I’m one of those people who are anal about time.
If you say 10 o’clock, you mean 10 o’clock. Not 3 past ten. Not quarter past. And absolutely NOT 20 past or later.
This doesn’t work well, given my in-laws, who are perpetually late. Consistently an hour and a half. But they are taking my tanties on board, and they’ve cut it down to exactly 35 minutes on the dot.
One of my “things” for this year, was to be a bit more relaxed about time. Not get so stressed and worked up about it. I still object to people being late – espeically without communication – but I find that I am always early or on time for things and have to sit around waiting for everyone else to turn up.
And I’m left feeling a bit … odd. Should I be helping the host with setting things up? Should I be bieng a guest?
So, aside from meetings, things I’m hosting myself and other situations that require punctuality, I have taken on being 5 minutes late to things. Like barbeques and children’s birthday parties.
But I can’t help it. Its pathological.
I had a child’s birthday party to attend – with my kids, obviously – which was a good hour’s drive away. I forced myself to leave 10 minutes after the scheduled departure time. I even took my time getting the kids buckled in.
And yet …. I still managed to turn up to the party right on time.
