Blink:

In October I experienced a surreal moment thanks to an old fashion circular wall clock with a second’s hand, the type we used to stare at in grade school during childhood waiting for the bell.

“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” (Sam Levenson – American Humorist)

Read On:

Let me set the stage: It was 1pm, I was in the Cannes hospital taking a pre-operative, disinfectant shower to prepare for a minimally invasive procedure to repair my urinary system when there was a knock at the bathroom door. It was a hospital attendant ready to roll me through the bowels of the hospital to take me to the operating theater in the basement. He was early and wheeled me on a gurney to the waiting area (a.k.a. on deck circle) placing me flat on my back facing/under an old fashion circular wall clock with a second’s hand at 1:10 pm. As I started watching the second’s hand, the anesthesiologist’s nurse missed her first three attempts to pop a vein for the intravenous drip. Not a good sign! At 1:35 pm I knew I was in for a long wait.

As I watched the second’s hand I focused on two things:

• Stoicism – The Greek philosophy & life lessons (resiliency) I have posted about which helped me cope with the Summer of 2014. I thought about stoicism week which was starting Monday the 21^st. When it came to time management Stoics believed: “It’s not that we don’t have enough time. But that we waste most of it. Life is ticking by and we can’t get back each moment that passes.” (Seneca)

• My sense of humor – I began to realize in this age of digital time, it must be difficult to be an old fashion circular wall clock (with a second’s hand) sales person. How do they manage their time?

Finally, the bell rang at 2:54 pm, I went into the operating theater and I was back in my room in time for dinner. Now I am back in my apartment resting. Good news! So far everything has been normal.