I live in my Outlook calendar. Live. My life is in there. I even have the life of my sister in there as he
r grandson goes off to 4 year-old kindergarten. My sister is raising him and she was never very good with dates. (Stop laughing! I've only screwed up my blog twice in as many years or maybe one year but...whatever. Stop laughing.)
So, I took his school calendar and fed it into my calendar. We've instituted the 3-2-1 plan. I call her 3 days, 2 days and 1 day before the event. If it's a Halloween party which requires a costume, I give her more notice and plan on making the costume myself.
I'm generally the organized one. But I do occasionally slip. Like today. And in my real life I tend to be late. Chronically late. Almost on time for professional gigs but you will never see me arrive early.
I read a study somewhere a long time ago that sorted out the people who were early, on time, and late. The early birds weren't completely present in the moment. They were always guarding their schedule and looking ahead to the next appointment. You wouldn't have their full attention for the entire meeting/event/function.
BUT those who were late could be counted on to focus on you, your event, your meeting, your whatever with everything they had. They wouldn't look ahead to the future because they are all about living in that moment as if nothing else matters. They get caught up in their current situation and that's what leads them to be late.
When my son was in school, I had a problem remembering to pick him up on time because I could get lost in accomplishing whatever task/business/meeting I had at that time. (Yes, I know. Horrible mother. Again...stop laughing.) So, I made a deal with him, if I was 30 minutes late, we'd go to the movie. Right then. No questions asked. I never got another complaint unless I managed to hit the school driveway at 29 minutes. He'd sometimes wave me by so I'd make the block and he could have his movie. And that was okay. It was "our thing."
Please accept my apologies for being late with my blog. And to make it up to you...one lucky winner today can have their choice of any book in the BelleBooks, or Bell Bridge Books catalogues. You just have to tell me which book you want and why in your comments.
Anyone else been embarrassingly late? Are you an on time or a chronically late person? Really late or just a little late? Really early or just a little early.
28 comments:
Which book I want - don't really know enough about either. I came here looking for author from yesterday. I have no idea what you write so I would be glad to accept either - surprise me - that way I could read a new author - and yes this is runon. I could read, write reviews and yet learn about someone I know nothing about. Have a great day.
jrs362 (at) hotmail (dot) com
We've got some of both in my family. My oldest sister is so chronically late that when she was asked to be in weddings, her friends would tell her it was happening an hour earlier than it was scheduled, just so she wouldn't be late for it. Come to think of it, she made me late for *my* wedding!
My daughter seems to take after her aunt (tell me how that happens!) We've left her before and made her drive on her own, to no noticeable effect!
My husband is a too early person. If we are on time exactly he thinks we're late. I've tried to drill in to him that it's just as rude to be too early as too late, but he's always ready to go thirty minutes before we need to leave.
Me, I'm an on time person. Although I'll leave way earlier than necessary if there's driving involved because I'm also direction impaired and like to leave myself time to get lost!
But last summer...sigh. Last summer I was losing my mind. Writing two books and preparing for two weddings. I couldn't remember anything. My niece was having a wedding shower. So I packed away the computer and headed over there for the open house. There weren't very many people there. I felt sort of sorry for her. Where was everyone?
But then I noticed that several people had been there earlier and ordered and left already. That was strange.
I didn't put it together until well after I'd left--I'd had the wrong time. I had been late! Had arrived at the time it was supposed to be over, as a matter of fact.
I was horrified. But I gotta say, stuff like that happened too frequently last summer to be called occasional! When I'm too busy my brain leaks like a sieve!
Squiresj--
Welcome! We're glad you came by!
The links are for a publishing company. So there are a whole bunch of books from which to choose!
And looking at this comment I see that I have to start rationing my exclamation points! Oops.
Kylie-- Oh, you poor thing! Arriving when the event is over just sucks. But when you have two close family weddings in one year I think you get a pass on punctuality and organization in the rest of your life. You had a child and the niece get married, right?
I'm one of those people that, if I'm not five minutes early, I'm late. I would drive me nuts when my daughter left for work five minutes before starting time. She was already late, I'd complain!
My hubby has his own special time-keeping process. I call it Hauf Time. He's always late, and not minutes, but hours. If he calls and says he'll be home around 5, I do the math and come up with about 6:30. But you have to figure in the actual time he's calling at (if it's closer to leaving time, stick with guess, but if early yet, double estimate) and end up with around 7:30. It's complicated. But I think I almost have it mastered. :-)
Okay, how shameful is it that I feel relieved that somebody as together and busy as Deb is chronically late? Obviously, I am, too. I blame it on my late husband, who was the family time keeper. Under his influence I was always on time-- even when he wasn't involved.
Now, I find myself watching the clock and getting sidetracked and still being late-- all when I started an hour early to make certain I would be on time!!! I'd say it has to do with the fact that as we age, more "maintenance" is required. But truthfully, I don't do that much "maintenance."
I honestly think it has to do with the fact that I don't have a lot of time constraints these days. I don't have many appointments or deadlines, so I don't worry about them.
The more I have to do, the more I get done. That apparently goes for punctuality, too. The more I have to be on time, the more I AM on time.
