So About That Total Eclipse

To quote Terry Pratchett: “It doesn’t stop being magic just because you know how it works”

Fun Fact: A real eclipse was filmed during the production of the 1961 Biblical film "Barabbas." The director Richard Fleischer decided, after being informed that a total eclipse would occur in Italy, to shoot the scene of the death of Jesus Christ during such extraordinary event. This resulted in one of the most amazing scenes in Hollywood history

"i may not get to go to space, but the cool thing about being on a planet... is that we are already in space" i cannot express how comforting that is to hear, as a person who was literally traumatized into hating and being terrified of the concept of getting on a plane, let alone going on a spaceship, but still loves to learn about space. i don't need to leave the ground; the ground is space, too

"It doesn't stop being magic just because you know how it works" - Terry Pratchett

"You're so stinkin' cute OWW." is the quintessential cat experience.

Red's like a werewolf but instead of turning into a wolf at the full moon she turns into a science communicator at any given event of astronomical significance

For me, it was all the crowd reactions and the memefications that felt weirdly profound. Like, you’re watching people react to a natural space event as if it’s a Beatles concert and people on instagram are coming up with the funniest ways to anthropomorphise two celestial bodies, and it just fills me with a weird sense of community. Also, Red, you are poetic AF and your video essay section was glorious. Thank you for being you!!!

"Having a special interest can be like chewing the same piece of gum and hoping the flavour will come back" is so real. You got me misty eyed, Red, I relate so hard.

Red: "Hmm, I want to talk about this eclipse, but I need a way to visualize it for my viewers." "I know! I'll use Cleo, the creature with sharp claws and unpredictable temperament that I'm allergic to! I see no complications with this plan- AH, MY HUBRIS!"

Sunburned by a solar eclipse. And that's why they call her "Red".

Oooohhh, I am EXCITED for a trope talk or whatever on Eclipses in culture! It's always such a powerful image, usually used as a Bad Omen. I really wanna hear about that.

Your rant about not being able to feel like you're experiencing something amazing... I can relate to that way more than I'm comfortable with. Good to know we're not alone.

🎵Your magnifying device is a deadly laser” “Not anymore there’s a filter”🎵

Red: "With the help of my lovely assistant, Cleo." It's good Red finally has some help to make things easier-- Cleo the Cat has entered the picture --I take what I said back, that's just going to make things so much worse...

I just want to say, I really love the camera-fit-for-animation picture quality. I know it probably wasn't intentional, but it gives the air of authentic, "I didn't plan to record this, but I just couldn't help myself," energeticness, almost like found footage from a rare cataclysm.

The -1 hp bit was hilarious. I live near Buffalo, and we had cloud cover for totality but it cleared up before it was over and we got to watch it until it ended from the parking lot at work. It really did get as dark as night outside for a couple minutes

- "Did you guys see the sun today" - "Why, yes! And thus, we cannot see anymore" - "Ah, ok. Glad I wasn't the only one then"

I bet Red has waited her entire life for this moment XD

Red, you are the ONE person I must thank for being the one to inform me about this eclipse!! THANK YOU SO FREAKING MUCH!!!! 🤩🤩🤩 I remember so vividly, I was on an evening shift at work (medical field) right around 11PM, watching your video in waiting for a patient to arrive... At the part of the video with the moving shadow across North America, I literally had to pause, do a double take, searching the video image by image, and when I saw my OWN TOWN pretty much straight under the center of the path of totality, I cannot tell you the rush of adrenaline that submerged me! I COULD NOT BELIEVE MY LUCK!!! And when the day finally came, the weather COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BETTER!! I was basically an 8 yo on Christmas eve for a few hours, there! I CRIED during totality! I was so overwhelmed that I did not realised how cold it got until AFTER the totality! 😂 That evening (on an other evening shift), I was just like you, I could NOT stop smiling!! I still get giddy thinking about it from time to time! I was so glad to learn that you saw it too!! That was SUCH a spectacle!!! You're so right, nothing could have prepared any one of us for the emotional part of it!! Thank you Red, once again, for that video in november! And thank you for this very video as well!! To get to relive the moment was a treat! And the Cleo Cameo was an adorable bonus!!! 🐈 PS: Cats ALWAYS favor the allergic!!! 😉

Watching that lookaround shot of dusk in every direction, with stars in the daytime sky, beneath the gaze of a hollow angry Sun, I half expected dire orchestral music to herald the approach of "the Final Boss of Earth" stepping from the shadows to challenge Red in single combat.