twenty four years and i learn that simply, you can either be five minutes late or five minutes early. back in brunei, my sister has watches that are all fast-forwarded to five minutes early, and i used to scorn at her how silly practice that is. why deliberately make your watches and clocks faster when you know the rest of the world is opearating at five minutes later than you. right?

the past few weeks, i found myself stealing five minutes. turning up five minutes late for meetings and for post-acute wardrounds even though a quick glance at my bright watch tells me that really, i am right on time. so confusing right? so, which is the right time? i found my answer by serendipity the other day when i was writing down on a patient's medical notes; 'quarter past 10' she said just as my watch glared back 10:10. i looked up from the notes and caught her eyes just before she averted back to examining the patient's chest. that's the answer i was looking for! i knew right then and there, that we both belong to two different spectrums, in a world of five minutes apart.

haihs. now ive found myself a consultant who holds the same dear principle as my sister! THAT explains my perpetual tardi-ness =S