Boy, Snow, Bird (moon, drunk)

As I am getting this post ready to go, the moon is busy being eclipsed by the earth and I can see it right out of my window which is pretty damn cool. Although all I can think of (of all the moon songs out there) is The Killing Moon, which sounds like it might be a bummer, but it is excellent and as moon songs go it is appropriately dramatic for a TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE.  (If you didn't know what was going on, a lunar eclipse would be terrifying.)

Okay, back to business. (There's just a sliver of white moon showing - soon it will be EVIL RED and my plans will come to fruition in accordance with the prophecy! Mwahahahaha!) (just kidding - I have no lunar agenda, but I am wearing a full cape/cloak and a diadem made from the bones of my enemies.) (okay, not really.)

**drunk update courtesy tavern patron who has apparently sloshed outside and has raised his eyes to the heavens* and I quote: "That's what I'm WAITING for!"  while I wonder if it's overkill to listen to The Killing Moon for the manyth more time. Answer: nope.)

FATE up against your will. 

** drunk update: "COME ON, BABY"  He sounds like he's really mad at the moon for making him wait so long, which makes me want the moon to take EVEN LONGER although there's something rather poignant about this intoxicated dude raving at the sky like it's doing something to make him angry on purpose.  The sky doesn't care, man. 



you guys, I really want to hear that song again and then I will put the rest of this post up. You know, the part about the book, which I really loved.

*** drunk update: "Oh, RIGHT ON. Baby!" (followed by inarticulate yipping sound. Maybe the drunk astronomer is actually part coyote and the full moon covering itself is a very confusing time for him. I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt, but that desire will evaporate if he keeps at this throughout the entire lengthy total lunar eclipse process.) 

Ooh, the moon's gone all black now! EXCITING TIMES. I was going to post a book review tonight, but now I feel like maybe I should do it in the morning so it's not all gunked up with my total lunar eclipse overshares. The book is Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi, and the pictures in this post are (I guess, now) just teasers. The cover is really beautiful.

Now I'm worried about drunk guy because he has fallen silent. And I can't find the moon at all - did it move behind the tree? Is it dark forever? are the clouds coming in and salting this show? I think it's a combination of all of the above. I turned off all my lights (and turned down the brightness of my laptop): if I turn my head just right I can see the faint moon through the spooky clouds and leaves. I may go outside to assess directly.

report: the fog came in like a proper horror movie. I could still make out the eclipsing parts, but it's all blurry, like I'm looking at it through wax paper.

ha ha! I have made myself think of another song!! It was an accident, and I'm not really happy about it, so don't say I didn't warn you: Total Lunar Eclipse of the Heart  Turn around Bright Eyes

okay, now there is all fog and no moon so I am going to go to bed. Book post (for real) tomorrow!
There's nothing I can do, total eclipse of the mooooon.

100 percent full

According to the google moon widget (and my eyeballs) the moon is all the way full tonight. It's just out of view right now as I sit at my desk, but I saw its round white glory earlier tonight when I was out. (out on a glamorous mission to buy an invisible zipper and some hem tape for a cotton velvet skirt that better work OR ELSE I will be sad. It's a beautiful bottle green/teal and so soft! Cotton velvet is a revelation - you can just throw it in the washing machine/dryer and that's that. MIRACLE FABRIC if you like velvet but don't like dry cleaning.)

Back to the moon. here's something I noticed tonight - when the moon is full and positioned the way it is positioned in the sky, I can totally see the man in the moon. If I walk while I'm looking at it (this is dangerous in a parking lot), it looks like he's singing. I never see this when I look at a picture of the moon!  It's just weird. Maybe there's some sort of atmospheric animation going on.

I realize this picture is not of a full moon, but this lady is so charming on her plywood crescent and we've all seen pictures of the full moon before.

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Oh, wait. Here's one. I love APOD - Astronomy Photo of the Day. (they make a free phone/ipod app if you're into having that sort of thing in your pocket. FYI, I am into having that sort of thing in my pocket.)

see what I mean? It is so beautiful, but I don't see the guy in there. Maybe the angle is wrong? I see craters and oceans and lacy patterns, but no moon-faced opera singer. In the sky, he's totally there. On the screen, not so much. 

Here's a BONUS vintage postcard kitten moon landing. Click here. (note: space kittens of the moon wear pleated skirts!)