Paint Me On Time:
Trying to arrive on time is an art. The artist has to make skilled strokes on the canvas of life to make each brush stroke count. I knew that I could arrive on time today for my 12:30 pm appointment. I woke up and immediately and got out of bed at 7 am. I was so proud that I didn’t press the snooze button on my alarm clock. I wanted to avoid all stress that might develop in my day if I showed up late.
I had a quick breakfast of 2 scrambled eggs and cheese. I drank water for less calories. So far, so good. Besides getting on the computer to order my groceries that I wanted to be delivered and answering one phone call, I was much aware of the ticking sound on my kitchen clock.

The Direction To Move:
When I spoke on the phone I let the caller know that they had to be brief because I was heading out of the door.

In this way, I was able to cut the conversation short. We agreed to talk later on the same day but in the evening. It wasn’t a life or death conversation, so I wanted to be real. The caller wasn’t in distress or anxious. Therefore, like a butcher cutting into prime meat, I cut off the conversation to savor the best piece for later. I needed every minute to be productive in moving along toward achieving my goal of arriving to my destination on time. I had started by waking up without pressing the snooze button on the alarm clock. I was pursuing strategies that I had learned from Ms. Knowing-Feather.
Who is Ms. Knowing-Feather you might ask? Then you might want to read the novel, Time & Consequences by the author M. Lauryn Alexander. You’ll find out the identity of Ms. Knowing-Feather and how she helped me. Without any further ado, let me, Turquoise Nez Timerhorn, a character in Time & Consequences continue below with my tale.

Obstacles To See and To Avoid:
I arrived 30 minutes ahead of my appointment time. It made me feel as if  I could conquer my lateness habit. I said to myself since I was in the vicinity of my appointment I could browse in several stores. Then I realized I had to focus on my objective which was to be on time. After 10 minutes of checking out wigs, shampoo and hair conditioners, I was ready to make a purchase. But when I saw the long line at the cashier, I ran for my life. I left the items in the store without making any purchases because being punctual was my goal. I made the sacrifice not to buy anything then but delayed the purchases until I had plenty of time to spare.

Be a Time Champion For Yourself:
I arrived at 12:15 pm for my 12:30 pm doctor’s appointment and I claimed my personal punctuality prize. This was a successful feat for me. As I write about my punctuality achievement, the doctor lost his. Unknown to me, the doctor had double booked and allowed emergency walk-ins to interrupt his schedule. This caused me to become anxious because I had made an immense effort to be on time. Nevertheless, I waited patiently over one hour to be called  for my doctor’s examination. I wanted to be productive. Therefore, I read several articles which I had carried with me.
Do you think this doctor should learn time management too? Let’s keep the conversation going by leaving a comment or suggestion below. What experiences have you had when going for a doctor’s appointment?
Thanks,
Turquoise Nez Timerhorn

M. Lauryn Alexander is a specialist in teaching English to English Language Learners in New York City area. This blog is adapted from her latest book, Time & Consequences. The novel is on sale now at TimeandConsequences.com .
Success Essentials Inc.® is a New York City based company that helps people identify, implement and achieve their professional, personal and career goals. In addition, we offer tutorial services for English Language Learners on all levels for  proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing. We also offer Career Coaching for Advancement workshops for individuals who want to fast track their careers with our Readers Are Achievers™ enrichment program.