The Children of Dionysus

This article was part of the front page for the 'Club of 27' webpage in 2005. It was the result of a presentation featuring the astrology of the 1960s and club of 27 members Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse. The webpage must have inspired the editors of Wikipedia as they featured a 'Club of 27' page--sans astrology of course. Later that year, the Serbian astrology magazine Astrologus published the presentation and then came to London to meet the presenters at the Psychedelic Dream Tea Palace in Camden Market.

It is tempting and perhaps far too easy to point out that all the members of the Club of 27 lived hard and died young. Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse so readily gave themselves to the hedonism, recklessness and controversy of their lives that even astrologically it is difficult to see beyond their tragic deaths, neatly marked out by a Uranus trine and Neptune sextile.

However, the members of the 'Club of 27' all had prominent Uranus connections. Hendrix, left handed and inventive from an early age, was playing the guitar with his teeth and behind his head before he could train himself to play the guitar with his right hand. Jones, born into relative privilege, did not battle his way out of poverty but out of the limitations imposed by his class. Joplin could never see herself as worthy of being loved--and so she set out to break down not only the gender barriers of the music industry but the racial ones as well. Winehouse's life echoed similar themes a Saturn cycle later. A lover of reptiles to his family and friends long before he became known as the Lizard King to his fans, Morrison, the troublesome practical joker with an exceptionally high IQ had the rebellious and macho Mars-Uranus conjunction. Cobain, brought up in a society where perfect looks sell mediocre music, was the greasy-haired founding member of the "Grunge" music and lifestyle, was born during the Uranus/Pluto conjunction of the mid 1960's. It is perhaps unsurprising theses Club of 27 members frowned on the "squares" of their generation: all have a conspicuous lack of the square aspect in their charts.

Additionally, Jones, Joplin and Hendrix were born with the Saturn/Uranus conjunction in their charts. Perhaps in an archetypal sense, this conjunction was epitomised by the unleashing of nuclear power in December 1962, in Chicago, when the firm structure of things (Saturn) was broken up in a totally new way (Uranus). Hendrix was born within days of that event, and Joplin only a month after. It was the same conjunction, echoing in their natal charts that would contribute to the cultural explosion that was the '60's.

In astrology, the planet Uranus is associated with sudden and shocking revolution. Uranus is known particularly for its ability to use eccentricity and innovation to bring about change. The Uranus of the United States stands at 8 Gemini (US Chart). At it's first return in 1861, Civil war had broken out, and at it's second return, US soldiers were fighting in WWII on the beaches of Normandy in 1944. Thus, the birth of Janis, Jimi, Jim and Brian coincided with the start of the third Uranus-cycle of the United States.

This triangle consisted of Uranus-trine-Neptune, both pointing in sextile to Pluto. The Neptune of this generation was also right on the MC of the United States (3° Libra), so the "children of the revolution" held their ideals of a Utopian society. They fantasised about their country having peaceful and gentle relations with the rest of the world. They would grow to be unafraid to experiment with music and drugs. With the Uranus/Neptune trine pointing in sextile to Pluto, this generation seemed focused on complete reformation. This transformation would seem to be part of the American karmic fate as Pluto is on the North Node of the US chart. It wasn't until this generation grew up and began expressing themselves as adults that the effects of this configuration could be seen. Quite simply, by the time Janis, Jim, Jimi and Brian were born, the United States was ripe for a shake-up.

Thus, already predisposed to experiment, this generation would find fame during the Uranus/Pluto conjunction of 1966. 1967 was the year of the revolutionary Monterey Music Festival, the blossoming of the unforgettable Flower-Power revolution. During this time this vital conjunction of Uranus/Pluto moved across the Neptune of the US chart at 22° Virgo, showing the glorious dreams of which America is capable - but also, it wrought confusion and chaos on a society battling for equality, rebelling against authority and traumatised by a foreign war. The meeting of Uranus, the planet of androgyny and Pluto with its power-of-the-depths, coincided with the sexual revolution and the advent of the feminist movement. It seemed this generation became feminised, as a lot of young people, young men in particular, wore beads and flowers in their hair. The lifestyles of music, drug use, hedonism, psychedelic fashion and promiscuity characterise this Pluto/Uranus era, a time affectionately known as "The Swinging Sixties."

