Moonshine

We’re expecting a full moon tonight.
I’m a little scared.

The Roman goddess of the moon was named Luna, prefix of the word “lunatic” and I don’t care about fancy scientific evidence to the contrary, I’ve seen people get a little crazy when the moon is more “Cow Jumped Over the Moon” than “Mac Tonight”. Yes I’m likely aging myself with this reference to Mr. Tonight and I apologize for the digression (if you missed the 1980s McDonald’s advertising campaign featuring a crescent moon man wearing sunglasses and playing piano, here it is on YouTube.. )Just that fact that I’ve included this last reference is perhaps, in itself, evidence that the full moon makes people a little loco.

The lunar effect has been blamed for everything from increased visits to the emergency room and violence to voting patterns and of course vampire transformations. Full moons make me nervous not just from a personal perspective but also because I work for a disaster relief organization and I’m hoping there’s no correlation between disasters and the cycle of the moon. Is there? Does anyone know?

I’m crossing my fingers that Thursday will be peaceful but just in case I’m going to have my emergency radio, flashlight, rain boots, granola bars, cell phone charger and the phone number for an extra babysitter at the ready because you just never know.

For me, a tiny bit of fear is a good motivator and shamefully, sometimes what it takes, in this world of competing priorities, to takes steps to get prepared for the unexpected. I’m already well on my way with my grab and go disaster supplies kit, stashed in the closet next to my back door, but there are a few items in there that need some TLC. If a few self-imposed scare tactics are what it’s going to take for me to finally replace the batteries in my flashlight so be it.

Martha Carlos is a communicator at the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. She is not superstitious but does avoid black cats, opening umbrellas indoors and walking under ladders because that’s just tempting fate.

Wikipedia on the lunar effect