A couple of days ago, I had a long talk with a friend about the problems I'm having connecting with characters. The underlying assumption on her part during the entire discussion was that my thought processes, my preferred schedule, my preferred writing time, and even my preferred way of interacting with others is abnormal and must, therefore, be fixed.

While I appreciate the concern on her part (and the friendly ear), I have a serious problem with the attitude that: 1) there is a norm; and 2) deviation from that norm is "bad."

For example, research continues to unfold the mysteries of the brain, including the way sleep and wake patterns are encoded into our genes. Some people are literally wired to thrive at night, just as some are literally wired to wake with the cock's crow.

Right now, our entire culture is based on the latter. Business must be conducted between the hours of eight a.m. and five p.m. Uniforms are a must, whether they're scrubs or ties, and Heaven help you if your job requires you to sleep during that time. Try getting a loan when your local banks are never open when you're awake.

Dear God, how boring is that kind of life? Normal for others; absolutely, terrifyingly tedious for me.

There's absolutely no reason for me to conform to someone else's idea of normal, only my own.

Now, if we all respected each other's inner norms, wouldn't life be so much more peaceful and pleasant?