April 2nd, 2006

Come Gather ‘Round, People…

I grew up in Wisconsin, which is firmly planted in Central Standard Time. Spring ahead, fall behind, every year. It was just a thing that was done.

But then, Indiana. Ah, Indiana! Land of Constant Time! There was no changing with the seasons, no changing at all. In winter, we were on the same time as those in Eastern Standard Time, and in summer we were on the same time as those in Central Standard Time. We never changed, they did. I instantly loved it.

The whole concept of Daylight Savings Time is ridiculous. No one’s saving any daylight. It isn’t in a bank available for withdrawals. “But,” you say, “there’s daylight for longer!” No, there isn’t. It’s the same amount of light. You want to take advantage of it? Get up earlier, go to bed later, whatever. Forcing me to change my clocks? Very selfish of you.

Alas, Indiana has fallen for your wiles. For the first time in I don’t know how many years (I don’t care to look it up), Indiana will be observing the time change. And, because we’re so obviously nearest the East Coast, we’ll be observing Eastern Standard Time.

That last sentence was dripping with sarcasm, in case you couldn’t tell.

For reasons that make no sense to me, we’ve decided not only to observe the time change, we’ve decided to go along with the Eastern version, when a simple glance at a map would show that Indiana, if it needed to change, should have changed to Central Time. (So, too, should Michigan, frankly.)

But, no. We’re changing and we’re going with Eastern Time. Bah and double bah.

Pardon my bitterness for the next however long this nonsense goes on. I’m sure you’ll understand.

8 Comments on “Come Gather ‘Round, People…”

  1. bd says:

    Buck up, Buttercup. You'll get used to it like a real American.

  2. wew says:

    So now is the whole state of Indiana on Eastern time – whether it be daylight or not . . . ?

  3. The obscure says:

    I take strange satisfaction in your plight.

  4. Brian Arnold says:

    I have no pity for you. :D

    Daylight Saving Time (note, it's not savings) is handy because we trade off an hour of light in the morning for one in the evening, basically. In other words, when I get off at 5 or whenever, I can go and do stuff and get home at 7 and it's still light out if I want to go take a walk around my neighborhood or something.

    As if I actually take walks, but still. Just saying, I like the shift, and I can't just get up earlier or go to bed later, because I can't get my employer to shift schedules such that I do a 6am-3pm. :P

  5. HorizonPurple says:

    "(note, it's not savings)"

    I am going to sit you and my friend Jigsaw in a room and see who can out pedant who.

    Uh, with love.

  6. Brian Arnold says:

    Forgive me for being pedantic. I can't help it. I even compile my programs with the -pedantic flag! At least, back when I wrote C/C++ stuff.

  7. nautigal says:

    oh, indiana, how i miss your quirkiness. one more slip down the homogenous slope of boringness.

    it used to be so fun to drive through indiana and try to figure out if i was now early, or late, or both…

  8. MadMup says:

    bd – that's the thing: I grew up with it and didn't mind, but when I got here I realized how folly-ful the idea is.

    wew – actually, no. There are still some counties on CST.

    TO – you stink

    Brian – you stink, too. :)

    nautigal – best thing to do is to set your clock or watch to randomw times when driving through. That'll up your excitement levels.

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