There's A Secret To This Clock...

 To the casual observer, this is a typical wall clock, one seen on millions of homes and businesses (okay, maybe not this particular clock at a business...). But, there's something you're not seeing, something that might take you several minutes to notice.

I'll give you a hint.

The clock would look exactly the same if you looked at it five minutes later.

You see, it doesn't work without a good battery.

I did everything right Sunday morning. I got up and after breakfast I forwarded the time on all the clocks one hour like I'm supposed to do. I then sat on the couch and waited until it was time for me to get dressed and ready for church. 

We now live about three miles from the chapel and because I lead the music, I like to get there early to set things up and check out the hymns we'll be singing. I sat on the couch and played a game on my phone, occasionally checking the clock on the wall. Time got away from me and I checked the clock again. Then, I glanced at my phone...

I had five minutes before the meeting started.

Crap.

And I wasn't even dressed.

That's what happens when you set the clock to the right time but fail to notice the battery had died. The first thing I did was text my friend to see if she would cover my assignment. Thankfully, she agreed. I arrived about ten minutes late and sat on the back row.

There's a joke that people either arrive an hour early to church when the clocks are moved back in the fall and are late to church when the clocks are moved forward.

The joke's based in truth.

So...About That Extra Hour Of Sleep

 Why?

Or better asked, how?

How can I never catch a break on that "hour of sleep" thing?

It's a mystery...

One that grows with each passing year.

Back in the day, Daylight Savings changes never affected me. I would use that extra hour of sleep in the fall and deal with the stolen hour in the spring. No big deal. Now, I look forward to the fall when we get an extra hour of sleep. The problem is, I can't remember the last time I actually took advantage of that extra hour of sleep. I keep waiting up early. 

It's even hard for me to sleep in on my days off.

Such is life.

It's easy to complain about how it gets so dark so early...that seems to hit everyone hard, but for me, it's the sleep thing. This past change was true to form. I woke up and glanced at the clock...6:24am, and because I had not yet adjusted the clock, it was really 5:24am. Bummer. Another year, another lost opportunity. And it wouldn't be such a big deal, but it's such a comfort the day before when you know there'll be a gift--the gift of time--the next morning.

I wonder if I'll ever be able to take advantage of that hour.

Here's to trying next year!

Curse You, Lost Hour...Curse You!

 It seems like every other social media post today was a complaint about the Daylight Savings Time change. I add my voice to the others. But, of all the complaints I read on sites and also our group chat at work, there's something I noticed this time that I don't believe I've ever thought about before. It's a question, really.

Why does the time change seem to affect me more and more as I get older?

I remember back in the day, I used to love changing the clocks in the fall. I looked forward to sleeping in, or at least enjoying that extra hour of sleep when we had early church. It was glorious. But as I get older, that extra hour eludes me. Sunday morning, I woke around 7am, which was really 6am. This morning, I got up at 6am (old time...) which was really 5am (new time...). 

Bummer.

The "spring forward" always sucked. I thought I was somehow being robbed of something, even though I knew I would get whatever was robbed back in the future. That never helps when I lose the hour each spring. And if I can't take advantage of that extra hour (can't sleep in...), then it seems to me I lose twice.

 I've never lived in area that didn't change the time twice a year so I'm not sure what it's like to not do it. I can only imagine it's fantastic. Our state has tried to get the rule changed and I believe it's being held up on a federal level...I could be wrong about this and if so, I apologize.

Still...it would be fun to try.