Void the Cold Moon: an Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist

The hat's annual Anti-Valentine's Day playlist comes in January this year, because of an early start on both lists when I had the flu earlier this month, and a bit of lunar-related inspiration, which fueled this post, and provided the name of the anti-Valentine's playlist (which I hasten to add is not Moon-themed, though this post is.)

A dream a couple nights ago prompted a bit of research into matters of the Moon (I dreamt of a song that doesn't exist. Other than the word "Moon", it has no relation to anything in this post.) One thing I learned about is a fairly obscure (at least to non-astrology buffs) but rather frequent Moon: the Void of course Moon.

Some astrologers don't take much note of the Void of course Moon, which partly explains the semi-obscurity. Its meaning sheds more light on the matter. During this time, the Moon does not bring about any major aspect on any planets before entering the next sign. It's allegedly "a period in which new ventures are not likely to succeed", which seems noteworthy. Thing is, we have a Void of course Moon a few times a week. Constantly urging people to use caution and avoid starting anything new would be a bummer.

Both its name and meaning almost invite people to ignore the curious little Void of course Moon. The name is rather fun. Void, of course. Void, of course! I thought of "Blame It on the Moon" and "Blue Moon".

It's a "classic", but I've never cared for "Blue Moon". I find it rather moany, or whingy, as they might say across the pond. It's not exactly a proactive song. Sends rather the wrong message to The Kids, doesn't it? Someone is alone, and doesn't want to be. Their response to the situation is to hang out alone, wallow and pray to the (rarely-occurring) Blue Moon. Also, how can the singer both pray for "somebody I really could care for" and claim to be "without a dream in my heart"? Where did the desire for someone to care for originate from, his pancreas? If it came from his heart, he's a disingenuous cunning fellow. Maybe he just wanted to take the easy way, to get that wispy creature the Blue Moon doled out without having to fill out some pre-Internet-dating-service matchmaker's questionnaire.

So I thought of a scenerio in which a "Blue Moon" prayer was rejected. If the Moon, or the Blue Moon had the power to give someone a love/soulmate/robot "companion" and chose not to, the sight of the Moon could provoke all manner of unpleasant feelings, perhaps even a wish to void the cold Moon.

That's cold as in the emotional sense, which a Moon might be thought of if they denied someone a Valentine. It's not currently a "Cold Moon" in the "Full Cold Moon" sense... It's a Wolf Moon... Void the Wolf Moon sounds silly, doesn't have that emotional connection, and doesn't seem as Valentine's-related. But there's a list of the 2008 Moon names at the end of the post, 'cause that's fun too.

The Moon is "a symbol for the soul" in astrology. In horoscopes, it it "determines the subject's capacity for reflection and adaptation".

Pausing to reflect could be interpreted as a form of caution, but not all reflection is wise, and whether or not it's for the best, some leap after looking.

True reflection and adaptation and sincere attention paid to the soul is arguably a better way to meet someone to care for than this praying-to-the-Blue-Moon business. However, it sounds more like the the theme of a month's worth of Oprah episodes than anything related to romance.

Religion isn't necessarily something people want to/should "dabble" in (disclaimer), but if one has their heart—sorry, if one feels that they want to pray to a Moon-related deity, there are indeed scads of lunar gods and goddesses. They're an interesting group, from a Polynesian God credited for creating females and buildings to an Aztec Earth and Moon Goddess, who, legend has it, is decapitated and dismembered every month... You know, to explain the changing phases of the Moon. Hey, they didn't have television back then, and no Interweb either. Instead, they relied on a little something called an incredibly lurid imagination.

Regardless of our romantic situation, it's heart-warming to take in the fact that we don't have to rely solely on the bizarre imaginations of our neighbors, friends, and family for entertainment. (Though they do try their "best" through e-mail forwards and reality television.)

♥ Void the Cold Moon: an Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist: to listen to/download the songs, go here, and type Kofi'sValentine in the password box.

Bonus Track: Trio - Da Da Da I Don't Love You You Don't Love Me Aha Aha Aha

Moon Miscellany:

• What the Moon looks like today

• Moon phases through 2015

• Moonrise, moonset, and other lunar data (illumination percentage!) Note: the times on this one are PST.

• 1960 Cheerios/V-8 Juice commercial (yes, there's a moon-tie in):



• "Romance and Reality" (which would make a swell subtitle for the playlist), the full 1852 Punch sketch from the top of the post.

• Farmer's Almanac has lots of Pop-Ups, so I hate linking to them and warn that their pop-ups make this an awful link of doom. Plus, the Full Moon info for 2008 is printed below. They don't yet have the info for 2009, and the names for 2007 were the same.

2008 Full Moons:

We're currently in a Full Wolf Moon, which began January 22nd.
Full Snow Moon starts February 20th at 10:31 PM. Then:
Full Worm Moon starts March 21st 2:40 PM.
Full Pink Moon - April 20th - 6:25 AM
Full Flower Moon - May 19th - 10:11 PM
Full Strawberry Moon - June 18th - 1:30 PM
Full Buck Moon - July 18th - 3:59 AM
Full Sturgeon Moon - August 16th - 5:16 AM
Full Harvest Moon - September 15th - 5:13 AM
Full Hunter's Moon - October 14th - 4:02 AM
Full Beaver Moon - November 13th - 1:17 AM
Full Cold Moon - December 12th - 11:37 PM