Super normal
Sensations of the ordinary - London edition
I came across this concept of ‘super normal’ objects. To be defined as ‘super normal’ these objects need to satisfy two elements.
Absence: Super normal objects are defined by something it doesn’t have - style, identity, remarkableness. Anything that can be seen as excellence.
Extraordinary ambivalence or absolute superlative (the greatest degree of normality possible).
So all the objects have an ‘oxymorinic’ nature to them. As the term suggests, how can the word ‘super’ be next to the word ‘normal’. But perhaps these objects are ‘so normal’ the aren’t normal anymore, the become both ‘normal’ and ‘exceptional’ at the same time. So exceptional that they seem normal. Some of these objects are :
This was one of the few books I read whilst I was doing the artist’s way. Then fast forward to a pack, steamy tube on Tuesday evening, 6:15pm, two mean rushed into an already very packed tube, they look like they are in their 50s or maybe even in their 60s. As an foreigner living in a big metropolitan city, I love people watching. They say that when you live in a big city, the people are the scenery. Not the skyscrapers (well sometimes this too, but I love just looking at people rushing to work, the conversations they are having, the books they are reading, they lives they are living. Okay so back to these two men:
Scene - Central line, 6:15 pm, rush hour, packed tube, last carriage. Man 1 and Man 2 rushed into the carriage with one second to spare before the tube door closes.
Man 1: *BIG SIGH*, I can’t do this anymore…….. I mean everyday…in central London….
Man 2: Hang in there mate, we’ve got a few more years to go….
Me: how cute are they but yes… this commute is intense.
It made me think about how our normal day to day life are actually so normal that it becomes extraordinary. It meets both characters - an absence of remarkableness + extraordinary ambivalence. Our daily commute is so normal, but the fact that it’s so normalised, and millions or even billions of people are going through the same routine of commuting to work, makes our lives ‘super normal’! Heeeey I mean how great is that?
Today marks the first full week at my new job. I’ve been commuting daily to the office, and my commute takes me about 50 minutes each way. My routine so far:
5:30 am - wake up head straight to the leaving room
5:40 am - Light incense or candle/ boil water and make lemon water
5:45 am - to 6:30 am - everyday I try to do a nice activity that feels my cup before work. This could be writing my morning pages, re-reading my fav chapter in the artist’s way, a quick 20 to 30 minute home workout - anything on Youtube, but I love Boho Beautiful and Issy Pilates currently, or a long shower, with face massages. It depends on how I’m feeling, but I try not to abandon my needs before I give myself to the corporate world.
6:45 am to 8:00 am - get ready, yes I like to really take my time in the morning. Rushing really spikes my cortisol levels and I really don’t need that given the amount of overthinking and stress that’s already in my inner world.
8:00 am ish, leave the house - en route to my favourite scenery: people watching on the tube.
8:45 am - walk through the park (if it’s a lovely day)
8:50 am - arrive!
So yes I’ve been doing that routine for a full week. I had my moments when I struggled of course, but I am now learning to trick my brain to do hard things. My current mantra for now is ‘just do it for two minutes’, whether it be moving my body, reading or even writing my substack. So far it’s been going good , but I might need to make some adjustments as the work load increases - send your well wishes my way please.
Starting a new job (anywhere) is sooooooo sooooo soooo uncomfortable, but it’s also beyond challenging especially if you are a foreigner (IMO, or maybe I’m just being dramatic, who knows) From introducing yourself to new people, explaining where your accent is from, your background, making sure to ask people about their background, learning about all the systems that a company use, proving yourself, dealing with imposter syndrome, and the list goes on. But again these challenges are sooooo normalised that it makes it ‘super normal’, extraordinary even.
Sometimes we forget, everyday our loved ones leave the door and go into the big bad world, and everyday, they come home safely to us, back to the warmth of a loving home. That in itself is a miracle , super normal that it becomes a miracle don’t you think?
I catch myself being so focus on the big ticket items - like the best holidays, acquiring more things I don’t need, that I usually forget how I now have things that younger me had always wished for. A warm safe home and unconditional love from myself and my husband. So on days when life gets challenging, I remind myself that my life, your life, the ordinary human day to day life of regular people (please stop reading this if you’re a billionaire) are super normal that it makes it magical.
It’s exactly 9:44 pm on a nippy (as the English says it) winter night. I got home at 7:15 pm, immediately showered, did my skincare and made dinner - leftover chicken soup and spelt noodles. My husband came home at 8:30 pm as he had his company’s Christmas drinks. We chatted for a bit, and now I’m sat here writing my substack.
Keeping it short and sweet this work, as Christmas is in 8 days - as a marketing girl, this is one of the busiest period of the year. But yay me, we got this.
My hope for you all this week is to start spotting the ‘super normal’ things/objects/experience in your day to day life, who knows you might fall in love with your life, yourself all over again.
Love you all unconditionally,
Quya