On the Eclipse

The planets and the sun and the Earth all travel on paths that are generally understood.  Calculations can be conducted.  The known knowns are known.  Apparently, one of those known knowns that are known that is that a total eclipse will occur about every 38 years.

And yet …

This is news.

And something to stop and gawk at.

It’s the kind of thing I’ll never understand.  There are partial eclipses much more regularly.  In much of the world that’s all that anybody got a glimpse of.  Yet, this year, because it is connected to a total eclipse, people stopped and gawked.  Outside the building where I worked, shortly after 10:00 a.m., the sidewalks began to fill.  At some point, the crowed outside the east end of the building was so much that you likely had to push your way through to get out the door.

Because the sun and the moon and good ol’ Mother Earth were doing what they were supposed to be doing.  Orbiting as they should.  And the Earth passed between here and there.  And the moon did as well.  And the sun was … well, here in Sactown … partially eclipsed.

Stop the presses.

Stop everything.

Look to the sky.

I don’t get it.  I stayed in my office and kept working.  Outside my window, the world darkened for a bit and then it lightened again.  And things went on.

Clearly, I’m a curmudgeon.