Achievement unlocked: fitting into an airplane seat and not needing a seatbelt extender.
This is a big deal.
The last time I flew on a plane (American Airlines from SEA to DFW, BTW), I had to buy an extra seat, use a seatbelt extender, AND the seatbelt extender was just barely long enough to buckle me in. It made for a very, very uncomfortable flight in more ways than one. It was pretty much the worst travel experience of my whole life, which I’ll write about another time.
We flew out of town this weekend to a family reunion in Albuquerque. I knew a few months ago we’d be flying out on Southwest, which I’d always avoided due to their practice of having large passengers purchase an extra seat (a practice I understand but dislike). When I last flew, I was double the size I am now. Knowing that I was half my former size didn’t quell the anxiety I had about fitting into the seat. The Fat Girl in my head kept nagging that I’d need an extender, but the increasingly more assertive Thinner Girl kept saying no I don’t, bitch, watch me.
Then I got on the plane.
Friday night was my first flight in 7 years, and I sat in the seat, was able to put the armrest down, AND buckle up with about 9 inches of belt to spare. I was thrilled and excited to say the least. I didn’t cry, as I know some folks do when they hit this milestone, but I am also not a crier when things so happy and big happen to me.
The seat was still pretty uncomfortable, though–it hurt my rear end because now when I sit for long periods of time, my bum hurts due to a distinct lack of padding. #fatgirlslimproblems
I am optimistic that I will never again need an extender when flying, and now that I know I have hip and shoulder clearance on both sides of the seat, it’s likely I’ll fly more often when I travel. Next flight: Cleveland in November for a conference, and then after that, who knows?
La Guerra de La Gorda 