Anyone else do silly (that is, illogical) stuff?

[snarkophilus]

I came to the realisation recently that I occasionally engage in behaviours that I think are, to put it bluntly, completely stupid. These are things that defy all logic, things I try just because I once hoped that they might work, because it would be really amazing if they did. And I was wondering if anyone else here does things like this.

Let me give you a couple of examples. The first was something I did frequently as a kid, though I still find myself trying it when I'm bored and in a situation with people around. Basically, it's an attempt at telepathy. I think as hard as I can at a person, trying to catch his attention without doing anything overt like looking at him. Or I'll try to influence someone's behaviour, forcing him to walk this way around a table, rather than that way, when both are equal choices (or, preferably, I make him do something inconvenient). When I was a kid, I'd try to use telepathy to talk to friends before I fell asleep, even though I knew it wouldn't work (though it did help me fall asleep). I know it's totally silly, but I still occasionally catch myself doing it anyway!

My next example is just as bad. I have a friend who was into witchcraft -- as in, totally into it. She knew the distance to the nearest ley line at all times, she was forever writing little symbols on stuff for luck or whatever, she tried to slip people love potions, and she held seances with her friends (I was invited to one, but apparently I give off negative energy that keeps the Ouija thingy from moving, so I never had to go again). Anyway, sometimes when I'm waiting for someone, or trying to track someone down, I'll catch myself etching the little symbols she used for those things into the ground. I didn't even try to learn it... they're just ingrained into me after years of knowing her. Silly!

(These are things that I think are unlikely to be real, by the way... no offense is intended to anyone who believes in telepathy or witchcraft. They are simply things I don't believe in but do anyway... that is what I find silly.)

Does anyone else do stuff like this? Do you obsessively try to show that P=NP? Do you demand that paper be taken out of the package and placed in the printer with a certain orientation? Do you habitually cover up your nose whenever you see contrails (chemtrails) overhead? Do you sometimes break out your telescope, intending to look for flying saucers?

[HenrikOlsen]

A habit I picked up a few years ago is that whenever I've eaten an apple, I throw the core at a piece of open ground while saying "apples should grow there". :)
The careful training of dice while playing RPG's ir also a habit, ie. between the times when the result matters, I throw them repeatedly, leaving those that fall on the most desirable(highest or lowest depending on the game) and only rethrow the rest until they have all "learned" what to do when I have to use them for real. I do this knowing perfectly well that it has not effect whatsoever, but it helps me get into the superstitious worldview of fantasy RPG's.

[teri tait]

I go to work even when I've an illness worthy of at least one day out and then when it's an exceptionally beautiful day, I call in sick.

[SolusLupus]

I spend more time gaming than doing things that would last (like actually writing down the stories in my head).

[The_Radiation_Specialist]

This is an interesting, never-thought-of thread. I guess all or most people do have a habit of doing silly things. I have to admit, when I was a kid I used to think there maybe aliens (ET) in small caves in the mountains. I did palm reading a lot, to my friends. Used to tell them the age they were expected to live and how rich they will be in the future. And sometimes I wondered if I can think of something strange no human has thought of before, invent a word no human has said before.

[paulie jay]

There is one stupid and pointless thing that I do. I always shake a bottle before opening it. This habit formed when I was a young boy and we would shake up our milk bottles so that the cream would mix in with the milk. Of course, these days there is never any cream sitting at the top of the milk so I have no need to do it. But I do. And I shake just about every other kind of bottle too. Which means that occasionally I spray myself with soda.

[Kelfazin]

Back about 10 years ago my friends and I used to wander around the neighborhood at night "ghost hunting". We were convinced that you could tell the presence of a ghost. And, if you listened to the thoughts in your own head just right, you could even tell what the ghosts were telling you. The trick to this is basically clear your mind and wait for any thoughts to pop into your head that isn't a thought you generated yourself. This is "spirit-speak". We knew all the local spirits, including a group of youngsters that liked to play hide-and-seek.

And now a decade later I realize it was pretty silly, but we enjoyed spooking ourselves anyway :)

[hippietrekx]

I sometimes walk down the street and see a stranger in front of me. I'll yell, "Hey, Steve!" just to see if they turn around and look. Most of the time they do, even if they're not a guy!

I have to keep my fingernails free of dirt at all times. Even if this means stopping in the middle of a calculus test to clean them with a house key... dirt=bad...

