Nicole likes the term mental space. It’s not derogatory like “dude, you got waaaay too much mental space.” (An obvious reference to the space between my ears where brain should reside.) No, I like to think of it like a measurement. You could define it as the distance between any two adjacent parts of one’s life. Examples clarify. If mental space were a function, M, the following equations would be true:
M(cycling, chores) = 10
M(fatherhood, food) = 12
M(yard care, social standing) = 2
When Nicole uses the term she accurately observes very little mental space between my business and any other part of our family’s life. We discuss the biz in the car, at the ballpark, at the pool, at the dinner table, on a date. When I have a quiet moment the biz comes to mind. When I have spare time I spend it in service to the biz. The biz seems to bleed into and over everything else.
The situation looks like this:
M(biz, cycling) = 1
M(biz, chores) = 1
M(biz, fatherhood) = 1
M(biz, food) = 1
M(biz, yard care) = 1
M(biz, social standing) = 1
I think my M function is busted.