Clay Aiken: New Moon Baby

The Lunation Cycle: New Moon/Full Moon and Everything in Between

Skybar22

When the Sun and the Moon are at the same degree of the Zodiac we have a New Moon. On June 25th a new lunation cycle begins as this conjunction of the Sun and Moon (New Moon) takes place at 4 degrees of Cancer. Cancer is the sign ruled by the Moon so we can expect to be stirred by our more watery nature as this month unfolds. It's a good period of time to get in touch with what we feel and how we nurture ourselves and others.

On the earth we are impacted by the cycle of the Moon in different ways. Women experience a monthly cycle and the tides are controlled by the phases of the Moon. Since the human body is made up of a great percentage of water, the Moon has an effect on our emotions and feelings for the Moon in astrology represents our habitual responses to life and our feelings. The Moon also symbolizes the mother principle or nurturing instinct.

From our perception the disk of the Full Moon appears to be about the same size as the disc of our Sun. In astrology the Moon deals with inner feelings and the Sun with outer expression and innate potential. We hear much more about our Sun signs and all of the newspaper articles on astrology focus on that. However, our Moon signs are also very significant as are the other planets and the signs they are in when we are born.

The solar/lunar cycle is the prototype for all angular relationships (aspects) among the planets as they travel around the Sun and move through the zodiac. As the Moon waxes, it forms a 90 degree angle (square) to the Sun and then halfway through the cycle it reaches the 180 degree angle (opposition) and that is the Full Moon. At this time the Moon is reflecting as much of the Sun’s light as it can. The waning Moon continues the cycle forming another square and then returning to form the next new moon (conjunction). And so it goes, month after month. Each lunar cycle begins in a sign of the zodiac related to that month. So the New Moon of late June or July is in Cancer and the next New Moon is in Leo and so on around the wheel of the Zodiac. Full Moons fall in the opposite sign of the Sun so that when the Moon is full during the month of Cancer, it will fall in the sign of Capricorn and during the month of Leo it will be in Aquarius and so forth.

The coming month will take us into another Mercury retrograde period. Before the next Full Moon on July 10th, Mercury retrogrades on July 4th and will not go direct until July 28th. Mercury retrograde can be experienced as frustrating because the planet of communication appears to be moving backward in the heavens. Pay attention to these dates and see what this brings up for you. Generally, things tend to break down and all sorts of communication problems arise. The message is to go with the flow, keep impatience in check and see what the cycle is trying to teach you. Rather than pushing forward, it is a time of reflection and possible reworking that which is not quite ready to be put out there. For each person, this energy will be experienced differently so it really depends on one’s personal birth chart.

Mercury retrogrades in the sign of Cancer, the same sign as the new moon. In fact, because of Mercury’s position in the solar system, it never gets too far ahead of or behind the Sun in Zodiacal longitude. Therefore Mercury will always be one sign ahead of the Sun or behind the Sun or in the same Zodiac sign as the Sun. Its cycle is very interesting and I’ll share more about that next month.

Also of interest this month is the retrograde motion of 3 other planets. Uranus went retrograde on June 19th at 15 degrees of Pisces. That exciting, unpredictable energy is now backtracking until November 20th of this year. Neptune and Pluto continue to be retrograde as well. On July 6th Jupiter goes direct after several months of being retrograde. It’s in Scorpio and will move into Sagittarius by December of this year. I’ll share more about that as the time approaches.

The Full Moon takes place on July 10th in the sign of Capricorn which is opposite Cancer. Cancer and Capricorn are cardinal signs, as are Aries and Libra. This is known as the cardinal quadruplicity. The cardinal signs are signs of action. They begin the four seasons on earth. Aries: Spring, Cancer: Summer, Libra: Autumn, Capricorn: Winter. The Sun entered the sign of Cancer on June 21st, the summer solstice.

Relating this to Clay
Each of us is born during a lunar phase. Like everything astrological, the phase of the Moon gives us some information about the basic character of the individual. Clay was born shortly after the New Moon in Sagittarius so he was a new moon baby. Both Moon and Sun are in Sagittarius making him a man who has great promise for continual seeking and expansion of his inner and outer self. New Moon babies have the seeds of the future in their psyches and if nurtured the potential is incredible for one continually reaches one level only to strive for the next level. There is dissatisfaction in standing still for the new potential is always stirring in the psyche. Sagittarians usually love higher knowledge and if they nurture their interests, they become seekers of higher wisdom. Long distance journeys, traveling and higher education are part of the domain of Sagittarius as well as philosophy and religion.

