I'm over the eclipse

[shawthorne44]

Friends in the Nashville are already reporting traffic issues that far exceed the norm.

 

Not surprised.   Nashville seems cool, and the eclipse is on a Monday.  We are leaving tonight to arrive early Saturday.   We probably aren't the only ones.  

I don't think I'd drive just to see the eclipse.   But, the eclipse and a weekend touristing in the Nashville area?   Heck yeah!   

[Garga]

We were going to travel. It would have been an 8 hour drive straight through. But whenever we travel that long, we always tack on 2 hours for rest stops and a meal and regular traffic. So 10 hours.

 

But then we hear that the traffic will probably be super bad the days we'd need to travel (not as bad as in the west, because here in the east is a greater road infrastructure), and we realized we'd probably have to add another 2-3 (or more) hours to the drive. Each way.

 

And my DH was in the ER about 3 weeks ago for a ridiculously back pulled muscle and is still in PT trying to get it to unwind. He couldn't walk for about 2 days from it.

 

We realized that over a 3 day period, he could NOT sit in a car for 26 or more hours. His back would be killing him. And he couldn't lie down in the back because I cannot (or will not) do 26 hours of driving by myself.

 

So, we cancelled our hotel reservation. I am really bummed about it. We're in a 76% area around here. The kids are also really bummed. We're going to head to our local astronomy club that we belong to and look through their telescope at the sun with a sun filter. And we do have the glasses, though we're not going to stare too long even with the glasses, and we'll make the pinhole boxes as well.

 

And we're going to binge watch Lost for the rest of the day because we're all hooked on it and DH has the day off from work anyway. And we'll order in lunch and dinner because we're all mourning the loss of our trip and getting to be in 100% totality, so we're going to eat to assuage our sadness. We're just bummed.

Edited August 18, 2017 by Garga

[KungFuPanda]

We plan to just watch it with my iPad selfie camera. Stand with your back to the sun, turn on the selfie camera and watch on your iPad screen.

 

 

This is a great idea. Why haven't I heard this before now? I think I'll test this and if I like it I'll scrap my binocular projection plans.

 

I'm not getting too attached to the idea of seeing anything. I'm not near totality and it rains here every day.

[Guest]

Then you flew your Lear jet up to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun...that kind of eclipse. :D

Psst, your age is showin'... 😂

[Guest]

Thanks a lot, Kinsa. This will be with me for DAYS!

It's been with me for several days. I just wanted to share the blessing. 😂

[Lady Florida.]

 What about the wild animals?

 

While they won't go blind, their actions are pretty interesting. Much of this is apparently anecdotal but scientists do want to find out how they respond to the daytime darkness.

 

How Wildlife React to Eclipses

Edited August 18, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[Guest]

Psst, your age is showin'... 😂

 

I'm ticked off at Lady Florida for the same reason...now that song is in my head, and FURTHERMORE I have been made aware that I had been singing the wrong words all these years.  

 

:::scowl:::

[Guest]

While they won't go blind, their actions are pretty interesting. Much of this is apparently anecdotal but scientists do want to find out how they respond to the daytime darkness.

 

How Wildlife React to Eclipses

 

I am super sure they have reactions to any of this kind of phenomena.  The thing is, it won't be to look at the sun so they can brag to all the other critters about what they saw.  Their instinct will be to protect themselves.  As is ours.  But we have the rational and inquisitive mind that wants to know what is going on, so instead of not looking, we get eclipse glasses.  Or something.

 

I will be interested to read more about this, however.  Critters are so interesting.  Even the human biped.

[Lady Florida.]

I'm ticked off at Lady Florida for the same reason...now that song is in my head, and FURTHERMORE I have been made aware that I had been singing the wrong words all these years.  

 

:::scowl:::

 

And now inquiring minds want to know what lyrics you were singing.

[Guest]

And now inquiring minds want to know what lyrics you were singing.

OK, so I thought he flew his LIMO (as in how the Presidents of the US have their limos flown in the belly of a big airplane).  

 

:0)

 

I think songbirds oughtta be required by law to enunciate.

 

[Nemom]

I live in a town where there will be totality.  Same town where the state has their main University campus which starts next week.  It is already a zoo around here with the college students and parents in town.  Rumor is all the hotels are booked.  I can't image what the restaurants will be like this weekend.  I plan on hibernating all weekend.  

 

Monday we will watch the eclipse but I hope to find somewhere off the beaten path without the "tourists".  

