Hi, my name is Christie, and I am obsessive-compulsive. (Hi, Christie).
Bet you didn't know that.
Lately, I have been thinking about another facet of my ever-so-slight OCD (stop laughing). It is definitely not the worst of my many quirks, but is still something that drives the Husband a little batty. And that is the fact that I am incapable of showing up late to ANYTHING.
I think my eye just started twitching thinking about it.
It literally pains me if I am late to anything. Pains me. I just cannot be late. The Husband moans and groans every Sunday when we arrive 20 minutes early to church. But I cannot, and will not, sit in the back, so early we must be.
I have developed a bad habit of moving the time ahead on our clocks in order to trick my family into thinking they are late, thus making them rush a little more to get out the door. Imagine their delight when we get into the car, and surprise! We're not late at all. We're early. (Some in our family don't find this to be a good surprise. Cough*husband*cough).
The only problem is that now I have no idea what the real time is because I've moved every clock around by so many minutes. I have become terrified I will actually BE late when going somewhere, and so I combat that by moving the clocks MORE ahead.
I know, I need help.
Next spring, at daylight savings, do not be surprised if our clocks don't have to change at all.
Do any of you do this? Or am I standing all alone out here on my big crazy platform?
Probably. But that's all right.
At least I won't be late for all those therapy sessions I'm going to need.
56 comments:
Why, hello, soul sister! I am the meanest (I MEAN MEANEST!) mom if we are even one minute late. I can not stand it. We are always at church 15 minutes (at least) early. I can not stand late people. It absolutely drives me batty. SOOOO disrespectful. I have very strong feelings about this one. Oh, you've got me riled up. I can't talk about it without my blood pressure going through the roof.
You can imagine what it is like in this house to get out on time when you look at the type of kids I have. Derick has GOT to be the slowest thing on 2 legs. It's just not pretty around here when we're going somewhere.
I may not show respect to my family, but I certainly don't disrespect those I am meeting by being late. :-)
I'm like this too, but sometimes frustrate myself by being late.
you are definitely NOT alone! this is exactly my method, as well! none of our clocks say the same time at any given moment in our house, or cars, for that matter! i hate being late, but the husband doesn't share the same loathing for lateness that i do! he's helped me and i've helped him meet in the middle! i am less anal about being early for certain things because of him!
my poor kids get yelled at the most when we are trying to get somewhere! i really should start the leaving process 15 minutes earlier just so i don't resort to yelling!
I was like that. I hate being late (for most things), but I don't particularly like being really early either. Right on time (except for church. Nothing riles me up like people walking in after the Sacrament. Our clocks were all sorts of jumbled until my parents came to visit a few too many times. My mom hated not knowing what time it really was, so all the clocks are now exactly on time.
I don't think there is ANYTHING wrong with being early or on time. It's not OCD, it's polite! :0) It's also one of my biggest pet peeves. Love your clocks!
Oh, I'm with you on the OCD thing...you're not crazy..unless we're both crazy & just...don't...realize...or...admit...it...
hee hee
Another layer to the Stie OCD..
this time, I'm with you-
I have the exact same quirk. Looks like we could start a club considering the other comments.
I completely think it depends on how you were raised (tell me if I'm wrong here). My mom is SUCH a "we have to be early" type of mom. I think she brainwashed me into her timely ways. But because of that it so irritates me when other people are late. For some reason all of my closest friends are ALWAYS late. You know that kind- "Late but worth the wait" on their car plates. OHHHHH that just grates on my last nerve. I think it's so inconsiderate. And I have forced my Josh to the darker side. He used to hate it but now he's more my way. And his whole fam is so not that way.
I guess after your last post, being late seems like a drop in the bucket (in the grand scheme of things it is). But day to day it really bugs.
I know you're not alone on your big crazy platform, but, sadly, I can't join you on this quirk. I would be driving you crazy with my lateness--or my never, ever earlyness. Sigh. I know...it's terrible.
I've tried setting the clock faster, but then I know I did, so it doesn't work for me.
Must run in the family. I've yet to change the clocks, but I make Joe get up WAY earlier than he'd like to on Sunday mornings. When we were in Tennessee, my dad told us that we had to have our AIS by 8:15 for 9:00 church...we were sort of confused, so he said it meant a part of our anatomy in the seat of the car at 8:15. With him around, we are NEVER late. He insists on being to the airport WAY TOO EARLY, too. Better early than late, I guess.