When we look back on this era it is with a quiver of excitement and nostalgia. We can almost once again conjure up the wonderful feeling of rebellion, lack of inhibition and experimentation. It was also a time a great terror and turmoil: bodies of America's young men were rotting in fields with unpronounceable names, as the Vietnam war raged. On home soil, an ongoing battle for racial equality was happening - a battle that never should have been necessary in the first place. No one knew better about the discrimination Black America faced than Jimi Hendrix, the only Black member of the Club of 27. Returning to America from a successful British tour in 1967, Hendrix found himself in a New York hotel - and was promptly mistaken for a bellhop.

Through a smoky haze, this generation used music to express their dreams of peace and harmony as the Vietnam War raged and used drugs to escape the grim reality of a futile conflict. The finest anti-war songs came from this period. The Flower-Power generation expressed its anger through music and thereby de-legitimised the war. Its new visions were moulded while experimenting with drugs and meditation. The expression "If you can remember the '60's you weren't there," seems an apt tribute to this time. And who better to carry and inherit the torch of the sixties turmoil than the sensitive, emotionally water-logged Piscean Kurt Cobain who had the conjunction of Pluto/Uranus straddling his ascendant? Amy Winehouse, too, would become a member of the Club of 27 in due course. Her Sun was in loose conjunction to Uranus/Pluto configuration of the '60s.

Alex Trenoweth, author of "Growing Pains" is a highly qualified astrologer and practicing secondary school teacher. She uses the tools of astrology in every day classroom management to motivate and interest adolescents in the subjects of History, Religious Education and Geography. In addition to her very busy professional life, she is also a musician and writer of fiction.

Neil Dawson

Not all artists become an artist straight after leaving school. Some start pursuing different careers before they realise what they want to do. This job is like no other, in fact some may say it is the best in the world. Certainly, Neil Dawson would agree.

Like most children at school, Dawson thoroughly enjoyed art lessons, and therefore it was his chosen subject in college. However, he struggled in his foundation year which left him doubting a career in art.

When he finished at college, Dawson's career path took a dramatic turn when he decided to do a degree in economics and eventually secured a job in banking. As it is the case with most born-to-be artists this job did not suit his character or fulfil what he wanted out of life. It wasn't until he did a stint of travelling that he realised he had missed painting and art. He longed for the freedom, escapism and the spontaneity that art had always offered him.

Inspirations

Dawson describes himself as a very visual person. He is often inspired by many things around him and is constantly influenced by the programmes he watches on his television, walking around town or when he is flicking through magazines. He will often collect cut outs and play around with different colours and compositions to spark ideas for future paintings.

A day in the life of an artist

Being an artist is like being on a 'constant learning curve' stated Dawson. Even when he has created a piece that has been disastrous, he will experiment with a different method of mark making, colour scheme or composition that will make it work well.

Dawson has said to use photographic references as a beginning point of his artwork. He does not like to have a strong picture or idea about what his finished painting will look like because he likes the painting to follow its own path and direction, and therefore Dawson works with his intuition. This means that the piece develops of its own accord. Although this is his preferred method of painting he also understands that there is no right or wrong way to paint, it is up to the individual artist and what works best for them.

Being an artist certainly has some perks, Dawson especially loving the fact that he has no need for watches and clocks. He will work when his body tells him to work and will finish the day when it naturally feels right. Although he does admit that when relaxing on a night whether it is in front of a TV or with a book in his hand, he never 'clocks off' as an artist as he is always taking inspiration from his surroundings making it a 24/7 job.

Soul Mates? An Evening at a Singles Club Dance Two Aries Connect

It had been three years since I last attended the Wiregrass Singles Club dances in Dothan, a mid-size city in southeast Alabama, a few miles north of the Florida Panhandle, where I lived some 40 miles away.

Obviously I felt like a stranger. A former girlfriend of mine was absent, having gone to visit her mother; all other faces looked unfamiliar.

Getting myself a cup of punch, I searched in the dimly lighted room for a table with an empty chair. There were over 170 persons crowded in the large recreation room. Finally eying an empty chair, I settled down to listen to the live band and observe the couples on the dance floor do their thing. At this point they moved in single file around the room in step to a square dance number.

