We’re all so busy all of the time. Crazy busy.
C’mon, you know you are, or have been, or will be.
Busy can be fun, it can be important, it can be crazy, but in the end, it’s not really what we want.
(We want a nap. But I digress.)

We all say it, all the time, what we want is “to get back to normal.”
Guess what? You are here.
This is the new normal.

There’s no going ‘back.’ There’s too much to do!
Heaven forbid we miss something.

There are built-in markers—sunrises, seasons, holidays—to help keep things normal. Mornings welcome job routines, Mondays bring blogs, Fridays become weekends, Summer Breaks resolve into new school years, Autumn begets winter, but even those things have been affected by change, growth, and technology.

Have you seen this year’s Bears schedule? Totally wonky! Normal was Sunday at noon.
New Normal is Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, noon, 3:05, 7:20…
Good thing we have smart phones, ipads, dvrs and “old normal” water coolers to help us keep track of this new normal.

We have so many more distractions now-a-days. There are so many things to soak up our time. Kids have classes and practices and tutors the likes of which most of their parents never did. Grown-ups have seminars and games and clubs the likes of which most of their parents never did.

Through some connections (and a wee bit of talent), I was able to participate in an art gallery show. The preparation, planning and execution kept me a little busy. Little busy? Sure! Not a problem until you consider the millions of other ‘little busies’ I have going on.

I reference myself, but I realize I am no different. My life is busy. Just like yours.

Our family is expanding, which is perfectly normal. And it’s time to consider holiday breakdowns, also normal, but let me emphasize, NEW to me! Old normal dictates one Christmas Eve, one Christmas Day, to be divided as folks see fit. Except there are way more folks now than days. It’s not bad, it’s just busy.

Computers, laptops, tablets and smart phones keep us connected ALL OF THE TIME.
(No wonder we’re so tired.)
Starbucks on every corner, Walgreen’s opposite, and fast food in between.
Movies, music, marathons, meetings, lunch dates, dvrs, gyms, online classes, groups, clubs, and organizations.
Stimulation and opportunity abound.
Why do we do it? And what are we missing while we’re doing it all?

Are we happier? Smarter? Crazier? Or just busier?
e) All of the above.

So, welcome to the New Normal. But don’t get too comfortable.
This ‘normal’ is also temporary.