It’s said that during this month, people start behaving oddly. Well, no wonder. Here in California, everyone’s a bit nuts because we’ve lost an hour of sleep, and it takes a while to adjust. I’m used to writing early in the morning, so it takes almost all of March to get used to writing in the dark. Even the dogs are off schedule, needing their walk or their dinner at the usual time, but having to wait an extra hour just because…
Just because why?
Because it saves energy. That’s the justification. The idea came from New Zealand scientist George Vernon Hudson (1895) and British builder William Willett (1905). I think we’re lucky that neither of their proposed form of DST was adopted. Hudson wanted the clocks to go forward two hours! If we thought losing one hour was bad, think of two hours.
Willett had a more complicated suggestion. He wanted us to set the clocks ahead twenty minutes each Sunday in April, then back in the same fashion in September.
I don’t know about anyone else, but with this system, I’d never be on time to anything.
What’s your take on DST? Love it? Hate it? Could care less?
So what’s coming up that’s of interest to writers?
The WEP in April has a great theme: “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall” Entries start April 20. If you’re interested, here’s the LINK to the details.
If you missed the March 14 post about Where to Begin Your Marketing Research by L. Diane Wolfe, you can read it now. It has a lot of solid information for writers.
Quote of the Week: “I don’t mind going back to daylight saving time. With inflation, the hour will be the only thing I’ve saved all year.” — Victor Borge (It seems history does repeat!)
L. Diane Wolfe says
And now they want to make DST permanent. They tried that once in the 70’s and it failed because once it got to be winter, parents were upset their kids would go to school in the dark. (As the sun didn’t rise until almost 8am.)
C. Lee McKenzie says
I remember that. I wonder if the powers that be do.
Hilary Melton-Butcher says
Hi Lee – I’ve always enjoyed the change … losing an hour of sleep now, yet having that extra hour in the Autumn.
Equally I wonder what it’d be like in a huge country such as yours … interesting how these things come about. Cheers Hilary
C. Lee McKenzie says
I used to get very upset, now I’m just a bit grumpy about the change.
Liz A. says
*shrugs*
Everyone has such emotions about DST, but I don’t really care too much. I change the clocks (the ones that don’t automatically update), and I move on. I mean, I don’t like losing the hour, but it’s not as critical as it was when I was younger.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Can’t get emotional, I guess. I don’t have the energy for that.
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
It does start really early now. Looks like the government is about to pass a law that makes it permanent. No more changing the clocks!
C. Lee McKenzie says
Hmm. I hadn’t heard that. So that means each state won’t have the option to choose DST or not. Interesting.
Elephants Child says
In a little less than a fortnight we will ‘gain’ that missing hour back. I am really, really looking forward to it.
We start DST too early (in my opinion) and continue it for too long.
I resent the way it fades the curtains and my partner objects to the extra mowing that the extra hour of sunshine brings in its wake. Not.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I suppose that if we could fly between the two hemispheres at the proper time, we’d have the best of all worlds!