Re:Iteration, Re-Admission: "It's about (damn) Time" - Some(one) A-Miss

(Over)time, (Under)stated: I was reminded, nudged, by a reader yesterday of this blog, yesterday's post re-garding "Re:calibrating", the implications, ramifications for a particular time of the day, week, year, or even a (miss)step in your aspirational journey. I was reminded -- no, humbled to admit, I had (under)estimated, understated, at least underrepresented the critical importance of timekeeping, being on time...showing up...even though, if this reader had gone back far enough in time, they would see I have talked about "Timekeepers" more than once, a tacit indication of my appreciation for this precious commodity (one of the "Big Three" I have brought to you so many times you have probably lost...count). But here, today, in the form of an addendum (that teachers sometimes allow if you've realized an oversight, underwrite), I make this submission, an admission that I need to pay a bit more homage to those who pay attention, keep time, in order to be on time...for "whatever"...

"Take a seat" It's what those who greet us upon arrival, might say, whether we are on time and they are simply inviting us in or, in the case of "J" (HIPPA compliance here) who, upon being admitted to a particular college, an "institution of higher learning" (where the cost of admission, tuition had caused us all to re-calibrate how we were going retain our seats), became the perennial 'late comer' -- "better late than..." was his calling...Upon arrival, knowing after the first day, given students' (and subjects in research in social psych.)  psychological proclivity across domains to reside in the same seat day after day, I no longer needed a seating chart to keep track of who is who, who is participating, raising hands, surfing... And once this "Jonny-come-lately" finally arrived, I knew I could now proceed with my daily instruction the topic at hand, the point on the syllabus I should be on, after even casually, in my head, taking...

Attendance, counting on YOU: "90% of success is just showing up" or so we were told, (miss)led...this, along with "You'll get 10% if you simply write your name on the paper...legibly" (the latter a tacit acknowledgement regarding the recent decline in neatness, the gradual loss of appreciation, even the lost art of "cursive"😞). In my undergraduate and even graduate courses I offered a small bonus if the students could also write the name of the current president of the University, my own little attempt to make them more aware and appreciative of where part of the price of admission was going...Teachers and school administrators have certainly become more aware of the importance of having every seat filled, pre- and post- CV, given how schools, teachers in particular are re-imbursed for their efforts, the annual tabulation which has been periodically re-calibrated..."Student Count Day!" a day where..."We're counting on you" (note home to parents) "to get Johnny to school" (at least for this day...) or, "if your child just has the sniffles, I have extra Kleenex..." (a lot of teachers have otherwise discontinued the practice of "perfect attendance awards, given the push of some parents to send them to school regardless and the run on Kleenex) "And if we get 100% there will be an all-school bash!" (I have yet to see, at least realize this last letter). All this, to off-set those who under-appreciate, mis-calculate...

Time, Keepers - Watch Out: The ones we readily see these days, the so-called 'smart' ones, the ones that not only keep time, but track everything, every body, sometimes even when you are 'unawares' (like when you are changing yours, underwear). Watches that even double as something we can receive and send on. So there's never, these days, ever, a call, cause for the type of individual that even "Johnny" surpasses, the "No call, No Show-ers"!!! The ones that don't even bother to give notice, whose lack of attendance may become cause for detention, suspension, even re-tention😖. But who, given their "What-me-worry?" attitude may not even give notice. This, in stark contrast to a grandson, who upon being gifted with the watch he requested on his birthday list, began timing everything and everybody, which gave rise to him decrying "Why do I have to wait for everyone?!" (a turnabout), followed closely in time, a few hours later by "how do I turn this thing off?!" My off-handed, ready-made response, blithe by reply: "well, you can't really stop time, but you can change the mode with this button, and there's also a snooze feature..." In end, of course, or if you don't even start, this feature gave rise to a meme for those who don't: "You snooze...😪😒"

BTW: As a 'show' of appreciation for those who have bothered to show up here, for what I wrote while working what you might title 'over time' on your behalf (commercial interlude: "what motivates us to show up , to get up before the dawn...?" brought to you by "Sunny Health and Fitness"), while quoting the whole text of Lizzo's big hit regarding "Time" might actually result in your re-moval from class, if your teacher would only allow you tell the whole story, they would become well-informed, if not enlightened, that prior to re-leasing the album "Special" she (AKA "Melissa" who was, in grade school, classically trained as a flutist) felt something was a-miss-ing, which gave rise to the hit single, garnishing her with lots of attention and almost guaranteed seat in the hall of fame...preceded just a few years by another artist, I mean author, I mean time keeper, by the name of...Hamilton -- nope, got ya! Not the one so many classic watches bear the name of, but the one behind the scenes as in "Backstage Capital", the one ("Arlan"), the venture capitalist, that penned "It's About Damn Time" -- an explanation, declaration, of how "to turn being underestimated into your greatest advantage" This, after you've showed up, of course, given that "showing up is..." OK, I'm going off-the-clock for a bit, this being "Labor Day" and all...

Next, In Store(s): "The case for teaching (?) Moral Development"