Every time I see Ducky (see my signature) in the hall way, I have to stop to pet his hair. I heart his fluffy hair. Sometimes I just randomly pet people in the hall if he's not around... There's this one kid in the middle school who has hair I like, too...

I point at my friends as a greeting, rather than waving or saying hi.

--hippie

[LurchGS]

I play Sudoku (and curse the vile individual who introduced me to the online website)

I stand in the rain and take photographs of locomotives

I stand in the dark, in the freezing cold, and look at little spots of light against a black background

worse, I have children!

[jkmccrann]

I like to walk down train-tracks in the middle of the night. The one closest to me is elevated so you get a good view of the sky, as well as being able to peer into everyone's backyards - if that was your go. Only the occasional train to worry about, much less chance of being rudely interrupted than walking down a footpath.

[LurchGS]

well, being a railfan, I used to walk the tracks... but having a sister who was in the NTSB - in particular, that division devoted to railroad accidents - I have changed my attitude. I give tracks a wide berth, I slow down and check both ways at crossings (even those with gates - they're reliable as all get-out, but occasionally they DO break, or the maintenance crew screws up) and I never never never ever stop on the tracks in my vehicles. (not that I ever did that, but now I'm adamant about it)

[snarkophilus]

I stand in the dark, in the freezing cold, and look at little spots of light against a black background

Now that I think about it, that is a pretty ridiculous thing to do. :D It's more so when I consider that I can see almost half as many dots from inside, where it's warm and there aren't small biting insects half the year and cold, wet, white stuff the other half.

But will knowing that it's ridiculous stop me from going out? Not likely.

[Kristophe]

I tap the top of drink cans before opening them. I picked it up from my father, who does it before opening a can of pop; he insists that it prevents them from spraying. I don't know whether that's true or not, but I now tap everything from Coke cans to juice cans to cans of soup.

I used to talk to the Moon. Still do sometimes.

I set my alarm for that early Wednesday morning elective class.

[Thomas(believer)]

I smoke:sad:

[LurchGS]

I continue to sleep in the buff, despite repeated evidence that the puppy will plant his cold wet nose on my posterior when he wants to go outside

[Candy]

I raise both hands when crossing over rail road tracks. People don't notice I do this, either. :shifty:

[LurchGS]

now, that is weird...:)

I just realized, I count the beeps in elevators, even though I'm not blind

[ToSeek]

I do all sorts of things that make perfect sense to me, though I realize sometimes that anyone watching me must think I'm completely nuts!

[pmcolt]

I'll drink about 90% of a can of soda, then stick it in the refrigerator, forget about it, open a new can, and repeat the process.

I also won't study until the day before a major exam. For example, I have two exams tomorrow. I haven't even done any of my homework for my differential equations class, it's been five years since I took my last calculus class, I've been out of school for two of those years, and I can't remember how to do some basic integrations. But I'll waste time on message boards now and study later.

And very occasionally, I see an interesting news article and think to myself, "hey, maybe I can post this before ToSeek."

[Philip A]

Strange things? Too many! Like Henrik I believe you can train dice, I frequently swear in a peculiar regional dialect from southern Italy that most Italians can't understand, I only wear black clothes, have a bizarre taste in beards (currently returned to Musketeer beard/moustache combo - somewhat singed after Sambuca incident at weekend :( )......

[odin]

I put my coffee mug in the fridge once and spent ages looking for it.

[Candy]

I deliver the neighbor's newspapers to their front door, and I carry their garbage "cans" to the front of their garages (after trash day). I was programmed at an early age by my grandparents.

To date, I always spell threatre like the British. I started doing this in high school to irritate my teacher. Then, I would do every word possible slightly different. Technically, the English teacher couldn't count points off. :D

[Tog_]

I had a friend who thought he was a much better driver than he was. I hated going anyplace with him and would often pretend I was flying a helicopter. I still do it when I'm in the passenger seat and bored.

I raise my hands roller coaster style when we I go over a hill. I also kiss my hand at pat the roof of the car if I go through a yellow, or deep yellow light. It's known as a 'perdiddle' here, and prevents the police from seeing you ru the light... somehow.

If there is something I want to understand better, I will make up a few people and 'teach' them the subject. I will ask myself questions based on their understanding and personality. Sometime 'they' will ask a question 'I' never thought of. This usually results in giving me a much better understanding of whatever it is.

[snarkophilus]

This thread is turning out great! Thanks for sharing, guys, and keep them coming!

