Made in the Shade
While humanity tends to be attracted to shiny things, and especially drawn to look when they’re not supposed to, we must remember that not all shiny things are created equal. The solar eclipse on Monday brought hordes of people out to look skyward at the blinding, shining sun as it slowly became 80 percent concealed by the moon for the first time in North America in 38 years. And we were all reminded, ad nauseam, that looking at the cosmic wonder with the naked eye could be detrimental to one’s eyesight. Luckily, there were plenty of local viewing parties that provided peeping Toms and Sallies safe viewing means such as eclipse glasses and special viewing cards. And for the more creative do-it-yourselfers, there were colanders, welding masks and pinhole cereal boxes to ensure the spectacle was seared into our memories and not our retinas. Of course, not everyone heeded the memo or common sense. Some even opted to go out on the balcony and stare straight up at the burning orb, thus creating a spectacle of themselves.