Erg, the whole "on time" thing....
I had to carefully train my family to view me as unreliable and unpunctual just so they would leave me alone about timing and not stick their noses into my business every time I was 2 minutes late.
So I stopped to talk to a neighbor on my way back, none of your business! I don't want to have to recount the whole conversation to you!
So I took a detour and picked up the applesauce my grandparents asked for, why do I have to tell you?
So my boss's kids came to work and I helped them make a snowman after work, but my telling you about my day should be a voluntary choice on my part, a gift of knowledge and sharing I give you, it should not be a right you demand from me.
So there was some downed branches on the road after the windstorm and I paused to haul them off the street and sidewalk -do I need you to critique my choice? No. I don't.

I wrestled a lot with the choice because who wants to be seen as unreliable? But I could not stand the lack of privacy and I couldn't seem to get them to even acknowledge that this was an invasion of my privacy, so that's what I ended up going with.

Now when I'm late they don't think anything of it. I'm seen as "she'll do what you ask her for but she'll do it in her own time" and I'm okay with that.

If you "trained" them then it has become expected unpuctuality.

I have a dear friend who is never on time. Never ever.
She has a date at 8, she starts thinking about what she's gonna wear at 8:05 xD
I'm used to her and I do not suffer because she's late.

My pares are super punctual. So is my husband.
If they are not on time I automatically worry.

Yes.
But, see, ideally?
Ideally, I would like the freedom to be on time, but without having to face an inquisition for the exceptions to that.

It's just... that doesn't seem to be an option.

You either have to make a habit of being late so you don't get questioned and people don't panic, or you can be on time, but then you have to put up with the third degree (where does that phrase come from, anyhow? 3rd degree? What?) if you happen to be late.

I guess so.
We all in my family are the same way, so I guess we understand each others :D

I remember when I started going out at night.
All my friends asked permission to go out until 3 AM, for example. Then I would tell my parents I would not be back home til 4 AM.
Because I knew my friends meant to be late, and their parents would not freak out but mine would!

Heh, fair enough.
My family was inconsistent with their reactions so I couldn't adjust properly without going to extremes like I ended up doing.
Sometimes they'd be fine with showing up half an hour late.
Sometimes if you were running 10 minutes behind, they'd rouse the neighbours for a search party.
And there didn't seem to be any logic as to what would trigger it or not!
So I had to just train them to expect the time estimates to always be off.

I guess if they were consistent then I could have chosen differently. Ah well.

We don't choose our families xD

So, so true.


Aaargh lunch break is almost over, I have to get back to work. But it's so tempting to stay late because when someone else is on to talk to, the post count is so much easier, and I really am not comfortable with such a low donut count....

no. Work. Tax forms do not wait!

I should be grading exams too, just decided to take a break... and it's larger than expected because of the caravan

I just spent almost all my donuts, but I could buy the shirt I was after in all colors

My family tends to be late to everything but only them can be late, not me. If I'm late and make them wait even a single second I was belittled like you wouldn't believe. So usually I ended up being ready before everyone else and then got scolded for "having an attitude". Yeah sorry for being annoyed I have to wait for you when you wouldn't do the same for me.
My ex too would get out of the house when I told him I was at the station waiting for him. Should have believed the red flag it was. But well, at least he's an ex XD

Looks like I have a lot to say on the subject XD

i like being punctual. if i'm not, i tend to stress or get anxious over it. >n<

however, if i end up knowing i'll be SUPER late, then i'll just stop worrying about it and just be like "eh, it happens"........xD;; i dunno why i'm so weird that way.