Writer’s Block for May 21, 2010:

Do you ever call friends or use the Internet when flying or do you use airplane time as an opportunity to unwind, read, or talk to strangers? How do you usually pass the time when you’re in the air?

I’ll start this with a side note: given all the items where I’ve talked about flying lately, and the fact that I will actually get on a plane on May 28th, I’m beginning to wonder about a few things.

But anyway.

I’ve occasionally looked at the Wi-Fi options and Internet access on a plane, but they cost well more than I’m willing to pay. As for the phone, I have a bad habit of forgetting to turn it back on after I’ve turned it off for the flight.

Although I generally have a book handy, my favorite entertainment on a plane is looking out the window. I’m mildly claustrophobic which means I always request a window seat. (I’m fine if I can see out of the plane.) As such, I’ve discovered that the things you see out the airplane window are actually pretty interesting. I’ve pointed a camera out an airplane window more than once.

The first time I slept on a plane was coming back from San Diego in March 2009. I’d only had four hours of sleep the night before, so I blamed that. But I slept again on two recent trips, and I’ve found myself dozing on a few others. It seems that when I’m tired of looking at the scenery, I simply disengage and go to sleep.

This doesn’t bother me. It can’t hurt to arrive a little more rested than you were before.