Well, here I am, stuck in seat 26A on ATA Flight 536. We're somewhere in the air - have no idea where - on or way to Orlando.

This has been an experience this morning. I didn't expect that getting to to a small airport like Midway 2½ hours in advance of your flight was unreasonable. We got on the plane 20 minutes after it started boarding. The check-in lines for ATA were horrendous. Note to self - always get an e-ticket. The new buildings at Midway, though nice, can't handle the new security procedures. I'm used to just going up to a ticket counter and checking your bag. Those days are gone now. First you have the extremely long line to get up to the counter. We hit the counter an hour before the flight. We were lucky that the rep was good and processed people quickly, unlike others who where lallygagging (Yes, I actually used that word). From there, it was over to the baggage scanner to make sure the luggage clears - and they did without a problem. Then it was the long walk to the security checkpoint - I didn't make it through. My damn Rockports have metal shanks in them for the arch support! I'll remember that for the return flight. Then it was the mad sprint for the door. Of course, the plane pushed-back late, so the rushing was a bit moot.

So here we are in the air. As you would expect, there are kids on the flight. Not a lot, but quite a few. I think I have heard every single one of them during the flight.