It is Daylight Saving Time when we are told to set our clocks back one hour, but I am begging you, DON’T DO IT! Think about it for a minute. How important is time? There must be a moment every day when you wish you had a few extra minutes, let alone a whole extra hour, right? So why not save it! Yes! Save the hour and use it when you really need it! It is Daylight Saving Time after all.
What if you already changed your clocks? No problem. Change them back again. Now you are in control of time. Don’t you feel all powerful-like?
True story: Back in college, I had a friend who did this every year. Terri would sometimes wait for days before using that precious hour. Then, later in the week, I would run into her. She would smile and say, “Sue, (everyone called me Sue back in the day), that extra hour really helped last night when I was studying for midterms. I think I aced them today!” I would think. Wow! You are so powerful-like. And then I would forget all about it.
Last night at midnight, I woke up and remembered. It’s not too late! I can do it! I can be all powerful-like too and so can you.
How will you use the hour?
Vote in the Presidential election on Tuesday. You can look up at the clock and scoff, “Bring it on line, I have plenty of time!” In fact, that makes a great chant!
Call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. Dig into that bowl of Halloween candy, settle into a comfy chair, and catch up with an old friend. They may not answer the phone since they won’t recognize your out-of-state phone number and think you are an automated campaign caller. Call your friend with the free hour after the election!
You can run that extra errand. How many times have you been on your way home only to realize that you need to stop at the dry cleaners, or grocery store, or the Department of Motor Vehicles?
You can sleep in after Monday Night Football, or after watching The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (love that guy’s googly eyes), or after reading blog posts like this one until the wee hours of the morning.
Go outside and play. You could rake leaves and jump in them, take a bike ride, or walk around the neighborhood and play ding-dong ditch. Nothing gets your heart pumping faster, especially when someone mistakes you for a prowler and calls the cops.
Catch up on your favorite TV shows or check out a new one. I must be one of the last people on Earth who hasn’t seen The Walking Dead. I could finally discover what all the maniacal, man-eating-man, zombie buzz is all about.
Make a bucket list. Never written your ultimate list of things to do before you die? Here’s your chance. Use this program to get started, share, and support others! It is an amazing one hour time suck!
Print your photos and put them in an album. Then decorate the pictures, pages, or album cover, or…Sorry! Your one hour is up.
Clean out your cupboard/basement/garage. What? Waste an hour doing a laborious chore? Just think of the satisfaction you’ll feel when you don’t trip over boxes or have a pot land on your head. A pot? That’s what happened to me the last time I searched for something in my garage. It left a mark!
Take a nap. I could dream about everything I could be doing if I wasn’t so dang tired from waking up in the middle of the night, thinking about how I should write a blog post about saving the hour.
But I’ll use the hour to call my parents while watching an episode of The Walking Dead, munch on a Snickers bar, and then will go outside and play ding-dong ditch. I already voted!
How will you use the extra hour?
I loved the logic of this !!!
You can actually do it anytime. Kinda crazy to think about!
Thanks so much!
This was a great idea… you know to wait. I usually don’t because I know right away what I’m saving that hour for … sleep. Precious sleep. An extra snooze, an extra moment with my pillow, an extra moment of rest. Ahhhhhh as a mom sleep is the most awesome thing, any time I can get more, I try.
I remember the day. Now that my kids are in college, I can sleep in and I don’t or very rarely! Ironic or what???
Thanks Guat and have a splendid weekend!
I still don’t get it. So it’s lighter out when we wake up in the morning, but it gets dark earlier in the afternoon. What are we saving?
I don’t watch zombie movies either, Susie. And most of the Halloween candy is gone, except for the crummy stuff (I ate the last Snickers just yesterday). I think I’ll take that nap now.
Great post.
I guess they want it lighter outside when the little kids go to school. They changed the date by a few weeks a couple of years ago to save electricity. By December, the days are so short, it doesn’t make much difference!
I tried to watch Walking Dead again. First of all I was laughing at how stupid the zombies were. They were super slow and moaned so how did they constantly creep up on people out in the open in broad daylight? Oh yeah. Camera angles. When I looked up and a guy was getting munched, I flipped the channel. AGAIN! Gross… and dumb…
How did you survive Sandy?
