seeing time

One way Flylady has changed me is in the way I see time. 

First of all, I no longer see hours.  I see sets of 15 minutes.  For example, "I am meeting friends at 2, and it is now almost 12:30.  That means I have 6 sets of 15 minutes.  That means I can get 5 things done and take a little 'me time' too." 

I didn't even realize this had changed until this morning when I was going to the breakfast stand and thought, "alright, I have 8 sets of 15 min; what am I going to get done this morning?" 

Another thing that has changed about how I think about time is I no longer think about the arriving time--I only think about the departing time.  When my friend asked me, when are you going to be here, I answered with "I will leave here are 4:45.  So, I should be there between 5 and 5:30."  This way I don't have to feel guilty about heavy traffic and rush to get there at a very specific time.  All I need to do is be faithful and leave at 4:45.  So, how does this work with other things that start at a specific time? 

Well, since I live in Taiwan, I don't have to worry too much with appointments.  At many doctors' offices we are given numbers, and I know approx. when number 42 should be called so I will just leave my house at a certain time.  If I am there and he is still at 30, its ok because I brought something to do.  If I am there and he is on number 48, its ok because the nurse will work me in next.  (At other doctors' offices they don't have "appointment numbers," I just show up and know I will be seen within about 15 minutes.) 

So, here in Taiwan, the only thing I really have to show up at a certain time for is class.  (And even that is relative as most teachers just show up within the first 10 minutes of class after the bell.)  However, I still do my "I will leave here by . . ." thing for school to.  I know I live a 5 minute walk from school, so I just tell myself that I will leave 15 minutes before I need to be at school. 

Thus, on my calender, I have leave times, not arrive times written down.  This has made a world of difference for me.  (I'm not sure if this last thing is a "flylady" thing, but it changed as I became a flybaby--so I'm still giving her credit for changing this in me.)

Oops, I have now gone over into my next 15 minute block by 2 minutes.  I gotta jet for now.  Off to do some room rescuing!!