Saturday, December 17, 2005

Full Moon A'comin


For years, I have been hearing about the weird things that happen during the full moon. Some people say that is just an old wive's tale, that nothing out of the ordinary happens then. But if you ask nurses and doctors who work in emergency rooms and obstetrics, they will tell you that their respective areas are always busier on nights when the moon is full, and some police departments report they have more to do then also.

Back in the 70's, there was a local call-in radio program. They often had special guests, who would speak on some point and then field calls from the general public. One night, there was a psychiatrist on the program, and somehow the subject turned to the full moon and its effects on humans. I really wanted to call the show, but I really didn't want anyone to recognize me talking about the subject. When I finally got up the nerve, I covered the phone mouthpiece with a piece of cloth (just like they used to do in the movies) and called in. I had heard another woman on the program say that when the moon was full, her husband was, as Richie's mom used to say about Howard on "Happy Days", friskier than usual. Since that was my experience too, I had to share (all in the interest of scientific research, you understand).

After I had been married about 5-6 years, I began to notice that the days leading up to the full moon always brought out a certain friskiness in my husband, and after a few more years, I could tell when a full moon was approaching even if I had not looked at a calendar that month, and it always culminates on the day of the full moon. This is what I told the doctor on the radio, while disguising my voice as best I could, both with the cloth and also speaking higher than usual. The consensus of opinion was that many people seem to be affected by the full moon, and it bears looking into. I hung up the phone, still somewhat nervous from the call, and prepared to listen to the rest of the program.

After 5 minutes....riiiiiinnnnnng......riiiiinnnnnnng......my phone trills loudly, and I quickly pick it up so as not to wake the children. It was my friend Annette, who says "I can't believe you just called a radio show and told that story". I was, for the first time in my life, speechless. How could she have known who it was? How could she tell it was me - through the cloth and despite the higher voice? Her answer was "You disguised your voice and spoke higher, but you didn't change your speech patterns, and that is what gave you away". I was flabbergasted, but she thought it was funny and applauded me for having the courage to call the show. Since that time, I have been afraid to call any talk show, for fear that I will be recognized; apparently, my speech patterns and cadences are very recognizable (it's that darn West Virginia twang!).


So......here are my questions:
1. Are you or anyone you know affected by the full moon?
2. Is it "friskiness" or does it manifest in some other fashion?
3. Are your speech patterns so specific as to be instantly recognizable?

30 comments:

Thumper said...

LOL that your friend recognized your voice...

I've never really paid attention to whether or not people around me are affected by a full moon...but I'm willing to bet people who know me really well can tell my voice even if Im trying to disguise it. Except for those throaty mornings when they call and think I'm my husband :)

srp said...

1. Not really, my dog howls more.
2. "Friskiness" was all my ex ever had on his mind.
3. I hope not.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

I like to Bay at the moon when it is full..not sure where that came from, but it feels real good to do that...And I do feel out-of-sorts when there is a full moon...Friskie? No. Just restless in a strange way that I don't really like....Of course, I am a Moon Child, so that may account for it!

Hoots Musings said...

Golly gosh darn..my hubby gets his horns up around a full moon...I just now put it all together.

I would never call a radio talk show as I have a distinct Texas twang and sometimes I am not understood. I could be in the redneck dictionary.

Jean-Luc Picard said...

No to all, I hope! If it was, I'd be sprouting hair and be on the loose!

Michele sent me here.

Panthergirl said...

People drive particularly crazy during full moons!!!

Here via michele today...

Peter said...

Hi Judy;
1..I'm affected by a whole lot of things when I'm full!!
2..It's more likely to be snoozieness!
3..Not here in Oz but probably would be in the US.

carmilevy said...

I used to call into radio programs and use different voices and accents each time. I'd often call in rapid sequence, stopping just long enough to keep myself from laughing as I prepared to become a different character.

I would do it all the time, though, so I don't think lunar gravity played a part.

Good times! Michele would agree :)

Beanhead said...

My mom is affected by the full moon. She gets really cranky so she says. I think she is always like that..:)

My friends always know when it is me talking on a tape or voice mail even if I don't say my name.

Here from Michele's

ribbiticus said...

that was a funny story! now i know not to get on a radio talk show lest someone recognizes my speech patterns - haha!

anyways, can't say that i have noticed anything unusual during this time but will keep my eyes and ears peeled from now on. :)

p.s. i got the idea of christmas funnies from your post, actually. didn't realize i had also posted one of your pics..:)

Raehan said...

