Random Thoughts

on Daylight Saving Time:

I was going to wish you a Happy Spring Forward Day, and I guess i will.  You can never send too many good wishes out there. 

 June 2009

The beginning of DST is one of those markers we use for the garden.  Like Astrological Spring - the Equinox - and climatological spring.  The latter varies depending on where you live and garden.  In Central Virginia it's around March 1 - when one can begin to safely work the soil - but the farther north you live, the later it comes.  Then there's the date of the last normal frost - many consider that the first day of "real" spring.

But the truth is ... i don't much like DST.

Like many [apparently very many] people i get jet lagged for several days following the spring forward.  A bit of Googling will tell you that there will be a spike in traffic accidents tomorrow, more "cyber time wasting" at work tomorrow, more heart attacks this week, and in general a population that is dazed from being sleep deprived for the next week!

 June 2010

There are at least three petitions to ask Congress to do away with DST.  Arizona and Hawaii don't switch to it now.

On the other hand, there is a bill in Tennessee to go to DST and then stay there.

And, there is a bill in Idaho to stop going to DST.

 June 2011

Alaska - because of its northern geographical position - spans four astronomical time zones - but it is all on Alaska time (Pacific) already.

The most interesting proposal I found was one to change the entire US to two time zones - one hour apart.  Eastern and Central zones would go to Central, while Mountain and Pacific zones would go to Mountain.  That would solve all the business issues of east coast/west coast commerce, as well as jet lag for travel across this country. It would be a little tough on our Canadian and Mexican neighbors - at least until they got used to it. [There is a second proposal that would have to two zone system, but with them two hours apart in time - not just one. That one makes less sense to me.]

June 2012

There are lots of experts who say that we don't really get any energy savings from changing time, so the real question is the leisure one.  I'd actually rather have the light in the morning.  My biggest objection is that it starts after SNL - on the only night that i routinely stay up later - so I feel like i am getting a double whammy.  If I oversleep again tomorrow, i will miss my Jazzercise class!

Whew!  Too much thinking on a sleep-deprived morning.  

 

On blogging:

Five years and 499 posts ago, i started this blog.  Sometimes, i feel like i have something to say or something to share.  Often, i feel like it's drivel.  But i have met so many wonderful people out here in blogland.  I thank each and every one of you for coming back to see what's happening with me; for sending encouragement and advice; for being friends across the Web.  

Thank you for coming back to see this 500th post.

 June 2013

I wish you a warm spring and good growing conditions for the summer.

Good weather for me this week, so I see a Workday coming up.  See you then.