Ready or not, it's "fall back" time again this weekend
A darkness is looming over our nation, and it actually has nothing to do with the election. Imagine that!
Starting today, we did our annual "fall back," turning our clocks one hour earlier. That means sunset moved from 5:41 p.m. Saturday to 4:40 p.m. today.
Or, as my colleague Daniel Lavender was singing to me in the newsroom: "Hello darkness, my old friend. ... Why are you here? It's 4:30 p.m."
I understand now why some animals hibernate, because who has the energy to move when your body wants to sleep at 3 p.m.?
As soon as it gets dark outside, it doesn't matter whether it's 6 p.m. or midnight. It's just dark, which matches my mood.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is called SAD for a reason: They've taken our sunshine away. Why would we be happy about that?
It's no coincidence that daylight saving time ends right after Halloween, because bingeing on Baby Ruth bars is the only thing standing between me and a total meltdown. I know, I know. Experts say the best way to battle the effects of SAD is to eat a healthy diet, get plenty of exercise and sit in front of a light box for a few hours a day.
You know what's quicker (and easier)? Giving into those cravings for chocolate, mashed potatoes and beef stew. As a bonus, that extra layer of fat will insulate you on frigid February days.
'Rage, rage'
Poet Dylan Thomas told us to "Rage, rage against the dying of the light," and, with all due respect to Mr. Thomas, I would gladly rage against the dying of the light, but it's too late.
The sun has been getting ever lower in the sky since Sept. 22, the fall equinox, when there's an equal amount of day and night.
Days keep getting shorter until Dec. 21, the winter solstice. That's the shortest day — and longest night — of the year.
Which is all a long way of saying daytime will shrink for a while.
If you really hate changing the time twice a year, you could always move to Arizona or Hawaii. Those states blissfully ignore the whole thing.
As a bonus, those states tend to get a lot more sun than Wisconsin does.
What about that Sunshine law?
But, wait. Didn't Congress pass the Sunshine Protection Act in March of 2022 to put an end to this madness? Yes ... and no.
As with all things related to Congress, it's complicated.
The U.S. Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which, if approved by the House (where it's officially "in limbo") and signed by the president, would make daylight saving time permanent. No more changing clocks.
But, after the Senate passed its proposal, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine issued a statement cautioning that the move overlooks potential health risks. Sleep experts said standard time, not daylight saving time, should be the year-round standard.
Bottom line: We're still turning the clocks back one hour, at least until federal lawmakers dabble in time shifting again.
The forecast for today calls for light rain and temperatures in the low 60s. If the sun does appear, run outside and bask in that light any chance you get.
Come a cold, gray, winter day, we'll be dreaming of sunshine and looking back fondly at a time when we could see our hand in front of our face while out for an early evening dog walk.
Grant Elementary students trick-or-treat at St. Catherine CommonsHave a comment? Email Liz at or call her at 262-656-6271.
A brief history of time ... change
Daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday of November.
Clocks are on "standard time" the rest of the year.
Benjamin Franklin, the statesman and inventor who, if memory serves, graces the $100 bill, is credited with the idea of fiddling with time to conserve candles back in 1784.
Others offered other proposals over the years, and daylight saving time was first established during World War I to conserve fuel for war industries.
The law was repealed after the war ended but was re-established by Congress during World War II, again due to energy consumption worries.
In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act, establishing uniform start and end times within standard time zones.
Ever since, we've been arguing about this whole time change thing like ... well ... clockwork.
Features/GO Kenosha