This is a BIG one for me. I am never late either. We arrive between 15 and 20 minutes early for church. When people are amazed that I am ready and there early with my kids (since husband is again in bishopric) I sometimes get on a soap box. Hello? Why would I be late just because the husband isn't helping to get kids ready? I get kids ready every morning by myself. There is NO excuse for being late with 1pm church anyway. NO excuse. I am very unpopular when I say that but its true. Our ward boundaries are small. It takes roughly 7 minutes to get to church. No excuses.
But back to the question. My clocks are just a couple minutes fast. If I do them too fast then I end up WAY too early to stuff and I"m a bit miffed by that.
In high school (and sadly college) I was late to EVERYTHING. And didn't really care. Then, I married Kendon. You could be very happily married to "Mr. leave for church 30 minutes early. No fail." And, now, I can not stand to be late. It makes me very anxious and yes, I too think it is disrespectful. All my clocks are on time and the same because it bugs me when they are not RIGHT. My MIL has her clocks all set differently by up to thirty minutes. Drives me nutso!
I hate to be late as well, and I am very seldom late. If I am having people over and no one is here 5 minutes early then I start to panic.
And, while my clocks are all different times it isn't because they are all set fast. :)
OCD is a very comfortable place to be.
and now, all day, i'm going to feel agitated because all your clocks do not read the same time. i like all mine to be within 2 seconds of each other. occasionally we'll do a clock check, where everyone positions themselves in front of a clock, and has to yell out when theirs reads "12:05". they must all change to 12:05 within 2 seconds of each other, or we will reset.
i totally made that up.
but it would be awesome if i really did it.
Many times I am on time. Now and then,... I am early and MORE times than not, I am late. I just am. I have let the stress go- I cannot take that kind of internal boiling any longer- so I let it go. Then I say, "hey guys, sorry I am late." They say, "no problem". I know deep down they are thinking I am disrespectful, I know, I know. But, I am doing the best I can. That is why I let it go. (And many times my bed is unmade when I leave). Clearly I don't have any of your same OCD things, much to Eric's chagrin. Why do opposites attract again?
I do like your setting the clocks ahead method. It works for me, too. Also, I like your clocks. Very cute indeed.
Devon insists that all of our clocks be set fast, but it drives me crazy. I am constantly subtracting in my head trying to figure out the real time so I know exactly how much time I really have left until I need to be ready and leave. I don't think it helps any of us to be early to anything...we're still late. It would probably work if I wasn't always subtracting in my head and went by the time said on the clock.
you are so hilarious! You are not alone in the OCD department. However, my OCD is making sure they are all set at the EXACT SAME time. I will stand at one clock until it changes to the minute, and then I will set the other. Stupid. Don't you love OCD?
My husband would never buy that - he has his beeper on him at all times and that is his watch - doesn't matter what the house clocks read. And, he is late for EVERYTHING but one thing - work - where he is NEVER LATE. Our bedroom clock is fast, which drives me crazy because it sometimes makes me late b/c I think I have more time than I really do. So it doesn't work for me.
Define crazy...I don't like being late either but I have yet to change the clocks. It's a good idea though. Just make sure your wrist watch is the correct time and you'll be set-unless you don't wear it to bed...I'm no help-sorry!
I have had to taper off on my "time OCD" with all my little kids. I used to DIE without a watch on, and now I don't even know where one is...
I have learned that I am going to be late to a lot of things because someone poops EVERYTIME I am on my way out the door. (3 in diapers, remember?)
I have had to learn to deal with it through medication and a lot of banging my head against the wall.
Just kidding.
You are crazy.
My kids have sucked the OCD right out of me. I used to never be without a watch and now? I just realized the battery had stopped I put it on anyway.
I don't set ahead, I need every minute I can get, but it drives me NUTSO if the clocks change at different times. Especially in the kitchen. The microwave, oven and radio all must switch times at the same nano second or I will stand there and wait for one to change so I can correct the other. Same with the clocks on each side of my bed. Because how can it be 6:00 on one side of the bed and 6:01 on the other?
