note to self:

buy a wrist watch. set timer/stopwatch/alarm function to 30 minute increments. take note of time. especially useful when imbibing in alcohol/soft drugs/social interactions.

when discussing a point of departure, set alarm for 10-15 minutes before said point of departure.

always overestimate the amount of time it takes to travel from point A to point B. when estimating arrival time , be sure to add this exaggerated travel time to the estimated departure time. eg., instead of saying "yeah, 20 minutes" say "i'll probably see you in, like, an hour or so?" note the ambiguity around the deadline. BUT the trick is - leave now. as in, put on coat, say goodbyes (which inevitably take 25 minutes at least) and under no circumstances order another drink or decide a ciggy won't hurt.

but point A really is key. buy a watch. set the alarm. pay attention.

and remember that some people actually can be hurt by you because they look forward to seeing you.

it's true.