Battling claustrophobia, I take my first steps
Onto the plane, my hand blessing the metal while using
X-ray vision to imagine a beam of light spreading and
Entering the entire flying trap, averting
Disaster with the concentration of a wizard.
I sink into my seat, breathing in and out deeply,
Needing to imagine myself anywhere but here.
Oh Pam I feel this! I used to be scared of flying, the lack of having any sense of control, it took a while for me to realise my real fear was of not coming home. Not helping am I!
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Ack- not helping! ๐คฃ I made it one way, so far! โ๏ธ
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Great and enjoy and have a blast.
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So far so good! ๐ Cheers to you!
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Welcome friend
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Hope it went well.
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So farrrrr! ๐ Happy weekend! โค๏ธ
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Have a wonderful trip. I love flying. I wish you safe traves and look forward to hearing about your adventures. โค โค
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I love flying once Iโve arrived. ๐ณ Hugs to you, Darlene.
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Wishing you God Speed Pam.
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Speed and the grace of God got me here, Bernadette. ๐ Happy weekend to you!
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I hope you have a wonderful time, wherever you are traveling. I look forward to hearing all about your trip, Pam!
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On the beautiful left coast for a quick visit, Merril. Enjoy your weekend! ๐
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You, too, Pam!
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I feel the same when I fly. Safe travels!
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You are a kindred spirit in many ways, Jill! ๐
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Have a wonderful time, Pam. The best part of flying is the uninterrupted reading time.
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I canโt argue with that! Read the book Origin by Dan Brown. Two ๐s up! ๐ค
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Well, I’m sure that book kept your mind off flying, but I’m sure you were on the edge of your seat anyway.
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๐คฃ The book I was reading is Origin by Dan brown which did keep me on the edge of my seat as well as the flyingโฆ
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Happy trails!
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On the trails of plane vapor… ๐ฌHappy Weekend!!
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Enjoy your adventure.
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Just flying is an adventure itself! โ๏ธ๐ฌ xo
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Wishing you the best! Will be excited to hear about it when you get back! Praying all goes smoothly!
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Me too! Thanks for the prayers ๐. Have a fabulous weekend.
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You are welcome and thanks!
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Hope all goes well. Have fun!
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Fun on a plane = reading one entire book non stop and bags of pretzels. ๐ Have a great weekend, Carrie.
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Enjoy!
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Thanks! โ๏ธ๐ณ
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Happy Landing! Enjoy your time away!
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May all of our landings be smooth, Sharon. ๐
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Safe travels and enjoy your next adventure!!
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Donโt you love these adventures, Amy? XO
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Well done, Pam!
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Thanks Anneli. An acrostic seems to say it allโฆ XO
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Have a good adventure! I love small spaces so am sending comforting vibes your way. xo
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I need all the comforting vibes I can getโฆ ๐โ๏ธ
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Happy adventuring, Pam. Enjoy!
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Once I land itโs all steam ahead… ๐ ๐คฃ
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Happy and safe travels.
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Many thanks!
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Safe travels! The important thing is that, despite your fears, you are on an adventure. Good on you!
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True! I grit my teeth, take off, and let go..๐ Happiness to you.
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Good travels to you! Have a grand adventure!
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Each day is an adventure, isnโt it Nancy? ๐ณ๐
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Safe travels and wishes for a wonderful jouney… โค xo
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Thanks Bette and Happy Week to you!
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I hope you coped with being boxed in and had a great trip!
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I got unboxed one way AOK. Boxed back in for the way back soon. Wish me luck… ๐ฌ
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Have a wonderful adventure and enjoy your trip. I donโt mind flying because it gets me to places I love.
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Thatโs the attitude, Gerlinde. Iโm sooo appreciative once I arrive and begin the adventure. Happy returns to you. ๐
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Very clever, Pamela. As a used to be frequent flyer I enjoyed this.
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I wonder if you ever felt boxed in or if flying was just routine for you, John. I fly at least half a dozen times a year, but it never feels routine! ๐ฏ
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I pretty much worked the whole time. I used to commute to Germany every other week and would work for a while and then have dinner and take a nap. I never felt boxed in until one time there was a bomb scare on a plane I was on. I felt a little closed in because they moved us all up front (747) and put the bomb in the back. I was worried it might explode and blow the tail off. Never exploded.
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OH MY GOSH, John. I’m reading your comment as I prepare for my flight back. Gulp. What a story!! You should use it for your next book.
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Ha ha ha. I should. I have about three “almost bought the farm” stories that I’ll keep to myself since you are flying.
