Working for an international company, I know all about time zones. Mostly, I know how difficult it is to schedule a phonecon that includes folks both in the UK (GMT) and California (GMT-8), since I have folks who reside in both. That usually means setting the call at 9a Mountain Time (where I am) — that makes it 8a in California and (9+7=16, -12=) 4p in the UK.
Except this week.
See, the Europeans “celebrate” Summer Time — their version of Daylight Savings Time — a week earlier than we do (the last Sunday of March, rather than the first Sunday of April). We all change back at the same time, but for a week there, they’re one hour further away from us than we’re expecting. Which means that a 9a MST phonecon takes place there at 5p GMT+1.
Which is why my folks missed a phonecon I had yesterday, dagnabbit. Next week we’re back to (relative) normal, but it screwed me up this week.
Other countries — those that observe it, which many do not — have their own timing. And, of course, places like Arizona and a big chunk o’ Indiana (and the province of Saskatchewan to the north) don’t observe it, either.
The irony in having this pointed out to me is that it’s not the first time. When Margie and I visited the UK back in the late 90s, it was in late March, and the time change occurred earlier than we were expecting, leading to an unexpected opportunity to go to Palm Sunday services at Westminster Abbey, and an unexpected lack of opportunity to see the rest of the British Museum.
Time marches on …