Where in the World?

Time Zones - I'm where and you're at what?

Ugh. If it isn't bad enough we (and by "we," I mean most people in the US) have to deal with daylight savings time, we - as a global world-wide-web people - now also have to deal with time zones on a fairly regular basis.

Okay, I'm not late to the party. I know there have been time zones set in place for a very long time, and it is a system that really makes sense.

Until you have to deal with this on a regular basis. 

Despite my groaning, I am writing this with the utmost humor and chuckling at the mish-mash with time zones. 

My first memories of having to deal with time zones was in college, when I started talking with a friend who lived in Belgium. It was always fun for us to joke about it being early evening for me but early morning for him. No stress. One person. One different zone.

Life went on and other than an occasional occurrence, there was nothing for me to stress over time zones. Even when the internet launched and more and more global interface happened, I stayed happy and content in my own little pocket of the world. 

Fast forward to present day. Now that I am actively involved in putting myself out there for the global world, I find my head spinning sometimes about time zones. I know my own. But as for everybody else's on the web? Well, I guess I need to get some kind of global desk clock (do they make those?) 

It seems to me that nearly every site I visit has their own take on the time. I've heard US EST is pretty standard, but it's not the rule. That's fine. I don't really care what time zone any site wants to take, but it'd be nice if the site helped the viewer/participant understand exactly which time zone is standard for them. I know of sites where a time is listed, period. Is it AM or PM? Who knows. And as far as a time zone - I'm sorry, I don't have my global desk clock yet. The site's telling me I posted a note at 4 AM, but I swear my time says 9 PM. I'm seeing info from folks proclaiming it's early evening, same as me perhaps, yet their notes reflect a time that has me scratching my head. 

Is it just me? 

Pfffpht. 

Can't win. 

That's okay. If nothing else, I can be known as the odd-ball. At least I can keep up with the time in my own time zone (even though 9 out of 10 of the clocks in my home are set fifteen minutes ahead - but that's for another post).

Enjoy your day - wherever in this great big ol' world you find yourself!