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Thanks…. :-0 ๐
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I haven’t flown in years due to claustrophobia. Good for you for doing it anyway. Have a safe and fun excursion. ๐
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Iโm with you, Lori. Those who donโt experience claustrophobia donโt understand how debilitating it can be. What I do to make it through a flight is open a book and escape into that world so I try to forget that Iโm really in an airplane. ๐
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Safe travels, Pam.
Very clever post!
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I hope my tongue in cheek poem helps me cleverly get through my return flight back! ๐โ๏ธ๐
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Have a wonderful time, Pam. And remember flying is the safest form of transportation! It’s just hard to give yourself over to two people wearing captain’s bars in the cockpit. Safe journey!
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The flying itself does not bother me. I am always moved and amazed at the scenery below. Itโs the tight space that makes my head spin. But it certainly is easier and faster to see far away friends and relatives thanks to air transportation. โ๏ธ๐
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Ugh! That has to be hard, Pam. You’re brave to face it. Safe and happy journeys. Hugs on the wing!
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Thanks for understanding the courage it takes for me to get onto that airplane. I did blog once about me entering a plane and five minutes later turning around and running back out. Talk about embarrassing! ๐ณ Hope youโre having a fabulous week. XO
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I love flying and always prefer a window seat. Who knew!
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If the window seat was in the middle with 5 feet on either side of me, Iโd be just fine, Marian! ๐คฃ
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Wishing you a wonderful time Pam. I have just returned after flying for 3 + 16 hours ๐ All fears vanish when you have to fly long hours!
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Whoa, thatโs a long long flight, Balroop. I think perhaps I would go half-crazy midway. ๐ But we do what we need to do to go where we need to go, right? ๐
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Have a wonderful time, Pam! I hope returning will be easier. I love flying and the feeling of taking off into the sky. Merry Christmas!
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How I wish I had your attitude, Patricia. I chant a mantra as the plane takes off and I donโt dare swerve from singing the same song also every time I fly. So far, itโs worked! ๐ฌ๐๐
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I get it Pam. I get it.
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๐ฌ
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I know that feeling! Have a fun trip – looking forward to reading about your adventure!
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Once here, I wonder what the problem was and Iโm so grateful I flew to see family and friends. But now Iโm gritting my teeth at the idea of the flight back. But I know that I am so lucky to be able to do this. Happy week to you!
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I hope you will have some good times wherever you are going. Fly high and safe landing!
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Thanks for flying along with me and giving me courage. Hope your week is going fabulously.๐๐
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This is a lovely poem, Pam. Lots of people will relate to this feeling.
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I know Iโm not alone with the fear of enclosed spaces, Robbie! Happy day, happy week to you. ๐
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Bless you, Pam…you mirror my fear exactly!!๐ ‘Entering the entire flying trap’!! How brilliantly you reflect the moment and it is an intense feeling of being trapped. I really like the layout of the poem to the words of Boxed In…neat! I hope the flight went well and look forward to hearing all about your trip away. Hugs from a snow-swept UK!
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Iโm so excited for you that you have snow! I remember when you flew to Florida-was that a year ago now? I didnโt know that you and I share a dislike of enclosed spaces, but Iโm not surprise. Weโre both birds in flightโฆ ๐ฆ ๐
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I sense flying isn’t your thing. Hang in there!
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By my fingernails…. ;–0
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Ouch
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Happy trails Pam. Hope you wear a mask to ward off germs. ๐ xx
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No, just drink lots of fluids! :–)
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Stay safe! Enjoy! ๐
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Flying is not my favourite thing to do, but it’s a means to an end. Hope it’s been a great adventure and looking forward to hearing about it ๐
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The box was SO worth it. Returned, and now breathing in the fresh 22 degree air of home. ๐
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Yup – it’s a tad fresh here too! At the rate we’re going, Christmas will be white this year.
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Not a fan of flying either, especially with how difficult it has become over the years. Not knocking the security measures, they’re important, but you have to set aside a whole day just to travel!
Hope it went well!
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That’s it exactly, Kate. One day for us to fly to the other coast, another day to return. We arrive to the airport two hours early so not to stress. And believe me, I am the LAST person who enters the plane before the door closes. :—0
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I’m with you there Pam, after all these years, like Kate ^^ Have a great Christmas.
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I imagine you need to fly whenever you leave your beautiful island. Perhaps you just never leave. Can’t say I blame you! โค
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Beautifully expressed.
I’m usually fine with the claustrophobia of riding on a plane. If I let my mind go that way, I can imagine how boxed in and frightened I would feel. With all the transcontinental flights I’ve had to take, it’s a good thing I’ve been able to settle down and enjoy it.
