MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, PART 914: LIKE SANDS THROUGH AN HOURGLASS

Has anyone else noticed that time—which was previously moving like molasses—has now accelerated to rocket speed? It’s a deeply odd development, like so much about our New Normal.

I remember looking forward to the NBA “bubble” restart as if it were just yesterday. In May it was a wild possibility. In early June it started to take shape; when the late July start date was announced, it seemed terribly distant. How could we withstand another two months without sports to lift us out of our present drudgery? Well, at least we had something to look forward to if we could survive, physically and (especially) emotionally, for that long.

Now I peek at the calendar, and whoa: Summer is nearly over. Pro basketball is cruising through the playoffs, baseball is doing a stop-and-start dance with ridiculous “cutouts” as fans and September is just a week away.

One of the ways I mark time is with a weekly pill dispenser, one of those clear plastic thingies with compartments for each day. As I reorganized it this morning and wondered when I should call in for refills, it hit me. Another week of pills had gone zooming by.

The people I regularly communicate with have generally accepted that pandemic conditions will remain in force for a long while. This realization has caused them to focus more than ever on improving their surroundings and routines. Many are looking for new digs in different states, by the beach or even in other countries. Their primary homes can likely be anywhere, as WFH becomes the new reality. Larger, prettier places in the suburbs—or even farther from city hubs—are becoming more desirable refuges for many biz folk. Setting up more efficient workplaces at home and creating more organized spaces for their kids’ remote schooling, are priorities everywhere. These are now prime considerations in house hunting… and home improvement.

When this strange ordeal began, we had to get organized for what was expected to be a relatively short period. We had to do our jobs. We had no idea that this pandemic was going to be here to stay, or at least with us for the indefinite future. Now, maximizing our stay-at-home situation is of primary importance as we speed toward Labor Day and beyond. Make daily life better for yourself and your family. Time is moving again.