Changing Tides + Times

Mid-Night Thoughts From Quantum Of The Seas

Photo by Maury Page on Unsplash

Note: I started writing this around 3:30 a.m. local time, tucked away in a deserted bar somewhere on this massive ship. Having the whole place to myself feels like a rare kind of luxury. Quantum of the Seas can hold nearly 5,000 people, so to sit in a wide-open space, completely alone, is a gift I didn’t know I needed.

My insomnia is in full effect, as is my indigestion, so please forgive any typos or lapses in logic. All the different foods and beverages can do a number on those of us with sensitive tummies…who also happen to be ravenous most of the time. Anybody got a cookie?

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For those of you in the US, last night marked the official end of Daylight Savings Time. For those of us aboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas, we “fell back” a day early. Joy.

It might’ve made sense logistically, but for those of us who rely on our phones and smartwatches (and don’t know how to adjust them), it was far from ideal. For the past 24 hours, I’ve had to double-check the time for everything. Not that it really matters on a cruise. But when you’re trying to coordinate with four other people in your party, let’s just say things can get…complicated.

When was the last time you had to explain time changes to a sixteen-year-old?

So whoever thought that was a good idea—rumor has it it was the captain’s decision—is officially on my shit list.

Like most folks these days, I use my iPhone as a clock. And when I remember to charge it, I use an Apple Watch. Both sync automatically to world servers and aren’t manually adjustable. So we’ve all been a little out of sorts trying to sort it out. An hour doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it’s surprisingly disruptive. Why do we still do this time-change nonsense? It feels like the ultimate waste of time.

For the record, Mexico officially abolished daylight saving time back in 2022. Can the US finally catch up? And maybe get on the metric system too?!

Despite the time-change chaos (and my early-morning crankiness), I really am having a blast. Yesterday—one of our two “at sea” days—I spent floating between restaurants, spas, and pools, Kindle in hand. The food’s been good (sometimes too good), the eye candy divine, and the ocean views endlessly calming.

Still, my insomnia and indigestion have decided to join me for the ride. Between the buffets and my body’s internal clock screaming “What time is it now?!”—sleep has been more of a suggestion than a guarantee.

I snuck out of my cabin tonight to give my roommate a chance to sleep in peace and quiet. I’ll nap later today while he’s off on his excursion.

In just a few hours, we’ll be docking in Ensenada, Mexico. While most passengers will be heading off to explore the city and its nearby attractions, I’ve decided to stay onboard and savor the peace that comes when nearly everyone else disembarks.

I’ve walked more in the past few days than I probably have in the past few months, zigzagging from one end of this floating city to the other, climbing stairs, getting lost, and finding new favorite spots along the way. So a slower day feels well-earned.

I plan to take full advantage of that rare quiet—more spa time, more pool lounging, and yes, probably more food… for me and my ever-growing food baby. There’s something deeply satisfying about having entire pools, hot tubs, and cafes nearly to yourself, drifting at sea while the world onshore hums along.

Sometimes the best part of travel isn’t the destination—it’s the stillness you find in motion. Somewhere between the waves, the clocks, and the chaos, I’m learning to let go of time altogether.

Maybe that’s what vacations are really for.

Keep calm and float on!
Clint 🌈✌️

P.S. Congrats to the LA Dodgers—and to Dodger fans everywhere! While not much of a sports fan or follower, I did watch most of last night’s game. Wow…even I was on the edge of my seat. Well played, players!

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ends 11-04-25

ON THIS DAY = NOVEMBER 2

BIRTHDAYS

• 1734 = Daniel Boone = American hunter and explorer

• 1755 = Marie Antoinette = Austrian-French queen consort of Louis XVI of France

• 1906 = Luchino Visconti = Italian director 🌈

• 1913 = Burt Lancaster = American actor

• 1914 = Ray Walston = American actor

• 1915 = Sidney Luft = American film producer

• 1939 = Richard Serra = American sculptor and academic

• 1942 = Stefanie Powers = American actor

• 1945 = JD Souther = American singer-songwriter and actor

• 1948 = Mandy Carter = American activist 🌈

• 1961 = k.d. lang = Canadian singer-songwriter 🌈

• 1962 = Debbie Millman = American designer, educator, and podcaster 🌈

• 1966 = David Schwimmer = American actor

• 1974 = Nelly = American singer-songwriter and actor

• 1975 = Chris Walla = American singer-songwriter

• 1979 = Darren Young = American professional wrestler 🌈

EVENTS

• 1920 = In the United States, KDKA of Pittsburgh starts broadcasting as the first commercial radio station.

• 1936 = The BBC Television Service, the world’s first regular, “high-definition” (then defined as at least 200 lines) service begins. Renamed BBC1 in 1964, the channel still runs to this day.

• 1947 = In California, designer Howard Hughes performs the maiden (and only) flight of the Hughes H-4 Hercules (also known as the “Spruce Goose”).

• 1959 = During the quiz show scandals, Twenty-One contestant Charles Van Doren admits to a Congressional committee that he had been given questions and answers in advance.

• 1960 = Penguin Books is found not guilty of obscenity in the trial R v Penguin Books Ltd, the Lady Chatterley’s Lover case.

• 1982 = Channel 4, the British free-to-air public broadcast television channel funded by its commercial activities, starts broadcasting.

• 1990 = British Satellite Broadcasting and Sky Television plc merge to form BSkyB as a result of massive losses.

• 1992 = Whitney Houston releases her cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” as a single.

HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES

• Daylight Saving Time Ends (US and Canada?)

• National Deviled Egg Day

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PORTRAIT + QUOTE OF THE DAY

DAVID SCHWIMMER

“I spend half my time just living my life, and the other half analyzing it.”
David Schwimmer