Re: I'm only usually late by 5 minutes…what's the big deal?

[Anonymous]

I was in the military as a young person and got drummed into my head being early means on time. I hate, hate, hate being late. Plus my work has progressive punishments for tardiness and the last thing I want is to get in trouble for being late. I work at 4:30 am and it takes 1/2 hour to get to work in good weather. I d not like the sound of the alarm and my body is on a clock with waking up even on my days off. I don’t have to pick out clothing because I wear a uniform so that kind of helps me on the time thing. Plus I eat my breakfast after working 3-4 hours so I don’t have to fix and eat it before work. So my getting ready doesn’t take as long as some. But, I have to prepare for foul weather and might have to leave an extra half hour early if it’s really crappy out. On those nights when I know that snow or ice is predicted I don’t sleep well because I’m afraid I’ll sleep too late and not make it on time. Because I live where crappy weather is the norm for 3-4 months, snowy roads doesn’t work as an excuse.

I get up at 3 am and

look out window to see if I need to hurry

jump in shower

brush teeth

put hair products in

lotion on face

go in room and put on uniform (I’ve pinned on badges the night before)

sit down for a minute and either watch tv or turn on laptop

check work email if I have time

15 minutes before I have to leave go in bathroom and pin up hair

put on makeup

find my glasses

at this point I start telling myself the things I need to bring out loud

some days I have left overs for my breakfast/lunch and other days I take cereal, milk and yogurt

find my purse, coat, put on shoes/boots if boots bring shoes

get garage open and then drive out, shut garage

drive down hill in granny gear watching for deer

get car to 5 miles over speed limit and set cruise so I don’t get a ticket

arrive at work and hurry to break room to put away crap and then hurry to clock in

I’m usually on time. I won’t get written up if I am less than 7 minutes late but I like to be early. It’s hard to get there that early but I manage to make it unless it’s daylight savings or I’m required to change my start time.

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