Saturday, 7 March 2015

Spring Forward 2.0


The universe has a strange way of changing people’s minds. For most of my life, I have hated, loathed and despised turning the clocks forward each spring. I have deeply resented losing that one precious hour of sleep, taking little comfort in the knowledge that it will be reclaimed come the fall. It jars my biological rhythm, plays havoc with my daily routine, and takes me a full week to regain any sort of equilibrium. For decades, poor Ter has endured my crabbing about it, for I often begin said crabbing well in advance of the appointed date.

Not so this year. This year, something bizarre has happened. I’m looking forward to the time change!

How has this unforeseen miracle occurred? What spectral manifestation has redirected my outlook? Well, quite simply, it’s all about the sunrise.

Since moving to the seaside in 2012, I’ve developed a passion for watching the sun come up over the water. Sometimes I sit on the couch and watch through the window; when the weather warms up, I’ll often get dressed and walk across to park on the beach while the light shifts and spreads over the ocean. It’s never the same show twice. Such occasions are restricted to weekends and days off, however; I’m usually dashing to work when the first rays of gold lance the clouds, so I savour those clear weekend mornings when all is quiet both in and out of the house. Trouble is, the sun and I are presently getting up at the same time. As I tend to sleep later on weekends (who doesn’t?), the sun is already up by the time I wake on a day off.

Drat, thinks I; must I choose between a lie in and the sunrise, and why is it even a choice? I don’t recall it being an issue in recent years … and then I remember: the time change. It hasn’t happened yet, and truth be told, without a glimmer of gloating, Victoria jumped from December to March with the merest nod to our customarily grey and soggy winter. It’s been springtime out west for weeks. No wonder I’m confused by the sunlight streaming down the hall of a Monday morning.

This weekend, my schedule realigns with the sun. I can’t promise to be up and across the street on Sunday ’cause I’m fairly sure my compostable container will still be on standard time, but by next weekend, I’ll have adjusted to the switch and be on the beach first thing Saturday morning.

Daylight Savings Time? Bring it!

2 comments:

  1. I'm excited for longer days that are *knock wood* full of sun but this ol' Bean will be in bed at 7pm tomorrow night,

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    1. Surprisingly, Ter and I were both up in time to catch the first tiny spark on the horizon this morning. It was almost better having her with me for the last sunrise of Standard Time.

      And, yep, I'll likely crash early tomorrow, too ... though I won't likely sleep right away. The first Monday after the time change is brutal, so watch out for yourself, Bean. Nobody aligns with it that quickly. Look both ways before crossing the street!

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