Timer

Have I mentioned that I lack the technical gene? In my strive to make it difficult for thieves I borrowed a timer (yeah, yeah haven't gotten around to go buy one yet) for my living room lamp. Even got instructions, but being who I am I listened with one ear and it went out the other. So when I got home I was connecting the actual timer into the wall, then the cable from the lamp in the timer. Of course I set the clock in the timer to 5 mins later. Then I waited. And waited some more. Then I realized that how would the timer know what the time is? And when to start? After my (much older) aunt explained to me that the timer is the clock, but you have to tell it when to start I vaguely remembered some thingies you had to push around. So did. Once, then waited. Then again, then waited. And because patience is not a virtue in my family (at least not with me!) I gave up and just lit the friggin lamp. Why can't anything be easy?