Spring Forward

Okay it is time to set your clocks ahead one hour as daylight savings time begins in the wee hours tomorrow morning (2:00AM March 9, 2008). This used to be a fairly simple procedure, as most homes had only a few clocks and watches. However in the last couple of decades this has become a major semi-annual annoyance.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy that extra hour of daylight in the evening as much as anyone else. What I hate is resetting ALL the items that have clocks! Every single item has its own method for changing the time and the odds are you are not going to remember the "secret code" to change each and every one of them without digging around for at least one manual. You could ignore one or two - but at some point, you forget which are correct and which are an hour out! This can make life interesting and probably not in a good way!

A few years ago many electronics manufacturer's caught on to this annoyance and started adding a feature that pre-set the date/time and automatically adjusted the time at the beginning and end of Daylight savings time for you. All you had to do was tell it what time zone you were in. That was great - until just over a year ago when the US government decided to extend DST by an extra month! Now it begins the second Sunday in March and ends the first Sunday in November.

Curses! Foiled again!

Electronics have gotten a lot smarter, but they aren't smart enough to know about this change unless it is hooked up to the Internet or cable company. My computer and my digital cable box are the only clocks that I DON'T have to reset.

My apartment isn't that big but there are clocks everywhere. It's not that I am obsessed with time, it just happens that most electrical items come with clocks these days. I use most of the clocks for specific purposes related to that particular item and the wall clocks for a larger and more accessible view of the current time if I don't have my watch on.

I have three wall clocks; two VCR's; TV; two clock radios; mini system; two phones; answering machine; microwave; stove; talking clock; and my talking watch (audio and visual). That's 17 items to reset just for myself!

For some interesting reading on Daylight Savings Time check out;
http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/index.html
Be sure to click on the "incidents and anecdotes" page.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to find some manuals and get to work!

dn