The Rob and Maddie View the Solar Eclipse in Style

The Rob and I have been pretty open with just how unprepared we are for viewing today's solar eclipse. Thanks to some faithful listeners, we've received tips, suggestions, and even a pair of REAL solar eclipse glasses. Sadly, that won't cover both of us, so we had to get creative. 

So, my dad has worked for Local 136 for 33 years now. That's a long time. When it came down to viewing the solar eclipse, I'm not sure why he didn't cross my mind at first. I mean, for 33 years now he's been looking at bright, shiny sparks as he welds metal together. He's basically a pro at this point. But fear not - dads always come to the rescue.

Sure enough, good 'ol Jeff was tuning in this morning when he heard The Rob and I talking about how unprepared we were in regards of viewing the eclipse. Of course, he's worried for his (favorite) middle child and doesn't want me to lose my eyesight. About an hour later, Pops shows up with his handy dandy welding helmet. Don't worry, I looked up the specifics on using the helmet to make sure I'm properly prepared to stare at the sun. Dad even taped an extra lens on the inside of his helmet to make sure I was super safe.

Behold.....

Now, of course, I had some thoughts running through my head when I first put the mask on. As my dad was navigating me through the parking garage, it was very clear why welding helmets are OK to use for eclipse viewing - EVERYTHING IS BLACK. I mean pitch-black. You can't see a thing. My Dad's notorious back-of-the-neck-grab lead me to the edge of the garage where I looked directly at the sun. Turns out, the sun is green when you wear a welding helmet. Neat-o. Anyway, I can't wait to use it for real when the moon starts doing its thing this afternoon. I'll let you know how that goes. As for The Rob, I think he might have to continue rummaging through the kitchen to get a good look.