The hurricane headed toward Ontario. We’re in Atlantic Canada, far to the east. We got some wind and rain, but nothing worth mentioning.
Well that’s lucky. They evacuated my nephew and his wife again yesterday. I’m afraid these super storms will keep on coming!
Splendid advice O’Wise One, and very timely too. This plays nicely into my motto, “Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow.” Can we carry them over from year to year? If you build up enough it would be live time travel. Everyone else is in tomorrow, but I’m still in yesterday.
Hahahaha! I am printing out your comment Russell! Anyone who calls me O’Wise one is a friend for life!
I have the same motto when it comes to boring chores! I LOVE your idea. There must be a way to do that. Now let me see…Hmmmm…
Thanks so much Russell!
What a wise woman! I think I’d use it to nap.. and then catch up on my blog reading:D xx
That’s a wonderful idea! I used mine Sunday. It is so weird when the sun sets at 5:00!
Thanks Barbara!
Wish I’d thought of that.
I cashed my hour in for sleep right away.
Of course, that was a pretty good use of the time too…
It always is! I love sleeping!
What an excellent read! I love the idea of saving the hour…only problem being I would probably waste it trying to figure out what to do with it. Your garage sounds like mine, though, so maybe I should start there…
I started cleaning out closets yesterday and the garage is in better shape now than when that pot landed on me, but there is always something to organize when I have an hour. If I could find another extra one!
Thanks Alarna!
Man, that is tremendous pressure for me. What to do with an HOUR?!?! Ahhhhh. Oh snap. I think I burned it up trying to get the golden balls in Bingo Bash in the wonder rooms. Darn those things!!! Dumb balls. Lol.
I am new fan of The Walking Dead. My husband BEGGED me to watch the series. I didn’t want to. Zombies scare the wee out of me. But I tried it. It took about two episodes and I was hooked. We caught up on all seasons right before the new season started. Love the show. LOVE! But I would recommend eating before not during. Haha.
Golden Bingo Bash Balls? Whoa! Sounds like a great hour!
I can’t get past the slowness of the the show and stumbling zombies. They just pop up into the scene even though they groan and move at a snail’s pace. But it’s the cannibalism that makes me flip to another station… eeeeuuuuww!
I use my magical hour for sleep every year. Then I don’t look like the walking dead.
Good one! I still couldn’t watch the entire show. As soon as a guy was getting a chunk bitten out of him by another guy, I flipped the channel. Hot Tub Time Machine was really stupid, but at least there weren’t any cannibals….
sleep sleep and more sleep! although maybe I’ll eat a snickers then sleep
Yum! I have developed a taste for chocolate and nuts as I have gotten older. I do remember going out shopping when I was really young with my mom who always bought us “turtles.” Back when time was endless!
Love to sleep……zzzzzz
Colorado- As always, you give me something to ponder. Which, despite the implicit danger to such an endeavor, is still a pretty good thing. I went for a supersized walk/run on Sunday afternoon, unaware that I was using my time coupon until just now. So there’s that.
As for Ferguson, if you’ve not read “Between the Bridge and the River”, you may want to give it a shot. I had no idea the guy could write,and Holy ‘Mo Rivera, he can write. The story is a bit raunchy, but it’s so damned good (IMHO).
I will check out Ferguson!
Glad you enjoyed the hour during the waking hours. I have already cashed mine in too! It was pretty creepy tonight when it got dark at 5:00! Sheesh!
I’d like to say I used it for the Walking Dead, but I will watch that no matter what–love that show! Although I actually cried at last night’s episode! And funny, but snickers was my snack choice too. I guess I haven’t used my hour yet then. Hmm, I will have to think about it!
Great Coleen! Now you get to choose how to use it!
I still haven’t watched an entire episode! I tried again last night…
You have to start at the beginning. Season 1 first episode. It makes sense if you watch in order.
