Plonker at 3 O'clock
Now, I've always known my husband is a little odd (he married me, didn't he?) but I discovered a new reason to believe this to be true the other day.
Somehow we ended up having a conversation with some friends about which way is '3 O'clock' if you are trying to describe direction to someone (like if someone says - "gorgeous guy at 3 O'clock", for example). Everyone in the room without exception - apart from Sam, and his little sister Jo (equally odd) - thought that 12 O'clock is out infront of you, 3 O'clock to your right, 6 O'clock behind you, 9 O'clock to the left. Of course, this is the correct way.
Sam and his delusional sibling both thought (for differing reasons) that 12 was behind you, 6 out in front, 3 to the left and 9 to the right. Jo went as far as to say that she imagined that she actually became the clock and then imagined the clock lying down flat. I still don't understand why anyone in their right mind would think this, but there you go.
What is interesting is that the misinformed pair are actually related, which got me thinking whether there was some sort of faulty gene involved here, or at the very least, their brains operate differently from the rest of us.
I'd love to know if I have any other friends in the whole world who think like they do, or are they really as special as I have always thought? Comments, as always please!
By the way - Sam and Jo - I do love you both really. Life would be very boring if we were all the same :)
posted by Hannah @ 9:12 pm
35 comments
35 Comments:
i do it the traditional way, 12pm is always in front :)
i didn't know you were on here... so many more people are on here than i thought :)
amy x
Glad you're with the sane majority on this one:)
I know what you mean about lots of people having blogs - we're quite new to all this blogging business - I'm still learning what to do.
Lovely photo amy by the way x
Hannah
Mate...even in the land knwon as 'down under' we know that 12 is upfront!
Have you and Sam ever used these terms for giving directions..? You could really get lost, doesn't matter who's driving or navigating!
J
thanks for the comment hannah! it really does help just talking to God throughout the day.. He speaks through the most random things sometimes!
I haven't read that book you mentioned, but I shall check it out. I have about 3 books that I'm reading at the moment (have you read The Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards - wow!)...but never can quite get to the end of any of them! ha.
oh, random other thing -- did you know hannah b is moving back to sutton? yes.
x
I really don't understand becoming the clock, I would get so confused - oh the chaos it would cause!! 12 is definitely in front of me. What I am interested to know is whether when Noah and Jude can tell the time they think 12 is in front or behind. (I can see this becoming a long debate).
Hey em you're up and on the internet late - as am I - waiting for Sam to get back from watching Superman with his bro...
They will definitely think 12 is out in front.. i will make sure of it..
I think it is only right hannah that I explain just how this whole debate came up in the first place. It came from an msn conversation with jo and myself, i found myself (obviously jokingly) suggesting that girls dont have the greatest sense of direction, To which jo replied without skipping a beat.. 'yeah well at least i know that 6 is in front of me an 12 o'clock is behind...' I was stumped for a little while how to reply to this... I guess i just wasn't expecting my slight sexist criticism to be reinforced on this magnitude..
However, i can now see that the issue resides in a genetic abnormality as you have suggested..
Give the boys a high 5 from me!
Matt (as in buck)
In reply to joanna's comment, what she is clearly tryin to do is cover up what happened, which was what i wrote.. Jo is obviously embarressed which is understandable...
It's probably a little unfair on Jo to take all the heat here...I suggest Sam makes a case to defend the indefensible.
We should also inform the rest of the world (who are obviously pre-occupied with this debate) that Bec and Dave Miller both have orthodox understandings of the time/direction concept.
Does this explode the genetic abnormality argument or merely reveal some highly alarming genetic trait that skips a child?
Perhaps we should all agree to avoid influencing Noah and Jude on this matter and set a test date for five years time?
actually, according to the traditional eskimo method, 12 o clock is where you stand, on the 12. You become the 12, but you stand on one leg and look at the 7, making 12 o clock the direction of the wind over a 10 minute period divided by the distance between the tip of your nose and the 4. Its quite simple really, I don't know what you lot are on about
I feel violence rising towards anonymous...