I do all sorts of things that make perfect sense to me, though I realize sometimes that anyone watching me must think I'm completely nuts!

Examples? C'mon... you know you want to.... ;)

I also won't study until the day before a major exam. For example, I have two exams tomorrow. I haven't even done any of my homework for my differential equations class, it's been five years since I took my last calculus class, I've been out of school for two of those years, and I can't remember how to do some basic integrations. But I'll waste time on message boards now and study later.

I have a friend who used to put his text books and notes under his pillow the night before an exam. He called it the "Jedi study technique." The idea was that the knowledge would somehow flow off the pages and into his brain while he slept. I tried it a couple of times, but I move around so much in my sleep that my notes were always flung all over the place the next morning, making it impossible to gauge if any additional knowledge might have seeped into my head.

I've thought of another thing I do. I count things, almost obsessively, because I always feel that it might one day come in handy to know how many roof tiles there are in a particular hallway.

[SolusLupus]

I've thought of another thing I do. I count things, almost obsessively, because I always feel that it might one day come in handy to know how many roof tiles there are in a particular hallway.

Urrrrrr... there's something called Obsessive Compulsive disorder. That's a major symptom...

[paulie jay]

For some reason, when we were kids we used to point three fingers down when we passed a cemetary. I still don't know what that was all about.

[Kelfazin]

I raise my hands roller coaster style when we I go over a hill. I also kiss my hand at pat the roof of the car if I go through a yellow, or deep yellow light. It's known as a 'perdiddle' here, and prevents the police from seeing you ru the light... somehow.

When I was a teenager we did the hands in the air over railroad tracks (I grew up in Kansas, we didn't have any hills, lol). The pediddle's were cars with one headlight out, and if we saw one we had to tap the dashboard three times faster than the passenger (or driver, depending on your position) and "call it" in order to "win". And we also kissed our cars on the yellow lights :)

[LurchGS]

my kids play a variation of the padiddle game - punch buggy. First person to see a VW Bug has to call out '<color> punch buggy!' and tap the ceiling of the car. They keep score. RIght now, the 11-year-old has 137 to his older brother's 18.

I did come up with a silly thing for me! I root for the Cubs. Have done it all my life.

[snarkophilus]

Like many others here, I also used to hit the roof of the car when running a yellow light, but our version was different. This applied to my high school/partying days. The rule was that you got a point if you were the first to hit the roof when a light changed as you passed through it -- green to yellow, yellow to red, or even (gulp) red to green. The points reset at the end of every night, and supposedly there was a prize if anyone ever got to ten. I actually got ten once, but no prize. :(

I still do it on occasion, too. Just habit.

Urrrrrr... there's something called Obsessive Compulsive disorder. That's a major symptom...

Oh, there's no disorder to it... I diligently keep those numbers in proper order! :D

[SeanF]

my kids play a variation of the padiddle game - punch buggy. First person to see a VW Bug has to call out '<color> punch buggy!' and tap the ceiling of the car. They keep score. RIght now, the 11-year-old has 137 to his older brother's 18.
We call it "slug bug" rather than "punch buggy," but wow are your kids playing it wrong! Tap the ceiling of the car, indeed.



:D

[LurchGS]

well, they're actually saving up 'punches', since they're not allowed to hit each other.


Another thread reminded me of a bit of silliness I engage in. I keep my fingernails long. In fact, I usually trim them back to where most men have long since cut them. It's a hold over from highschool where I had to put up with little man syndrome (I was easily the tallest in school - even as a freshmman). I evolved the long nails as a defensive strategy. I still have them, though I've not been in a fight in 20+ years

[Joff]

I sometimes alleviate boredom in dull meetings by imagining a ball going from me and deflecting off everyone's head, billiards-style, using walls and ceiling. Dangerously distracting.

[peter eldergill]

Ever pretended to have Wolverine's retractible claws?

Pete

[Van Rijn]

Speaking of meetings, if I haven't had enough sleep and it is a seriously boring meeting, I have to concentrate to keep my eyes from unfocusing and wandering off in separate directions. I never have asked anyone if they noticed - it may be that they only wander off a little, but when I start getting double vision I know it is time to, er, focus on the discussion again.

