being late

fteale · April 2012

I disagree. As somebody who is late ALL THE FREAKING TIME, it has nothing to do with me thinking my time is more valuable, and honestly, I feel REALLY bad when I'm late to things. I agonize over it and stress over it and call/text like a million times. Now, I'm not like a 30 minutes late kinda person, usually like 10 minutes or so, but it seems as though being on time is just one of those things I can almost never do.

Or, here is what happens with me. I know I'm late all the time for something, so I say "ok self, you're leaving way early this time so you can't be late!" So then I get to whatever it is like half an hour early or something. So the next time I say "ok self, you don't need to leave quite as early, but definitely earlier than usual" and somehow, I'm still 10 minutes late. It's usually not so bad if I don't have anybody else to worry about, but if I'm getting myself ready, my 5 year old ready and dropped off somewhere, or something like that...I almost can never get it together and be on time. The only exception where I am NEVER late is when it's something like a doctor's appointment or these 6am meetings we have at my work. But I'm not on time--I'm almost always about 30 minutes early because the paranoia of being late sets in.

Think what you want, but I'm not a selfish person, nor is it any kind of disrespect. It's actually become endearing to my friends and family, because they expect it now. Timing has never been my thing Plus, where I live, traffic is like shooting craps. Ask anybody from Austin and they'll know what I'm talking about. A trip around the corner can take 5 minutes or 30. It's always a gamble!

^^ This. As someone who's frequently late, it's not that I don't care about your time. My problem seems to be chronic underestimating of how long something will take - whether it's getting somewhere or getting ready. Even if it's something I've done a million times. The more things I have to estimate timing for, the more it adds up. Granted, if it's something important and reallllly time dependent than I'll add on a lot more time to my estimate. Adn if I am running late I always let the person know.
But if I'm just saying I should leave at 10am to get my parents house by 11am cause that's what time I told my mom I'd get there to hang out for the day - I will inevitably leave at 10:20. And it takes more than an hour to get to my parents house.

This.

I am unlikely to be friends with anyone who is so uptight they can't deal with me being 10-20 minutes late. It's not rude. It's life. And you know what? I don't know a single person who isn't late at least 50% of the time, even those who claim they are never late. Those people are just less honest with themselves about it.
My father says time is tyranny, and I agree. Sometimes life gets in the way of artificial time constraints. I don't even wear a watch.

fteale · April 2012

I advise you to stay away from Spain, then!

And Italy.

So true. I spent most of my childhood in Italy. Perhaps this is why I am very relaxed about time.

k8blujay2 · April 2012

i kinda dig your new loop!

The loop/tollways are pretty great if you live outside the city like in Buda, Round Rock, Cedar Park or somewhere and have to commute into the city or vice versa, but if you live and work in Austin...well...the loop is useless. I'm just SO thankful I don't have to take 35 to work or to get my son to school. My poor bf works right off 35 in downtown Austin---what is really a 5 mile drive takes him about 45 minutes every morning

What is it about 35 that just kills traffic? Oh and SH360 is just as bad during rush hour... my DH had a job interview and mistakenly took 360... I think he was a few minutes late... He would have been later had I not navigated him through the city streets.

360 ugh! ok pretty much traffic sucks in DFW. I think 20 is the only freeway that is ok-ish.

And 287 from about sublett to wax. Isn't bad most of the time either. Oh. Speaking of traffic (as in sublett/camp wisdom and 360) I am hearing rumors of an HEB on camp wisdom and 360.

christine24t · April 2012

I hate when people are late. I think it's a sign of disrespect towards the other person, like your time is more important. Don't get me wrong i understand traffic, or things like that.

Gotta agree. My old best friend and her family were perpetually late and I hated it. It was sooooo rude.
And some of my friends now are late too. We'll want to go to the bar at 11:00, don't end up there til 11:30. Frustrating, but as long as they make it to normal events on time which they do I'm good with

venus_blue · April 2012

It's not always because someone is inconsiderate, some people just have faulty inner clocks and don't realize where they stand in regards to time or they have poor planning ability because of reasons that are, essentially, beyond their control. I used to stress a lot because I was chronically late., Ever since I was a kid I was made to feel like I was being rude or whatever because of it. It was NEVER a sign of disrespect or because I thought my time was more important. The reality is that I have ADD, which makes it hard for me to gauge time and plan accordingly. Because of my ADD I find it difficult to know how much time something will take, how much time has passed or how much time I have spent doing something unless I am watching the clock. These days I set alarms for EVERYTHING to help me stay on track and be on time, it has helped a lot. I now show up early for most stuff. Like wait outside the doctors office for half an hour because they aren't open yet early. Sucks for me, but I just bring along a book or something to pass the time. Luckily I have some friends and family who know I have ADD and give me some leeway just in case.

MrDude_1 · April 2012

I thought this thread was going to be about some chick and her period.

from what I have skimmed on this thread it wasn't far from that.

^LOL!

thank you.
atleast someone appreciates my humor.

the rest of you, dont bother.. because you're too late.

Skeemer118 · April 2012

Having a baby is God's joke on punctual people. LOL

I was ALWAYS on time before the little man came along.

Roadie2000 · April 2012

I can't stand when people are late. When somebody says they will come over at a specific time I expect them to be there. When they show up 30-45 minutes late, that is 30-45 minutes I could have spent running errands, walking the dog, sleeping, whatever. But instead I am home waiting for them, because I have learned to manage my time well and I have finished doing everything I need to do, even if I need to rush or sacrifice a few things, I make sure I'm there when they say they will be there. All it takes is a quick text or phone call to let me know a more accurate time.

10acity · April 2012

Tardiness is a huge pet peeve of mine, too. I always just think, you have a clock? yes? Okay then.

I have two sisters and they are both always late for everything. It drives me CRAZY. I generally run 15 mins early. I'm more laid back when it's a hangout type of situation, but even then, anything more than 10-15 mins is rude. Being late stresses me out too much-- it's not worth it!

In one of my favourite quick reads, the main character has it explained to her that being late tells the people you're meeting that they don't matter. I've always remembered that.

damerdar · April 2012

I was always told "If you're on-time then you are late, and if you are early then you are on-time."
Or, alternatively: "A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to."

missjojo31 · April 2012

I'm rarely late, if i am its cos im ill and cant be bothered moving so fast, more often than not im early.

WhittRak · April 2012

I always arrive ten minutes early. ALWAYS!

Redheadllena · April 2012

I clearly don't belong in America. Everyone's so uptight about time here, as you all have proven. I belong in a Latin nation- for example, Venezuela. I remember one time when I was visiting there, we were told the bus would come pick up our group at 11am. Didn't get there until 2pm and no one cared because we had fun in the meantime. Time is so relative imo, and people need to relax- no need to be a "ticking time bomb"

being late

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