As printed earlier this month in the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, my mother’s (see: Dianne Elizabeth Blomquist Frank) commentary on a most humdrum Hoosier fiasco:
OK, let’s get it right. All this hubbub about daylight-saving time and zones; all those cloaked late-night sessions debating the merits of saved energy and safety issues for little Joey waiting at the bus stop, etc., etc, etc., have made their points. There have been special assemblies and voting sessions where serious-looking and -sounding politicians spoke with impassioned pleas for Indiana to get with the program and “spring forward/fall back” like the majority of the more forward-thinking conscientious states.
I’ve listened and learned and listened, but still feel the same basic thought coming into my mind. The central issue to my way of thinking; the issue that keeps me on the fence in this impassioned debate is (drum roll please) – why do I want to add another technological challenge to my life?
I only have to look around to see the many challenges staring at me with their counter-clockwise-cracking faces or their digital disdain. Yes, there are people looking not at the energy saved but the energy required to personally adapt to the cursed “spring forward/fall back” regardless of whether they are in the Eastern or Central time zone.
We are not wooed by that glib phrase because we know the meaning behind those innocuous words. Now, I do have to admit, I have help readily available in my husband and sons who will have pity on their technologically challenged mom and come to her rescue with their nerdy skills, but what about those individuals that have no one handy to change the appliances, VCR, DVD player, etc.? Must they live with 12:00 flashing for the rest of their mortal lives?
As my second son and I were discussing, Indiana politicians could have taken this issue and, instead of spending serious moments of debate in the capital, they could have drawn from their right brain (or talked to their wives) and taken Indiana to a new level in the tourism department. New slogans citing Indiana as the state where time remains constant could have been marketed. I see it all now. A happy family is tuned into its family viewing hour and the station break occurs. There stands Ward Cleaver looking at his watch. He turns to June and says “Indiana! Indiana the state that doesn’t get caught up in those gimmicky schemes of change. Indiana the state that never changes. Sounds like the place for me. Call Wally and the Beav and let’s go now!”
Why join the crowd? Let’s stay different, distinct and clock solid. Oops, I guess that battle has been lost. Trust me; we could have had a great state promotional campaign. Now we’re just part of all those people asking their grandkids to set the right time.