As this lunation cycle begins, Uranus is retrograde and squaring Clay’s Moon. That is a long term effect as discussed in the last blog entry so the unexpected and surprising energy continues to influence his chart, although as mentioned above, Uranus is retrograde. Saturn is conjunct Clay’s Jupiter in Leo and this bodes well for Clay as it stabilizes his fire and creates a steady grounding to help contain the fire from burning out of control. Mars is also in the fire sign of Leo and Mars is the energy of assertion/aggression. It is the planet of action and is comfortable in Leo as it rules another fire sign, Aries. As it trines Clay’s Sagittarian planets, the energy flows outward in a creative stream of action and heat. Whatever happens, it is a great time to step out and be noticed.

As I mentioned, Mercury will be retrograde from July 4th through the 28th. Clay is no stranger to Mercury retrograde as he was born during a Mercury retrograde period. Things may not go as planned but it does not mean they won’t go. I always like to remind people that Mercury was retrograde during the final 3.5 weeks of American Idol 2. Clay was clearly on fire during that time and had some amazing performances which established him as someone who continually raised the bar. I don’t know how this energy will unfold for Clay but it will be interesting to watch if, in fact, he reappears with something new. If not, then it also fits with the need to be patient while retrograde Mercury helps to retrace and put on the final touches to any project that may be overdue. With all this positive energy created by the trines, I do think we will see some major movement this month and with Jupiter, ruler of Sagittarius going direct and making an exact 90 degree angle (square) to its own natal position, the energy is there for action and expansion as well as challenge (square). It is all too unpredictable but it’s also exciting. The key to Mercury retrograde is patience so remember that as this month unfolds.

During the next several months, the energy will continue to build for Clay. He is coming into some fiery trines and conjunctions which bode well for this new phase of his career. Stay tuned for next month as I will discuss how the natal conjunctions in Clay's chart relate to the New Moon phase.

Thanks Skybar22. We'll all be looking forward to next month's New Moon.


In the meantime, here's a little refreshment before you read the next part of the blog which deals with genealogy. I took this video of Clay singing Unchained Melody at the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City during the last show of the Juke Box Tour in 2005.

US National Archives and Records Administration: Diamond in the Rough

There are tons of great resources for researching your ancestors. You could probably spend almost as much time researching resources as you could researching your ancestors.

One of the resources here in the USA that I’d like to talk about this time out is the National Archives and Records Administration housed in Washington, DC. Here is what NARA has to say about themselves:

Of all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States Federal government, only 1%-3% are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept by us forever.

Those valuable records are preserved and are available to you, whether you want to see if they contain clues about your family’s history, need to prove a veteran’s military service, or are researching an historical topic that interests you.

That cuts a pretty wide swath. And if you’ve ever seen the National Archives building in Washington, it is massive. Every time I go in there I feel like I should leave a trail of breadcrumbs so that I can find my way out.

The NARA is a particularly valuable resource for genealogists because of the vast amount of information that can be used in ancestral research. The records come from just about every branch of the Federal government. A sampling of these records includes census records (open for viewing from 1790 to 1930), military records, military pension records, immigration and naturalization records, passport applications, land records, and bankruptcy records.

The records that are most commonly used by genealogists are census, military, immigration and naturalization, (including ships’ passengers lists) and land records. Many of these records are online through other database sources, or through agreements with third party providers and the NARA. Records like pension records or military records usually have to be accessed in person at the center. My next blog will talk about accessing my husband’s ancestor’s Civil War Pension records at the National Archives, and what a treasure trove that turned out to be.

NARA has a host of informational tools, learning tools, and finding aids. You can learn about all of the holdings in DC as well as what is contained in the regional archive centers around the country. You could literally spend a week on the site and still not have read everything there is to read.

Viewing records in person in Washington is an experience, from a variety of perspectives.

From the time you enter the building, you realize that they take their work seriously and this is a no nonsense facility. Bags are searched on the way in and out, in order to make sure that nothing it taken in to harm records, and no records are removed. Computers are allowed, but in some areas, especially when viewing actual records, purses and other bags, etc. have to be checked at a locker. Pens are not allowed – only pencils. You have to pay to make copies, but the cost is reasonable. You have to put in a pull slip to request certain records and a staffer will retrieve them for you, but it usually takes at least an hour.

The microfilm section is enormous. I have never seen so many microfilm viewers in one place in my life. Everything that is on microfilm can be retrieved self-service. The trick sometimes is to know what film you need and what drawer it is in. But there are staff around who will answer questions and plenty of finding aids to help identify what film is needed and the drawers containing the films are clearly marked.

I usually end up spending the entire day there, and by the time I check out at closing, I am exhausted. Sometimes I’m exhilarated, too, because I’ve just removed another brick in that wall that keeps getting in my way.

Next time I’ll talk about my experience with Civil War Pension Records, and how the story they told was juicier than any dime novel.

MommaJudy

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Charting the Skies and the Past...