 

 

ETA:  It's suppose to rain here on Monday.   :closedeyes:  :laugh:  

Edited August 18, 2017 by Nemom

[nixpix5]

My poor parents live on the Oregon Coast. Their town is overrun and they can barely get to the grocery store without it taking an hour. They said businesses are charging huge amounts to park and motels are sold out but went for a fortune. It sounds so bonkers we decided to skip the trip. We originally were going to make the trek to Oregon to visit them and see it but I am now over it too.

 

Moxie your post cracked me up so much though. Thank you for an awesome laugh today :)

[sassenach]

Real conversation I had today (over text):

 

Friend: Do you know where I can get ISO/NASA approved viewers?

 

Me: I heard the library is giving them out

 

Friend: Do they come in a sealed package with the source?

 

Me: I don't know

 

Friend: It looks like I'm out of luck

 

Me: You could make a pinhole viewer

 

<I send her library solar viewing party link where they are making pinhole viewers>

 

Friend: I just couldn't risk causing permanent damage to his eyes

 

Me: Pinhole viewers are indirect observation. They're the safest way to observe and there's no risk

 

Friend: Oh, I'm not artsy! I'd rather just pay for viewers

 

Me: There's no art involved. Take a box, stick a pin into it. The library will have it all set up.

 

*crickets*

 

:banghead:

[sassenach]

While they won't go blind, their actions are pretty interesting. Much of this is apparently anecdotal but scientists do want to find out how they respond to the daytime darkness.

 

How Wildlife React to Eclipses

There's a citizen science opportunity related to this. Seems like fun and would give kids something else to do besides look at the sun.

 

https://www.calacademy.org/citizen-science/solar-eclipse-2017

[Lady Florida.]

Not surprised.   Nashville seems cool, and the eclipse is on a Monday.  We are leaving tonight to arrive early Saturday.   We probably aren't the only ones.  

I don't think I'd drive just to see the eclipse.   But, the eclipse and a weekend touristing in the Nashville area?   Heck yeah!   

 

I have a friend who will be at a convention in Nashville on Monday. The convention was planned and rooms booked last year, but she's pretty excited that it just happens to coincide with the eclipse. And no, the convention planners didn't do it on purpose. It's pure coincidence.

[teachermom2834]

Not surprised. Nashville seems cool, and the eclipse is on a Monday. We are leaving tonight to arrive early Saturday. We probably aren't the only ones.

I don't think I'd drive just to see the eclipse. But, the eclipse and a weekend touristing in the Nashville area? Heck yeah!

See...I wouldn't want to spend my weekend in Nashville with a bazillion other people. But I hate crowds. Other people are more adventurous than I am :)

[Mbelle]

I wonder if plants like Evening Primrose will open up during the phases of the eclipse?

 

[KungFuPanda]

We plan to just watch it with my iPad selfie camera. Stand with your back to the sun, turn on the selfie camera and watch on your iPad screen.

I just found out my Dad, uncle and cousin are driving to see it. I told my kids, "Grandpa is driving to see the major traffic jam".

Eldest just told me we should play the board game eclipse on Monday. (It has nothing to do with an eclipse, other than the name)

  

This is a great idea. Why haven't I heard this before now? I think I'll test this and if I like it I'll scrap my binocular projection plans.

I'm not getting too attached to the idea of seeing anything. I'm not near totality and it rains here every day.

 

 

Wait, I'm now thinking you won't see anything this way because of the glare? I meant to try it this afternoon, but . . . more rain.

 

 

 

While they won't go blind, their actions are pretty interesting. Much of this is apparently anecdotal but scientists do want to find out how they respond to the daytime darkness.

 

How Wildlife React to Eclipses

Terrific. My dog is already weird. He's gone from freaking out about thunder to freaking out several hours BEFORE thunder when it's still nice. I don't know if he's sending pressure changes or what.

 

DH mentioned something about the ham radio people expecting some craziness with their usual channels . . .being able to pick up night frequencies during the day blah blah blah solar something blah blah.

[Wabi Sabi]

We are headed for what would normally be a 5 hour drive south to the Nashville area ourselves, although I'm anticipating traffic. We're leaving tomorrow morning and have a campsite 20-30 miles outside of the city, but even though the traffic may be bad getting there, I'm more concerned about how long it will take us to get home. At least people have all weekend to travel there, but then everyone will hit the road at roughly the same time once the eclipse is over on Monday...yikes! We're taking plenty of supplies with us, and will keep the gas tank topped off, but I'm just hoping we don't run into any difficulties getting gas on the way home!

We're taking our dogs with us, we can't leave them alone and it's supposed to be hot (not our favorite camping weather, but what can you do?), and I really hate crowds, so we won't be going into the city at all on this trip and plan on just hanging out at the campground all weekend. 

