AN MD83 FLC EXPERIENCES A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WHEN THE ALLOW THEIR ACFT TO STRAY BOTH SIDES OF THE AIRWAY DURING A PAX TOUR OVER LVS; NM.

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ENRTE AT FL310 OVER LVS; THE CAPT TURNED THE ACFT BRIEFLY TO SHOW THE PAX WAGON MOUND; AND TALKED ABOUT IT TO THE FLT ATTENDANT WHO HAPPENED TO MAKE A CALL ON THE COCKPIT AT THAT TIME. I HAD MY HEADSET OFF AT THE TIME AND HE ASKED ME TO TURN MY OVERHEAD SPEAKER DOWN WHILE HE MADE A PA. AFTER HE TURNED THE AIRPLANE BRIEFLY FOR A BETTER VIEW OF WAGON MOUND; HE TURNED BACK WITH ABOUT A 30 DEG INTERCEPT TO REJOIN THE JET RTE IN OUR CLRNC. HE CONTINUED TO TALK TO THE FLT ATTENDANT AND I MADE A MENTAL NOTE THAT HE WOULD PROBABLY GO THROUGH THE AIRWAY; BUT TO GIVE HIM A FEW SECONDS TO FIGURE IT OUT ON HIS OWN. HE MENTIONED SOMETHING OF INTEREST AND I SOON FORGOT ABOUT MY OVERHEAD SPEAKER AND MY MENTAL NOTE. I SUDDENLY REMEMBERED AFTER WE HAD BEEN AT LEAST 5 MI OFF COURSE AND TURNED UP MY SPEAKER TO HEAR CTR YELLING AT US. WE WERE ENCROACHING ON THE SEPARATION BTWN US AND A CITATION (WHICH SHOWED ABOUT 7 MI LATERAL AND 2000 FT VERT ON TCASII). HE HAD US CALL THE SUPVR AT ZAB AFTER THE FLT WHO GAVE THE CAPT A REPRIMAND. HE DID STATE; HOWEVER; THAT SEPARATION WAS NOT LOST AND NO FURTHER ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN. THIS WAS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW A CREW SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PROACTIVE AND REMEMBER THAT SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE FLYING THE AIRPLANE AT ALL TIMES. I TURNED INTO A PAX DURING HIS GUIDED TOUR AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTN TO MY JOB; BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY HE WAS NOT.