Woke up at 6:00 this morning and it was
DARK OUTSIDE.
For a lot of people, me included, getting up in
the dark is a difficult thing.
Just Yesterday
it was light at this same time
and I was cheerfully up and getting
about my day,
following the Earth’s NATURAL
and gradual rhythms.
But TODAY
All I wanted to do
was
roll over and
go back to sleep.
IT’S DARK OUTSIDE FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE.
I had been following the sun’s lead
and rising just a tad earlier each day.
NICE and EASY
And now
KABOOM
Back into the
Morning DARK.
TWICE a year
THIS
makes my blood
boil.
WHY
Do we play this clock
switching game
which takes most people at least
a week or two to adjust to.
Light is such a powerful cue to our brains
and the body's internal circadian rhythms,
which affect sleep, eating and even hormones
So far
I haven’t been able to find anyone who can give me
one
good CURRENT reason
for why we continue to do this.
Among the reasons I have heard
is that it saves energy
BUT
Switched from non observance
To observance in the spring of 2006.
UC Santa Barbara Professors did
a study to test energy savings
Before and after.
The Result
It COSTS Indiana
And additional $8.6 M in electricity bills
To move off of standard time.
In addition,
it cost$$
businesses, governments, schools et al
to change all their
electronic everythings.
They have to pay the workers time and a half
to come in during the
wee hours of the morning
on a week-end
to either do it
or check to see that
everything it has been done to
is working correctly.
Even my senators and congressman
were unable to answer the question.
Of WHY do we keep this up.
Of course that doesn’t exactly surprise me.
So if you actually know one
Good reason,
shout it out.
Why ARE we all just accepting this nonsense
and not insisting on its end?
Doesn’t it irritate anyone but me?
How do you like “falling” back and then “springing” forward?
Dizzy yet???
How many clocks or pieces of equipment do you have to change?
Yes I’m grumbling.
I don’t care which one we stick with.
I just want this jumping around twice every year
to
STOP.
Before we began full-timing, we were in Arizona, which is now the only state that does NOT change the clocks and WE LOVED IT!
ReplyDeleteSince we began traveling it seems we are changing our time zone all the time and changing clocks are a part of it. There are several times when we forget to change one or another and then the state of confusion takes hold. One of the reasons we bought a time zone map that is on our wall so we can see where we are and which time zone we are in, and my computer clock is always on Arizona time...just because...
It wouldn't bother us the least if this daylight savings ceased to exist, but otherwise who cares because really and truly...Does anybody really know what time it is anyway?
Welcome Kimberly and Jerry. So good to have you.
ReplyDeleteYour point about time zones is well taken and perhaps once I am traveling out west and going frequently through hour changes to my up with the sun schedule, I'll be more accustomed to it and more tolerent of what seems so pointless to me.
Thanks so much for the comment.
It doesn't bother me much. I love DST so look forward to it each year. I guess, if it were just one time again, I'd vote for DST year round. I don't need the sun in the morning-it takes me 2 cups of coffee to wake up whatever the time- but I sure like the extra daylight in the evening.
ReplyDeleteLiving in Indiana we have experienced it both ways. Like you we do not care for the constant switching back and forth. Most of the reasons given to support it are, as you pointed out, not valid. Probably the real reason is people spend more money when it is light outside. That would suggest the movement is driven by business concerns.
ReplyDeleteYou may have answered the question in your post. Like almost everything...it's about Money! Look at how much money has been pumped into our economy this week end.
ReplyDeleteSyl
PS..If ya think a one hour change is tough on a body, switch up on day shift/night shift for 27 years! I am sooo ready to retire!
Gail and Rick,
ReplyDeleteEven though I'm a morning person I don't care which one they pick. I just wish we'd stop jumping back and forth. Leaving DST is fine with me.
Welcome Powers Family. Glad to hear from you. I think both you and Syl are right that, like most everything else, this is motivated by one version or another of the corporate america lobby. Just wish we'd all pick a day and inundate our congress persons with a flood of phone calls and emails and tell them we are sick of it.
And to you especially Syl, I don't know how in the world you have done it. TWENTY SEVEN years. Just amazing. I'd be in the loony bin for sure. Counting the days with you to retirement. It really is GRAND!!!!!!!!!
I enjoyed this post. The only benefit it has for me is that it will still be light when I leave work in the evening : ) There's focusing on the positive! Less than a week til I'm home. Yay!
ReplyDeleteWhat I want to know is will changing the time help you get your tires? ;0)
ReplyDeleteI am still waiting to hear that they have arrived and you will be all ready to come to the rally a couple days early !!!
Nancy
Sweet Carrie, I'd be thrilled to stay with DST all year long. I just want to STOP having to readjust twice a year.
ReplyDeleteHey Nancy & Bill,
If the time change would get tires that would make ONE good reason to do it. BELIEVE ME I am SO sick of this tire search. It is just silly that we can't find the tires that were on the Brave and that Gin & Syl had NO TROUBLE at all getting. Looking into XZEs to see if we can get them. I sure don't want to drive to TN with these 8 year old tires and their cracked sidewalls.
I am with you all the way. I hate changing time. I am sensitive to my rhythms. It messes me up for a week.
ReplyDeleteSyl- I could never adjust to the shifts you have worked for years. I sure am glad there are folks like you who can and are willing to do it for the rest of us. Thanks :)