Last night, Liz and I went to a party in Travis Heights at the home of a friend of some friends. Late in the evening the host gave some of us a tour of the house, which featured a deck on the roof.
As you know, we had a blue moon on New Year’s Eve, and we were discussing this phenomenon.
Several in our group were curious about the exact nature of a blue moon. Ever the pedant, I was happy to drop science.
“Any time there are two full moons in a month,” I explained, “the second is called a blue moon.”
“Hmm,” one of our party mused. “Is there any significance to a blue moon?”
“Not really,” I said. “It just indicates a second full moon in a month.”
“How often does that happen?” she asked.
What could I say? Mere minutes into the new year, she was handing me a totally sweet setup. For about a nanosecond I wrestled with my inner smartass and, as usual, he won. I almost hated to do it to her, but a setup like this is rare. I paused, letting her question hang just long enough for the group to process it.
“Oh,” I said, “once in a blue moon.”
And I wonder why I don’t get invited to more parties.
Jeff Carmack 
One second into the new year and you’re already on Santa’s Naughty List…tsk, tsk, tsk…
You made em laugh no doubt…they’d be smart to ask you back…they probably have no idea how smart your “Ass” can be. Happy new year!
Confucius say: “Truly, if not for smartass, you would possess no ass at all. Or no smart at all. One of those. Probably the former, since snappy witticisms require a surprising amount of mental facility…”
Well, never mind Confucius. Old dude tends to ramble sometimes. But that’s one funny anecdote, whether those people ever have the courage to invite the Snark King of South Austin to dinner again.
Anyone who asks you a question is, well, asking for it. …So anyway, why is it blue?
I think you confused “pedant” with “pissant.” That’s what I think.
I’m always doing that.
(With apologies to late Bill Monroe.)
Blue moon of South Austin, keep on shining,
Shine on the one that’s gone and proved unclued;
Blue moon of South Austin, keep on shining,
Shine on the one that’s gone and left me booed.
It was on a moonlight night, the stars were shining bright;
And they whispered from on high, your quip must surely die.
Blue moon of South Austin, keep on shining,
Shine on the one that’s gone and said goodbye.