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I’ve gotten much better flying with less anxiety over the years. I’m not afraid of the flying, per se, and love love looking out the window. I still can’t imagine WHY people close their shade as soon as the plane takes off. The scenery is mindboggling. โค
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Ugh, I know this feeling only too well!! Hope you have a wonderful holiday, Pam! And safe travels! โค
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Thereโs comfort in the understanding by others like you. We breathe in and out and try to expand our horizons, combatting claustrophobia. Thank you!
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Maybe it would get better if we could fly in something like those vast space ships in Star Trek, where you donยดt actually know that youยดre in the air, instead of those small and narrow tubes we have ๐ Come to think of it – beaming wouldn’t bad either! LOL! ๐
Happy Holidays!
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In 50 years, human beings will be amazed that their ancestors flew in those tiny metal containers….!!! ๐
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Oh boy Pamela…we are more alike than different…this is the second post of yours that mirrors some of my feelings…I know what claustophia feels like and more…someday we will sit and talk but for now, just keep going, it’s the only to not let it take complete control of you…You are doing o.k. and the more times you fight it and win…the easier it gets…
I also fly now but my list of tricks to get it done is interesting but I go and when the wheels hit the ground, I take off running…and I do enjoy.
Happy holidays ahead for you is what I’m wishing. I don’t think I’ll get another blog post up before the holidays…I’m to far behind here.
Take good care of yourself…
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Oh, I definitely have tricks up my sleeve to get on that metal flying device. I bless the plane, I surround it with white light, I smile and joke with the air flight attendants. And you know what? So far it’s worked! ๐ Merry Merry Christmas my friend.
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I enjoyed your poem and only hope you enjoyed your flight, My sister is a sufferer and will not fly because of it.
I wish you a wonderful two weeks of Bliss, and enjoy a wonderful and Happy Christmas with your family Pamela ..
Love and Blessings.
Sue ๐ โค
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I blessed the plane each time I flew – there and back. It must have worked! ๐ Merry Merry Christmas to you and yours. xo
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Happy you had happy landings Pamela.. Happy Christmas to you xxx โค
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Not sure if I posted you a note or not here. Hope the flight went well! I am sure the x-ray vision of light and love will protect you 100% from now to eternity and you will never need to use it again! xoxoxo
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Have a wonderful Christmas, Pamela. It’s not the flying I dislike so much, as the whole airport experience. I always feel exhausted by the time I get on the plane.
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Agreed! But I love reaching the destination! ๐
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I’m glad you had an opportunity to have an escape, Pam! Everyone should try new things or repeat exciting moments.
I had such fun on my trip to New Orleans and Long Beach! I’m thrilled with your beautiful plane photo with the sunny reflection on the wing.
So glad you made it home and I loved your poem! xo ๐๐
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I didnโt want to post my Boxed In poem until you had your trip. ๐Traveling to new and exciting places, or traveling to see family and friends- is worth the hassle!
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Thank you, thank you! I think this was such a thoughtful consideration, Pam. Travel is worth the hassle for those great reasons you mentioned. Hope this next year either stays at the same level of joy or exceeds it for you and yours! ๐ ๐
ps. The same level is for me good since I am blessed to see my Mom and to see progress in my brother, Randy. ๐
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โค
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Oh boy, do I identify with this post! I am on the train returning home from Washington because we did not want to fly there! Not only does claustrophobia bother me on planes, but the anxiety makes the entire trip difficult! Not that Amtrak has been without problems lately . . .
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I totally ‘get’ it. I’ve taken the train from Boston to NYC, to Philadelphia, to DE, and to DC. It’s marginally better than the airplane re claustrophobia. But I still get motion sick on the train, so have to look out the window with a focused stare… and pray. ๐ But… worth it once we get to our destination, right? I hope you had a wonderful trip. And thanks so much for reading my blog and commenting. โค
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Oh my; motion sickness is just awful when one is traveling. Ditto on the prayer. That’s what gets me through the travels!
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For sure. And humming (silently, I promise). I have certain songs I hum to myself that help. My little secret. Don’t tell anyone. ๐
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OMG! I cannot stand flying! I’m claustrophobic, too! Thank goodness many flights now have tv and movies you can choose from right at your seat. On Jet Blue and Delta, I flick through all the tv channels non-stop as I attempt to make myself forget I’m on a plane. I also watch movies I’ve seen 300 times, and keep a constant eye on the flight map. It gets me through. Wow. I’m making myself nervous just writing this!
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Sorry – I understand completely. The only way I make it through a flight is to bury myself into a book and join the characters in whatever life they’re in. I always wondered why other fliers flip through those TV/movie channels incessantly while we’re in the air. Now I know! :-0 Breathe in, breathe out on the plane, and serve up a mantra or two. Always. helps. ๐
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And quite honestly…for a longer flight, a little Xanax takes the edge off for me. ๐
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Ohhhhhhhhh yeah. ๐
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