I spent my time the night before, per the usual, writing blogs, working email, etc. But it felt like I got it with extra sleep in the morning and that was nice. Even though little girl came in early and asked for breakfast. I sent her away. See what a good mommy I am. LOL. I got up at 8 am,
Nice! Very nice!
I usually take the hour of extra sleep, but not this year. I got up too early to blog this – irony abounds sometimes! I used it last night after seeing my little girl at work! Have a splendid week!
Great post!
I used my hour the night of the switch at about 2am to go back to 1am and sleep after staying up one hour more! It was kinda nice. I need to remember that.
Scott
And you could do it again if you ever get ahead of schedule!
lol – once a year. And it’s that switching the other time that messes me up. Losing that hour is horrible!!!
Oh, I know!
I remember, when I used to live abroad, setting the cloks back and forth, it was a bit of a drag. But, where I live we don’t do that, since daylight is more or less the same all year ’round.
That’s great! I am a change kind of girl and look forward to the “fall back” and gaining an hour. Not so much in the spring when we lose an hour!
Great post! I love what you asked about whether time’s important. I spent the hour sleeping in for once, on a night I really needed it. Hope your week’s off to a fabulous start!
That is the classic way to use it that’s for sure. I went to bed late and got up early to write the post yesterday, but it felt good to see the sun this morning!
It is a great week so far! I hope yours is too! Thanks August!
Im gonna nap for twenty one minutes, clean for four minutes, move furniture for ten minutes, chat for twenty minutes, and check the internet stuff an extra fifteen minutes. Haha great post
That sounds like a great schedule Saint and very good use of the hour. Hahaha!
Thanks so much!
I love this idea! I think I will my extra hour to drink good coffee and read a book.
That is a great idea! I still have two clocks with the different times in my kitchen. It feels good to know that it is earlier and not later!
Great idea, so simple and powerful
We changed time a week ago here in Switzerland so it’s too late for me to see it that way but I really enjoyed having one extra hour. It felt like a little gift.
What a great idea!
Hey! Thank you! We can decide when to use the hour! Do you have a daylight savings there Julie?
Yes but it’s later in the year. I always forget!!
I’m going for an extra walk! Not an excersizing walk, just a fun, leisurely stroll. Thanks for making me all-powerful!! (for an hour at least
)
There you go! That sounds wonderful!
So very powerful-like!
I went shopping and saw my daughter. Can’t beat the extra hour when it is when WE want to use it!
This is like being given permission to drink soda before noon…isn’t that forbidden everywhere? lol The idea of ignoring this commandment for our benefit is so empowering…and yet, so simple. Thanks for giving us “permission” to break the rules!
Fantastical! I am so glad to share the powerful-like feeling.:) I used my hour tonight when I realized it was already 7:20! I got a lot done in that extra hour.
Thanks for coming by!
I was up early, and headed off to meet up with folks for the presidential visit (Obama and Clinton) today.
I think the whole DST thing should be stopped.
I love it in the Fall when we gain an hour, and the mornings are brighter, but the spring can be killer when we lose an hour, but I do love the brighter evenings! I think the farmers would agree with you John!
You are fab!
Thanks Catherine and so are you!
LOLOLOL! You exhausted me!
Hahaha! I still have two clocks with different times on them in my kitchen. I haven’t used my hour… yet!
Thanks for stopping by and feeling the Power!
Probably catching some shut eye as well as working out!
Oooh! A great way to start the week!
I went to an author brunch this morning and heard Dennis Lehane (Mystic River) speak. He was not only inspiring but hilarious and shared a lot of good practical wisdom. He was candid about the fact that his latest novel is receiving some mediocre reviews and addressed the challenge of pleasing most of your readers most of the time while you also please yourself artistically. So much to ponder!
I’m going to use that extra hour to set aside the editing I’m doing and, instead, linger over a spicy curry tonight with my husband and friends. There. will. be. wine.
That. is. so. great. Love it! Sounds like your day has been lengthened and very much enjoyed. And it hasn’t ended yet! Now that is POWERFUL-LIKE!
