Video

One of the only redeeming parts about air travel these days — other than the ubiquitous barf bag, the lovable bag that says it’s okay to be lazy, that in fact we encourage you to be lazy and instead of politely excusing yourself to go throw up in the bathroom you can just sit there on your fat ass and toss up in this convenient puke receptacle while everyone watches — is the free copy of Sky Mall Magazine you get in the seat pocket.

For those of you who don’t know what Sky Mall is just imagine my pot-bellied neighbor up the street who wears flannel shirts with the arms cut off, how he’s constantly trying to come up with inventions to make his life easier, like what would it take to build an alarm clock that not only wakes you up in the morning but can also simultaneously pour ketchup on a hot dog? How have I survived without this technology? HOW MUCH BETTER WOULD LIFE BE? Sky Mall is a catalog of that man’s ideas.

We’ve got several copies of Sky Mall lying around the house, copies I brought back from recent trips because they’re always good for at least a few minutes of toddler distraction. Yesterday I caught Leta reading the Early Spring 2006 Issue to herself, the one featuring The Portable Pet Staircase, The Remote Control Golf Ball, and my personal favorite, The Personal Alcohol Breath-Screening Device for those moments when your slurred speech and flammable breath aren’t enough of an indication that you shouldn’t be operating machinery.

You’re not going to be able to make out anything she is saying unless you speak Cyborg, but do pay attention because at the end of the video she engages in an activity — and a subsequent look of, “You did not just hear me engage in that activity” — that will make my side of the family very proud (and Jon’s side of the family very mortified).

Leta reads Sky Mall (Flash movie)
Leta reads Sky Mall (Quicktime movie)