Hey, Valerie.

I used to think that way many decades ago until my wise old grandmother convinced me that I shouldn't worry about things over which I have no control, such as what other people do. However, she also taught me to keep a record of those who treated me poorly and to eventually distance myself from them because they would not be a positive influence in my life. She was right.

It doesn't matter where I go now -- restaurant, store, gas station, driving between inspections, whatever -- I always have magazines, books, and my computer with me. If I get stuck in an 8-hour traffic jam, I just turn off the engine and read, unless there's a WiFi hot spot, and then I might work on the computer. Magazines and books are very good to keep with you because you can read short paragraphs and chapters at a time, making it easy to quit when the other person shows up.

My friends were always embarrassed to go to a baseball game with me because I'd always take a book to read. I love baseball, but there's only 20 minutes of action in a 3-hour game. That leaves a lot of time to read. I don't need to watch the pitcher spit on his hands, wipe them on his cap, spit on the ground, adjust himself, and, finally, throw the ball. I can do all of that at home, except throw the ball -- LOL.

Yes, there's only 24 hours in a day, so I use all of it rather than letting other people use my time for themselves. If they want my time, they have to pay for it, unless I choose to volunteer, such as helping friends, the homeless, battered and abused women and children, helpless pets, etc.

Take Realtor magazine with you, or the book you're reading. Inspirational books, and books of quotations are also very useful because you can read those over and over and over again and never get tired of the inspiration and motivation that they bring you. Try it. I bet you'll be much happier and with all the new information you gain from the books and magazines, you might actually thank someone for being late. I have.