[Guest]

 

This is why we can't have nice things.

 

 

:lol:

[kitten18]

Real conversation I had today (over text):

 

Friend: Do you know where I can get ISO/NASA approved viewers?

 

Me: I heard the library is giving them out

 

Friend: Do they come in a sealed package with the source?

 

Me: I don't know

 

Friend: It looks like I'm out of luck

 

Me: You could make a pinhole viewer

 

<I send her library solar viewing party link where they are making pinhole viewers>

 

Friend: I just couldn't risk causing permanent damage to his eyes

 

Me: Pinhole viewers are indirect observation. They're the safest way to observe and there's no risk

 

Friend: Oh, I'm not artsy! I'd rather just pay for viewers

 

Me: There's no art involved. Take a box, stick a pin into it. The library will have it all set up.

 

*crickets*

 

:banghead:

🤣🤣🤣

[heartlikealion]

I read the leave the pets inside thing, but I didn't think it was funny. I guess now that you mention wild animals I can see the humor. I imagine if any animals look up it's because they see humans doing it.

[Ausmumof3]

While they won't go blind, their actions are pretty interesting. Much of this is apparently anecdotal but scientists do want to find out how they respond to the daytime darkness.

 

How Wildlife React to Eclipses

I know this probably sounds nuts but one place we go for a beach holiday you will see lots of the kangaroos down on the hill above the beach when the sun goes down. I have no idea if there's some other reason for it but they just stand there like they're watching the sunset over the ocean. It's kinda nuts. It would be interesting to know if they react to the eclipse.

[Ausmumof3]

 

 

Wait, I'm now thinking you won't see anything this way because of the glare? I meant to try it this afternoon, but . . . more rain.

 

 

 

Terrific. My dog is already weird. He's gone from freaking out about thunder to freaking out several hours BEFORE thunder when it's still nice. I don't know if he's sending pressure changes or what.

 

DH mentioned something about the ham radio people expecting some craziness with their usual channels . . .being able to pick up night frequencies during the day blah blah blah solar something blah blah.

Our dog starts freaking out half an hour before thunder but I've always assumed it was because he could hear it on the distance before we do. Maybe it's a pressure thing, like some people get a headache.

[MEmama]

I think one reason I'm not excited is because where I live we get a lot of very dark days (like today). It's almost as dark as dusk. So whoopie, another dark moment in the day. Nothing special.

I was thinking the exact same thing today after seeing this thread. Really, a dark day impresses people? Mmmmkay! We have no shortage here. Lol.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I've been pretty irked with a lot of fearmongering and misinformation about the eclipse on social media.  Like Moxie said..  And the gazillion requests for info on who has the glasses.  Like 1 minute after someone posts a source that has them.  And the pet thing made me laugh out loud. I was surprised when my sis reposted the thing about pets.  But it was a joke that her dog showed it to her to be allowed to hang out in the house (she lives on a farm where people don't really do house dogs.)

 

Dh, ds23 and dd17 are going to St. Louis on Saturday to to stay with family.  Ds and dd are coming home by train so that they don't have to worry about traffic and be home for school/work the next day.  Dh is staying an extra day and coming home on Tuesday.  I'd love to be going with them, but I'm working tomorrow and someone needs to be here for the dog.  Since I'm not scheduled to work, I'm going to a forest preserve (it's actually prarie) with a picnic to watch the eclipse here (90% totality.) 

[Arcadia]

My husband's office has colleagues from their China office coming over on a business trip and solar eclipse are kind of common in Asia. So they aren't interested in Monday's eclipse and rather be working. We'll only get a partial eclipse here anyway and my kids aren't interested. They rather sleep in on a Monday morning.

[Jaybee]

 

 

I wonder if it's like this in other non-first-world countries when they have a full eclipse.  

 

 

I had been in the U.S. during partial eclipses as a child, and was never too impressed. However, in the 90s, I was in a developing country when there was a total eclipse. While there wasn't as much hype as is going on here right now, there was considerable speculation about it. I don't remember there being any glasses, just warnings not to look at it directly. The local people were nervous and superstitious about what might happen. Everybody went out into the streets in front of our homes, and it gradually went completely dark. I believe the time was about 2 p.m. It was eerie, and interesting, and I'm so glad we experienced it. However, now we are not in a totality path, don't have the glasses, and I'm not sure what we are going to do. Maybe we'll go the pinhole path. Or maybe we will just watch the darkening from inside with no attempts at looking at the actual eclipse.

