Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Eaking Out that Last Split Second

Time: I have often posted about time and some of my longstanding sagas with the presence or lack thereof of the clock. This is yet another one....

Several years ago, I used to argue with watches. I would purchase a delightfully attractive timekeeper in the hopes that it would enable me to know what time it was. Inevitably disaster would strike. Some of the disasters included being stolen out of gym lockers, being run over by trains, falling off over the side of BC ferries, being dragged under cars (not with my wrist in it), and being lost in a suitcase for several years. I will confess that the odd watch survived into that abyss called dead battery syndrome.

The modern day version of the watch seems to be the cell phone, or mobile roaming device from which your email, friends, texts, employers and telemarketers can find you. Mine even has a calendar that pings me when I am 15 minutes out from an appointment. I am developing a love/hate relationship with this device. I like the convenience of using it to phone people when I have a moment while out and about. I like that it reminds me to be on time. Sometimes it has come in handy to advise people on my whereabout when being diverted, or to email teachers right away when something has happened with the kids at school. All in all, the cell phone clock isn't a bad thing to have on you.

However, this seems to be the week of seeing how much I can cram into a split second. Despite alarm clocks buzzing, and cell phones chiming out reminders, I find myself either running exactly on time or just that slightly bit late. Something should be saying to me this week to only do what has to be done. This really impacts my morning and afternoon bus stop shuffles more than anything else. So here are some of the funnies from this week:

Monday: I elected to drive my oldest to school as she had a project due. It wasn't the most portable design so it made sense. The humour lies in that I came to this conclusion after she had already missed her bus trying to find her boots and tripped over my shoes in the process, squishing her project. Sigh.

Tuesday: By the time that I got the girls up, made lunches (I had forgotten to take bread out the day before), rounded up the garbage and started a load of laundry, I managed to get the eldest to her bus just as the doors were closing. I had a moment inbetween dance classes where I thought I was running early. I swung into Coco Joes for a coffee only to find that this stop sucked out 20 minutes and I just managed to squeak into the swimming pool just in time for dismissal. Whew.

Wednesday: Again, my oldest missed her bus. This time it was because her younger sister insisted on trying on 16 outfits. (I know because I counted them as I picked them up off her floor as I made her put them away). I didn't notice as I was putting on a quick load of laundry. (Since when is laundry quick?) Then, I had to scramble to get their lunches together. I meant to do that. Yes, totally meant to drive her to school today and miss out on Keelin's piano practice. Then on the way home, I managed to find the turning lane that only one car per light was going through. You guessed it, I made a call to a bus stop mom and had to give instructions as to what to do if I didn't get there in time. But hahah, I got there just as the bus was pulling away.

Sometimes, I think I cut time too fine. I realize that we are to make the most of our moments, but sometimes, I shouldn't be putting 70 seconds into one minute. The laundry will wait. The bus will not. Lesson for the day...which I am sure I will forget about by morning!

No comments:

Post a Comment