“Timely” Issues and “Queen-agers”

Dear Reader:

Get ready…here we go again…it is time to spring forward an hour tonight into…a lot of changes for our sleep habits, daily habits, and health issues…which create some challenging situations.

But can we blame Ben Franklin for putting us in this growing unpopular annual event?

Daylight saving time—the practice of moving the clock forward one hour—has many critics. Losing an hour of sleep only to wake up to darkness? No thanks. But is Benjamin Franklin to blame for this “invention”?

Daylight saving time is one thing that Franklin did not invent. He merely suggested Parisians change their sleep schedules to save money on candles and lamp oil.

He wrote an article to the citizens of Paris suggesting that rising with the sun would save the citizens of Paris, where he was living at the time, a great deal of money: “An immense sum! That the city of Paris might save every year, by the economy of using sunshine instead of candles.”

But with that one article…the idea died out…so Ben is not the scapegoat….some fellow named George Hudson is… a Zealand entomologist who wanted more daylight in the evenings presented the suggestion in 1895. The idea took awhile to get to America and this is another example why we should not interfere with Mother Nature…we lose every time we do…and not just loss of sleep.

Today as more and more states are in the midst of the legal process of ditching day light savings time (Arizona and Hawaii are the only two states who have completed the process) we are discovering some unsettling information between the loss of time/sleep on our bodies as linked to more serious health issues. Here are a few examples I found from different articles.

  1. heart attack spikes   2. stroke rates rise  3. high school students are very vulnerable to induced sleep loss (car accidents) 4. significant increase in headaches  5. elevated moodiness

As more and more states begin serious reconsideration of the ambiguous “benefits” of daylight savings time vs. the reality of human physical, mental, and emotional adjustment… the opportunity to vote for or against daylight savings time is becoming a real possibility.

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Libby saw this new definition for women of a certain age (with still a love of zest for life) and thought the Ya’s should add this title to ourselves during this stage of togetherness.

Libby reminded me of a time at one Edisto retreat (a long time ago) when I took it upon myself to have all the Ya’s read this book that characterized what type of individual queen we all were… according to different questions about our unique personalities, etc.

All they remember is having to do homework in order to do the queen “lesson”…Libby even found the book we used. I told her I couldn’t remember it or the activity…but obviously they still can…reluctantly. 🙂

 The grown-up woman’s guide to claiming happiness and getting the life you deserve.

***Now I do vaguely remember planning this activity and having so much fun doing so…even if it went unappreciated…apparently. 🙂

I even gave everyone a “surcie” for finding out what type of queen they would make…certificate of Queenliness completion and a tiara. Personally I loved the “event”! 🙂  🙂  🙂

And speaking of being “Queen for the Day” (or perhaps night) Libby accompanied her son-in-law (Collin) to the Old Newberry Opera House where the “getting better not older Lettermen were playing and Libby (in all her enthusiasm) ended up on stage with them.

*Now you know what kind of queen you are Libby…center stage queen! 🙂

So until tomorrow…”Like in chess…in life the queen saves the king.”

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Mollie and the regional team are making the most of the Beauty Counter changes to a  mini-conference in Asheville/NC… after the national San Francisco convention was cancelled due to the virus…They are staying in a large mountain house…and attending a small conference. Just the friendship of being together is always worth the time and trip. Lots of time to have others answer questions the reps night have needed answers to…or suggestions from other participants. Have fun girls!

AND a Shout-out to Honey Burrell….a BIG Happy Happy Birthday!!! Next week I will be updating everyone about our Honey’s latest achievements…even with her wrist still in a cast….Honey never stops creating.

…And her wonderful, lovable husband Mike never ceases to surprise Honey on special occasions…they spent her birthday in Asheville Thursday with special lunches and dinners and am overnight hotel stay. Mike knows how to do it ‘up right.

But it doesn’t stop there…Mike is also a talented artisan/wood craftsman. Look at this original bread bin he made his “Honey.” Amazing! Don’t you love it?

About Becky Dingle

I was born a Tarheel but ended up a Sandlapper. My grandparents were cotton farmers in Laurens, South Carolina and it was in my grandmother’s house that my love of storytelling began beside an old Franklin stove. When I graduated from Laurens High School, I attended Erskine College (Due West of what?) and would later get my Masters Degree in Education/Social Studies from Charleston Southern. I am presently an adjunct professor/clinical supervisor at CSU and have also taught at the College of Charleston. For 28 years I taught Social Studies through storytelling. My philosophy matched Rudyard Kipling’s quote: “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Today I still spread this message through workshops and presentations throughout the state. The secret of success in teaching social studies is always in the story. I want to keep learning and being surprised by life…it is the greatest teacher. Like Kermit said, “When you’re green you grow, when you’re ripe you rot.”
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6 Responses to “Timely” Issues and “Queen-agers”

  1. Jo Dufford says:

    Loved this blog. I’m already tired just thinking about losing an hour sleep tomorrow. Thanks for clearing Franklin’s name. You ladies are certainly Queens of knowing how to have fun and be true friends. Honey’s 39th birthday , and I missed it? She will always be young to me. (She has to be or since I taught her in sixth grade, what would that make me?). Happy Birthday, pretty lady! Always stay your sweet and kind self.

    • Becky Dingle says:

      You are too too cute Jo! I know Honey will get a kick out of your birthday comments! Don’t we love her so…like I love you and Colby….that girl must be extra busy these last few months…I know for you and mom the time is going too fast…our little Colby will soon be going off to college…found a cute photo of you two from way back when you visited one time…precious…will get it to you. Love! Chill through the daylight savings time upheaval! 🙂

  2. Jo Dufford says:

    Loved this blog. I’m already tired just thinking about losing an hour sleep tomorrow. Thanks for clearing Franklin’s name. You ladies are certainly Queens of knowing how to have fun and be true friends. Honey’s 39th birthday , and I missed it? She will always be young to me. (She has to be or since I taught her in sixth grade, what would that make me?). Happy Birthday, pretty lady! Always stay your sweet and kind self.

  3. Rachel Edwards says:

    Oh my …we love the Lettermen and Newbery…wish we had known about the concert. I used to watch “Queen For A Day” when I was in elementary school. I don’t know why I would have wanted a new washer or dryer but as the youngest of 6 I imagine that I thought my parents woukd use it. Happy Birthday to Honey…sweetest person ever…

    • Rachel Edwards says:

      Oh and out of all of the earliest fathers of our country Ben Franklin was one of my favorites. He pdid so many different things…and he started the first lending libraries…along with so many other life changing inventions…

      • Becky Dingle says:

        We could sure use some more Ben’s and George’s around these days….they had so many interests outside of just politics…like Franklin’s inventions that helped all humanity…lending libraries, Franklin stoves (like mine), bifocals, street lamps and lightning rods…the list goes on and on what he did for the ordinary people. to improve their lives.The same for George on limiting the terms of President, strong fair foreign policies, and social standards of the office set high with maintaining the dignity of the highest office of the land.

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