Oh-- and I would LOVE any books you can suggest... thanks!
I like to be "comfortably early" to church...but I am more like a "slide in on the dot" kinda patient at the doctor's office. (I hate the waiting room with my kids.)
Often I will arrive early and sit in the car until 2 minutes prior.
The different clocks would drive Jake insane. He goes around synchronizing.
And are you an Opa/Oma kinda airport lady? (4 hours early for a flight!) Or a Brad kinda traveler? (Your goal is to walk right into the airport and onto the plane...never sitting down once.)
Yes, I do this too. The clock in the car is a little fast, but I have the opposite problem to you. I am very often late, so if the clock is fast, I know the real time a few minutes behind, making me feel less hurried in the car. Reverse psychology.
Because I never want to miss out on ANYTHING, I hate to be late -and I'm not- to events (church, kids plays, movies), but it's hard with meetings and stuff like that cause you know everyone else is going to be late and I HATE wasting time. I really try to be on time/early(because I agree: so super rude)) but since I am all about doing-one-more-thing efficiency, I am everywhere usually 3 minutes late. Seriously. Never enough to be noticeably rude, but never on the dot. (There's always a lost shoe, or a diaper change, or something.)
i DO set my clocks ahead! And I am such a forgetful person that this ends up tricking ME, too.
I want a bit of your OCD. Will you share? It would do me good.
I think I'm in need of help, too, because it pained me just thinking of a house with clocks that read different times. Seeing all of them at the top of your post - eek! I had to look away! :)
i admire that in you...i always "want" to be early, but, it usually happens that i'm just barely on time or late...i've improved in my old age, but, still not good...my dad always called me 'slow jo'...
Yes, I'm the one you hate. My husband has the time OCD. I do have a thing about 12:34...my favorite time of day.
My husband does that to the clocks so that I'm not running late.
We are almost always on time for church. But family parties?? Nope. We're usually about 15 minutes late. And I have to admit that it's sort of on purpose simply because NO ONE gets there on time and if you do happen to get there on time you're stuck doing all the work because the one hosting it is also running late.
My husband's family has lunch now and then with all the girls. I am ALWAYS on TIME because we meet at a restaurant. About half of the people show up not 10 minutes late, not even 20, but 30-45 minutes late while the rest of us are sitting there waiting to order. And I had to get a sitter and I'm just waiting for them to show up. It's really annoying.
Boy... I vented on you. I apparently needed to get that out!
unfortunately for me i cannot join you in the pleasure of saying i am never late. i am the worst at time management and if i did set the clocks to make me early the law of lisa would still find a way to make me late. of this i have no doubt. you think you have an ocd problem? i wish i had that problem!
totally the same way, especially fast are the clocks in the bedroom and bathroom... the funny part is i know how fast they are, but it still tricks me into getting ready faster. i hate late people as well... the person who relieves me at work is ALWAYS 20 minutes late... she calls every day at the time she is suppose to be there and says i'm on my way i'm almost there. uh no your not, your 20 minutes away, be honest and give me a break... if your always 20 minutes late wake up 20 minutes earlier. oooh i didn't realize i was so angry about that... oh well. your not alone.
I hate to be late but I am not OCD about it. What I was OCD about was waking up on time. Back when I worked in early-morning radio, I was soooo paranoid about missing my call-time that I had two alarm clocks - one battery operated and one I plugged into the wall.
Like father, like daughter
Recently my husband cleaned out my car before we went on our 12-day road trip back home. Very sweet. What was not so cool was that he switched the car clock from 10 min. fast to only be 5 min. fast. It pretty much messed me up the whole vacation. I didn't even realize it til we were on the way home. Time...
I only WISH I were as punctual as you!
Hey, I'm tagging you for a meme. :-)
I have this weird problem that all of my clocks have to read the same exact time. You know how Andrea was joking about making everyone change her clocks to say 12:05 at the same exact time...well, if I come home and the electricity has gone off and the clocks are blinking the wrong time I have to run around and fix it and make sure they all say the same exact time. Sad...it makes me bonkers if they don't match.
Your house looks like Capt. Hook's worst nightmare.