[Candy]

When I was a teenager we did the hands in the air over railroad tracks (I grew up in Kansas, we didn't have any hills, lol).
Hey, that's why I do it. I'm originally from Indiana. I've never heard of another person who did this, too. Cool! See, Lurch, it's not that weird. :p The pediddle's were cars with one headlight out, and if we saw one we had to tap the dashboard three times faster than the passenger (or driver, depending on your position) and "call it" in order to "win".I never knew about this until high school road trips to and from opposing teams. :think: And we also kissed our cars on the yellow lights :)This sounds like something I should look into. :razz:

[Enzp]

Padiddle meant a one eyed car to us too, but out there it meant you got to kiss your date.

My wife plays slug bug, but I never heard of it.

We had something similar though. If you came upon a Lucky Strike pack on the ground, the first one to step on it got to "strike" the other. There were a lot more Lucky packs 50 years ago than tehre are now.

We had another game that had no consequences in our group. Like slug bug, if we spotted a staion wagon we called out "beaver" and got credit for it. After a few miles no one had any idea what the score was.

I used to take batteries apart and extract the carbon rod from the center. And 9 volt batteries were actually a stack of six little flat cells inside. Come to think of it I took apart most anything I could get my hands on.

When you lose your coffee cup, Odin, does that make you Thor?


(Geez I hope that translates)

[ToSeek]

Examples? C'mon... you know you want to.... ;)

Well, mostly I explore. I wander down hallways and poke my head into offices for no reason other than sheer curiosity, then people wonder what the heck I'm doing there.

[Tensor]

I did come up with a silly thing for me! I root for the Cubs. Have done it all my life.

Well, so do I. :wall: :lol:

[farmerjumperdon]

Well, so do I. :wall: :lol:

Cubs Fans Anonymous.

Me too. Grew up there, went to 10 or 20 games a year, including every opening day from about age 8 or 9 until 18 or so. Ernie Banks is still my hero. I love the game, though I am disgusted with the business it has become. I think it was about the 2nd time the baseball players went on strike that I pretty much gave up on all pro sports.

One friends comment when he found out I was a Cubs fan was "I thought they could fix that at birth now."

[Joff]

Does anyone else when looking for a pen make writing motions in the air, or when looking for a misplaced drink grasp an imaginary mug?

(I know I'm not the only one, because I saw this process given a name on a calendar of invented words: "Pantrymime")

[Candy]

Does anyone else when looking for a pen make writing motions in the air, or when looking for a misplaced drink grasp an imaginary mug?

(I know I'm not the only one, because I saw this process given a name on a calendar of invented words: "Pantrymime") I don't know if I do that, but I do carry around my own pen. I can't stand to share my pen. If someone touches my pen, it becomes their pen. I have spares in my purse.

[LurchGS]

I don't mind sharing my ballpoints - but there will be heck to pay if somebody touches my Parker 51!

The teller at the bank pointed out something I do that I'd not been really aware of.. when trying to figure out the date, I wiggle my fingers in front of my eyes, kinda like a counting motion, but the fingers that move are apparently random.

Now that I'm aware of it, it feels really weird.

[SolusLupus]

I don't know if I do that, but I do carry around my own pen. I can't stand to share my pen. If someone touches my pen, it becomes their pen. I have spares in my purse.

Hmm.

Mental note: Use Candy's pen. I can get a free office supply that way.

[Candy]

:lol: Lurch!

My friend, back in my Purdue days, asked me why I always cross the street perpendicular. I never cross diagonal. I still do it 'til this day, but I'm not sure why. :shifty:

[Candy]

Hmm.

Mental note: Use Candy's pen. I can get a free office supply that way. My co-workers know not to touch my pen. They will walk 3 feet out of their way to get another pen or pencil. I've scared them. :lol:

I send a pack of pens to a friend every few months. She, too, liked my pens. :naughty:

[Kelfazin]

...I'm originally from Indiana...

What part of IN ya from? i lived up in Elkhart for amost 6 years. And my girlfriend is a Purdue grad too :)

[SolusLupus]

I was in Indianapolis, Indiana for a few years...

it was pretty when it snowed. :D

[pmcolt]

My friend, back in my Purdue days, asked me why I always cross the street perpendicular. I never cross diagonal.

I do the same thing. Never really thought about it before. As long as you're not crossing the street parallel, what's the problem?

[LurchGS]

not me - I take the shortest route possible -= not in crossing the street, but in getting from point A to point B. That generally means crossign teh street at an angle and dodging cars and busses.

