Down with…Fall Back!

 Posted by at 04:51  Down with
Nov 092011
 
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I hate the time changes twice a year because each time, it disrupts my schedule and makes me testy at the best and sick at the worst. The one I hate most is the one in the fall because this change is for the worse. I used to get confused about which way to adjust the clock but once I memorized the little crutch- Spring forward, Fall back, that is no longer a problem. I just hate the change. An hour doesn’t seem like much but it takes me at least a week to get my head adjusted to the disruption to my schedule and the sudden change in when the sun goes down.

It’s not sunrise I care about.

I never have a problem with when the sun comes up. I can get up in the dark just as well as I can in the light. When I was working, I even enjoyed going to work in the dark. It even made me feel good to be getting a head start on the day. Nowadays the dark of early morning in winter seems to energize me. It isn’t the dark in the morning that I can’t stand.

It’s the sunset while you work

What I hate is going home in the dark. Driving home from work in the dark makes me ready for bed upon arrival. Even when I am working at home, just the idea of the sun going down before I stop my daily work is depressing. So this week while my body is adjusting to the shift in my schedule, my mind is trying to adjust to the sun going down while I’m still finishing up my day.

It’s depressing.

I’ve never understood why we just don’t make daylight savings time permanent. Sure it means that some folks get up in the dark but it lets us all come home before sunset. Much better all around. I know the usual explanation for not keeping daylight savings time all year around is kids waiting for school buses in the dark. I think that excuse just doesn’t work. I can’t believe that the kids would prefer more light on their way to school than more light after they get out.

So three cheers for daylight savings time!

So I don’t oppose daylight savings time. What I oppose is ever changing back to standard time. In fact I would be very down with daylight savings time if it were made the permanent time setting. Anybody with me on this? Who wants more light in the morning? Raise your hands.

Ralph

Ralph is the inspiration for Cantankerous Old Coots and is our Grand Duke of Cantankerousness

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  6 Responses to “Down with…Fall Back!”

  1. The daylight savings changes always throw my internal body clock for a loop. Hate getting up at 3:00 am to start my day.

  2. Hansi,
    3:00 AM seems like the right time to end the day- not start.

  3. It has been proved that the fall time change causes an increase in traffic accidents.

    Those who do not have a set work schedule who see the darkness outside feel they need to leave work. More cars on the road means more car accidents.

  4. Awesome sunset pic, but yes, driving home in the dark is a bummer … and I (as well) find a bit of energy in the dark, morning drive … well, as long as it is not at so totally ridiculous hour. Then again, that is relative.

    In terms of adjustment, the spring jump is tougher for me (for whatever reason).

    We were cruising on last weekend, specially last Saturday would have been on the way from Curacao to San Juan. Conversations among our dinner group wondered about the time changes. Hell, but all of us assume San Juan was on Eastern time … NOT … so no wonder we didn’t understand.

    Meanwhile, shouldn’t one with the title of cantankerous old coot be retired – thus less worried about time?

  5. Judith,
    I am not surprised.

  6. Frank,
    I’ve retired twice. Somehow it just doesn’t take. I keep trying to get it right!

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