No Longer a "New" Normal

Street art at Sherbourne & Wellesley: Milhouse as the 2020 mascot

I am now social distancing in my dreams, which means, I think, that I have become accustomed to the pandemic response. 

I also find I no longer yearn for a return to normalcy. The way we live now, as far as I am concerned, is normal. 

For example, previously non-ironic signs and advertisements are no longer ironic:

Wild rides are for investments. Says The Economist: "Between February 19th and March 23rd, the S&P 500 index lost a third of its value. With barely a pause it has since rocketed, recovering more than half its loss."

The slogan on this man's jacket, on display as he obediently waits in line to shop for groceries in Rosedale, is just the first line of "My Way".

And Alexia Von Beck won't be nominated for "Best Timed Business Closure."

Still, the University of Toronto may want to ask a different rhetorical question for its fundraising campaign "Boundless".

It is ironic that the City of Toronto closed High Park to keep people from viewing the cherry blossoms, while the University of Toronto left its little grove open for everyone to enjoy.

All of the above aside, when the time comes that governments allow people to go back to their service industry jobs, I will eagerly line up for a haircut, and to buy some Aveda products, and for a drink with friends on an outdoor patio. 

But I will miss the comparative quiet, the empty streets and the sense of moral purpose in avoiding crowds, which I did before it was heroic.

Thanks for reading!

Expand your bubble safely!

Karen

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