--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: it wasn't so much like the hands of time…" description: "\"“it wasn't so much like the hands of time had stood still here, more like they'd been thrown in the air in exasperation, the clock declaring \"whatever!..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/christopher-moore-353_clock_it-wasn-t-so-much-like-the-hands-of-time_83943.png" --- # it wasn't so much like the hands of time had stood still… ![“it wasn't so much like the hands of time had stood still here, more like they'd been thrown in the air in exasperation, the clock declaring "whatever! I'm outta here.” quote by Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/christopher-moore-353_clock_it-wasn-t-so-much-like-the-hands-of-time_83943.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/christopher-moore-353_clock_it-wasn-t-so-much-like-the-hands-of-time_83943.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/christopher-moore-353_clock_it-wasn-t-so-much-like-the-hands-of-time_83943.png) > ““it wasn't so much like the hands of time had stood still here, more like they'd been thrown in the air in exasperation, the clock declaring "whatever! I'm outta here.”” [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage portrays time as chaotic and abandoned, suggesting that moments can feel abruptly disrupted rather than paused. **In simple terms:** Time feels abandoned, not paused. Key Takeaway Time can erupt unpredictably. Themes impermanence chaos disruption humor existentialism Mood wry reflective playful Type aphaphorical humorous When to use this quote - a writer facing a deadline - a traveler stuck in a storm - a person experiencing sudden change Key Concepts temporal perception human frustration metaphor of clocks Practical Applications - creative writing - philosophical reflection Questions to Reflect On - How does this view of time affect your sense of control? - What moments in your life felt like time threw up its hands? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Exasperation Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exasperation-clock-1061805/) [Hands Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands-time-871726/) [Stood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stood/) [Stood Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stood-like-486659/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Stood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-stood-1061804/) ## Related quotes > [“the Missus stood like a ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-setterfield/the-missus-stood-like-a-ghost/) [Diane Setterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-setterfield/) > [“I just stood there, like a grain of sand amongst a million others on a beach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/i-just-stood-there-like-a-grain-of-sand-amongst-a-million-others-on-a/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [I was absolutely lost in love and life when I did my drawings. Time stood still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevyn-aucoin/i-was-absolutely-lost-in-love-and-life-when-i-did-my-drawings-time/) [Kevyn Aucoin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevyn-aucoin/) > [“Chronos didn't say anything more, and they just stood like that; Ren with his head down, Chronos behind him with his hand on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-rice/chronos-didn-t-say-anything-more-and-they-just-stood-like-that-ren/) [D.A. Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-rice/) > [“Time stood still. Then… pandemonium.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/time-stood-still-then-pandemonium/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [I'm sorry I stood there like a half-wit, Count Petroff," she told him matter-of-factly, "but I was a bit--surprised. 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Then my darlin' you'd, still be mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly-2/if-i-could-turn-turn-back-the-hands-of-time-then-my-darlin-you-d/) [R Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly-2/) > [I guess that's why they call it the blues, time on my hands could be time spent with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-guess-that-s-why-they-call-it-the-blues-time-on-my-hands-could-be/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [You're only young once and you can't turn back the hands of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heart-evangelista/you-re-only-young-once-and-you-can-t-turn-back-the-hands-of-time/) [Heart Evangelista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heart-evangelista/) > [We are who we are, only the hands of time that will change us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-ntuli/we-are-who-we-are-only-the-hands-of-time-that-will-change-us/) [Simphiwe Ntuli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-ntuli/) > [If I could turn back the hands of time I'd probably break it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mckain/if-i-could-turn-back-the-hands-of-time-i-d-probably-break-it/) [Nigel McKain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mckain/) > [“When men shake hands with time, time crushes Them like tumblers; little pieces of glass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abu-al-ala-al-ma-arri/when-men-shake-hands-with-time-time-crushes-them-like-tumblers-little/) [Abu al-Ala al-Ma'arri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abu-al-ala-al-ma-arri/) > [“Now the only thing we have on our hands is too much time, and we’re turning on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-carolla/now-the-only-thing-we-have-on-our-hands-is-too-much-time-and-we-re/) [Adam Carolla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-carolla/) > [He hath shook hands with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ford/he-hath-shook-hands-with-time/) [John Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ford/) ## More by Christopher Moore > [“Love them all," said Renoir. "That is the secret, young man. Love them all." The painter let go of his arm and