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Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Waning gibbous moon

“The waning gibbous moon is just past full and illuminated generally from the left.”
--Anonymous

We are in the midst of a waning gibbous moon. "Gibbous" means "rounded or protruding" and comes from the Latin word meaning "hump." I had a hunch that I would eventually be led back to writing about “humps.”

Every day on the train home, we pass through BNSF train yards and I see this one train car that has “DO NOT HUMP” on the back of it. I know it is just a railroad term for a car that should be treated with care because of a fragile load (rail cars are sometimes rolled down a hump to form a train). Still, it makes me giggle sophomorically like Beavis and Butthead every time I see it.

But I digress.

I like that an almost full moon is called a waxing gibbous moon and a just past full moon is called a waning moon. I’m not sure why. It just sounds cool.

I’m not sure why dropping your pants and wagging your butt at someone is called a full moon, however. I don’t suppose anyone refers to the practice as giving someone the gibbous.

Obviously it is a slow blog day.

5 comments:

Isabella said...

Two things made me giggle reading this post....trying to imagine you giggling and even funnier, doing so sophomorically. I have no idea what that means but I love the sound of that word. Gibbous is pretty cool too.

BlazngScarlet said...

hehe ... you said "hump" ...
hehe

Time said...

Isabella,
Giggling is a prerequisite for anyone riding public transit. It helps get you your own seat without unwanted traveling companions.

Blazngfyre, I figured you would be a Beavis and Butthead fan. hehe...hehe.

BlazngScarlet said...

I have been known to giggle like a sophomoric male from time to time.

Give me a good fart, sex or dick joke any day! The classics NEVER go out of style ....

Lights in the wake said...

And a moon that can keep a beat even when completely wasted is called a Keith Moon.