clepsydra [KLEP-suh-druh]: an instrument designed to measure time by the fall or flow of a quantity of water; water clock

kairos: the opportune and decisive moment; a propitious moment for action

Kairos (καιρός) is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment). The ancient Greeks had two words for time, chronos and kairos. While the former refers to chronological or sequential time, the latter signifies a time in between, a moment of indeterminate time in which something special happens. What the special something is depends on who is using the word. While chronos is quantitative, kairos has a qualitative nature. Kairos (καιρός) also means weather in both ancient and modern Greek. The plural, καιροι (kairoi or keri) means ‘the times’.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kairos

Some thoughts from a fascinating man. 

If you live in America in the 21st century you’ve probably had to listen to a lot of people tell you how busy they are. It’s become the default response when you ask anyone how they’re doing: “Busy!” “So busy.” “Crazy busy.” It is, pretty obviously, a boast disguised as a complaint. And the stock response is a kind of congratulation: “That’s a good problem to have,” or “Better than the opposite.”

Notice it isn’t generally people pulling back-to-back shifts in the I.C.U. or commuting by bus to three minimum-wage jobs  who tell you how busy they are; what those people are is not busy but tired. Exhausted. Dead on their feet. It’s almost always people whose lamented busyness is purely self-imposed: work and obligations they’ve taken on voluntarily, classes and activities they’ve “encouraged” their kids to participate in. They’re busy because of their own ambition or drive or anxiety, because they’re addicted to busyness and dread what they might have to face in its absence.

Last month, the health food company Kashi was caught in an uproar when complaints went viral regarding its use of genetically modified and non-organic ingredients. All the attention brought to light another open secret about Kashi: While it may seem like an independent mom-and-pop operation, it’s actually owned by Kellogg. Consumers are drawn to brands that seem created based on indie passion and dreams. Sometimes, though, these brands fall under the domain of huge companies—companies that rarely go out of their way to reveal who owns what.