Incredibly ordinary

Today’s story is mostly about the stuff we take for granted living in 2014.  And before you click on past this blog post to your funny cat videos, I want to share with you how to appreciate being stuck in traffic.  OK, I admit, we haven’t gone anywhere particularly exciting since California in August, but this isn’t just empty filler!  Read on if you dare….

fall on the Des Plaines river trail

The last couple of months (years, if you ask the kids) have been a bit of a pain at work.  No surprise to anyone who has an actual job, but companies tend to offer money in exchange for those pesky little things called “responsibilities”.  In my case, it amounts to dealing with the often conflicting demands of various people in our business who all want something from my operation: customers, employees, government regulators, the guy in the mailroom, etc.  The list goes on and on.

But don’t cry for me, Argentina.  A job is a good thing too.  Handling all this stuff builds something called “character”, or basically the gumption to tell all those competing demands where they can stick it!  No, no, I meant to say, overcoming struggle develops self confidence.  Oh, and it feeds the family, keeps a roof over our heads, funds all those trips you’ve read about, and may even do something for the greater good in society.  But let’s stick with the paycheck for now.

Millenium park skyline

So as I left my sparkling steel and glass corporate shelter the other day, and stepped into a shiny personal transportation device, I twisted a small metal object in a slot.  This simple motion turned a foul smelling liquid made from decomposed dinosaurs into rotating machinery powered by controlled explosions.  Then by simply moving my feet and arms in a specific way, the machine started moving, carrying me and my personal belongings in the direction I needed to go!  Faster and faster this contraption sped through space, rolling quietly on four pliable but sturdy toroids, on land that had been flattened, stabilized and marked for public travel by the local authorities.  And then I got stuck in traffic.

Blue skies and puffy clouds on a fall day

And that’s where this narrative finally begins, assuming you made it past the word “toroid”.  As the line of cars slowed to a crawl, I looked up and saw the heavens above scattering wavelengths of light that we call “blue”, dotted with white clusters of water vapor.  Down on land, perennial plants with woody stems were commencing their annual modification wherein the chlorophyll that turns sunlight into sugar abandons their light-gathering structures, leaving behind brilliant yellows and reds.  So I thought, rather than fume at having my path forward blocked by other humans in their vehicles texting on their smartphones, I’d snap a photo of the sky on my smartphone.  While safely stopped, of course.  And just like that, the light turned green and we moved forward!

Diversey harbor sunrise

It got me thinking, which I realize is a dangerous thing.  If instead of stepping out of my office, I’d dropped out of a time machine from AD 1014, or 1614, or heck, even 1914, pretty much everything I did that day would have been amazing.  Waking up safe, dry and warm in a climate-controlled structure with more bathrooms than some small villages?  Nice. Eating a morning meal composed of packaged food manufactured from agricultural products I didn’t have to personally hunt or gather?  Wow.  Cleaning my body under a gentle stream of heated water that I didn’t have to haul from a river and warm over a fire?  Pretty neat.  This list goes on and on….

total eclipse of the moon – from the roof

The phrase I coined, and will now be commercializing under a new self-improvement brand to be franchised worldwide, is INCREDIBLY ORDINARY.  Yes, folks, for a mere $29.95/month, you too can subscribe to my inspirational materials and find joy in everyday living.  No longer will you be stuck in the humdrum grind of the proletariat.  You will be enlightened and find happiness in daily living again, so I never have to get stuck in traffic again!  Just kidding, I’m actually giving this one away for free.  Enjoy.

love, Amy and Jeff