Time

I've been working out, just a little, but I'm determined to have the old legs in shape to spring ahead.

Sure pholks, I know Daylight Savings Time doesn't officially take hold until 2 a.m. March 14 but I want to be ready to really leap forward when the best time of the whole year begins.

Even though winter is still here, officially, having extra daylight hours simply makes things better.

Heck with losing that “extra hour” we gained last fall, DST is well worth any sleep I may have lost. Actually, I probably didn't lose it in the first place since my sleep pattern usually is controlled by what's playing on the television, radio or the content of the novel I'm reading than by the clock. I get adequate sleep year around.

It's obvious I'm not one of those DST opponents who claim the time change is a waste of time (how ironic) and we should just let Standard Time continue to be the standard all year.

The battle over changing the time will continue to go on and on even though there might be some more adjustments in the next few decades.

Daylight Savings Time is four weeks longer since 2007 due to passage of the Energy Policy Act in 2005. That act set DST from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November on the premise of saving an estimated 10,000 barrels of oil each day through reduced use of power by business during daylight hours.

There has been no proof that actually happens but I would guess it made some impact. But pholks, I really don't care. I content that people are happier, less depressed and more active during longer daylight hours. Being more active, including physical work, exercise routines and being outside pays more dividends than saving oil and other energy fuels.

America isn't the only nation messing with the time, even though Arizona (except for Indian reservations), Hawaii, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands don't do it. Except for Arizona, those areas are closer to the equator and have longer daylight hours anyhow.

Europe thinks it's a good idea and has been observing it for decades but in 1996 the European Union standardized the change establishing European Summer Time which runs from the last Sunday in March through the last Sunday in October.

Down Under, the Southern Hemisphere, where summer comes in December, DST is observed from October to March.

Kyrgyzstan is the only county which observes DST year-round and has been doing so since 2005. I plan on looking into that situation sometime soon. I'll let you know.

There is one other advantage which most pholks don't stop to consider: baseball season is one hour closer to starting.

Even though we have a week and one-half before springing ahead, I just want all of you to prepare for the big day (even if it is 2 a.m.) March 14, the best day of the year.