Last weekend, I did something I don’t think I’ve ever done before—I forgot to discuss the time change with my husband, the chief clock changer in our house. So when I woke up at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, I approached the day as “business as usual” and went downstairs to let the dogs out. Ordinarily, the lack of sunlight might have clued me in, but after Saturday’s deluge, I wasn’t expecting much. When I finally looked at my cell phone 20 minutes later, it sank in. I quickly texted my husband, who was about to go on stage at church, and—shockingly—this normally very OCD man had forgotten too. He responded that he made it to church on time, thanks to his iPhone, never acknowledging the three kitchen clocks (two appliances and one very prominent wall clock) that silently judged him. Turns out, he wasn’t alone—two other band members also forgot.

My day only went downhill from there as I felt pressured to accomplish as much as possible in what seemed like not just one, but three fewer hours. I silently deleted things I would normally do—like making a big breakfast with homemade biscuits, routine house cleaning, and an afternoon trip to the office to work. I did, however, whip out the vacuum at 9 p.m. after dinner—just for peace of mind.

As many of you know, pets struggle with the time change too. At least in the spring, it works in our favor—I purposefully delay feeding them for an hour. But waking up for work Monday at 6:15 a.m. was a bit much for them. We all stumbled downstairs to begin our morning routine, delaying their breakfast again—not that they minded, since they really wanted to sleep a bit more. One co-worker said his chickens were also confused—not understanding why he was putting them in the coop when it was still light out.

And don’t even get me started on my days as a mom of young kids—wrangling tiny humans through a time change is its own kind of madness, though probably not as intense as what teachers deal with twice a year and before and after school vacations.

Personally, I find “falling back” the most challenging. Not only do I have to adjust to my fellow commuters’ erratic post-time-change driving habits, but I also have to fight the overwhelming urge to put on pajamas the minute I get home from work.

Well, my friends, this year, we just might have a chance to right this ship and keep our circadian rhythms intact year-round.

Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) has filed Senate Bill 2029 (SB 2029) and Senate Joint Resolution 67 (SJR 67), which would give Texans the opportunity to decide whether to observe Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time (DST) year-round through a statewide referendum in the November 4 General Election.

If this passes, it could be a game-changer, finally putting an end to the twice-yearly clock chaos and allowing us to focus on more important matters.

“Texas families and businesses deserve the opportunity to voice their preference on this matter,” Bettencourt said in a press release. “SB 2029, SJR 67 ensures Texas’ approach to time observation follows the will of its people, because I, for one, would like to have one time a year, regardless of what time is chosen.”

My suggestion? Don’t waste daylight. It’s time to contact our Collin County representatives and let them know how we feel.

One way or another, if approved, the citizens, pets and livestock of Texas can finally stay on the clock—without the biannual confusion.

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