I am both a frequent flyer, AS MVP Gold, UAL PremEX and NWA Silver Elite for 2000, and a very frequent buyer, and know the trials and tribulations of both types of avid mileage accumulation. Personally, I watch this all very carefully and designate different mileage accounts for different purposes.

I.e., all earned UAL miles go to UAL upgrades. All NWA miles go to emergency employee trips (both work related and gifts for weddings, great work rewards, etc.) and all AS miles go to the Punki's Heart's Desire Fund.

My preference is usually to sit next to a Frequent Flyer, because they "get it" and almost always have some good ideas and stories to share. When I sit next to somebody in first who can't figure out why they shouldn't be able to lay their briefcase horizontal and flat to the ailse without anybody moving it, I assume they are an infrequent flyer (with either more miles or money than common sense). They are usually less fun that the people crazy enough to fly week in and week out.

Having said all that, compared to what I do to get miles (flying and buying), Pudding Guy is a trooper and extremely creative to boot. Man he did a whole bunch of work that tires me out just thinking about it, and I would love to sit next to him in first (at least once) just to see how the mind that came up with and executed that crazy scheme works.