Like Willie Nelson,...

...I'm on the Road Again.

This time to Cleveland for family reasons.

The airport experience is different this time. Not that it's ever all that pleasant. But, this time, it's (naturally) worse.

• The requirement to mask up starts at the elevator entrance to the airport, and is non-stop from there on. Some are more relaxed about it (Black people particularly favor the under the nose style), but most are wearing the masks without complaint. The funny thing is, when I went through TSA, they had me move the mask off my face, to verify that the ID matched the person. So, what I've long said - the masks hinder recognition of individuals. Short term - possibly OK; Long term - harmful for trust level of our society.
• I ate lightly before leaving for the airport, and skipped my usual coffee while waiting for my flight. Sucks to  be a vendor these days; look for them to bail on their leases if this continues much longer - or, to re-negotiate for much better terms.
• Working in airports is tough; if you have to sit down when you do, good luck. There aren't enough seats near the shelves that accommodate laptops or other tech. I ended up balancing my laptop for the time it took to write this.
• Either the Karens aren't flying much, or, in the weeks that we've been forced to wear the masks, people have gotten more relaxed about their non-use, in non-crowded situations.
• Speaking of non-crowded - that's what airports are right now. A lot of old people (maybe they can't handle the driving?), a few business travelers, and some families. And, a few singles. Not very many people flying for fun trips. Again, not sustainable, if this continues. If one of the busiest airports - BWI - is near-empty, the airline industry is on shaky legs.