I love feeling all powerful-like and taking full advantage of the extra time – in fact the day feels so spacious that I think that after having made home-made beignets with my boys, and then playing board games, there might still be time for raking up some soggy leaves…
Wow! I am so glad that you are enjoying your powerful-like day! It sounds like you have really taken advantage of the extra time.
Please pass the beignets…
What a unique idea and such a fun post, Susie! I used that extra hour to sleep in this morning!
I’m not touching mine… I’M IN HAWAII!!!!!!
NICE!!!!!! Aloha oii!
So ask him what he’s doing here?
AN extra hour of shopping perhaps!!
Great idea! I’ll head to the Nordstrom sale at 3:00!
Well, I was gonna just sleep more but now I suppose I should use the extra hour for studying for my midterms this week. Sigh.
They have anatomy coloring books online. (Not kidding.) Or you can find unlabeled diagrams and use them to quiz yourself over and over again.
If you have both an extra hour and a pot of coffee, time doesn’t really exist anyway… OH!! Perhaps you can set the professor’s clocks back by 2-3 hours and confuse him/her… And then your exams get cancelled and rescheduled. Then you’d get not just extra hours but extra days!!
Now you’re thinking! Hahaha! Darla, get right over to your classroom and change the clocks!
mwah haha!!! I like the way you think. Hmmmm…….
But what’s bad is this anatomy exam tonight was already postponed from last week’s hurricane. I suppose I have to take it now. (as soon as I finish coloring my pancreas drawing with chartreuse)
What a BRILLIANT idea! Hahaha! Terri did that every year and it paid off for her. Good luck with exams Darla!
thank you, kindly. I need it.
Set the alarm clock back last night, though recovering the hour is tempting. The microwave and kitchen clock will remain unchanged.
There you go! When you think about it, you can always recover it…
*all jealous-like* Here in the Dark Continent we don’t have the opportunity to do that, in spite of the fact that there is quite a good east-west distance between Orange River Mouth and Kosi Bay.
Jeez! What “aren’t” they thinking??? LOL! Some people in the US would rather leave the clocks alone. I love it in the fall when we gain an hour, but when spring looms, I know I am going to lose that precious hour.
Thanks Colonist!
I know what you mean about that. Just having to adjust by one or two hours after visiting the UK makes my head ache. Then, when clocks are moved during the visit as well, that really does it for me!
So true about time zones!
I think the farmers are the ones that are more likely to complain since the animals don’t wear watches…
I’ve seen some pampered pooches that do!
Hahaha! I will have to some wrist bling for Roxy!
Great idea, Susie! I’m gonna go mess with my clocks (and my husband’s head in the process) and be all powerful-like. I am in control of when I use that hour!
You sure are Kassandra! Feel the power! Be the power! For an hour….
Shoot, I have those clocks that set themselves…I gave up my right to choose when I bought those I guess… but at least I have a choice on Tuesday. Fun blog idea!
Wow! You have super clocks! Mine are analog as you can see from the photo…
That’s true about Tuesday’s choice. Can’t wait until Wednesday. We live in a swing state and the phone has been ringing non-stop!
Thanks so much!
Sooooo funny. We forgot about the clocks, so I guess I’ve been using the hour. I have been writing and planning a special dinner for my MIL.
Not if you haven’t set them back an hour. Just think, you could use it for running to the grocery store!
Have fun!
I haven’t set them back. Woke up at normal time and got busy!
It doesn’t matter…forward or back. The “hungry” clock that runs my dog and two cats has me sleep deprived for weeks!!
Dang hungry clock!
Thanks for stopping by!
“Time is on my Side” as they sang..:)
Today more than ever! Hahaha!
Great idea, but I would be late for work tomorrow. So ll use it today to clean out my closet after I work out in about an hour! Ha ha
There you go! Why use it to sleep in when there are so many options!
What a cool idea! Love it!
Let me know how you finally use the hour Julie. Thanks!
I love the idea of calling old friends, Susie. In fact, I may just do that today. In the meantime I enjoyed my sorely needed extra hour of sleep.
That is so great! I hope they recognize your number!
Maybe I will cash in on the sleep tomorrow…
Thanks Heather!