I did get to see the eclipse after all

Reddit user Bluerainbowsanddrain (Public Domain photo from Wikipedia)

Although I came back in once we reached totality because, frankly, I got spooked by a skunk. See, I live near a reservoir and its associated marsh, and we've got raccoons, muskrats, all sorts of animals. So I had set up a chair and was watching the moon, which was about a quarter obscured when I began, with binoculars [which I did not recall having them in a pack that came with a tiny flashlight, a compass, and a pen knife, but that's so cool], and I hear something. I look and about 10 feet in front of me a HUGE skunk came by, and I was very, very quiet. It slipped up by the neighbouring building and then across the parking lot. I continued and watched until the dragon had eaten every bit of the moon, made a couple of tweets, and then headed inside. It was pretty hazy towards the total eclipse peak, and hard to see the moon with much clarity even through the binoculars. But I got some lovely views prior to that. I wish I could have actually taken a decent picture--my cell phone doesn't do much of anything, and I have a very basic little digital camera that isn't much better, in terms of photographing moving celestial objects. I even tried to take a shot with my phone through the binoculars, to no avail. Ah, well. Hopefully you got to see it, too. I went out again a couple of minutes ago and the moon is a dark blood red, but is obscured by clouds so it's really hard to see. Still, it was nice to see one; I haven't in quite awhile. And I'm totally psyched for our total solar eclipse in two years. Yay!

Hmmm...we might have some cloud cover

CC Peter2006son

How To Watch Sunday's Rare Supermoon Eclipse, The Last For Almost 20 Years

Sunday's Rare Celestial Event: Will Forecast Hamper Your View of Supermoon, Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse? [includes a map of rain and clouds superimposed over the United States].

I do wish they'd just dispense with this supermoon business, as the perfectly decent scientific term is perigee. The sad thing is I had to link to the Supermoon article at Wikipedia, as Perigee redirects to Apogee, which is the term for the furthest the moon is in its orbit from planet Earth. Oh, well. Here's hoping we get to see it clearly tomorrow!

Well, I suppose that was silly

you don't really care if I had a shower or not. Sorry, that was pretty much about as useless as some people's tweets. I think I'm feeling a bit manic today. That may be why I've made so many blog posts. Of course, in the past, I once had Blogger think I was a spam blog because I posted so many times in one day. :) So I'm doing better.

I spent a relaxing evening, with the exception of trying to slip my shoes on, nearly falling, crashing into a couple of things, and nearly taking a wind chime down. Have I ever mentioned I was a klutz? I took the trash out (I'm trying to limit it to a Kroger bag when I'm not actively cleaning, so I don't get fruit flies again) and went out to see the rising moon at perigee, the closest it's been to the Earth since 1993. Oooh. Ahhh. It was very pretty.

I got a phone call from the library telling me that a CD I'd put on hold has come in. I watched a couple of episodes of 'Bones', a show which I haven't really watched before, but have heard was really good (Bones is so much like YKWIA). I enjoyed it. I spoke with my mom and grandmother and made plans to go to Danville on my birthday. Then I spent some time on the phone with a friend. Now I'm listening to some music and am considering going to bed, since I have to get up about 4:30 or 5 am.

Another reason I've blogged, even when I didn't have anything meaningful to say, is that I'm not used to having so much free time in one day. I don't really know what to do with myself when I'm alone, other than read or go online. It's something I have to work on, being more comfortable with myself than with others. I know that's an odd hang-up. For years almost all of my energy went towards my friends or my work. Now I'm trying to learn to relax with just myself. I have more free time with the schedule I have now, and the lack of a car, so I think this is a good thing. Funny, but I did not normally have this problem as a child. I'd just play by myself or read. I especially have a hard time doing stuff at home. I feel comfortable going out to a movie or eating by myself, but I feel awkward at home. That's reflected by my house; I tend to hoard things to keep others out, but it also makes me feel uncomfortable. I'm trying to change that now, though.

Okay, enough about my odd psychology. I think I'll go to bed now. Good night.

PS When I was a kid in Louisiana in the 70s, the moon once rose as a huge orange ball at perigee, similar to the photo taken in Florida at the link above. I was convinced that it was Mars (hey, it was 'red'--I didn't understand harvest moons and atmospheric conditions yet) and it was headed straight for us. I was an odd child.

Be sure to catch the moon tonight

Saturday night special: Biggest full moon of '09: Moon will be nearly full, rising earlier Friday night and later Sunday night

Basically it will be at perigee, the closest point to Earth this year. We're supposed to have clouds for rain and snow, but I hope it peeks out at some point tonight.