Once in a blue moon

Blue moon over Brooklyn. This is the third full moon in a season with four full moons.
There are two kinds of blue moons, & each kind by itself is quite rare, which is why we
say ONCE IN A BLUE MOON when we talk about something that very seldom happens. 

I was PSYCHED (excited) to learn just a few hours ago on my way home that tonight's full moon is actually a blue moon! I teach the expression ONCE IN A BLUE MOON in the classroom quite a bit, so I was so excited to finally see one and take a photo of it. If you're not familiar with the expression ONCE IN A BLUE MOON, it's an adverbial phrase that means "very rarely." For example, I take a taxi ONCE IN A BLUE MOON. Also, living in New York City, I drive just ONCE IN A BLUE MOON.

I quickly did some research on the train when I found out about tonight's blue moon and learned that it has two definitions. The more common definition and the one I tell students describes a blue moon as the second full moon in a calendar month. This was apparently a mistake made by a magazine in 1946 that simply STUCK (stayed; remained), according to the Huffington Post. The original definition of a blue moon states that a blue moon is the third full moon in a season that has four full moons. A season usually only has three full moons, so one with four is quite rare. 

A close-up

Tonight's blue moon is based on the original definition. The last one of this kind happened on November 21, 2010, and the next one won't be until 2015.  It's a rare phenomenon, which explains why we say ONCE IN A BLUE MOON. So, what do you do just ONCE IN BLUE MOON?  :-)

SOAK

SOAKING beans so they can absorb water and soften for quick cooking.

I thought about the word SOAK today as I SOAKED my clothes in the washer while doing laundry and SOAKED some mung beans for an easy-to-cook soup for dinner. About 6 hours later, the beans were soft and cooked IN NO TIME (very quickly) after I added some sauteed onions, mushrooms, and carrots. TO SOAK here means to submerge or to place in some liquid (often in water). In the same sense, when we take a bath, we can say that we're going to SOAK in the tub. 

SOAK is also synonymous with "absorb". Indeed, when we SOAK the clothes, we're letting it absorb the soapy water. Similarly, when we SOAK beans, we're also letting them absorb water so that they soften and cook quickly. 

It's the same idea when, on a sunny day, we lie on the sand at the beach or on the grass in the park in order to SOAK UP some sun. Also, when it's raining, we can get SOAKED or SOAKED TO THE BONE or SOAKING WET when we forget our umbrella. 

Alright, folks. I hope you enjoyed this quick vocabulary lesson. I thought it was a cool word to know and use. In the coming weeks, I hope you find some time for a relaxing SOAK (n.) in the tub, and I hope you don't get SOAKED the next time it POURS (rains hard). 

Don't forget to use the buttons below to share this post with your friends. Until next time!
 :-)  

Happy FOURTH OF JULY!

The flag at the U.S. Armed Forces Recruiting Station on Times Square.

It's the FOURTH OF JULY, and the United States is 237 years old! We declared our independence from Britain on July 4, 1776. Understandably, a lot of American flags are proudly being flown and waved today at events nationwide. There are parades, backyard barbecues, and of course, fireworks! Have you been to a Fourth of July celebration? What was it like?

To make your July 4 memorable and meaningful, here is some information about the U.S. to keep in mind.

1. The U.S. flag has 50 stars, which stand for the 50 states in the Union.
2. The flag also has 13 stripes, which stand for the original 13 colonies.
3. The flag is also known as the Stars and Stripes.
4. The first President of the U.S. was George Washington.
5. The first President to live in the White House was John Adams, who was the second President and the Vice President under Washington.
6. Washington, D.C. was strategically selected as the nation's permanent capital to APPEASE (make calm or peaceful) both the North and the South.
7. D.C. stands for District of Columbia; the area was once called the Territory of Columbia, named in honor of Christopher Columbus. Also, "Columbia" was once the poetic name of the U.S.
8. The national ANTHEM (song) of the U.S. is called the Star Spangled Banner

Well, folks, I hope you're all having a great time. Be safe out there! :-)