random thoughts on this year’s falling back
We did not have Daylight Savings Time (DST) in Arizona, where I grew up. It didn’t make life easier; in fact, it was an annoyance, having to figure out the time in other zones, which (of course) was different, depending on the time of year.
As DST is vaguely tied into the Industrial Revolution, I feel compelled to admit that I am distantly related to Henry Ford. I’m sorry!
Two of my clocks automatically adjusted themselves a week too early, as the DST changed dates only last year (shifting ahead one week). Did the lawmakers take this into consideration when making this change: the fact that so many electronics will forever have to be manually adjusted four times a year?
Really, when you think about it, isn’t all this time stuff really arbitrary and weird?
I heard a really good podcast about how the time in America only got synced when the railroads were complete. Now I can’t find the podcast. See next item.
Between the brain-jumbling time change and air pressure shenanigans due to the rain (it’s been so long since rain that, at first, I had no idea what I was hearing at 5am on Saturday), my head is thick and heavy and swollen and so not in a good way.
As an angry young teen, I was very into blasting “Got the Time” from Joe Jackson’s “Look Sharp!“, three minutes of ultraspeed powerpop goodness!
If I tell you what I’m doing today
Will you shut up and get out of my way?
Someone asked me what the time is,
I don’t know
Only know I gotta go now
Oh, a podcast that I can find and definitely recommend is from the first season of Radio Lab: Beyond Time. How did they manage to convey the Theory of Relativity so entertainingly? Listen and find out!
And that, my friend, is that.
I live in the UK and work for an US-based company so I always email then wait for the response – I used to know that 2pm here = 9am in New York State – last week I stuck with the same till it was adapted!
I know that Benjamin Franklin was something to do with DST as it’s mentioned in National Treasure!
The falling back is supposed to mean you get to sleep in. Finn did not quite grasp the concept at 5:00am this morning.
So confusing this DST business. Hannah, is it true it’s called “Summer Time” in Europe? Also, Cloudy, I feel that DST is a cruel joke intended for animal and baby owners.
I heart DST. I heart the extra hour of sleep. I heart the dark. I need my environment to remind me to slow down… to grant me permission to be homey, stay inside, eat stew, be crafty. Very challenging living with a California guy who was raised with the notion – and still believes – that if the sun’s out, you gotta be outside. Period.
Most importantly, I totally just had a happy moment flashback… You writing those Joe Jackson lyrics… I totally remember seeing him at the Greek in Berkeley, standing up, busting out those lyrics at the top of my lungs… 🙂
i’m into the whole dst thing. ben franklin was indeed the man behind the dst idea.
and yes, ms b, i think our cycles are synching up! http://t-love-pdx.blogspot.com/2008/11/dst.html