Well Joel clearly knows that 'anonymous' is a guy - the rest of u8s were undecided as to the gender orientation of anonymity...perhaps he's wrong though and its merely a strange breed of gerbil or hamster...oh
As the oldest miller sibling I admit to having failed sam and jo, not noticeing these false doctrines they've embraced!!! Obviously and clearly when you look at your watch 12 is in front, 3 to your right etc...
Nobody becomes the watch!!Not at any time.
I think correct perception is a matter of maturity. It is like the difference between loving someone and being in love with someone, it's like the difference between knowing of God, and being in God. Anyone can observe the passing of time, but to truly enter into the existential depths of time is a gift - once you see things from this perception, you too will look back at this discussion and laugh at peoples ignorance, pity their narrow mindedness and in true compassion pray for their enlightenment.
Jo we have a hard task ahead of us, but let us press on together for the sake of the these poor ones - compassion & hope must drive us on!!!
Goodness me, what a furore this has caused. I do like it though - lets keep going with the comments until Sam and Jo submit and come over from the dark side.
I agree to testing Noah and Jude at a later date but I can't promise not to influence in any way.. its far too important an issue....
Might i add, that to 'become the clock' is truelly a humbeling thing for 1 to do for others and on that note is admirable, but in all seriousness.. sam an jo, look at you, your a clock.. i mean honestly, its just weird...
p.s thanks for the suitcase!
In my husband's defence, it was actually only Jo who said she 'became' the clock, so only she can give us the true meaning behind this.....
I was wondering.. If jo wanted to tell someone were to go in orienteering, would she also have to 'Become' the compass? If so everything would be backwards!!
Well well well.... I don’t think that I have ever read a debate quite like this one before.
It is quite obvious that 12 o'clock is indeed in front of you – and quite how people can think otherwise escapes me! But it does create an interesting debate – and it’s a good job we have other means of directing otherwise we would be in a mess!
Well - I suggest that Sam is also correct. There was a was movie called "Twelve O'clock high - The Fighter Pilot", which would seem to validate that 12 O'clock straight up and therefore 6 o'clock straight down.
However, being a sad person, I looked on Dictionary.com, and this is the definition of "O'clock" :
"According to an imaginary clock dial with the observer at the center and 12 o'clock considered as straight ahead in horizontal position or straight up in vertical position. Used to indicate relative position: enemy planes at 10 o'clock."
There you are - you are all right!!!!
Gavin
Jo you really have bought much amusement to us all! I thought it important that my view went down in writing, siding against you guys i'm afraid.
If i was inside of a clock, for 12 to be behind me i'd either have to turn around or the clock face need to be facing towards the floor - where's the use in that?
I think you should start to train yourself to do it properly Jo, to ensure that people are not confused when you ask them to look in the opposite direction to where you intended, and so that you don't pass on this crazy confusedness to your lovely nephews!
Another point of clarification here - I did slightly misrepresent Sam. He said 12 was up and 6 down (like Gavin has said in thepost about the planes film). It was only Jo who said 12 was behind.
So I am willing to admit that Sam is sort of right. But we, the sane majority are very right. And Jo isn't at all. Except in Jo world. Which is a nice place to be :)
The best bit of your 'proof' was "Phoebe says to Chandler". I'm sure you had a case of "Einstein says Newton" but rejected it in favour of the aforementioned geniuses from the popular 1990s reality TV show Friends.
Indeed your proof reminded me of a discussion I had with my mother-in-law regarding natural hair colour. After polite debate she disappeared for half an hour only to return with a photo to 'prove' that her hair really was still brown - the date on the back of the photo said 1979. You should become a lawyer Miss Miller - the opposition would not stand a chance!
Just want to refer Jo back to Gavin's point.... he uses dictionary.com as his proof - not 'pheobe and chandler'.
Sorry Jo, good try but just not good enough.
