Friday Morning – End-of-Month Blues
Yes, it is the end of the month as well as the beginning of the Labor Day weekend where the sun-worshipers flock to the beaches for one last fling before settling back to work while easing into Autumn.
Today also marks the appearance of the full moon for the second time this month, a seldom-occurring phenomenon that has been tagged as a "blue moon." The last time we had two full moons in the same calendar month was in December 2009 and was documented HERE in our December 31 Morning Lineup. The phases of the moon take 29.5 days to go full cycle, so it has to start on either the 1st or 2nd day of a month to have time to come around again. Allow me to reprise my bit of background that we published the last time this occurred nearly three years ago:
TONIGHT’S FULL MOON WILL BE THE 2nd full moon during this calendar month, the first was on Decmber 2. Whenever this happens, the second full moon is called the “blue moon” by many. The moon really doesn’t look blue, so how did this expression get started?
The phrase “blue moon” dates back to a 16th-century proverb:
If they say the moon is blue,
We must believe that it is true.
In other words, it indicated an obvious absurdity, like “the moon is made of green cheese.” For a long time the term “until a blue moon comes” meant “never.” But in more modern times it evolved into “once in a blue moon” meaning “rarely.”
Somewhere along the way in the mid-20th century, the blue moon became associated with lovers’ escapades and romantic mischief. This was popularized when a motion picture was released in 1953 titled The Moon is Blue and was a romantic sex comedy starring William Holden. You might want to put that on your Netflix order.
The next Blue Moon will occur in July 2015.
Let's come back to earth now and get our equipment checked out for today. With a bit of luck, the staff at HQ will be fleeing the offices early for the weekend and not bother us today. I'll get some more coffee going and then meet you back in the digital day room.
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