shrugged. "Then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/love-them-all-said-renoir-that-is-the-secret-young-man-love-them-all/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“I tried cutting myself to express my heartbreak over Tommy (Lord Flood) rejecting me, but OMFG it hurts like flaming fuck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-tried-cutting-myself-to-express-my-heartbreak-over-tommy-lord-flood/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Canada is a myth people made up to entertain children, like the Tooth Fairy. There’s no such place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/canada-is-a-myth-people-made-up-to-entertain-children-like-the-tooth/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Sarcasm will make your tits fall off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/sarcasm-will-make-your-tits-fall-off/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“I hope you are not here to ask me to do my bawdy business- the monkey has a nosebleed and the circus, sir, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-hope-you-are-not-here-to-ask-me-to-do-my-bawdy-business-the-monkey/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [The prospect of change is a many-fanged beast, my dear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/the-prospect-of-change-is-a-many-fanged-beast-my-dear/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“The night was crisp and the stars shone with a cold blue light like loneliness or infinity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/the-night-was-crisp-and-the-stars-shone-with-a-cold-blue-light-like/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Children see magic because they look for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/children-see-magic-because-they-look-for-it/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“Abby Von Normal - And I'm like, "Don't change the subject, Kung Pao, what I want to know is if you're ready to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/abby-von-normal-and-i-m-like-don-t-change-the-subject-kung-pao-what-i/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“You can't just go around blurting out the truth like a prophet with Tourette's syndrome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/you-can-t-just-go-around-blurting-out-the-truth-like-a-prophet-with/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [How could you deal with a creature as devious as woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/how-could-you-deal-with-a-creature-as-devious-as-woman/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“…turning your ankle hurts like hell, even if you're a superhero.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/turning-your-ankle-hurts-like-hell-even-if-you-re-a-superhero/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Lonliness evaporated off of them like the steam off dry ice, and by morning it was just a cloud on the ceiling of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/lonliness-evaporated-off-of-them-like-the-steam-off-dry-ice-and-by/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“Give us a call or you know, flash a searchlight in the sky with your logo on it, because we monitor everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/give-us-a-call-or-you-know-flash-a-searchlight-in-the-sky-with-your/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“Oh, that’s heinous fuckery most foul,” said Kona.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/oh-that-s-heinous-fuckery-most-foul-said-kona/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) [Explore all 591 Christopher Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) ## More Clock quotes > [Even Einstein had to rely for his time on his clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/even-einstein-had-to-rely-for-his-time-on-his-clock/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [“Time was never neutral and often felt dangerous. 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I can see things that once happened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-rayner/time-is-to-put-it-in-its-most-impressive-and-some-might-say-poncy/) [Jacqueline Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-rayner/) > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [Time.The greatest creator, and the worst destroyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levi-keely/time-the-greatest-creator-and-the-worst-destroyer/) [Levi Keely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/levi-keely/) > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [No life goes past so swiftly as an eventless one, no clock spins like a clock whose days are all alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/no-life-goes-past-so-swiftly-as-an-eventless-one-no-clock-spins-like/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Those who stop marketing to save money are like those who stop a clock to save time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/those-who-stop-marketing-to-save-money-are-like-those-who-stop-a/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Time is the nervous system of narration, whether factual or fictive. If it gets confused some of the minutiae of human nature are certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenway-wescott/time-is-the-nervous-system-of-narration-whether-factual-or-fictive-if/) [Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenway-wescott/) > [I don't know if it's just me or everyone, but the whole vibe with skiing is not so much thriving on competition against others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/picabo-street/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-just-me-or-everyone-but-the-whole-vibe-with/) [Picabo Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/picabo-street/) > [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Browse all 2,738 Clock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“it wasn't so much like the hands of time had stood still here, more like they'd been thrown in the air in exasperation, the clock declaring \"whatever! 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