We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
It's about 15 minutes into the eclipse; my small telescope isn't much help. The Moon is so incredibly BRIGHT that the glare - and the fact that the Sun's rays are absolutely straight-down vertical, and there are NO shadows for contrast - means that it's easier to see the progress with the naked eye rather than with my telescope.