I’ve decided to switch around the arrangement of the blog sections. Usually I start off with Genealogy and end with Clay Aiken, but today, and probably from now on, I’m going to start with Clay and end with Genealogy.

I was going to do this blog on Clay’s Jeanealogy but I am going to wait until next time because I’m thrilled to introduce Skybar22 as a contributor to the blog. She has studied Astrology for over 30 years, and has been watching Clay’s astrological chart since he completed his stint on American Idol. I’ve read several of her pieces and I am certainly impressed not only with her incredible knowledge, but with the interpretations she has shared. She has graciously agreed to periodically talk with us about what she sees happening “in the stars” for Clay. After this first piece, she hopes to be able to update us monthly around the time of the new moon and talk about what the month holds astrologically.

Man of Fire
By Skybar22

I'll never forget Randy Jackson's words when Clay first appeared on American Idol season 2.He asked "Where is that voice coming from?" Where indeed! As the season progressed I became more and more curious about where all that talent was coming from so I drew up Clay's birth chart. I’ve been studying astrology for 30 years so it was a natural thing for me to do.

A birth chart is a map of the solar system drawn up for a person’s date, time and place of birth.

Discovering Clay through astrology has been an interest of mine for the past 3 years. Who is this man of fire as I call him? Back in August of 2003 I wrote an article about Clay’s chart for Beaver’s On Idol. Since that time, so much has happened and though what I said then is still valid, it might be fun to take a look at what astrology has to say about Clay now and in the near future. Please note that this is for fun and entertainment. Astrology is, for me, a serious study and a tool that I use in my work counseling others. However, I do not have Clay’s permission to discuss his life on a personal level and therefore will only discuss what I believe is apparent through his appearances and interviews. I'm going to share the lighter side of this multi-leveled tool.

Sagittarius is a fire sign. Leo and Aries make up the trinity of fire in astrology. When Clay was born, the Sun, Moon, Neptune, Mercury and Mars were making what is known as a conjunction in the sign of Sagittarius. Sagittarian energy grows, expands, integrates, adapts and grows some more especially if Jupiter, its "ruler", is directly involved and Clay was born with Jupiter in Leo making a trine (120 degree angle) to his Sun, Moon and therefore all those Sagittarian planets. Trines are gifts from above, inherent abilities that are effortless. There is amazing potential here for creativity and continual expansion.

In addition to looking at the birth chart, astrologers look at the current movement of the planets (the transits) as they revolve around the sun. These transits are plotted around a birth chart to give a picture of how current energy impacts the natal chart (birth chart).

What is it that Clay presented to us on AI5? He was looking very different from what most people remember and he even surprised and shocked some of his loyal fans who have seen him in concert multiple times.

Well, the operative energy stimulating all of Clay’s planets in Sagittarius is the planet Uranus. Uranus is an outer planet, invisible to the naked eye. In astrological parlance, Uranus is the awakener. Uranus awakens the soul to it's need for change and to let go of what is no longer needed for growth.

Let me explain.

As I stated above, Clay was born when the Sun, Moon, Neptune, Mercury and Mars were in the zodiacal fire sign of Sagittarius. Add the fact that Jupiter, the planet that “rules” Sagittarius was in Leo, another fire sign and we have a man who exudes the energy of intense inspiration, creativity and heat. He has kept that energy under wraps for the most part until recently although his tremendous vocal talent has been a major outlet for this. Anyone who has been to his concerts over the last 3 years knows how he has evolved from his days on American Idol. We all saw the fire pour forth at the Juke Box Tour. He was sizzling! What now and why now? Well, Uranus is moving through the sign of Pisces and it is making a 90 degree angle or square to his Sun and Moon. Clay is breaking out of the old patterns and is ready to show us something new and different. It will be surprising and it will appear sudden but it has been developing for a while now. So watch it unfold with the next phase of his career. We are talking hot, Hot, HOT! Uranus brings change and transforms that which it contacts by transits. We saw the beginnings of it. Oh yes, Clay Aiken is evolving, changing and transforming before our eyes and it will be thrilling to those who have been following him. I’m a fan and I am excited with the anticipation of what is to come. Clay's on his incredible journey and if you allow it, you can go with him to experience some of what he is all about. I doubt he knows the full extent of his abilities but he is discovering them and so are we.

Expect the unexpected! Many of us have been hearing this for a while and that is what Uranus tells us as well. Fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the ride!

Skybar22

And speaking of Hot Hot HOT, I've got a Hot video for you. According to Skybar22, Sagittarius is ruler of the THIGHS (I kid you not. She told me that!) and that is certainly evident in the video clip I've uploaded of Clay singing Living LaVida Loca during the Juke Box Tour in 2005 at Interlochen Michigan. Those thighs are quivering quivering quivering. I managed to get a close up.

Geez. Now how did that happen?