Gosh, I have no idea. I'll have to pay attention!

Unknown said...

I'll answer number 3. I used to be a frequent listener to an NPR radio call-in show, and every time I called in, all my friends and family that listened heard me and recognized my voice, and I have no discernable accent.

Michele sent me.

HRH Courtney, Queen of Everything said...

I work in a middle school. Combine the full moon with a snowstorm, and I thought lunch duty was going to lead me to homicide.

My boyfriend definitely gets friskier.

I grew up just south of Boston. Think Good Will Hunting. Although I've learned to modulate it over the years.

Here via Michele this morning.

Carolyn said...

That was funny! I know what you mean about that WV twang ;) When I got into radio for a while, I learned to disguise it so much so that listeners thought I was a satellite show from NY or DC! I believe the full moon does have affects on people. I've known a few who went off their rocker at that time ;)

P.S. You won my Whatzit guess!

utenzi said...

Michele sent me over with a kiss, Judy. XXXX

I've never noticed any lunar cycles with me or my girlfriend--other than her normal monthly one *blush* friskiness doesn't seem to vary that I've seen.

I don't think I have distinct vocal patterns but my voice might be distinctive. Even people I rarely speak to seem to recognize my voice easily.

Mamacita (The REAL one) said...

I never noticed any friskiness, unfortunately, but any teacher can always tell you when the full moon's a-comin' because the students, particularly the boys, are NUTS.

Maybe they're frisky elsewhere but I really don't want to acknowledge anything like that. Ick.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Hi Judy, here from Michele this A.M. And I didn't answer the speech pattern one last time so...No, I don't think I do have a recognizable speech pattern..but, someone else might have to decide that...

poopie said...

Yeah..I howl ;)

Paste said...

Hi kenju, hope all is well in NC.

rennratt said...

Back in my college days, the bar I worked in would always close during a full moon. When I asked my boss why, he said "There's nothing worse than a house full of drunks during a full moon". To prove his point, he opened the bar for the next full moon and made me work open to close. It was a nightmare. We closed every full moon after that.

Jamie Dawn said...

How funny that you went to all that trouble NOT to be recognized and you couldn't fool your friend.
I've not noticed anything associated with the full moon.
Maybe your hubby is a descendant of a werewolf.

Juggling Mother said...

I've never called a radio show, but I sure have souted at a few callers LOL

I've never noticed anything happening when the moon is full, but I have no idea when the moon is full, cos I don't take any notice:-)

I sound EXACTLY the same as all my sisters on the phone. and we all sound like we're six!

Michele sent me

Anonymous said...

We all ways expected a big night in the delivery room when the moon was full! And no way would you ever be able to disguise that West Virginia accent.......nothing like it anywhere.........

Anonymous said...

That story was a riot! I totally believe that the full moon effects people. I have several girlfriends who all have their mentrual cycle around the full moon. (Not kidding!) And frisky... Ooooh La la! Michele sent me today, but you know I'd be here on my own anyway!

carmilevy said...

Now that I think about it, I believe friskiness (damn, Mr. and Mrs. C. were randy people!) is a perpetual thing. Either ya got it, or ya don't.

Anonymous said...

Michele sent me this morning.

Our cat seems affected by the full moon, but I haven't noticed people affected other than sleeplessness because of cat. I'm lousy at mimicry and at disguising my vocie so I'd guess I'd be pretty obvious.

sage said...

Yeah, lots of people I know complain about the full moon or blame it on some behavior of theirs. Me--I get this urge to enjoy it. Full moons are for hikes in desert, walks on the beach, skiing across mountaintops (or through the woods as there are no mountaintops anywhere me at the present).

Badaunt said...

I think everybody has distinct speech patterns - we habitually use words and phrases without even thinking of it. I start noticing it in myself when I became an ESL teacher and had one student for a long time, and she started using MY speech patterns. The embarrassing thing is that I found some of them annoying - and then realized where she was getting them from.

Zee said...

LOL! What a fun story. :)

I do believe we are all affected by the moon, in all its phases.

I can also tell how some people get all frisky around full moon time. Always so interesting to see.

Gel said...

I loved "Happy Days." Actually, it's me who is frisky during those times. A woman's cycle is lunar afterall... ;)

My speech? Hmm, I wonder if I howl more then? LOL (I'm joking.)
THis is not a joke though: Studies show that more crimes occur during a full moon, more accidents at hospitals, etc.....