Gah,I simply don't have the time to waste being 20 minutes early to church. On time, yes, possibly 5 minutes early but 20 minutes? Please! There aren't enough hours in the day as it is...
WOW. You wouldn't like me very much...although good intentions. I am late more than I like to admit. Most of the time we scream in right on the nose. I hate waiting rooms, and, well, waiting.
OCD'ers UNITE!
Oh you have got my ticket sister! LOL!
I think it's funny that you don't know the real time now...cause every once in a while, I look at my computer clock in the corner to see what time it really is!
None of my clocks in my house are right either...drives the men in the house all in sane. And wouldn't you know it I live with Mr. Tortoise and his son!
Loved your clocks too!
My dad would be so sad to know we are always a minute or two late for church. But that is seriously due to my husband who always gets in the shower 30 minutes before church begins. When Dan is out of town on a weekend (rare), me and the boys are early for church.
I hate being late but I always seem to run late. Maybe I need to fix my clocks too...
Well, that was the end of a beautiful could-a-been friendship. I am sad to say that I am a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl. I intend to slide into heaven too, life's too fun to sit quietly waiting for something to happen. (I believe one minute before is on time, so technically, I do make it on time, most of the time.)
Only the clock by my bed. Need I say more?
wow, you're weird.
just kidding. that was just for shock effect. love your posts! :)
Elise (Becky's sister)
My watch is 2 minutes early, and I like it that way.
Fortunately, Mike and I are both anal about being punctual, and so is Christopher. B boy, however, lives in another world. A sllllooooooowwwwwww world. Drives me crazy.
Heidi
We are sooooo right there with you on the time in the house. They are ALLL different! Very funny!
I don't like to be late. Doesn't always stop me from being late, but the effort is there. And I am in no way a fast-paced person....but my 13 year old...I swear if she moved any slower she'd be going backward!
I come from an OCD family and we are never ever late. But, I married a late person who comes from a late family. I have let it just about send me over the edge these past 10 years and am finally coming to the realization that I just have to tell them that we are meeting 1.5 hours earlier than I really expect. Also, I just show up late to their functions so that I don't have to have any internal torment. It's not all better, but I have saved my sanity and my soul, a little.
I have a slight OCD problem too, but it's not as bad as any of my sisters' so I feel superior.
Loved meeting you at Blogapalooza :)
My husband does the "move the clock ahead" trick. The problem is, we all know the clock is 5 minutes fast, so we just look at the time and take 5 minutes off, thus effectively allowing us to continue being late to EVERYTHING. It has made my already suffering concept of time even more off balance, because I can't trust the clock. Every where I go, I look at the clock and think: "Eh. It'll give me 5 more mintues." Very bad.
I don't move the clocks ahead, but we are always on time, and usually early. Especially to church. We're a third row family. If I have to sit in back, there's no point in going!
I'm worse for movies. I arrive at the movie theater 1/2 an hour early. Always. I like finding my own seat without stepping over people and needing to sit in the front. I'm fortunate that my husband humors me.
My kids have learned too. We were running out the door to go to school one morning and I jokingly said, "Hurry up, we're going to be late!" My son looked at me and replied, "Mom, we're never late. It's not acceptable!" Amen.
Seeing that I am the 53rd comment on this thing, I wonder if I have this "on time" OCD dilemna?!
Yet another dum post by Christie, but allow me to sing...
"Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care"
Ok, "hating" late people is a little strong. If that's the worst thing to deal with in life...count it a blessing. On the other hand, being late makes me crazy & stressed, but yet I find myself sliding in under the wire or a little late. For those of you who think we "tardies" are disrespectful, trust me, we don't mean it that way. Sure you may have some who are subconsciously ego-maniacs & don't think of others, but lots of us seem to live Murphy's Law. I can be ready to leave 30 or more minutes early, & one kid will have to make 15 min. bathroom stop, something will get spilled, or some crisis will come up.
Another reason: I seriously try to pack too many chores, errands, and/or activities into my alloted time. Instead of faster clocks, I need an assistant to time manage & schedule my time more realistically.
Oh yeah, buy one of those "atomic" clocks from Sam's. (I think that is what they call them.) They set their own time by satellite. That way you have 1 clock w/the "real" time!
you can resynchronize your world at http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Central/d/-6/java
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