Is using a clock as a calculator odd?

This week my volunteer work helping in the offices of the Vancouver International Writers and Readers Festival included the task of adding up hours. This is because all volunteers can request a free ticket, and these tickets are given out in a lottery of all tickets available, but the volunteer must work at least 12 hours to be eligible to request a ticket.

So the festival needs to know who is working enough time to get a ticket. So I was adding up everyone's scheduled hours. I was using a clock and a piece of paper to scribble on to do the math. The next volunteer who came in for the afternoon shift thought that was very odd. She said there was a calculator in the desk drawer. I find those annoying when adding up time.

So is it odd to use the clock as a calculator? As a visual key it's very useful to count the hours from 9:15 to 11:30 on the clock face (2 1/4), and count 6:30 to 9:45 on the clock face (3 1/4). It's kind of like an abacus. It doesn't really help with the fraction math, and I admit it's been years since I've added 3/4 + 3/4 + 1/2 and the like, but it was a good mental work out.

I admit it's close to using your fingers to do addition, but I find it very useful.

I wondered if other people do the same as I do. So I did some googling. There are abacus and clock combination apparatus that you can buy. Actually, many of them. So I think this is a valid and popular way to add up time. I guess it's not that odd. Google is a very comforting tool for making life make sense.