Daylight (Saving?) Time

The Outdoor Type
By The Lemonheads

Always had a roof above me
Always paid the rent
But I've never set foot inside a tent
Couldn't build a fire to save my life
I lied about being the outdoor type

I've never slept out underneath the stars,
The closest that I came to that was one time my car
Broke down for an hour in the suburbs at night
I lied about being the outdoor type.

Too scared to let you know, you knew what you were looking for
I lied until I fit the bill, God bless the great indoors
I lied about being the outdoor type
I've never owned a sleeping bag, never rode a mountain bike

I can't go away with you on a rock climbing weekend
What if something's on TV and it's never shown again
It's just as well I'm not invited, I'm afraid of heights
I lied about being the outdoor type

Never learned to swim, can't grow a beard or even fight
I lied about being the outdoor type

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It's 5:19 in the morning, and I'm out of bed. This not sleeping is really starting to piss me off. I may be the only one, but I think that Daylight Savings Time is an antiquated tradition that needs to stop. Even when we get the extra hour in the fall, it takes me a week to get used to it. Why don't we just keep the same time throughout the year, and plan our lives accordingly? What is the purpose of this semiannual timefuck? Everybody is thrown off for a week each time, so companies and organizations are losing two weeks of productivity from their employees for this seemingly worthless time switcheroo. Plus, there are those in the scientific community that argue that Daylight Saving Time does not actually save energy, which is the rationale for this semiannual time change. We need to stop this, and soon. I took a Xanax, and I still couldn't sleep! FUCK!

Okay, rant's over. It's probably just as well I got up early; I have some work to do. It seems that, for women's history month, the education department at work has been asked to give a presentation on women's history. The lady from our department who sits on the committee told us yesterday in the staff meeting that we had to give an hour-long presentation a week from tomorrow to the rest of the staff at our facility on some aspect of women's history, and she's apparently known about this for at least a week. Way to spring it on us last minute. So, of course, who has to open his big mouth and tell everyone that he was a women's studies minor in college and could help on the presentation? Yep. Couldn't keep my damn mouth shut. So, since no one else in my department gives a shit, guess who will be giving an hour-long presentation to the rest of the staff next Wednesday on women's history? Right again. If I had just kept my mouth shut, I could have avoided all the work that goes into a presentation. I don't mind giving lectures, but I didn't want to have to plan a special one that doesn't fall into my regular schedule. Plus, this isn't even one I can use for my current class load. I'm going to prepare one of my papers to present, and I don't even know when I'll have the opportunity to use the presentation again. I'll be lecturing on the mid-Nineteenth century industrial employment of women in the textile industry of New England (as of right now), which is based on an article I wrote two years ago. It's a pretty good paper, but I don't think people realize what kind of work goes into presenting a paper as a lecture. It can't be great; it has to be PERFECT. No room for errors. Why did I sign on for this extra work? God, I wish I could learn to keep my mouth shut.

Other than that, things are going relatively well. My tax refund came in (FINALLY!), so I bought a new TV for my bedroom last night. It was nice to crawl in bed and watch something relaxing before I went to bed. It helps me get drowsy, so I can get to sleep. I've missed it for the last year or so, and I finally bought a 20" TV for in there.

Now, I'll be able to get some new work clothes, too. So, it'll be a red-letter weekend for me. We just need to keep our fingers crossed for the rest of the money, so I'll be able to come home. I'd like to make it by the end of the month, but I have been saying that since Thanksgiving, so I guess we'll see...

As for right now, I have to go get ready for work. I'll try to post some more about the last week tonight when I get home. I have to get to the office so I can get back to work on this paper. Wish me luck!