It’s All Downhill From Here

We just passed the summer solstice and that means it is all downhill from here. From now until December 21, the days will gradually grow shorter.

I prefer more daylight than less daylight. My rhythms revolve around daylight. I wake with the sun–or with the brightening sky. These days, it means I’m usually up around 5 am. I also go to sleep early–often around 8pm, while there is still more than an hour of light left in the sky. I like falling asleep with dwindling sunlight in the window and awakening in the middle of the night to darkness.

Some people prefer it lighter in the mornings, others in the evenings. I want both at the same time, and right about now is about as good as it gets for me. On Tuesday, the actual solstice, sunrise in my neck of the woods as at 5:45 am and sunset at 8:39pm. There is about an hour of daylight on the before and after, so there is light in the sky from about 5am until 9:20am or so–more than 16 hours of daylight.

I imagine that astronomers and horror writers prefer December 21, when the nights are longest rather than the days.

I am ambivalent on daylight saving time. Sometimes I’d be happy to get rid of it, other times, I want more of it. Really, I’d be happy if people just said it correctly: daylight saving time, not “savings.” Right now, daylight saving time is making it light here in my area until after 9 pm. If we didnt’ have it, it would be getting dark at 8 pm. I’ve been going to bed between 8 and 9 o’clock and whether it is still light out or dark has no bearing on my falling asleep. (Getting up at 5 am does have bearing on this.)

If I had to choose, I’d say I much prefer it lighter out early in the morning than later at night. I’m usually out the door for my morning walk between 5:30 and 6:00am, and I definitely prefer to be able to see where I am walking.

I’m rambling. I didn’t get much sleep last night, and not because it was too light or too dark, but that is a story for another time.

Written on June 20, 2022.