And twice a year, when I reset my clocks, I set them 5 minutes fast.
In theory, that 5 minutes should allow us a chance of arriving to various destinations while enjoying the fruits of being punctual. These fruits being things like less stress and perspiration that accompanies it, better seats or choices of seats, less chance of speeding and getting a ticket in transit, fewer gasps from heavy breathing while rushing nilly willy, or embarrassing apologies and entrances.
In theory, that 5 minute leeway should work.
But, of course, my theories never pan out.
See, whenever we're rushing around trying to get out the door, I look at the clock, sigh with relief, and say to myself, "Oh, we actually have 5 more minutes." Then I let the clock lapse that additional 5 minutes (and maybe a few more).
And I'm running late as usual.
Where's the logic in that?
Every single glance at the clock results in an adjustment to the actual time in my head.
My kids even see through my attempts at manipulating time. My boys are supposed to leave for school at 8:30 a.m. When the minute hand hits the 6, they'll say, "We have until 8:35 because the clock is fast."
Am I teaching them to be punctuality delinquents?
It really is absurd. We have 7 clocks in the house. All set 5 minutes fast. Even the car clock is set fast. All truthless in their efforts to relay time and space. All facades of fact. All half-truths of the hands.
Sure makes living in the moment a difficult task.
4 comments:
I get the mentality behind this idea, because I do the exact same thing for the very same reason. The problem is -- it really doesn't work!!
Been there done that too - to no avail. Maybe the key is to have someone else (who doesn't live in the house) set the clocks so you don't know whether it is set fast or not and actually have to rely on what the clock says. Good luck!
My sister and I shared a room our whole lives and her alarm clock was always set like 17 min. fast...(or something like that). Not a round number like 5 or 10, but 17?? And my alarm clock was like 10 min. fast... and so when you'd wake up in the morning, just trying to do the math as to how many minutes we REALLY had to sleep before getting up was exhausting!! (I'm not sure we "fooled" ourselves into having more time, we were just always searching for another clock in the house to tell us what time is really was.) I say, "the truth will set you free".
I do the 5 minute ahead trick, too, but only on my watch & my bedside table clock for sure, but then I can't remember if the other clocks in our home &/or car are fast or accurate, so it helps me sometimes...since I confuse myself a bit.
Really, my main problem is that I try to do ONE MORE THING before leaving somewhere....
But, I DO notice that when I am going somewhere ALL BY MYSELF (no kids, no husband) I can be on time! :)
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