I am generally on time or at least I try to be. I am pretty good at estimating how long something will take and as long as I have a clock around, I can usually make it to wherever I want to be on time. I have two clocks that I depend on to help me with this--the clock above the door to the garage and the clock in my car. One tells me when it's time to leave and the other lets me know how I am doing in traffic. With these trusty clocks, I am usually on time or a little early. That is until recently. Some how they both started to be off unbeknownst to me.
First I discovered the car clock was not telling me the time I thought it was. Over the years, it had gradually gained time so that it was several minutes fast. In reality the amount of time had not changed, but I liked to think that I had "extra" time when I checked this clock. However, one day, I found my "extra" time had disappeared. I was dropping Wally off at work and he was a couple of minutes late. I told him not to worry because the clock was fast. He told me that it wasn't anymore. He and Theo had set it to the correct time for me, BUT, they somehow neglected to tell me. So all of those times that I thought I had been right on time, I had been late. I appreciate the effort they made in helping me, but darn, I needed to know about it.
For now, all of my clocks have been fixed and are showing the correct time. If I'm late or early for something, it is of my own doing--not because I didn't know what time it is. If this clock confusion keeps up, however, I may have to join the rest of the 21st century and use my phone to see what time it is. However, that means that I would have to charge it regularly--something that eludes me at this point. But that's another story.
Are you one who is always early or always late? Do you set your clock ahead so you will be on time?
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In case anyone wants to take a walk down memory lane with Chicago's Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is, here's a You Tube link.
My biggest problem these days is that my internal clock is always off. I woke to what I thought was the regular time (6 AM), only to get up, make coffee, and discover that it was really 5 AM. I sometimes wake in the night around 2 or 3 AM and think it's morning. Something of a problem around 3 in the afternoon!
ReplyDeleteAs for early vs. late, I set the car clock ahead by 13 minutes several years ago. Everyone knows that its 13 minutes ahead, but it still "fools" us into thinking we need to rush, for about a minute or two. And we, too, have a clock that loses time, in our kitchen. It's the one on the stove, and the last one anyone sees before heading out the door. I have to remember to adjust it every week.
That internal clock thing can be a problem. One of my sons has no sense of time and has the same problems you do. However, our cat keeps us on track in the mornings. If he's not bothering us to feed him, I know that it's not time to get up.
DeleteThe odd thing is I have an incredible sense of time during the day. My family likes to see if they can stump me in a game of "what time do you think it is". I've never worn a watch, so I've cultivated the ability to track time other ways. But in the night, I can have absolutely no sense if I've slept 4 hours or 10 hours.
DeleteInteresting. I'm guessing that you must have really deep sleep cycles. I go into lighter and lighter sleep as the morning approaches so I sense when it's time to get up. With that being said, many times I have woken up in the night and not known if I've been asleep two hours or five hours.
DeleteOur clock in a car is about 5 minutes fast and I like to keep it this way :) I really don't like to be late, an try to "purposefully" forget that it's fast :)
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how we play games with ourselves that way.
DeleteI have to be early to everything, ingrained lesson from childhood. I have joined the 21st generation and have given up all clocks except the one on my phone. I figure that one is set by satellite so it must be the most accurate. As for around the house, I don't like living by a clock so I took them all out, the only one I can't rid myself of is the one on the computer, but I've learned to ignore it most of the time.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've made a system that works for you. I still need a clock to get to work on time and anytime that I'm going to meet other people. Besides that, I thrive if I have a regular schedule, so clocks help with that.
DeleteOh... I have gotten into great trouble with the trying to trick myself by setting the clock ahead system. My general solution is to try to cultivate a life that isn't run by the clock!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you and Lois are successful in living a life with little time constraints making clocks almost unnecessary. That sounds appealing sometimes, but I still like knowing what time it is even if I don't have something particular to do. I find it interesting how we are all different.
Deletemy alarm-clock is ten minutes ahead, so if i don`t feel like getting up i can hit the button one time. But i like to be early at work or appointments. This help to get rid of unnecessary stress.
ReplyDeleteI used to get up as soon as the alarm went off. However, my husband has taught me wake up slowly. That's kind of nice sometimes. I like to be early or on time too if I am meeting someone else. I feel like it's rude if I don't.
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