I Hate DST

Daylight Savings Time is throwing me for a loop. Why do we do this, again? Wikipedia makes it sound like its original rationale is obsolete. Besides, most of the world gets by just fine without dinking around with their clocks twice a year.

Yeah, I'm a little bitter. It gets dark too early here as it is.

There are many nice things about living in Chicago, but living on the far eastern edge of the Central Time Zone is not one of them. I grew up on the far western edge of the Eastern Time Zone, and in the longest days of summer didn't have to come home from the playground or my friends' house until after 9 because it stayed light so late. That was glorious.

I do like having daylight when I get up in midsummer, but I don't really need it. I'm just writing, reading email, eating breakfast. Solitary indoor stuff. Whereas evening light means long walks, playing frisbee or catch, and keeping my eyes open past dinnertime.

Anyway, since the time change I've been waking up even earlier than usual, without the aid of an alarm clock. I'm not totally happy about that, but it makes me think of one of my favorite songs by my friend Lis Harvey, "Four-Thirty."

woke at 4:30
it was early
i went to the all-night store
for more
walked through the aisle with the
paper towels tucked in my arm
hummed to some songs i learned
by osmosis in my mother's car
i woke at 4:30
for more
for more

You can listen to "Four-Thirty" online... Happiest song about being up early ever!