It's really a pain when I'm walking with somebody who's not a hypotenuse type

[Kelfazin]

After 16 years in the midwest I was so happy to get back to Arizona and be done with snow lol. So what happens? My girlfriend decides to do extra work and graduate from Purdue in December. So there I was, standing at the airport waiting for the Lafayette Limo in a balmy 10 deg F. midwest winter again. *sigh*

Well it was worth it, but it was so nice to get off the plane and step into a nice 79 degree winter instead :) And we can't even get it to rain (we're on day 113 without a drop) let alone snow. I love it.

[Candy]

What part of IN ya from? i lived up in Elkhart for amost 6 years. And my girlfriend is a Purdue grad too :) I was born in Lafayette. I've lived all over the State, though. I've lived in Elkhart in my earlier years - elementary school. If I remember correctly, there were a lot of Amish folk around there.

I do the same thing. Never really thought about it before. As long as you're not crossing the street parallel, what's the problem? Oh, that was funny. It took me a second. :lol:

It would bother my friend, because she'd have to wait for me to catch up to her. :rolleyes:

[Joff]

Same here, Lurch; always cutting off corners and threading through traffic. The diagonal solution.

[LurchGS]

My cousin used to teach at Purdue...

Joff - exactly. My time is too valuable to waste taking the long way around, talking to telemarketers, or chatting on bulletin boa... um..

[Van Rijn]

Well, mostly I explore. I wander down hallways and poke my head into offices for no reason other than sheer curiosity, then people wonder what the heck I'm doing there.

I do that sometimes. Also, I unconsciously walk very quietly. I have to think to make noise while walking. So there are a number of times when I've walked up behind someone, said "hello" and without meaning to, given them a scare.

I try to remember to "thump" more these days and I never get too close to people before announcing I'm there ...

[LurchGS]

LOL - yeah, now try that when you are 6'6" and 320lbs. My family says I 'pad' when I walk. Even in combat boots, I'm quiet. I think it aids in my awareness - it's VERY hard to sneak up on me

[snarkophilus]

Does anyone else when looking for a pen make writing motions in the air, or when looking for a misplaced drink grasp an imaginary mug?

(I know I'm not the only one, because I saw this process given a name on a calendar of invented words: "Pantrymime")

I do the writing motions thing, but I just keep glasses of water all over the place so that I'm never without one in sight, because I misplace them all the time.

As for crossing streets, I've noticed that most people take a sigmoidal path. That is, they walk along the sidewalk for a little ways, step into the street but maintain roughly the same direction, then curve into the street, then curve back onto the opposing sidewalk as they approach. With light or no traffic, the path is often surprisingly symmetrical.

[Halcyon Dayz]

My friend, back in my Purdue days, asked me why I always cross the street perpendicular. I never cross diagonal. I still do it 'til this day, but I'm not sure why. :shifty:Maybe because it is the law?

[Candy]

Maybe because it is the law? Nope, that's not the reason I do it. I think it is more out of habit from childhood ~ crosswalks. :p

[Enzp]

When Candy wants to cross the street
She always is particular
She never take the path askew
She does it perpendicular

Is it wrong, is this a crime?
The gendarmes are a'talking
We'll watch and when she goes again
We'll cite her for jay-walking.

[Candy]

Nice, Enzp! :clap:

[Enzp]

Just another avenue of expression...

Remember, look both ways when you cross your eyes.

[Tog_]

If I'm about to dash across a busy street, i'll flip my index and middle fingers back and forth very quickly. No idea why it started. I used to do it on my run in for the long jump too, but not the high jump.

There was an episode of the new Twilight Zone back in the mid 80's that had little blue guys that make everything for every minute of time. People then move from one minute to the next. The 'Blue Dudes' don't make something for that minute if no one will see it. This is why your keys will be on the counter one minute, then gone the next. They get distracted and for get to place them back the minute you look for them. A few minutes later and they re appear where you were sure you had looked for them several times before. I yell at the Blue Dudes when I lose something. First there is the plea for it's return, then later the stern 'bring it back you lazy, incompitent lillte blue freaks'. The really scary thing is, I usually stumble across the item I was looking for right after that. (how's that for silly and illogical?:p )

[Candy]

This happens a lot when I quote from a website. When someone challenges or questions me, I look back at the website for additional proof only to realize it's been edited. :eek:

Oh wait, this is not the same. :o

None-the-less, this frustrates me to no end. I think I will begin to save the article as I saw it. :D

[Candy]

I drive miles out of my way to purchase a particular brand and flavor of cat food. I used to live by this "quickie mart", but I've since moved. I can't find the stuff at the super market. I can't find the stuff at the pet mart. I do find the brand name. I only find this particular flavor at this "quickie mart". The precious feline "input and output" unit is selective on her daily meal intake. :rolleyes:

[teri tait]

When I'm walking into stores, I switch the magnetic ribbons that are so popular on bumpers. So then the people come out and instead of a bright pink "find the cure" they have a "remember our veterans". Then I wonder if they will even notice.

