The solar eclipse — Good for healthy random intrusions & office water cooler talk
Office workers got a free Monday morning break with co-workers to take sunglass selfies and have random intrusions with friends and other people while experiencing the solar eclipse. People could talk outside instead of the water cooler. Can morale ever be so high?…

Some people made it a family event and took time off work with family to have random intrusions with people they knew or wanted to know. Others left their family and chased the eclipse into the mountains and are now posting some awesome pictures of the eclipse.
In the Salt Lake City, Utah area we experienced a 92% eclipse. It was cool to stop and ponder with friends and family and have healthy random intrusions with neighbors and strangers who would have typically been at work on Monday morning.
Leading up to the event, there was a lot of talk. From interesting science claims to religious claims ripe with confirmation bias about what the solar eclipse will mean to everyone to people traveling from around the world to small towns like Rexburg, Idaho. Regardless — People were getting together to witness the total solar eclipse.
Given that the eclipse happened on a Monday, made Monday not so average, dreadful, exciting or whatever your typical Monday looks like. You either had to plan your Monday around the eclipse or watch other people plan their day around the eclipse. You could not escape it.
I saw families together for the eclipse. Most families are away from each other on Mondays. The eclipse brought them together. Way to go sun and moon! Bringing families together.
I saw people at offices outside talking to each other with eclipse sunglasses.
I saw people walking alone and riding bikes who just wanted to be outside and witness something different from what their normal life offers them on Monday.
I saw neighbors and construction workers stopping to ponder.
I took my son to his first day of second grade and just pondered for a few minutes about what I was going to do during the eclipse. Due to safety reasons for children’s eyesight his class stayed inside and watched the eclipse on TV. He thought watching the eclipse was boring.
The eclipse was the most natural and excusable break anyone could take from their day. Bosses could not get mad at their employees for not working. They had to give in. I mean how do you argue against the sun and moon?
Strangely, for Sumato Coffee, online coffee sales increased about 2 hours after the eclipse was over. Can I make a claim that the solar eclipse makes people buy more coffee? I will let you know in 2045 when the next one comes through Utah but for now I am thanking the sun and moon for the increase in coffee sales.
Weeks before the event — there were beer companies, coffee companies, fruit companies, marijuana companies, shoe companies, special sun glass companies — all trying to sell us something about the eclipse. But here is the deal? I do not think the solar eclipse is meant to be profited from. It is natural. If you bought 100 solar eclipse glasses — it is now a sunk cost. You can’t do anything with them. Today is a new day with new decisions.
In many ways — the solar eclipse was good for content on social media. Instead of rants about race, religion or politics — we see bad solar eclipse pictures and awesome solar eclipse pictures which is better than the alternative.
The solar eclipse was a good reminder about the time we spend on earth. Are we going to spend our time arguing with each other on Facebook or should we have more human interactions and healthy random intrusions in parks, neighborhoods and office water coolers?
Cheers to the solar eclipse. I’m a fan. The next one passes through Utah in 2045. Where will you be?
