I was planning on being asleep right this very second, considering I'm on an airplane for the next three hours. But then I found out that this flight has wifi, and who am I to turn down the internet when it's right in front of me and I have legroom to spare because this flight is half-empty? I rest my case. Plus there's the fact that I've never used the internet while this high in the air, and thought it might be time to change that. On the first leg of this trip,I sat next to a flight attendant who was commuting to work, and we chatted the whole time about traveling and California. It was fun, and he tossed some of those drinks vouchers my way, so now I'm nursing an adult beverage and enjoying how little you have to drink in the air to get a nice buzz.

Because this flight has so few people on board, the staff has been more entertaining than usual. For instance, after takeoff, they offered snacks ”buffet” style, and set up a pile of pretzels at the front of the plane and watched them slide all the way to the back during the ascent. Despite being somewhat sophomoric, I've always wondered what that would look like, and I can't say I didn't enjoy the spectacle.

I'm surprised at just how awake I am right now, and also at just how active my mind is. I guess the steady hum of the airplane’s engine can be calming in its own way. I keep looking out the window and have been watching as the sun sets in the distance. I have always loved having a window near any workspace, and I really can't beat the view from up here. I keep trying to take pictures, but nothing does it justice, and these tiny windows are unfortunately quite dusty.

I hope that, during my lifetime, planes get larger windows, and maybe even see-through ceilings, because I would love to see the starry skies up close.

I like this vantage point, and I like this train of thought. After five months working without anything more than a sick day, this feels very much needed.

It feels good to pause, and to take some time to enjoy my thoughts. I should probably make it a point to do this more often.