[Candy]

When I'm walking into stores, I switch the magnetic ribbons that are so popular on bumpers. So then the people come out and instead of a bright pink "find the cure" they have a "remember our veterans". Then I wonder if they will even notice.I won't put one on my car for fear of it being stolen. They are on my refrigerator, instead. I never thought about someone switching them. That's funny, teri! :lol:

[teri tait]

You're a smart cookie! I steal 'em too, but just the plain pink ones because they're not saying anything at all and that's just dumb. Support a cause or not, I say.
Once I stole two that did say something but the car was double parked in the shade on a HOT day...

[Candy]

You're a smart cookie! I steal 'em too, but just the plain pink ones because they're not saying anything at all and that's just dumb. Support a cause or not, I say.
Once I stole two that did say something but the car was double parked in the shade on a HOT day... The pink one I have is from the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization. I donated money on behalf of a co-worker, and the magnetic ribbon has United on it - must not lose. Another one I have is a magnetic ribbon for We Remember (red and blue with 4 white stars). It doesn't have any words on it. It's a magnetic ribbon given to all the United employees on the 4 year anniversity of September 11, 2001. Each came attached with a note. There is no way I am putting these on my car, especially, now. :shifty:

[HenrikOlsen]

The teller at the bank pointed out something I do that I'd not been really aware of.. when trying to figure out the date, I wiggle my fingers in front of my eyes, kinda like a counting motion, but the fingers that move are apparently random.
Before I stopped wearing a wristwatch I noticed that when thinking about time in any way, including working out dates and intervals countable in years, I'd look at my watch.

[Cl1mh4224rd]

- I do "do-overs" of past conversations, in my head, as if it changes anything. Some of the conversations are 10+ years old.

- I never feel like I know enough. I spend inordinate amounts of time reading, testing, and double-checking minor things. Consequently, I've produced nothing of "worth" using what I know. Probably more of a motivational problem, though...

[farmerjumperdon]

When I'm walking into stores, I switch the magnetic ribbons that are so popular on bumpers. So then the people come out and instead of a bright pink "find the cure" they have a "remember our veterans". Then I wonder if they will even notice.

That's good. We used to do something similar when I delivered pizzas. Parking near the pizza joint was nearly impossible, so when we had to grab a spot just for a second, rather than feed the meter a quarter we'd grab a ticket off a windshield (always lots available) and put it on our car for the couple minutes it took to load up.

[LurchGS]

Before I stopped wearing a wristwatch I noticed that when thinking about time in any way, including working out dates and intervals countable in years, I'd look at my watch.

Quite - though I stopped wearing a watch 15 years ago - when I realized there was no point. There are clocks everywhere - on my computers, on my VCR, on my TV, in my car... and when I'm camping, who needs a clock?

The only time I wear a watch is when I'm on a mission - because then I have to log things and knowing the time is essential. And usually there's no working clock nearby. (cant' get away with "found resident of 123 bobo street. Dead. sun 47.5 degrees above western horizon". Not enough room on the form, for one thing)

[HenrikOlsen]

With two cellphones and a gps you should be pretty covered on timetelling thingies on mission anyway, or am I misremembering something?

[snarkophilus]

Quite - though I stopped wearing a watch 15 years ago - when I realized there was no point. There are clocks everywhere - on my computers, on my VCR, on my TV, in my car... and when I'm camping, who needs a clock?

You'd think that would be the case, but I notice that there's rarely a clock around when I need one. My high school had no clocks in the halls, and no bells to signal the start of classes, so getting to class on time was pretty hit and miss. Then I thought things would improve when I went to university, but no... not only were there no clocks (except in offices), but in that environment you can't even rely on the "everyone's leaving for class, so I should leave as well" method.

On the plus side, my university had lots of windows, which my high school was almost entirely without. Plus it had TV's which were easy enough to commandeer for a moment to check the time.