(Apologies for the washouts on Clay's face. The lighting there that night was very harsh and the camera couldn't adjust very well. But who's watching his face?)

Following the Trail

As our ancestors lived their lives, they created a paper trail of births, marriages, divorces, deaths, court records, etc., and if we are lucky, pieces of that trail still exist today. Each record provides another glimpse back into their lives, shedding light on who they were and what their lives were like.

But records alone do not provide the entire story. In order to get a true picture of what your ancestors’ lives were like, you also have to understand the political and socio-economic climates of their era. My Jewish maternal grandmother and her family emigrated here from Galicia (now part of Romania) because of the Jewish persecution they faced. My paternal grandparents emigrated from Ireland because there was more economic opportunity here, where even living in slum tenements filled with immigrants and working 12 hours days in sweat shop factories was far better than the conditions back on their native soil. And my husband’s ancestors moved from Ohio to Missouri after the Civil War because they could get land cheap if they withstood the hardships of the migration and settling wilderness land.

It certainly has given me a new appreciation for history. If I had developed my interest in genealogy when I was in high school, I would have gotten far better grades in crazy Miss Stanton’s American History class.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, there are many different kinds of records that can be used to uncover some of the details of our ancestors’ lives. I’ll spend a little time talking about census records this time around.

Most countries around the world take some type of accounting of its inhabitants on a regular basis. Many of those records can be accessed online, or queries can be sent by mail to the census authority. If you are looking for census records in another country, there are a number of places to look. Start by googling the name of the country with the term census records. Use online sites like Cyndi’s List (www.cyndislist.com) which has a huge list of genealogy sites on the Internet. The World GenWeb Project (www.worldgenweb.org) is a volunteer project to provide historical and genealogical records worldwide.

Here in the United States the single best source of information on US Census records comes from the US National Archives and Record Administration. Their website, www.archives.gov provides details on what information was collected for each of the publicly available censuses, i.e., census records from the 1790 to 1930 censuses. The National Archives does not provide online access to the actual census records themselves. Details for the censuses not yet public, 1940 – 2000, can be found at the US Census Bureau, www.census.gov

Most of the United States censuses from 1790 to 1930 are online, although mainly by subscription. Ancestry.com hosts one of the largest census records depositories online, and although it charges subscription fees for the access, it provides an every name index and images for all of the census records. Other sites besides Ancestry may provide the records by subscription, and some, usually those dedicated to a particular state or county may offer free fragments of a census related to that area.

Some information that can be gleaned from census records (it varies by census) follows:

• name
• age
• number of years in the U.S.
• marital status
• number of years married
• whether a convict
• birthplace of father and mother
• number of children born
• whether a citizen, alien, or naturalized
• relationship of members of household to head

Here is a copy of a census record for one of my husband’s ancestors for the 1920 census. (Click to enlarge to a readable image.)

Besides the marital status, the age, and the names of the people living in the household, some other important information that I was able to obtain from this record was the year of immigration to the United States, and the year of naturalization. That helped my in my search for other records.

Because the census taker went house by house, and neighborhood by neighborhood, you can often find your ancestor living near other relatives. Especially in the years prior to the 20^th century, people tended to stay close to relatives, and if they traveled or emigrated, they tended to do it in groups. Travel in the early days was difficult at best and often hazardous, so going it alone was usually not prudent. And considering that most transportation was by horseback, train, or boat, it was not easy to move about from place to place.

Immigrants tended to stay with and around relatives or friends from the “old country”, at least until they became familiar with this country or economically independent enough to move away.

When my paternal grandparents emigrated here from Ireland, they moved into a tenement house occupied by two other relatives – my grandmother’s sister, and my grandmother’s brother. I didn’t know that though when I first looked at a 1910 census record. I had no idea these people existed. However, in viewing the record, I looked at the other families living in proximity to my grandparents, and I recognized the surname of my grandmother’s brother – I knew her maiden name before she married my grandfather, and I saw that this man living in the house had the same surname. That set me on a quest to find some other records (death, cemetery, etc.) and I discovered that the two other families occupying the house were indeed her brother and her married sister.

As I’ve mentioned before, census records can provide a lot of valuable information, but sometimes you have to take it with a bit of skepticism. The veracity of the information along with the completeness often depended on who was home when the census taker arrived, and what they knew about the people in the household. Some of my ancestors gave complete and entirely factual information, because it is consistent with other records. Other ancestors, however, must have had a deep distrust of government workers, because their information varies from one census to another. My Irish grandparents never gave the same information to census takers twice. My grandfather kept getting younger and younger as the years went by, and there is about a seven year discrepancy in his dates of birth. So it’s a good idea to remember that sometimes the information given was just not accurate, especially if it conflicts with other information you have. Over time you’ll build a body of information that will bring you closer to the truth.

MommaJudy

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