[MotherGoose]

I'm in an area of totality. I'm staying home. Filled up on gas today. I'm most excited to see if my chickens go to roost in the middle of the day. Plus, I hope, we will have new baby chicks with their mom so I'll be watching them to see what happens. There is a video of the 1979 eclipse floating around where Walter Cronkite reports on the eclipse and says there won't be another until 2017. That's really interesting. And the fact that people then threw paper grocery bags over the heads of babies too young to understand and I'm sure didn't worry about the animals. I suspect animals will do what the normally do at night, head to bed ( unless they are nocturnal, but for the brief period of the eclipse perhaps they will be busy waking up).

[shawthorne44]

We are headed for what would normally be a 5 hour drive south to the Nashville area ourselves, although I'm anticipating traffic. We're leaving tomorrow morning and have a campsite 20-30 miles outside of the city, but even though the traffic may be bad getting there, I'm more concerned about how long it will take us to get home. At least people have all weekend to travel there, but then everyone will hit the road at roughly the same time once the eclipse is over on Monday...yikes! We're taking plenty of supplies with us, and will keep the gas tank topped off, but I'm just hoping we don't run into any difficulties getting gas on the way home!

 

We're taking our dogs with us, we can't leave them alone and it's supposed to be hot (not our favorite camping weather, but what can you do?), and I really hate crowds, so we won't be going into the city at all on this trip and plan on just hanging out at the campground all weekend. 

 

You lucky ducks.   That had been our first choice, but we didn't look for that until too late.   

[desertstrawberry5]

We just learned that the rabbits and other underground creatures don't respond to light, they respond to temperature. Which makes sense because they can't see the light underground. It also explains why they stay out later in the morning when it's cool out, and they come out just before a storm.

 

I think the prairie dogs and birds will go home. I'm a little sad now that we won't be home to see the critters. But I expect they won't do anything worth watching.

Edited August 19, 2017 by desertstrawberry5

[Callie]

I also remember one when I was in grade school in the 70s. and not being terribly impressed. I guess it was nice because we got to go out during the middle of school and watch it, but otherwise...it was one of those things that adults told us we needed to be impressed by and that's it.

Yes 6th grade for me.

[Ravin]

I get the day off from work.

[Seeking Squirrels]

Yes, I'm about over it, too. Not because of anything external like media and hype, because I'm not really seeing much of that. But because we have plans to travel 250 miles to a relative's cabin right in the path of totality. That would normally be fine, but the kids and I are TRIPPED OUT. This will be the 4th out of town trip in 3 weeks. One of them 1,100 miles each way. We've only had a couple days home between them and we just want to be done. But they want to see it, too. I want to just say we are close enough and a good partial is better than dragging them on another trip. But DH really wants to go and has basically said he's going with or without us. Which would upset the kids, so I guess we're going, too. 

[DesertBlossom]

Apparently my kids' school is going to have "rainy day schedule" on Monday and keep all the kids inside during recess to prevent the inevitable eye damage that will occur if they go outside. Instead they will be showing the eclipse on TV, safely inside. Interestingly, if we don't want our children to see the eclipse even on TV, we can have them sent to the media center for the duration the eclipse. (Who wouldn't want their kids to watch it on TV? Flat earthers?)

 

I find that all quite annoying and I think I will keep my kids home from school and make pinhole viewers.

[hjffkj]

Well I was looking forward to it simply because it was one small part of an already exciting trip to visit relatives in Alabama and Chicago, with lots of camping along the way. I'm currently on night 4 and am in Alabama. I wish I never came here. Emotionally abusive people suck! Especially when your sister is married to one. Now I don't really care about the eclipse.

Edited August 19, 2017 by hjffkj

[GailV]

Well I was looking forward to it simply because it was one small part of an already exciting trip to visit relatives in Alabama and Chicago, with lots of camping along the way. I'm currently on night 4 and am in Alabama. I wish I never came here. Emotionally abusive people suck! Especially when your sister is married to one. Now I don't really care about the eclipse.

 

 I'm sorry your trip is turning out this way  :grouphug:  That really does stink!

[Peaceseeker]

I work in the hospitality business in the path of totality...😱

 

I am exhausted from work and it is only Friday. What the heck was I thinking starting school this week? I could have waited one more week until this nonsense was over. I do have glasses and planned to watch with the family but I may be too tired to care by then.

 

The predictions are becoming quite Y2K ish around here the last couple of days.

Apparently everyone will suffer for hours in gridlocked traffic without food or gas or cell service. You should have seen the local grocery store and gas pumps today and it was only Friday. I have no doubt we WILL be out of gas by Monday because everyone is freaking out and buying it all!

