Look, I wasn't pumped about the eclipse, to be truthful. We were going to get to like 87% totality and the last time there was an eclipse, it was cloudy and we didn't see anything and the whole thing was sort of a disappointment.
But I work with a woman who is very science-based and she was excited and brought glasses for everyone and my boss stopped a meeting halfway through so we could go outside and it was cool to see all the students and university employees standing around looking at the sky. I might not have been on board for the eclipse itself, but I was 100% on board for a community event that isn't based around jingoism or sports.
My husband used a homemade pinhole camera-thing and it worked surprisingly well.
Short shadows! Shoes! My hair (what's going on with my hair?)!
And, because I am me, I want you to note that MY BOSS took this photo and put it on the university's Facebook page. The woman actually looking at the eclipse is my co-worker who was really excited about this whole thing and she was busy finding the wonder in nature and ignoring us. The two of us who are goofing around like maniacs are obviously the class clowns of the Dean's Office.
(Also, YOU GUYS. It snowed LAST WEEK. Now I'm fooling around without a coat on. That is spring in the Midwest for you.)
(For anyone following along with my fashion exploits, note that I'm wearing my uniform and I had been to yoga at the student union at lunchtime.)
I'm mostly putting this here because the next eclipse isn't for twenty years. I guess I should have record that I did experience it.
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Did you see the eclipse? Was it amazing?
It was Meh for me. Like I'm glad I saw it and it WAS cool that things got darker but it wasn't as Wow as I was expecting (even though we were supposed to get something like 95% totality where I lived). I expected it to get darker and then when the kids said it was already getting brighter I was kinda bummed. Wait? That was it?
ReplyDeleteBut it was really fun to see people coming out on their decks to watch and we also drove by our local university and there were huge groups of kids (I mean, students, but to me they are little more than children in my mind) and that made me happy.
Yeah, it didn't get that dark here, either. I think you really needed to be in the path of totality for that.
DeleteBut it was fun to see the community surrounding it. And that is something I can always rally around.
I was just commenting on Maya's post about this! We weren't in the path of totality and even if we were, it was so overcast - I don't think I saw the sun all day. I did see one in like 2018, maybe? It was very cool at the time, I thought. I don't even know if it was total or partial or what, my memories are so fuzzy about it.
ReplyDeleteIt was cloudy here for the last one, so the vagaries of weather really do play a part, don't they?
DeleteHa, so you did enjoy the eclipse after all! I think things like that are fun, when everyone stops their ordinary day for a special event (even if the "event" itself isn't that amazing.) I was actually working during the eclipse. Everyone at my husband's school went out to the football field and viewed it with eclipse glasses (this is what happens at fancy-schmancy private schools) and he said it was cool, but he said if you were just outside, not viewing it with special glasses, you wouldn't know anything special was happening. So I don't feel like I missed much (we were only at 50% totality anyway.)
ReplyDeleteOh, we all had fancy eclipse glasses and we're not a fancy schmancy school! The public schools here were divided about if they let the kids go out to see it or not - apparently it was a liability that some kids might look directly at the sun and hurt their eyes. I imagine it would be disappointing to be at a school where they didn't go out to see it because everyone was talking about it.
DeleteWe had so much fun yesterday afternoon. Schools were closed, so the four of us went down to the park. We had a partial eclipse in 2017 - and when I say partial it was very nearly but not quite total so it was still very special. And now we got the real deal! Like you say, good weather and clear skies are not the norm for our area, so to have the eclipse line up with good weather was quite a feat.
ReplyDeleteYeah, we saw the livestream from Cleveland and it was WAY COOLER by you than by us. My friends who live in the Columbus area were texting me throughout the whole thing and they were so impressed. Fun! And thankfully the clouds stayed away!
DeleteYou look adorable in that photo.
ReplyDeleteWe live in NEO/Cleveland and the eclipse was phenomenal. Rick and I sat out on our sunny deck (70+ degrees!) for the entire thing with a bottle of terrific merlot. It was so relaxing. When it got to totality, I took off my glasses and was completely in awe. So beautiful. It was very dark and there was something so primeval about it.
Until the hillbillies started blowing off firecrackers. Honestly, some people. Poor Zydrunas was terrified, and other dogs in the neighbourhood were barking then. Talk about ruining the mood.
But still, I felt very privileged and thrilled. It was quite something.
OMG about the hillbillies! I was so enjoying thinking of you and Rick and how magical it was there! LOL, literally. I have not yet been in the path of totality, and I really want to, and I want it to be just like that. Without the hillbillies.
DeleteI feel very much the same-- was not into it but then rallied and it was so cool. Adorable pics!
ReplyDeleteIn the end, it was really cool, but I'm glad I didn't built up too much excitement over it because then I would have been let down. It was just a surprise!
DeleteLove the main pic, and I'm a sucker for surplice-style clothing! Watched the eclipse from home--and didn't really get into it. I think the community aspect was missing for me...
ReplyDeleteI don't think I would have been impressed if I'd been by myself, to be honest. It was cool to be part of a larger group, though.
DeleteI love your outfit! So cute! We couldn't see anything of the eclipse from where I live, but I did see the last one, so I didn't feel like I missed out. I think it's cool that people were excited for it - it's nice to have something positive in the news!
ReplyDeleteYes, it was so nice to have people talking about a cool natural phenomenon and not about something sad or terrifying.
DeleteWe have also had a significant weather change. Just about a week ago, the weather was so atrocious that we wouldn't venture outside. But at this moment the windows are open, the heat is off, and Sue has brought the fan up from the basement.
ReplyDeleteYES!! I am finding myself much more able to motivate myself to leave the house and that's a good thing in my book. Yay for nicer weather.
DeleteIt was only 30% here. I went outside with paper with a hole punched in it, and I heard a kid in a neighbor's yard say, "I SEE IT!" and that's the extent of my involvement. Maybe someday (like in 20 years apparently. Will I even be alive in 20 years? Who knows!)
ReplyDeleteHa! Well, 30% isn't nearly as exciting, but at least you'll always have the memory of that kid getting excited.
DeleteI actually FORGOT about the eclipse, haha. We weren't in the path at all so it was just a normal day outside. But lots of people on my work Slack shared photos, which was cool. I really want to try to get to a path of totality for the next eclipse. It feels like it would be such a cool experience!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, if you weren't in the path of totality, it wasn't super awesome amazing. It was mostly just the communal aspect that was fun. It would be cool to be in the path of totality, that's for sure.
DeleteI just started a new job in Madison on Monday and we were all out there enjoying the eclipse, too. Pretty cool if you ask me!
ReplyDeleteIt was fun to have so many people focused on one cool thing at the same time!
DeleteI completely dropped the ball on the eclipse (but it was only partial here anyway and I worked right through it)... I've seen a full eclipse in 2000 (?) in Germany and it was really cool. I'd like to experience one again.
ReplyDeleteIt's awesome that you've seen a total eclipse, though. It sounds like an amazing experience.
DeleteI wasn't going to watch it (no glasses, it was supposed to be cloudy, etc.) but then got sucked in and went out... and saw eclipse shadows through the balcony above me! It was so cool. And then - the maintenance guy lent me HIS glasses, so I got to see it at near-peak for us. Wow. Just, wow. (I was clearly not That Into It, but certainly WAS into it when it happened!).
ReplyDeleteYeah, I only had glasses because my co-worker brought a bunch to the office. I wasn't excited, either, but seeing everyone else get excited pumped me up. I think it would be cool to see the eclipse shadows through leaves and balconies and stuff. Next time I'll pay more attention to that!
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