to buy a new book, my to-read list is pretty long and traveling is always a good excuse to read lite . so i’d grab a thriller/mystery and a home decor mag.