ALEXANDRA SHULMAN'S NOTEBOOK: Would I step up and be the hero? I have my doubts...

Hearing of the terrifying attempt to hijack a Flydubai plane last week, I immediately thought of the noble idea: 'Better to die like a lion than live like a sheep.'Me? I'm with the sheep. But thankfully there were a number of lions on board who undoubtedly saved the lives of the 182 passengers and crew.Tales of bravery often provoke self-examination. How brave would any of us be in life-threatening situations? Would we be brave enough – as plumber Yaniv Hayoun was – to storm into the cockpit of a plane and confront a guy who had stabbed their co-pilot? And would we then be able to pull the plane out of its steep descent?I guess you don't know until it happens, but I have my doubts I would be that wonderful person. I'd more likely be in total panic.For those of us who are nervous flyers, this saga only confirms our belief that the act of entering a metal tube that is going to hurtle through the air at 500mph, 36,000ft above the Earth, is borderline insane.The years I spent travelling for work taught me how to manage the fear with a melange of hypnotism, alcohol and a variety of tranquillisers, but each dramatic airborne incident is a new trigger, dredging up all the old anxieties.I regard even boarding a plane as an act of bravery. The hero who intercepted the hijacker's evil intentions, along with the mothers who sat soothing children throughout the ordeal and the many others who remained calm on board, demonstrated a degree of bravery that sadly, I doubt I could ever live up to. The hero who intercepted the pilot's evil intentions demonstrated a degree of bravery that sadly, I doubt I could ever live up to, writes Alexandra Shulman (pictured)Oversharing is what I do – it's not braveryI've been busy launching my new book, Black Coffee And Red Lipstick: Notes On Living, on to the unsuspecting world.At a talk in London, my interviewer, art historian Katy Hessel, asked how it felt to be so personally revealing in some of the essays. Other people have used the word 'brave' about the way I reference my cancers, my sex life, even my underwear, in my writing.But there's certainly nothing remotely brave about exposing intimate details of one's life. Indeed, it's almost the reverse.While many people prefer to keep all manner of things completely private, others, like myself, find something cathartic in sharing (or oversharing, some might say) personal information.However I draw the line at revealing too much about other people. I regard myself as fair game, but am acutely aware that others may not be up for the exposure. They have their own stories to tell, particularly when it comes to family. Recollections, as we all know, may vary.Racism angle the BBC did not nailThe accusation, written in a report since removed from the BBC website, that the trend for unadorned nails smacks of 'white supremacy' and classism, is utterly ludicrous. It's just that, for years, nails have been decorated in ever more extreme ways and now, as ever in fashion, the pendulum has swung the other way.Although perfectly nude nails appear low-maintenance, they are just as time-consuming to look after as extravagant talons.As someone ahead of the curve on this particular trend, I can speak from experience. For some months on my regular visit to the salon, I have swapped dithering between blue, crimson, orange or white nails for what's known as a Japanese manicure. This involves massaging the nails with a green paste (which supposedly strengthens them), then buffing them with a mysterious powder that leaves them looking as clean as a newborn's, with just the slightest sheen.No doubt nude nails – now spotted at every celebrity event – will soon be so common it'll be time to revert to something else. But right now I'm enjoying the sight of my innocent-looking fingernails as I tap away on the keyboard.Will it be good vibes only at Tory shindig?Trends also emerge in language. One minute nobody uses a particular word; the next it's being adopted by everyone. Take the word 'vibes'. Until recently I hadn't heard it used for decades – not since the early 1970s.At the Labour conference last week, however, coverage of the speeches was all about 'the vibes'.Are Andy Burnham and his projected policies anything more than good vibes, some commentators asked. It'll be interesting to see if the Conservative Party conference, which starts today, will have the same Good Vibrations...Sometimes 'lunatic' is the only word for itAs far as the Green Party is concerned, words can be dangerous. Ahead of its conference this weekend, officials released a list of words and phrases to be avoided in case they caused offence. It included 'mothers and fathers', 'homosexual', 'elderly', 'lunatic' and 'nutter'. How deluded is that?Or is 'delusional' another term that might cause harm, suggesting, as it does, that somebody is not in their right mind?I can't stay faithful to Claudia's Traitors I'll probably tune in to The Celebrity Traitors - just to see Claudia Winkleman's wardrobe, writes Alexandra ShulmanI tried, I really tried, to get into The Celebrity Traitors. And it had me hooked until about 15 minutes in, when the two Traitors met and were told to nominate a third. At that point I suddenly felt the urge to make an omelette for supper.There's something about the way contestants must act as ramped-up versions of themselves that rankles, even though I know it's all in the name of entertainment.That said, even a curmudgeon like me loved Jerry Hall's relatively brief cameo: 'Beneath this dumb blonde lies a smart brunette.' So I'll probably tune in to see more of her – along with Claudia Winkleman's wardrobe.Claudia's looks – brilliantly styled in every series by Sinead McKeefry – have been a big influence on the high street. I just hope we don't see quite so many frilly-necked blouses on the rails this time around. There is nothing more ageing than a ruffle around a less-than-youthful jawline.