Embracing our new normal

Remember a time, maybe like a month and a half ago, where we went to the gym, out to dinner, enjoyed basketball games, saw our friends...basically did whatever we wanted to? Me too! It was just normal, "mundane" life. We didn't think twice about it, it was just what we did.

Fast forward to today and our entire world is on some sort of a lockdown, depending on where you are. Here, in Orlando, we are on a "stay at home" order until 4/30, which most likely will be extended.

This virus has taken a stranglehold on our "freedoms" and forced us into a strange domestic prison. It has caused us to have all the time that we always wish for. Time to reflect, spend with your family, pick up a new hobby, etc. My hope is that everyone is not just hoping and praying for our old normal, but rather taking advantage of this once in a lifetime phase we are in together.

I challenge you all to embrace this new normal. Take pride in what you do on a daily basis. Create routine throughout your day if you are working from home. Don't just sit idly hoping for the future to be here.

My daily pandemic routine:

• 6:30 - 7 AM - My 3-year-old daughter wakes me up, which frightens me 9/10 mornings.
• 7 AM - shower, get dressed, read the newspaper, drink coffee while spending time with my wife and daughter.
• 8:30 AM - go to work in my dungeon. Recently, I have been getting my daughters attention and saying "daddy is going to work" and then I proceed to make car noises, park, walk into the office and then tell her that Daddy is at work until lunch time. She thinks I am home all day to play, which is adorable, but insanely distracting.
• 12:30 PM - come out and eat lunch and catch up with my wife and daughter.
• 2 PM - back to work, no car noises this time. I try to just sneak away as my wife is taking my daughter to take a nap.
• 6 PM - I try my best to finish working by 6 so that I can do something active before the sun goes down. I have a home gym in my garage but I have been walking about a mile to a private park in my neighborhood and putting myself through a "intense" (not very intense) basketball workout for about an hour.
• 7 PM - get home, shower, and help my wife cook dinner, eat and play, sing and dance with my daughter.
• 8:30 PM - start getting my daughter ready for bed. This process can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours lol. It includes bathtime, changing into pajamas, brushing hair, brushing teeth, reading a book, collecting all her stuffed animals from around the house to bring to bed (probably up to 15 in this department) and reading her a book.
• 9:30 PM - My wife and I finally have some time to spend together but we are usually both pretty exhausted and can't agree on a Netflix show and end up on a recorded dateline.
• 11 PM - my wife wakes me up from the couch and says let's go to bed (this literally happens 6 out of 7 nights).
• 11:30 PM - review emails from the day to make sure I didn't miss anything time-sensitive, check the news one last time.
• 12 AM - lights out.

We must remember that time is STILL the most precious commodity in life. And, although it might seem like a drag to be stuck at home, time is still ticking by. The world didn't just pause for this pandemic. We will not pick up right where we left off. Life will be different. There, again, will be a new normal at that time and we will be faced with the decision, yet again, to either embrace it or complain about it.

I would also like to take a minute to acknowledge and honor the true essential workers that are risking their safety for all of us. Especially the healthcare workers! God bless you all!