Not to stray from the discussion topic but I would just like to point out that Andy's mother-in-law (my mum) would be very distressed to hear Andy describe her hair as 'brown'. It is actually more of a strawberry blonde colour naturally.
I have to agree with Hannah and Andy, I'm afraid Jo. We need a better example than Pheobe and Chandler.
Hi Hannah
Gavin and ruth introduced me to the world of the bloggers what fun you are all having!! Well I decided you are all plonkers in the best possible endearment, but oh no within hours I seem to have joined the crazy world of the time debate.
After musing all the muses I dreamt of being inside a clock from different angles viewing the time posistions(how sad is that) I can confirm that I agree with Amy and most 12pm is in front of me!!Sorry Jo, you are def in the minority.I love your site hannah. It brightened my day. Big hugs and love Taniax
Woh.. hold the phone.. i can't even believe this is still being argued... But i have more proof against jo's theory.. bizarley it lies with an unexpected folk... thats right you guessed it.. Czechs... I said, 'hey.. which way is 12 o'clock' they said.. dobidan djeckiou andel hvasja.. blah blah blah.. which my good friend translated as being in front!!' So you see, the 'in front' rule applies to foreign bodies aswell im afraid jo.. Though i still admire your steadfast grasp of this odd opinion you have...
Many people use a clock analogy to specify direction.
* 12 o'clock is directly ahead
* 6 o'clock is directly astern.
* 3 o'clock is on the starboard beam
* 9 o'clock is on the port beam.
Other times are interpolated between these positions - for example, 2 o'clock is 30 degrees forward of the starboard beam and 7 o'clock is 30 degrees to the port side of the stern. 7:30 would be the port quarter.
Dictionary says this:
o'clock (ə-klŏk') pronunciation
adv.
1. Of or according to the clock: three o'clock.
2. According to an imaginary clock dial with the observer at the center and 12 o'clock considered as straight ahead in horizontal position or straight up in vertical position. Used to indicate relative position: enemy planes at 10 o'clock.
Sos guys, guess you're both wrong or the whole world is deluded
anyway, if Jack Bauer says 12 o'clock is straight ahead, then it flipping well is!
Lol - Thanks Josh! I've been wondering where to side in this chonological debate, but the Jack Bauer Prinicipal nailed it for me!
Now, I have an interesting way to settle this...
If we all stand in the centre of a big circle. Sam and Jo stand facing the rest of us and we face them. Then someone shouts, 'All people who agree with the dictionary definition of the clock layout walk to three o'clock'
- I think you'll find we are all of the same opinion.
Hang on, I didn't think that through properly, I meant just 'Everybody walk to three oclock'
My last one would have left Sam and Jo standing in the middle in a muddle! Doh!
I think we should be a little more sensitive to Jo and Sam's condition and quietly allow them the space to work through their difficulties. Imagine having to live with such problems...
Just got back from grapevine(awesome) and blogged on to the ongoing time....hang up the phone in deed not!!, it just gets better and better Josh how clever are you!! I confess you lost me but its all sounded good to the argument I think, yes It did. Andy I love your pastoral caring nature and can share with your concern for the ongoing consideration of Sam and Jo. Sam and Jo in all your confusion of time, angles and so on we all love youxxxxxx
yes this debate has even reached the wonderful world of wokingham! I have always done it the traditional way but can Sympathise and understand why Sam and Jo would do it the unothodox way. Some (not many) people here would agree with Sam and Jo! Hope you are well! keep in touch!
Lots of Love
Matt
do you think it is time i put an end to this ever-raging debate?
i think maybe it is. we have now used several forms of evidence (asking people in their right mind, using the dictionary, jack bauer (who is of course right, isn't he josh) etc etc ) and they all agree with the orthodox amongst us (except for pheobe and chandler - need i say more).
but to be fair on my loved ones, orthodox isn't always as interesting and its nice that God created some of us a bit strange to give amusement to the rest of us!
It's been a fun debate - lets think of a new one!
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