I brush my teeth for exactly two minutes, twice a day (thanks to my electric toothbrush that tells me when to stop). That’s only four minutes a day but for some reason I can’t just stand there and brush. Standing in my bathroom and only focusing on one thing for two minutes doesn’t sound daunting but for some reason I just can’t do it.

So what do I do? I grab my phone (that’s already playing music because I can’t shower/brush my teeth without that) and start awkwardly scrolling through Hacker News or some other site so I can fill the two minutes of white space that I can’t stand to have. Most of the time I’m scrolling and pinching with my pinkie, which is completely inefficient but it has to work. I need to be entertained for that short amount of time, I need to learn something, I need to be distracted. I can’t be the only one who does this, right?

I’m not saying this is necessarily a bad thing, I actually enjoy catching up on some news while fighting plaque and the bacteria that causes Gingivitis. But I do think it’s interesting how my mind works now that I know I have instant access to unlimited entertainment and information.

I guess this is the end of the white space in our lives as we know it. No more waiting in line and staring into space. No more awkward moments with groups of people we don’t really know. No more standing at a street corner watching the seconds tick down before you can cross. No more spending time while only brushing your teeth.

I can remember not too long ago when I needed to set aside time to find information or to be entertained. I would need to sit at a computer, in front of a TV or go to the library to check out a book (gasp!). Now I need to set time aside to do nothing and just let my mind wander without any interruption. It’s not easy and I don’t see it getting easier any time soon.

cartoon credit: Shaaark.com

The different types of wonderful and amazing people I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know in my life blows me away. Some I’ve met randomly on a train, some are friends of friends and others I’ve worked with at different jobs over the years.

A couple who falls into the category of amazingly awesome people are Brent and Katie Kruithof. They went to college with Stephanie and have lived in Cincinnati, OH up until a couple of years ago when they moved to the Cayman Islands for Brent’s accounting job (he likes numbers).

Since moving there they’ve documented a lot of their adventures on the island through a blog they created called The Grand Life. Katie, who happens to be both an amazing party planner and photographer, would post updates about the things they’re doing and their experiences while living in an exotic place like the Cayman Islands. They even included plenty of stuff about their dog Walter, who seems to have the largest personality of all of them.

They stayed in paradise for two years and now they’re back in the good ol’ Midwest (everyone now O-H-I-O!). The good news is that they’re back home with their friends and family. The bad news is that they don’t get to hang out in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen in my life — and apparently their arrival home also means that it’s the end of their blogging, too.

Unfortunately I guess I’m done living vicariously through their adventures, but at least I’ll still be able to go read back through them if I ever feel the need.

Welcome home Katie, Brent and Walter and thanks for letting us share in your life on the island. Next up, a Kruithof baby blog? No pressure.

For some reason my sister told me that I need to learn the LMFAO Party Rock Shuffle dance before I come home for Christmas, so I took an hour or so and learned it today. It still needs some polish, but it’s only going to get better. You can watch the video below or over here on YouTube.

I learned the dance from this video if you’re interested in giving it a shot, too. It’s easy to learn and if nothing else it’s a great party trick.

Now, what dance move should I learn next?