Wiregrass Singles was a club for single people 25 years old and older-divorcees, widows, singles, and widowers. No alcoholic drinks were allowed or served at the dance, but punch and coffee-sometimes snacks-were provided. For the price of $2.25 each, an attendee got to dance to live music-mostly country-western-to socialize, and to consume all the refreshments one desired.

And since I was allergic to tobacco smoke, I was relieved that a no-smoking policy had been approved.

I removed my gold-colored metal rimmed eyeglasses, picked up a napkin, and polished the lenses as I studied the dancers. They all wore casual attire-but no jeans. I fit in with my red polo shirt and khaki slacks.

During the evening several square dances, get-acquainted dances, and ladies' choice dances encouraged socialization and variety. When one of the latter dances was announced, a middle aged woman from my hometown hurried up to speak and asked me for a dance.

I accepted and we danced to a slow waltz, then to a rock-and-roll tune. After that I sat out the next dance to catch my breath. The band leader then encouraged everyone to take part in the next number, which was a get-acquainted dance.

In this dance the men formed a circle inside with hands joined, and the women formed another circle outside with their hands joined also. Each group then circled to the right until the band leader yelled for the men to pick a partner.

During the get-acquainted dance couples frequently switched. In this manner a person met more people, thus becoming more widely acquainted. When the band leader announced that each man should choose a partner, two women passed by me to dance with other men they knew or took a fancy to. I glanced around awkwardly, but at that moment a slender, platinum-blond woman in a tan jump suit strolled up to me and took my hand with one of hers and pressed me to her with the other, putting her cheek intimately against mine. It was pleasantly and excitingly warm-and unexpected! She stood about my height, which was five feet, seven inches.

"Hi, she said. "I'm Julie. I'm a widow and a divorcee."

Somewhat startled, I gasped, "Uh, hi-I'm Benny." Then I added: "I'm divorced myself."

"It's bad-being divorced," she spoke softly, "but that's the way it is sometimes, isn't it?" she suggested sadly.

As she continued to press warmly against me, I grew more aroused. When the dance ended, Julie suggested they dance the next slow number together. I had no argument with the idea.

"Okay," I replied, scarcely believing my luck in meeting this warm, pleasantly assertive woman.

She went back to her table, and I returned to mine. I kept glancing her way until she suddenly jumped up from her chair, spoke something briefly to a lady friend at her table, and arrowed her way toward my table, where I cavalierly pulled out a chair for her. She remained with me the rest of the evening.

As the evening passed, Julie and I learned more about each other. Both of us were Aries and had birthdates only four days apart in late March. Church wise she was Baptist, and I was Methodist (off and on).

"But that's not so important, is it?" she ventured, as we got up to dance to "I Can't Stop Loving You," one of the great contemporary love ballads composed by Don Gibson Her remark referred to our different church denominations.

"No, of course not," I agreed. "We're both still Protestants, right?"

Later, during another dance, she whispered, "You like to be loved, don't you?"

I choked. "Sure-don't you?"

"Yes," she murmured. "We're both Aries, aren't we?" As if that made a difference! I held her more tightly, thinking, "This is the girl-woman! A soul mate. She has to be the one!"

The impulsive Aries in us worked overtime that evening!

Even the differences in our educational backgrounds seemed to present no obstacles. Julie had a high school diploma, and I had a college degree. She had been a bookkeeper but now worked as a receptionist in a physician's office. I currently worked for the state of Florida as a social work specialist, but before that I had been a teacher and journalist.

For the remainder of the evening Julie and I danced only with each other, embracing each other passionately, whether the tempo was fast or slow. She pressed more tightly against me, at the same time running her slender fingers caressingly through my medium-brown, newly trimmed hair. We kissed softly. The chemistry between us really sparked. After the dance at the recreation hall ended, Julie and I got into my car and drove to Shoney's, a popular restaurant for late evening snacks, meals, and socializing on the Circle. Over coffee and dessert we chatted more about each other, digesting as much as possible in this single meeting-as if it might be our only liaison.

Both of us were surprised to learn that the other was older than either appeared. That was typical of Aries-born people. Julie would be 49 in a few days; I would be 50.

"I would have thought you were about 38," she said.

"Well, I've always been considered younger than I was," I responded. "I would have thought you were only in your late thirties."

"That's partly because of the way I wear my hair," Julie suggested. "Short and slightly curled about my face."

