Daylight "Saving" Time...

[Squirrell34]

I'll start off & say whenever we switch the clocks, my son & I have issues.  My hubby; not so much.    But for about a week I don't know what time it is, or whether I should be coming or going.

This little journal isn't about why we should or should not use DST, it is more about the misinterpretation of what DST actually IS.

First off -- what is DST? 
I found this article particularly interesting.  It helps to shed some light (pun intended) on why DST was implemented, and how it can be beneficial.  Essentially -- it's clock synchronization.  Society moves its clocks ahead in the summer, to take advantage of more evening daylight.  There are some commercial, retail, and public transit benefits to this move.  In the fall, everyone shifts their clocks backwards an hour, to have more daylight in the morning, and less in the evening.

I saw a news cast this weekend were people were upset that they were losing daylight.  Not that their afternoons were darker, and mornings were sunnier. 
No -- they were miffed that someone actually took that daylight away from them.

What ISN'T DST?

• We aren't actually saving any daylight.  It's not being put in a box, or held in some place for use later in the summer.  You won't find the suns' rays hanging out with the cronies on Wall street, or boxed up in Roswell with the aliens.
• We aren't changing the earth's rotation speed (that would make the days longer or shorter, but still have the same proportional day/night time). 
• We aren't changing the sun's gravitational pull on the earth, or it's orbital pattern  (moving closer or further away from the sun would change the amount & height of the sun in the horizon).
• We aren't morphing the earth into a different time-speed continuum.  While that would be cool, and a little freaky, it's not happening with a universal "change our clocks today" event.

That's all.  Please don't picture some government-mandated "Box-O-Daylight".  There isn't one.  We are just asked to perceive our days differently, twice a year.

Oh.  And while I have your attention -- please check your smoke detectors.  Regardless of how you feel about the actual time change, every 6 mo is a good rule of thumb, especially now with winter coming & homes having more heaters, woodstoves, & electrical applicances working.

[CaLizzyMom]

Nov. 3, 2009 at 9:39 AM

That is so funny!  But does that mean I can't pull out an extra Box-O-Daylight any time I want to?  Thanks for clearing that up.

[momrocks1000]

Nov. 3, 2009 at 12:28 PM

I am also usually very affected by the time change but I have to say it has prompted some of the most classic mom-child conversations over the yrs trying to explain it to them! They're older now and they "get it" as much as the rest of us do but this article gave me a giggle so thanks!