Monday, October 30, 2006

Saving time?

Okay, so how many of you showed up too early for Mass yesterday? Be honest now! Any funny stories to share in the comments? Happily, I was aware of the time change (or routine change as we sometimes call it!) as I was looking forward to making the sun co-operate with my routine! I have been trying to get our day started earlier, but having the sun still in bed while I was trying to get out of mine was making it difficult. I vote we just get rid of clocks altogether and just rise with the sun, and go to bed with the sun!

As a writer in 1947 noted, "I don't really care how time is reckoned so long as there is some agreement about it, but I object to being told that I am saving daylight when my reason tells me that I am doing nothing of the kind. I even object to the implication that I am wasting something valuable if I stay in bed after the sun has risen. As an admirer of moonlight I resent the bossy insistence of those who want to reduce my time for enjoying it. At the back of the Daylight Saving scheme I detect the bony, blue-fingered hand of Puritanism, eager to push people into bed earlier, and get them up earlier, to make them healthy, wealthy and wise in spite of themselves." (Robertson Davies, The Diary of Samuel Marchbanks, 1947, XIX, Sunday.)

For some interesting facts and stories regarding ‘daylight savings’ click HERE



Look for a book review or two to be posted this week.

2 comments:

Jen said...

We went to 7am Mass because the girls were up at 5:30am. It was hard at first, but it was really nice to actually be there early. We'll see if it happens again. LOL!

Jen

Lorcan said...

We have two Quaker First Day (Sunday) meetings, 9:30 and 11:00 Usually I go to both, and the 9:30 is often very small. This First Day it was very big ... lots of red faces. We minister to each other, rising if we are sure that we are speaking from that still small voice inside us, that voice of our God, and not our ego. One Friend is rather known for giving messages at every meeting (God speaks to his heart quite a bit...) He also goes to 11, and was one of those who showed up at 9:30, and so he stayed for 11... He gave a message at 9:30... and we all waited counting the ticks of the clock each wondering if he would rise to speak at 11... he didn't.

This Friend is very good about his reputation for giving ministry rather a lot. One of his favorite stories is about a Friend who stopped him on the way out of meeting to say, "I was deeply moved by your message ... it is a shame you did not stop talking after you gave it."