We sprang our clock forward this weekend. and judging by the reaction of people on social media, we've just committed one of the greatest assaults on humanity in the history of the world.
By moving the clock ahead one hour.
The outrage about the twice-annual "spring forward, fall back" exercise to shift daylight hours to other parts of the day has become so loud that the Georgia General Assembly has weighed in with a pair of bills.
My reaction? Meh.
I suppose since legislators have gotten involved it must mean that they have solved all the important issues facing out state. Otherwise, how would they have the time to worry about this?
But wait. The legislature can't decide what they want to do. One bill will leave standard time in place year-round. But the other will leave daylight saving time in place all year.
It's not just the legislature that can't make up its mind. The public is split, too, if the admittedly unscientific survey on our website revealed last week. About 40 percent want daylight saving time, 35 percent want standard time and 25 percent want to leave it alone.
I'm solidly in that last group. The temporary pain caused by moving the clock twice a year is outweighed by the advantages we get from the time shift.
On standard time – which we are on in the winter, when there are naturally fewer daylight hours in the day anyway – I'm able to get walk before work and after work without it being too dark for me to feel safe.
On daylight saving time – which we are on in the summer, when there are naturally more daylight hours in the day – I love shifting that extra hour to the end of the day. It's an extra hour to outside, on the lake, playing with Milly. It's more hours to sit on my deck and read or watch the boats riding along the lake.
And as a kid who had to be home when the streetlights came on, that extra hour at the end of the day was a gift.
I worry that people who want to end the time shift haven't thought this through. We are well aware of when it's dark and when it's light during the current set-up. But what happens when we keep one of those times all year.
If you are in the "keep daylight saving time" camp, you obviously love that extra hour of daylight like I do. But do you realize that when winter comes, it will be dark until almost 9 a.m. every morning.
If you are in the "keep standard time" camp, do you realize that it will be dark before 8 p.m. every night during the summer.
And pardon me while I rant. We've become a society that loves to gripe. We're not happy unless we are complaining about something. We had to wait too long at the drug store. The grocery store makes us wear a mask. Losing one hour of sleep makes me cranky. (But do you complain when you stay out late doing something you want to do, but get to bed later than usual?)
I worry that if the legislature does act, we'll still be bombarded by people whining about whatever was decided. So here's my solution. Leave the time alone. Get over it. It's not that big a deal. And it gives out legislature the opportunity to get back to things that will really matter to you and your family.
Are you listening, Atlanta?
