I once saw a man with a tattoo of a watch on his wrist.

Periodically, it had the correct time—at least twice a day.

Theoretically, if he had more tattoos, he could increase the ratio of accuracy.

If his arm were long enough, and he knew exactly where to look,

his tattooed watch would be perfect.

No moving parts. No power. Eternal precision.

That’s the problem with time.

We’re trying to measure something from the fourth dimension

using third-dimensional technology.

It sucks.

Lately, I’ve been pondering the concept of now.

I can see it coming.

I can see that it just passed.

But I can’t freeze the instant in between.

“Now” is elusive.

Not quite a place. Not quite a point.

There’s supposedly a clock called The Clock of the Long Now.

Actually, it exists. And there’s a museum.

Also known as the 10,000 Year Clock,

one version is being built inside a mountain in Nevada—

powered by the temperature difference between the top of the mountain and the base.

Stewart Brand (yes, Whole Earth Catalog Stewart Brand)

is on the board of the Long Now Foundation.

So is Brian Eno.

They’ve also built a café/museum/curiosity cabinet in San Francisco

called The Interval—a place to discuss “deep time”

and sip slow-roasted thought.

I haven’t been.

But maybe I should go.

Maybe redefining “now” as the “long now”

would make it less slippery.

Then again, maybe a trip to the city

with coffee and a bagel

will do just as well.