Maybe Lunar Eclipses Are Good for the Red Sox

I'm pretty cynical about sports, especially about the Red Sox. I remember well the debacles of '67, '75, '78 and especially '86. I thought they were dead nearly two weeks ago, and I was wrong. Of course, being a Massachusetts native, I'm delighted to be wrong about the Sox - it's the eighth inning of game 4 and it looks like, barring some sort of unlikely event, the Red Sox will finally win a World Series!

Lunar Eclipse from Mount Lebanon, PA October 28, 2004

A First Time for Everything...

I was at an early evening party in Pittsburgh tonight. It was cold but fairly clear, and a number of us put our coats on and went out on the patio to watch the moon.

I'm 46 years old, and this is the first total lunar eclipse I remember seeing. I've seen a few total solar eclipses in Massachusetts, and one partial solar here in Pittsburgh in '93. But lunar eclipses have often been at 3 in the morning or on cloudy nights, so I always missed them.

A lunar eclipse is subtle. Since they come after dark, the ambient light doesn't change. But the dark purple shadow swallowing the moon is quite striking.

I'm glad it was clear over Pittsburgh tonight, but I regret not having my camera handy.

I had a second "first time" this evening - I went to my first tailgate party tonight. I work at a college, and college students work in my office. They were planning a tailgate party for today, before the early evening Pitt vs. Virginia Tech game. Having never been to a tailgate party, I asked if I could come along. They said sure. So Jim and I went, donated beer, ate burgers and shrimp shishkebob, and had a good time before going on to yet another party.