Tempus fugit and tempus repit
by AB Plum
What day is today?
A friend recently wrote me she’s
thinking the above question is a good book title considering our current
shelter-in-place practices.
thinking the above question is a good book title considering our current
shelter-in-place practices.
I’ll admit, it’s the first question I
ask myself every morning while still in bed.
ask myself every morning while still in bed.
Actually, as soon as I wake up, I
turn the question into a statement:
turn the question into a statement:
Today is Tuesday, April 14, 2020.
Years ago, many doctors took the
ability to accurately state current daily information as a good sign of brain
health. So … I like to hit all the germane calendar considerations:
·
DOW
DOW
·
month
month
·
date
date
year
TOD doesn’t bother me so much. I’m sheltering in place and
don’t need to go anywhere or do anything on an arbitrary timeline. A daily shaft
of sunshine through the blinds helps orient me to the hour within thirty or
forty minutes.
don’t need to go anywhere or do anything on an arbitrary timeline. A daily shaft
of sunshine through the blinds helps orient me to the hour within thirty or
forty minutes.
Back in my school days, child-rearing days, corporate-work
days, thirty or forty minutes made a huge difference in managing my day.
days, thirty or forty minutes made a huge difference in managing my day.
Or so I thought.
Never arriving late carried a certain … virtuousness.
Arriving early put me on the path for sainthood.
Arriving early put me on the path for sainthood.
Like most humans driven by the minutes flying by, I
expected the same obsession about time from friends, family, and co-workers
because I definitely believed in cramming 48 hours of activities into a day. (I
was adept at multi-tasking. Sleep was overrated.)
expected the same obsession about time from friends, family, and co-workers
because I definitely believed in cramming 48 hours of activities into a day. (I
was adept at multi-tasking. Sleep was overrated.)
Or so I thought.
Writing full time changed my thoughts about time. Freed me
up. Allowed me to get lost in the timeless joy of creating stories.
up. Allowed me to get lost in the timeless joy of creating stories.
Productivity wasn’t the goal. I felt just as satisfied producing
one page a day as turning out fifteen. Writing at all hours of the day and
night opened up new A-HAs and fun challenges.
one page a day as turning out fifteen. Writing at all hours of the day and
night opened up new A-HAs and fun challenges.
Balance soon became a problem. I didn’t live in a yurt in
Outer Mongolia. My network of friends and family mattered. They wanted to know
about this new adventure/career/paradigm shift. And though I never worried
about burnout, I did worry about sitting in the attic, hunched over my vellum
in the wee hours, with bats flying in the belfry while I tried to recall:
Outer Mongolia. My network of friends and family mattered. They wanted to know
about this new adventure/career/paradigm shift. And though I never worried
about burnout, I did worry about sitting in the attic, hunched over my vellum
in the wee hours, with bats flying in the belfry while I tried to recall:
· DOW
·
month
month
·
date
date
·
year
year
My calendar lies in my closed desk
drawer. No need to review the week every Sunday evening and then in the morning
on each day of the week. I still paste Post-Its on my computer as reminders,
but I’ve cut way back on the number of those visual memory-aids.
drawer. No need to review the week every Sunday evening and then in the morning
on each day of the week. I still paste Post-Its on my computer as reminders,
but I’ve cut way back on the number of those visual memory-aids.
What day is today?
It’s a new day. A day when the number
of coronavirus cases are still rising. But a day when I can go outside for a
walk. A day when I realize how little I need and how much I have.
of coronavirus cases are still rising. But a day when I can go outside for a
walk. A day when I realize how little I need and how much I have.
“I wish it need not have
happened in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so
do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we
have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
― The Fellowship of the Ring
happened in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so
do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we
have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
― The Fellowship of the Ring
**** AB Plum lives and writes in Silicon Valley, setting for her latest mystery series, featuring Ryn Davis, a character who never sleeps.
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