Daylight Saving, Wildfires, and the Push to Keep Moving Forward

I finally feel like a writer!

I wrote this article because I absolutely abhor daylight saving time. It makes me feel like I have jet lag—without the awesome, relaxing vacation to go with it. And I swear it makes me late! I’m not the most punctual person to begin with, but this week? I’ve been running behind every single day, and daylight saving time is definitely the culprit.

But the publication of this article gave me a much-needed confidence boost. It even pushed me to stop and talk to a local business owner in Hartford who’s rebuilding after Hurricane Helene. I sat down with her as she painted her coffee shop, which just celebrated a successful grand reopening today. She gave an amazing interview, and I plan to turn it into a piece for the Knoxville Sentinel. Progress feels good, and it’s nice to finally see my efforts paying off. I hope you enjoy it.

Meanwhile, wildfires are threatening the beautiful forests I call home. Deadfall from recent hurricanes and high winds has created the perfect storm for fires. There have already been a few, but our (mostly volunteer) fire departments have managed to put them out. From my front porch, I can see the smoke from the latest fire, which has burned 20 acres so far. I’m told it’s contained, and rain is in the forecast—but I still feel a prickle of unease when the wind whips through the trees and the gray sky refuses to release the rain that could save the forest and everyone in it.

What about you? Are you a fan of daylight saving time, or are you on the cool kids’ side with me?