Thursday, November 15, 2007

What I Learned From Daylight Savings Time

Because I grew up in a non-"let's change the time of day at our whim" state, the annual central time zone's "fall back" keeps me on my circadian-stimulated toes. Each year I learn something new about myself and the world around me. This year was no exception.
Today's commute home from work in the newly-dim DST world of Chicagoland taught me the following:
  • This was the first time I had actually taken my "regular" train home since the time change. I really have been travelling quite a bit recently.
  • People walking to the train station in downtown Chicago get a bit more frantic as the sun goes down.
  • Riding the train while it is dark is strangely relaxing.
  • Completing a sudoku puzzle while listening to your ipod is an oddly zen experience.
  • Zen experiences block out the things around you.
  • Those things include the passing of your train station.
  • Missing your train station enables you to meet new people.
  • These people are not necessarily cheerful in the dark after a long day of work.
  • Walking home from the next train station only adds 0.5 miles to your commute.
  • Those 0.5 miles are pure deep suburbia, with very few street lights.
  • Wearing black from head to toe like the people in the city is not recommended for people trying to cross the street in the burbs at night.
  • Even though it is completely dark outside, you can still see your breath.
  • You really should have a hat when it's 37 degrees outside, even if you do get off at the right train station.

1 comment:

SP said...

LOL... HAHAHAHA...
You missed your train stop?
I find that tremendously amusing!

Time to use the ear-flap-hat?

Welcome home. Stay a while.