Hi, Debra! I tend to prefer to be early if possible (I think a somewhat traumatic experience from being late for my preschool graduation has really done a number on me ;)) On the other hand, I have a terrible memory so I HAVE forgotten something entirely until after the fact. Hugely embarrassing...
My husband is usually a cut-it-close kind of person... he used to travel a lot so he prefers to time things so he's among the last onto the plane. AACK!! ;)
Oh, and probably Mossy Creek--I've heard great things about the series but haven't picked it up yet!
Michelle-- ROFL! "Hauf time." Love it. I bet my husband has "Deb time." Because the less rigid an event is the later I become. I'm always trying to get one more thing in!
Betina-- Yes, I'm hanging my head in shame. (g) I have to be somewhere at 3:30 tomorrow. Can't be late and I'll be there. But really I don't like running my life by a clock.
My husband's my time-keeper for lots of things. I find myself saying, "I know! I know!" when he sticks his head in the door with that question on his face.
flchen1-- Oh, I'm early for the airport. I like to be settled. I'm usually 5 minutes past my drop-dead "leave for the airport" time but since I get to the airport 2 hours before my flight I'm never actually late for real.
I'm forgetful as heck. You name it, I've forgotten it. If I do happen to remember, then I'm early.
I would Love Bite Me! It sounds great. The blurb is fantastic. I'm into a YA kick lately.
arkiern-- That's interesting. If it hits your radar you're early. I bet there is a pattern in the things you remember.
If you don't happen to win, be sure you get here next Wednesday. Parker Blue will be with us and giving away a copy of BITE ME.
LOL Oh, that's right, I'm supposed to stop laughing. LOL
Must stop, must stop, must stop.
I'm always late too, Deb, and THANK YOU for the insight into why because it's very true, I think. Makes me feel much better.
Now back to my laughing.
Helen-- LOL! You're mean. Just mean. Bad Helen! (g)
Re: Insight
Could have knocked me over with a feather when I read that. It made perfect sense. It may take me a while to work you into my schedule but once I do my focus is going to be 100% on you, for as long as it takes. This knowledge really does help me feel less guilty.
I am usually 10-15 minutes early. I HATE being late.
I would love to have A Gentle Rain by Deborah Smith. It sounds like a great read.
Deb - YOU? Late? Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't it YOU who arrived an entire day early at the airport?
Not that I want to remind anyone of that or anything.
I'm always on time, and a little bit early, usually, to make sure I'm on time. My bro is always late. I don't think to business things, but for family events. We just build it in, and I don't see him that often so it doesn't bug me.
Surfer Guy can often be late because he's promised three people to do six things in the time it would take to do one of them. Such a hoper.
Estella-- I've got your name in the hat for A GENTLE RAIN.
Cindy-- Et tu??
Christy-- I think it's wonderful that Surfer Guy is a "hoper." LOL! That's what I'm going to say the next time hubby comments on my schedule. "I'm just such a hoper, honey."
I very anal about being on time. I always give myself extra time in case there is a delay on the subway. I would love to read "Murder Takes the Cake." I love mysteries.
I am the person that always ends up being late- although I am meticulously organized and have reminders all over the place. Sad, huh? When I have an early morning appointment I wake up hours before and can't go back to sleep, and yet I am always arriving in the nick of time. It's like there is a timewarp somewhere between my house and wherever I am going- every single time. I try, really I do!
I would love to read Diary of a Radical Mermaid. It is becoming a thing with me and my daughter that I turn all the books I read into tales for her. I'm a terrible Once upon a time mom and I never can get all the fairy tales correct, so I started taking characters from my books and making kid adventures for her. She loves mermaids so that's my pick.
My husband is always late. Because he can't stand to WAIT, so if he's late, he doesn't have to.
I'm always early. Legacy of a small-town childhood and the fact that I never want to put anybody out. I'd rather wait than to have someone have to wait on me.
I've gone to many, many things in my life without him. Simpler than me standing there stewing while he does . . . whatever's he's doing.
Susie
Jane-- Ah, extra time. I'm very jealous. I've decided that I over schedule myself and I'm now reclassifying myself as a "hoper" per Christie's post. LOL!
Anna-- I love that you make up stories for your daughter. That's fabulous and she knows these stories are special just for her. What a lovely memory!
Susie-- You crack me up. I can just see you as you leave. "Sorry, dude. Got to go. Hope I see you there." LOL!
Susie's not ALWAYS on time. I seem to remember a lunch ...
'Course we know I'm always late, so there you go.
Knocked me over with a feather ... Deb, that's a bit how I felt when I read what you wrote.
LOL I'm still laughing. You made my whole day.
im ALWAYS late, no matter how early i leave for some place, i get there late
my children cousnlor is now kinda behind cause she knows ill arrive late LOL please enter my name
gypsywitch36@yahoo.com
Helen-- Yes! That brunch/lunch. A certain someone was the last to arrive!
Gypsywitch-- We'll get you entered. I'm going to have my part-timer draw the names tomorrow and I'll post.
Anna & flchen1 are the WINNERS!
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