time change Archives

Why Are We Choosing This Time?

Recently, our intrepid reporters at the Feline Desk at WMEO brought you the news that Congress has moved a bill one step closer to making Daylight Saving Time permanent. No more springing forward or falling backward. No more fussing with the clocks that refuse to update themselves (looking directly at you, stove and microwave).

But I have a question… why DST? Why not make standard time permanent instead?

I’m not the one who has to get up in the middle of “it’s still dark out” to go to work, but millions of people — and schoolchildren — would have to do exactly that. I remember growing up (pre‑1966, before DST was enacted) and getting ready for school in the dark. All I can say is: yuck.

What’s Science Say?

Sleep scientists say permanent Daylight Saving Time might actually be bad for our health. Less morning light means fewer benefits for our mood, energy, alertness, and productivity. And more daylight later in the day could negatively affect sleep — and most Americans aren’t exactly getting enough of that as it is. Permanent DST would only make that trend worse.

Fun fact: In the 1970s, former President Richard Nixon briefly instituted permanent DST. It didn’t go well. People weren’t thrilled about pitch‑dark mornings.

I don’t know how true all the claims are, but I do know I won’t miss “springing forward” every March. The older I get, the less “spring” I have — and the longer it takes me to adjust. And the cats don’t like it either.

Daylight Saving Time or Standard Time… honestly, it makes no difference to me. Let’s just pick one and keep it all year ’round. Neither springing nor falling is good for us senior types.

“A cartoon person hangs onto the minute hand of a large clock pointing straight up, as if being lifted by it, humorously showing the struggle against Daylight Saving Time.”

Navigating the Seasonal Shift with Feline Sass and a Little Automation

The clocks have fallen back, and with them, the light seems to have vanished. Mornings now arrive cloaked in darkness, and by the time dinner rolls around, the sun has already packed up and gone. It’s a seasonal shift that nudges us toward warm blankets, early bedtimes, and pumpkin-spiced everything.

But try telling that to Banner and Balboa.

Breakfast at the “Old Time”

My cats didn’t get the memo about Daylight Saving Time. As far as they’re concerned, breakfast is still due at 6 a.m.—even if the clock now reads 5. Their internal alarms are precise, persistent, and completely unimpressed by human timekeeping. I wake to paws on my face, meows in stereo, and the unmistakable sound of feline indignation.

It’s a ritual that repeats itself every fall. The cats adjust eventually, but for a few weeks, it’s like living with tiny, furry time travelers.

The Case for an Automatic Pet Feeder

This year, I’m considering a peace treaty: an automatic pet feeder. These clever devices dispense food on a schedule, regardless of time changes, human forgetfulness, or feline impatience. Some even let you record a message—imagine your voice calling your cat to breakfast while you savor a few extra minutes of sleep.

For multi-cat households or anyone juggling early meetings and sleepy mornings, it’s a game-changer. Banner and Balboa might still protest, but at least their tummies will be full while I sip my coffee in peace.

Embracing the Cozy

As the days grow shorter, I’m leaning into the quiet magic of the season. There’s something comforting about the rhythm of change—even if it’s punctuated by early-morning meows. With a little help from technology and a lot of love, we’re finding our way through the darkness, one breakfast at a time.