[Peaceseeker]

Oh and now apparently I should also worry about potentially blinding my children with NASA approved eyewear. I won't be able to get them medical attention because the roads will be gridlocked and EMTs can't get to us and we can't get to hospitals. So there will be no gas, food, cell service, or medical attention for all the blind children on Monday.

[momacacia]

We're in the path of totality and will drive 15 minutes away to the office to watch in the big parking lot. I will fill up on gas, though. Hoping it doesn't take hours to get back home. I just can't imagine. Nothing like Oregon going on here yet.

 

I'm also going to make those ridiculous plates to go over the glasses and take funny pictures of my kids in them. We should.make a box this weekend too. Paraphernalia is important.

 

What I really don't understand is the people who live in my city who are traveling out more to the rural areas to see it. Why travel 2 hours away when there is totality right here?

Edited August 19, 2017 by momacacia

[scbusf]

Add me to the I don't care group. We have been in house remodeling purgatory all summer and I just can't summon the energy to care about anything else right now. The house just got done yesterday, but we still have to put all the furniture and everything back into place.

[MooCow]

We're in path of totality. Most of the public schools are closed. We got our glasses a while back. I'd like to hibernate and not leave my house at all until it's over, but daughter has work, youngest has music lessons. Yesterday the lines were beginning for gas.

[Tenaj]

I told my husband last night after  checking fb that it was beginning to sound like the whole "Y2K" thing.

Edited August 19, 2017 by JanOH

[Selkie]

Apparently my kids' school is going to have "rainy day schedule" on Monday and keep all the kids inside during recess to prevent the inevitable eye damage that will occur if they go outside. Instead they will be showing the eclipse on TV, safely inside. Interestingly, if we don't want our children to see the eclipse even on TV, we can have them sent to the media center for the duration the eclipse. (Who wouldn't want their kids to watch it on TV? Flat earthers?)

 

I find that all quite annoying and I think I will keep my kids home from school and make pinhole viewers.

 

Well, that's intriguing. :laugh:  

[BigMamaBird]

The one that makes me roll my eyes is the FB post about a "sign seen at a veterinarians office telling you to not let your pet outside because they could stare at the sun and go blind. Um. No. I think animals are smart enough not to stare at the sun. It's just us humans who need common sense warnings.

[Guest]

Don't forget about the sex trafficking now. Humans have no experience with crowds and momentary darkness.

That's a thing? I thought it was a joke.

[Guest]

Add me to the I don't care group. We have been in house remodeling purgatory all summer and I just can't summon the energy to care about anything else right now. The house just got done yesterday, but we still have to put all the furniture and everything back into place.

Congrats on your remodel! That is exciting!

[Guest]

The one that makes me roll my eyes is the FB post about a "sign seen at a veterinarians office telling you to not let your pet outside because they could stare at the sun and go blind. Um. No. I think animals are smart enough not to stare at the sun. It's just us humans who need common sense warnings.

It's a wonder wild animals can see at all with all that ill advised sun staring? Whatever would they do without us? :lol:

[Amber in SJ]

A few years ago an annular eclipse was visible for us on a Sunday afternoon so I bought a classroom pack of 25 pairs of glasses for around $20 & a filter cap to go over our telescope & took the whole shebang to a local park with a field & told all our friends we'd be there.  Friends and their families came, played on the playground equipment & grabbed a pair of glasses to look every little bit and talked & visited.  It was pretty low key.

 

This year I pulled out the same stuff and plan on doing the same thing.  

 

DS will do some writing about the eclipse & will earn a BSA 2017 Eclipse badge.

 

My cousin lives in a small town in the path of totality and her company is hosting an eclipse watching party with an eclipse watching kit.  What is in an eclipse watching kit for $45 you ask?

 

1 pr eclipse glasses

1 moon pie

1 pkg eclipse gum

1 Sunny D drink 

1 printed handout from the NASA website about the eclipse

 

If you want to go to the party that is an additional $20 at the local park where you will have a "good view" and a chair (of the folding metal type.)  I thought this sounded hilarious until she said they sold more than 150 of the kits and have party reservations for almost that many.  

 

Amber in SJ

[linders]

My "mommy war" is that I learned one of my good friends - whose two sons are the age of mine, all good friends - has decided that the 99% in our town is good enough. Both of her sons complained to me independently. My DH and sons are going to drive an hour into the deep dark of totality. I'm about to call her and say, Hey, can A & B come with us? I don't want to make her into bad guy here, but it is sort of logical to include the two guys whom everyone calls my "extra kids."