Her outfit made her look more youthful, too. Julie confessed that she made all her clothes.

As to children, my favorite blond announced that she had two grown ones, a daughter who was a computer programmer at Cape Canaveral, and a son, who worked as an electrical engineer.

I volunteered in turn that I had a son, 13, and a daughter, 10. I added that both had been adopted.

There was so much more we wanted to learn about the other, but the hour was late and I still had to drive back to my hometown about 40 miles south. As we rode back to the community center, where the Wiregrass Singles met for the dances, for Julie to retrieve her car, she remarked,

"My father thinks I didn't wait long enough before marrying George, my second husband."

"How long did you date before you got married?"

"Two months."

"Well, that seems like enough time, Julie. I guess it really depends on the individuals and how they feel-not how others might feel. Besides, this isn't like the days when our parents were young and more importance was attached to long courtships. The pace is much faster this day and time-and that isn't necessarily bad."

I thought about the Liberation Movement.

"George kept going back to his former wife. He said he didn't love her, but he still went back. I couldn't accept that-I tried to do so much for him, but he didn't seem to appreciate it-so I divorced him."

I thought about that for a few moments; then I asked, "How did your first husband die-your children were by him, weren't they?"

"Anne and Kenny were by him. He was an alcoholic. That's what finally killed him." I noted the sadness that had crept into her manner as she recalled the unpleasant memories.

Hopefully I asked, "Do you think you'll get married again?"

Julie waited a moment before answering.

"No-I don't think so. I've failed twice. I'm not sure I want to try again."

"Don't you get lonely?"

"Yes... but I'm learning to live with it--the loneliness; and my children keep in touch. They'll look after me."

And maybe George will, too, I thought to myself. George wasn't permanently out of the picture yet.

At the community center Julie and I kissed, made plans for a date, then drove away to our separate homes-two lonely Aries who, for one evening, had helped each other forget some of their unhappiness.

By Harry C Copeland

Something to Know About Modeling

Modelling or Modeling is a profession that employs people to advertise, display or promote commercial products, namely consumer goods, cosmetics, designer and fashion clothing, electronic items, jewelry, personal products and services and many more. A model is a person employed by a company or business to provide a visual connection to the product or commodity being advertised or promoted. In many cases, especially where brand awareness or niche service is being promoted, companies go to great lengths to choose the right person who can add to the brand value and instill confidence regarding the product or service in the consumer mind.

Various types of modeling

Modeling can include many types such as body or body part, fashion, fine art, fitness, glamour and so on. Modeling is sometimes compared to performing, although the level of emotion, though not clearly defined is vastly different from stage or movie performances. A professional model is featured in a wide range of media advertising formats such as magazines, newspapers and television. Most professional models are contracted to large fashion houses and designer brands for a period ranging from one to three years or more; these contracts are legally binding on both parties.

Nowadays, professional fashion models used modeling as a stepping stone to feature in television shows and movies.

Early years of modeling

In 1853, Charles Frederick Worth, widely regarded as the 'father of haute couture', started the trend of "house model" when he used his wife Marie Vernet Worth as a model to promote the clothes he designed. In time, this practice became common place in most French fashion houses; there were no prescribed formats or requirements for a model to look a particular way or be of a particular type, women of different sizes were used to demonstrate range and variety in clothing designs.

In the 1920s, photo modeling came about as a result of the development of fashion photography, though still in a very nascent stage and more and more models flocked to this suddenly emerging new demand. Most models in that age were not very well known and no regulatory wage principles meant that they were usually very poorly paid.

In the 1930s, Lisa Fonssagrives became very popular and a much sought after model appearing on no less than 200 Vogue magazine covers leading to Vogue being one of the earliest to cash in on the fast expanding fashion profession. The Ford Model Agency is one of the oldest and earliest model agencies in the field of professional modeling; established by Eileen and Gerard Ford in 1946, it had many models like Carmen Dell'Orefice, Dorian Leigh, Evelyn Tripp, Jean Patchett, Suzy Parker and Wilhelmina Cooper. They were paid $25 an hour for their services, a handsome fee at that time, though fashion models earn much more these days. They were relatively unknown beyond the fashion community and hence not much is known about their lives. It is noteworthy that Dorothea Church, the first black female model in the modeling industry was well accepted considering the prejudices and conservative communities at that time.