No Daylight Savings

This weekend, early tomorrow morning in fact, we 'fall back' to regain the hour we lost in the spring. There's talk about keeping Daylight Savings Time year round. I don't like the idea.

I know there are complaints about the early evenings which are coming, but do we actually want sunrises after Nine AM for around six weeks in these parts? I don't. I far prefer the sun in the morning than late afternoon. What sun we get anyways, these also being the cloudy, dreary days of the year too.

But, whatever. We take what we get I suppose. Not much you or I can do about it, is there?

A New Day Dawns

Even though we're both in the same time zone, things are different here in New York. 

I woke up at 6:20 this morning to find it daylight. In Detroit in September, there isn't the same amount of sun until after 7.

At first it seemed that I had slept really late. Then I double checked the time to make sure it was right. Soon enough the obvious truth became obvious. Obviouser? The father east in the eastern time zone, the earlier the Sun rises.

I suppose I should have known that. But science is not my strong suit.

Sunlight Shenanigans

Spring has sprung forward. We now have that extra hour of daylight to enjoy before we give it back in November.

Huh?

Although I've accepted the practice for years I've never actually understood the purpose of daylight savings time. One explanation is that it gives us more natural light at the end of the day when demand for electricity would ordinarily by higher. Then it occurred to me: isn't there a great demand for power as we wake up to start the day? Are we really saving anything? Admittedly, I don't know the answer. But I think it's a good question.

I'm reminded of the tale that there's an absurdity in cutting an inch or two off a blanket, sewing it to the the other side, and thinking we somehow have more blanket. Does it truly matter with which end of the blanket we start our day? As neat as fall back is, I say let's just stop the shenanigans with our sunlight. There are much more fun shenanigans to be had.

Keeping Things Standard

Daylight Savings Time ended early this morning. We 'fell back' an hour. I always liked that. Seven PM yesterday was, for all practical purposes, Six PM. It's a good feeling, if only something of a psychological trick. It beats spring forward, that's for sure.

19 states apparently want to keep DST year round. I don't agree. The claim is that it's better to have the light later in the day. But do we really want sunrise held off until after 9 AM during the worst of winter? Not me. It's bad enough that it doesn't rise until a few minutes after eight that time of year as it is.

I would rather keep standard time the whole 12 months.  Admittedly, I like the idea in part because the thought of summer days beginning before 5AM appeals to me. Taking my morning constitutional at 4:30 is something I could get into. It would be neat.

When it's all said and done I suppose it isn't a big deal exactly when the sunlight comes. There ain't enough sun in the depths of winter no matter how you slice it, and plenty in the summer either way. Still, if it were up to me, we'd never go back to DST again.

Cheated

Today, just a few hours ago, the clocks were reset for Daylight Savings Time. Personally, I wish they'd drop DST.

Part of it is selfish. As I like me morning walks, me daybreak constitutionals, I rather like the idea of heading out the door at 4:30 AM for a hike on the longest days of the year. It would be neat, don't you think?

But it's not all selfish. Did it occur to anyone that whoever has a birthday today is only getting a 23 hour celebration? Sure, in the fall there are those who get 25 hour birthdays. But that's the old robbing Peter for Paul thing when you think about it. There's not a decent quid pro quo to be seen.

And then, this year anyway, this is Pi Day: 3.14. Math wonks the world over have, you might say, a slice of their pi taken from them. It ain't right.

This is all on a Sunday no less, a day decreed to be a day of rest. We're only getting 23 hours to recharge for the coming week. And all of you with the 24 beers in a case, 24 hours in a day refrigerator magnets? How's that working for you today?

We're being cheated on all fronts. I blame Biden, but blame Trump if you like. Because it's always the other guy's fault, am I right?

Marty's walkies

The sun rises this morning at 7:09. You know what that means?

I can start taking my walks earlier.

I love the long days for all kinds of reasons. But one of them, one of the more childlike reasons I admit, is getting out the door at 6 o'clock and it's already bright. I know we aren't there yet. But those days are coming. They aren't that far away at all.

I'd like to abandon daylight savings time just so that the long days at the end of June start would start at about a quarter to five. I love the idea of being out walking at that time of day in sunlight.

It's a small thing. But sometimes, yes, the small things are the best.