Slowing at/by 10K

[FL420]

Going level change at 40,000' (VNAV idle descent isn't much better) imitates a submarine pretty well, prompting "AH OOOOOH GAH!" catcalls from the other seet. I just think V/S is smoother and I feel more in control of where the aircraft is going vertically.

I agree. A technique I use to avoid the "dive, dive" syndrome is to line select and execute DES NOW in VNAV a couple of miles before TOD which in the 757 will smoothly lower the nose and reduce power to initially give you a 1250 fpm descent. About the time that's established the a/c will intercept the VNAV PATH and smoothly lower the nose and reduce the power the rest of the way to idle.

If I need to use Flight Level Change I like to set the lower altitude on the MCP then roll in a 1000 fpm descent in the V/S window. As the nose smoothly begins to lower and the power comes back I push FLCH which smoothly continues the nose pitch down and the power reduction to idle. Just a technique to keep the power and attitude changes slow, and hopefully unnoticed, by the PAX.