Worst Day of the Year

The worst day of the year is fast approaching and, as always, I'm dreading it.

As I say every year, this change of the time in the fall is depressing but has nothing to do with my being afraid of the dark. The fact is, pholks, I just don't like falling back to standard time. I'm spoiled with daylight and darned proud to be that way. I realize I can't do anything about it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I have a right to feel that way and certainly the right to tell you so. Maybe I'm wrong and swimming upstream on this issue, but that's the way it is. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. I've seen the light and I like it.

For nearly four months I will just have to be content to sit and count the days until Daylight Savings Time returns in the spring, along with the opening of major league baseball spring training. Flowers, green hillsides, birds chirping, picnics, Easter, spring break, and all that other stuff are all bonuses. A couple years ago, the federal government extended Daylight Savings Time for a few more weeks. Now, DST officially begins the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Monday in November. This year it is Nov. 7, when we Americans have to fall back one hour- unless we live in Arizona (except for the Navajo Nation), Hawaii, Guam, the Virgin Islands or American Samoa.

It's understandable that those island territories and other places along the equator don't want nor do they need an extra hour of sunlight and extreme heat. If I lived in any of those locations, I would agree with their choices.

There are more than one billion people in about 70 counties who change their clocks twice a year for what we call Daylight Savings Time.

The vast majority of us know why the time is changed. Having an extra hour of morning light is important for a number of activities, many of which are related to agriculture. Personally I firmly believe it makes sense despite decades of debate over the actual advantages of DST.

Don't get me wrong pholks, night time is great for many things. I admit it is much easier to relax and sleep at night for the majority of us who don't have to work then. I can take an afternoon nap but very seldom do they last more than an hour. Sleep simply is better in the dark is how I look at it. I admit darkness certainly is welcome during our summer months, when the day time temperatures soar well past 100. But everything taken into consideration, I find five to seven hours of darkness just about right. I usually wake up somewhere around 5 a.m. year round and it really doesn't make much difference if it's light or dark outside. A short, shave and other morning routines don't require daylight.

I don't jog, workout or have farm or ranch chores to do and if I have yard work or other things facing me, morning has dawned by the time I'm ready.

Although my upcoming cataract surgery should make a big difference in my nighttime vision, driving after dark still won't be a prime factor in my everyday routine no matter whether on DST or PST (Pacific Standard Time).

The bottom line is pholks, I'm ready to spring ahead and I haven't even fallen back yet.

And a final note to all of you: Don't mess with your time pieces this weekend. It's 2 a.m. on Sunday Nov. 7.