Do you think a timeline matters to people when you tell them about something or
By dizzblnd
@dizzblnd (3073)
United States
July 13, 2008 8:54pm CST
do you just get to the story so as not to drive your friends crazy while you try to figure out when the event happened?
Something happens to you that you want to share with your friends. You start to tell them, only you can't remember exact day or year it occurred. You start your story like this:
"OMG.. so Tuesday.. or was it Monday.. lets see.. Sunday I was at Starbucks..so it couldn't have been there .. where was I Monday??? OH it was Monday not Tuesday so on Monday...blah blah blah..
or "when my daughter was 6 or wait maybe was she 5??..
Do you think your friends (who were not with you and can not go back in time to validate the actual day of the event) care about what day it happened? Don't you think they are more interested in WHAT happened..not WHEN?
I think we all do it and don't realize it. But now that i have realized it I just say "the other day, or yesterday, or last year"
Do you really think an exact time is important? How do you tell stories to your friends and family.. with the exact day.. or do you just say "the other day or whatever" and get on withthe point so people can get on with their own lives
4 people like this
8 responses
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
14 Jul 08
Life is too short for that. Spit it out and get it over with. When dates are not relevant to the story then they can be fictitious without any malice. Most of that can be avoided by saying "The other day" or "a couple of days ago". It isn't that big of a deal to cause the listener to get anxious or lose interest.
1 person likes this
LMAO.. you know my friends??
@skinnychick (6905)
• United States
14 Jul 08
For this reason, I never use the exact day. LOL
I usually say sometime last week or a few days ago.
It drives my friends nuts if I try to remember because all the want to hear about is what happened. So I avoid actual days at all costs.
1 person likes this
@skinnychick (6905)
• United States
14 Jul 08
Your just a public service kinda gal!! I like that about you! 
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
14 Jul 08
If I can't remember exactly when it took place I will just continue with the story, unil I remember the detail, and I'll fill it in later.
Often the time really doesn't matter as much as the story itsself.
1 person likes this
I don't think the day really matters either.. especially if it is a funny story.. people just want to hear it
@ellie333 (21016)
•
14 Jul 08
LOL I have usually slept since it happened so can never remember the exact time and date, I even had to fill in a form for a security check the other day for my firm and it asked for my marriage date, well I could remember the date but couldn't remember the year and had to look up. So I for one just tell the story of the event and would prefer others too also. Ellie :D
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
14 Jul 08
I usually just talk in general terms--"awhile back" or "when I was young--about a century ago", stuff like that. I hate it when an interesting story gets all wound up in insignificant details such as times and dates.
1 person likes this
@Bluepatch (2476)
• Trinidad And Tobago
14 Jul 08
A timeline is important but if you don't remember when something happened just give an approximation.
I do that and it has never been a problem.
Just say around so and so or I think it was whatever.
If somebody makes an issue of it they are probably trying to be difficult or mess up your story. People have done that with me many times. If you're too indefinite about something then you can be made to look foolish.
Unless you're talking about something where time is important.
I really don't see this as a serious problem.
