It’s one of my favorite times of the year – when we lose an hour by setting our clocks forward, but in return we gain sunlight during the later hours of the day. Yes, tonight marks the beginning of Daylight Savings Time!
I realize that its origins are controversial, and you can argue all you’d like about the many cons and inconveniences of setting one’s clock forward, but for me it’s all worth it. So say goodbye to darkness at 6pm, say adios to any remnants of seasonal affective depression … and say hello to spring’s longer days and the promise of the upcoming summer. 🙂
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Judie is the co-owner and Editor-in-Chief of Gear Diary, which she founded in September 2006. She started in 1999 writing software reviews at the now-defunct smaller.com; from mid-2000 through 2006, she wrote hardware reviews for and co-edited at The Gadgeteer. A recipient of the Sigma Kappa Colby Award for Technology, Judie is best known for her device-agnostic approach, deep-dive reviews, and enjoyment of exploring the latest tech, gadgets, and gear.
I hate it with a passion, but not DST itself. I would be delighted if we could switch to DST year round…or keep regular time year round…either way would make me happy.
I suppose I suffer from the whole seasonal affective depression thing, I can’t stand it when the days get short and it is pitch dark outside in what seems like it should be mid-afternoon. I get mopey and completely unmotivated. I wouldn’t mind if we never switched back, either. 😉
I’m with dbmurray; I hate Hate HATE this day of the year. I get an hour less sleep, and I have jet-lag for a week. Why *can’t we* just have it like this the whole year ’round? It just seems stupid. Twice a year, we screw everything up, just for . . . well, let’s just say highly-arguable “advantages.” Enough’s enough.
And Judie, isn’t El Paso one of those places that doesn’t change?
Hmmm – I think they also have DST. In fact, I think most of the cities or states that were holding out for ages do it now – but there could be an exception or two. 🙂
In Arizona, the Navajo Nation is the only group that observes DST. The rest of Arizona sticks with Mountain Standard Time.
Hawaii and several US territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, and American Samoa) also remain on standard time. These areas already get longer days than the rest of the US due to being located further south. American Samoa is in the southern hemisphere, but their days are still considerably longer than, say North Carolina’s.
Of course, this article is a little bit suspect, because it promotes the false notion that moving the clock forward an hour gives you an extra hour of sunlight.
Here’s a direct quote: “And if you’ve spent any time in the sweltering summer sun in those regions you can understand why residents don’t need another hour of sunlight.”
I hate it with a passion, but not DST itself. I would be delighted if we could switch to DST year round…or keep regular time year round…either way would make me happy.
I suppose I suffer from the whole seasonal affective depression thing, I can’t stand it when the days get short and it is pitch dark outside in what seems like it should be mid-afternoon. I get mopey and completely unmotivated. I wouldn’t mind if we never switched back, either. 😉
I’m with dbmurray; I hate Hate HATE this day of the year. I get an hour less sleep, and I have jet-lag for a week. Why *can’t we* just have it like this the whole year ’round? It just seems stupid. Twice a year, we screw everything up, just for . . . well, let’s just say highly-arguable “advantages.” Enough’s enough.
And Judie, isn’t El Paso one of those places that doesn’t change?
Hmmm – I think they also have DST. In fact, I think most of the cities or states that were holding out for ages do it now – but there could be an exception or two. 🙂
In Arizona, the Navajo Nation is the only group that observes DST. The rest of Arizona sticks with Mountain Standard Time.
Hawaii and several US territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, and American Samoa) also remain on standard time. These areas already get longer days than the rest of the US due to being located further south. American Samoa is in the southern hemisphere, but their days are still considerably longer than, say North Carolina’s.
According to this article, all other US states observe DST.
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/daylight1.html
Of course, this article is a little bit suspect, because it promotes the false notion that moving the clock forward an hour gives you an extra hour of sunlight.
Here’s a direct quote: “And if you’ve spent any time in the sweltering summer sun in those regions you can understand why residents don’t need another hour of sunlight.”