…with Gary Moss

There are a very wide range of attitudes about the ways that people view and use TIME.

Are you an early person or a late person? It could determine the set of people that you can comfortably interact with on a regular basis.

I am an ‘early bird’. I have been that way for as long as I can remember. My mom and her two sisters were that way too. My best guess is that, from early on, I was trained to be early. Typically, I arrive at work and meetings and the movies and at scrabble clubs 15 – 30 minutes before things begin. I do not judge others for not being as early as me; I do judge others harshly for being late. The same people carry the same excuses; they should just wear signs around their necks instead of wasting more of my time with the same explanations.

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt the first time that you are late. After that I take it as a personal F You.

My expectations of the women that have passed through my life have been a little more relaxed. But, waiting for others has always been very annoying for me, especially because it requires me to risk being late, simply because I was waiting for someone else.

The earliest that I have arrived at any function is 1 week and 30 minutes early. It was many years ago for the wedding of Joan Friedman. The 1 week part was because I misread the invitation and got there in full dress on the week prior to the nuptials. Then on the correct day I was 30 minutes early for the wedding.

I have been late a few times, usually due to road construction or an accident that closes lanes. When I know that I am running late I always call and let others who are expecting me know that I may be tardy. I feel really guilty if and when I am late; I apologize profusely.

When playing kitchen table scrabble, one game can sometimes take all day. Players who only play a few times a year with family at holiday times don’t really know how to play the game. They are usually just sitting there searching for impressive words to play. They are usually not thinking about defense and word placement. They usually do not know many of the 2-Letter-Words that enable players to hook and find a home for their longer words on the board. They’ll complain if I use a strange word that is commonly seen at clubs (something like ‘aalii’.) All that is okay with me. It’s a different kind of game.

In competitive scrabble, TIME is one of the factors of the game. Time-Clocks are used to level the playing field and keep the game moving along. Each player begins the game with 25 minutes for their entire portion of the game. If they use more than 25 minutes, prior to the game’s end, the player or players that go overtime are assessed a harsh penalty, losing 10 points for every minute or fraction of a minute. It behooves players to pace themselves and finish the game in a timely matter.

What is your relationship with TIME?

While you are waiting enjoy a cup of tea.

If you are in the market for a scrabble time-clock for your game, do I have a clock for you.
CLICK HERE