And folks, as much as you don’t want to sit next to me, I also do not want to sit next to you. 🤷🏻‍♀️ It’s air travel. It is what it is.

Disclaimer: I have a base level of privilege wherein I can pay to get a window seat, and, while I am a large woman, certainly not someone people generally want to sit next to, but I do still fit in an airplane seatbelt, albeit just barely.

I fly altogether too often, and I have my routines down pat. I manage to avoid getting sick or experiencing overwhelming discomfort 9 times out of 10, if not more. Flying is never pleasant; it can hardly even be called adequately comfortable. But it is survivable.

- And finally: once I board, I cram up against the wall of the plane, try to make myself as small as possible, put my headphones in, pop in my gum, and — this part is critical — play dead. Eyes closed. Do not move. Do not engage unless unavoidable. Just play possum for as long as possible.

- A window seat, ideally, and a light jacket that can be rolled up and used as a pillow between your head and the wall of the airplane

- Speaking of which, a comfort sick bag: having one that is in sight/reachable is far preferable to feeling sick later, not being able to find one in the seat back, and getting even more anxious because you don’t have a bag, please don’t ask me how I know

- Motion sickness acupressure bands: look, maybe they work, maybe it’s a placebo effect, I neither know nor care so long as I successfully avoid vomiting

- Gum: helpful with ear popping nonsense, but especially one I like and can swap out multiple times as it loses flavor, currently hooked on Orbit Sweet Mint (pro tip if you ever fly into or out of Honolulu, they have no gum anywhere in that airport, so pack extra, just fyi)

- Comfy earbud headphones: even if I’m not listening to something, it dulls the surrounding noise (but often I’m listening to something, either backlogged podcast eps if I’m not sleepy or never-skip music if I might doze off)

- Drugs: Dramamine an hour before and prescription anxiety meds at least an hour before, and also usually the evening before

Please do! If you think of any other categories to include, please share!

This is *profiling,* Espy, and we will not stand for it!

I remember this saga well, and I’ve always been excited to see Blowhole updates, but I’ve surely never *loved* him as much as I do after: “When she tried to put him in front—the lead dog position—he would turn around and come back to the sled to see her.” 😩 He’s just a love! What a sweet boy!

Prompted me to respond like her: “I love yoooouuuu!” And now we frequently end “I love you” with “I love yoooouuuu!” “Oooooo!” “Ooooo!” Just howling at each other, heads back, like a couple of giddy dummies. Just a little way your family has left a joyful mark on mine. 💛