Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
I used to be fixated with knowing what time it was. You might say I was slave to the clock. I was compulsive about checking my wristwatch and the more concerned I became about time, the more often I looked. I think it was the dark side of time-management.
As I planned my daily activities, it was under the optimistic assumption that each task would proceed ideally and without problems. I was constantly checking the time to see if I was on-track or falling behind. But since real-world realities would eventually overtake my unrealistic time projections, I often ended up feeling pressed and stressed.
As a result of the time so frequently, I could generally tell someone what time it was—plus or minus a few minutes—without looking.
One day I had enough and I quit — cold turkey. I took off my watch for good. I made this decision after being on a delayed flight. I was concerned about making my connection and nervously peered at my watch every few seconds. How absurd! No matter how often I checked, I could not affect the outcome. I would either make the connection or miss it. So why subject myself to this constant stress of worrying about the time?
Yes, I still want to arrive places on time and don't like to make others wait for me, but beyond that time isn't nearly the stress factor in my life that it used to be.
The question, "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" was posed by the rock group Chicago in 1969. In the song's chorus they follow-up their first question with a second, "Does anybody really care?"
That pretty much sums it up for me.
As I planned my daily activities, it was under the optimistic assumption that each task would proceed ideally and without problems. I was constantly checking the time to see if I was on-track or falling behind. But since real-world realities would eventually overtake my unrealistic time projections, I often ended up feeling pressed and stressed.
As a result of the time so frequently, I could generally tell someone what time it was—plus or minus a few minutes—without looking.
One day I had enough and I quit — cold turkey. I took off my watch for good. I made this decision after being on a delayed flight. I was concerned about making my connection and nervously peered at my watch every few seconds. How absurd! No matter how often I checked, I could not affect the outcome. I would either make the connection or miss it. So why subject myself to this constant stress of worrying about the time?
Yes, I still want to arrive places on time and don't like to make others wait for me, but beyond that time isn't nearly the stress factor in my life that it used to be.
The question, "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" was posed by the rock group Chicago in 1969. In the song's chorus they follow-up their first question with a second, "Does anybody really care?"
That pretty much sums it up for me.
Posted by Peter DeHaan at 4/3/2008 3:43 PM 
Categories: Observation
Tags: time Peter DeHaan blog author Peter DeHaan Peter DeHaan Musings Musings of Peter DeHaan
Categories: Observation
Tags: time Peter DeHaan blog author Peter DeHaan Peter DeHaan Musings Musings of Peter DeHaan
I, too, have taken off my watch, and it seems to be for good (and for the good). However, I think that much of that reflects off of carrying a cell phone. I use that as my primary means of finding the time, although I use it much less than I did a watch.
I have heard that the increase in cell phones has given a decline in wrist watches. I think, more than ever, wrist watches are now something to denote class rather than the primary function of stating the time. Moreover, when you figure that those who will buy designer watches are probably work-aholics and are therefore on their "cell phones" (I speak of the "phones" which are now more for anything but speaking, you know, the "It does Internet, AIM, Text messaging, you can keep a calender, notes....oh yeah, and you can talk on it if you really want.") I myself get confused when I am speaking on my cell and need to know the time...I cannot find out the time from my phone when it is being engaged in its true function. As of yet I haven't solved this conundrum completely, but the solution is in the works.
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