In my state of Indiana, Governor Mitch Daniels pushed for Daylight Saving Time in 2009. He said it was good for business. Turned out it didn’t make any difference, but we kept doing it anyway. Mainly, it’s the golfers who like it, because they can play their game after work. But most of us aren’t golfers. Should the whole state’s time zone be determined by a sport? Do you have daylight saving time daze?
Here’s how it went for me this week:
Day 1. We turned our clocks ahead the night before, and stayed up until our usual bedtime. I’m used to a sliver of daylight peeking through the blind at 7:30., but it was still very dark the next morning when I awakened. Felt confused. A bit dizzy. Stubbed my toe. Spilled coffee. Knocked over a bottle of orange juice. Went to library before realizing I forgot books to return. Too tired to clean kitchen after dinner.
Day 2. Stumbled out of bed in the dark before going for morning swim. Slurped some coffee. Skipped breakfast. Made it to the pool after a near-miss pulling out of my driveway. Forgot my purse and cellphone. Came home in a daze. Didn’t have enough energy to put my breakfast dishes in the sink.
Day 3. The fog continues.. It’s like the jet lag you feel after a trip abroad. They say heart attacks increase the week after DST begins, and I don’t doubt it. Next door, I see my neighbor putting his kids in the car to go to school. The sun is just coming up, which means they had to get out of bed in the dark. Luckily, their dad drives them to school. What about the little kids who have to walk to the bus stop and catch a ride on the school bus?
DST was supposed to save energy, because the sun would heat up your house later in the day, and you wouldn’t need to turn your furnace so high. Turns out, you use more energy because you need more air conditioning.
Parents with little kids must dislike DST the most. Putting the children to bed while it’s still light outside doesn’t work too well. So, the parents don’t have as much peace and quiet time after 8 o’clock, the way they used to.