“I wonder that you will be still talking: nobody marks you.”
Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing [I.i.107]
For the Week starting: 9.1.2005
That one Virgo birthday? Missed it. I’m sorry, honey.
Aries: Bat viewing is a popular tourist destination. Over the years, I’ve gotten used to heading downtown at sunset, and not only seeing about 17 million bats leave their daytime home, but there’s also about an equal number of tourists, up on the bridge, watching. When I can, I try and make my route, a little out of the way, along that bridge, just for the sake of entertainment. Tourists can be a funny lot. The other evening, I was walking and listening to disjointed conversations, snippets of comments. Foreign languages, I identified two, I think one was German, and of course, some Spanish. Then there was a comment that really did intrigue me, I think it was father-type to a son-type, “Yeah, as you get older, you’re ears get bigger.” And as Mars pokes along in Taurus? Pretend that you’re getting older and that you’re ears are getting bigger. Listen more. Talk less. Let the other folks stick their feet in their mouths. No need to join them. It’s a function of mostly Mars, but the upcoming new moon, doesn’t hurt, either. It’s a good time to be listening rather than talking. Is that true, though? As we grow older, our ears get bigger?
Taurus: I laughed, more like a giggle and grin, at this one comic strip. The problem is, see, I was laughing at a cartoon character’s misfortune. In a form like that, no one really gets hurt. Cartoon physics apply, as well, so a fall or beating that would hurt a mere mortal doesn’t really cause pain and suffering in cartoon strip. The deal is Mars, and he’s cooking along in your sign. One thing about Mars, if you’re perceptive enough, you get a chance to watch that kind of “cartoon physics” unfold. Overstep your destination, and you don’t realize that you’ve overstepped until you look down. Then there’s the other half of this equation and riddle for the week, as you’re plummeting, you’ll notice folks are laughing at your misfortune. Seems like that’s always the source of comedy, especially lowbrow humor, it always comes at the expense of someone else.
Gemini: One of my neighbors strolled past, walking her dog, while I was standing on the shore, with my fishing pole in hand. I was reeling in a line that I’d just freed from some obstruction on the bottom of the river. I got the line free by pulling really hard, and the hook broke off. Hook, line and sinker? No, just the hook and the wiggle bit of plastic on the end of that hook. “Any luck fishing?” the neighbor lady called out to me. “Nope, not yet,” I said. I was reeling the extra line, and she took a look at the line, me, the fishing pole, and then she suggested that I’d probably have better luck if I used a hook. Cute comment, huh? Didn’t endear me to that one neighbor too much. I was just fighting with a snag that’s chosen to move its location, and that means I’ll spend a little time plumbing the depth with my hooks to find the new position. She might have wanted to chat, but she’d already overstepped my good graces, so I wasn’t in a chatty mood. Sign? Gemini. Chatty, friendly, witty. Good looking, too, as is the theme with Gemini. But your Gemini audience? While we might think you’re comment was intended to be cute, it might be a little too close to the bone. Careful with the apparently innocuous comments.
Cancer: Holidays and so forth mean that traffic here will be light. I mean, website traffic, not vehicular traffic. So I could just skip the idea of a decent prognostication, but I got to looking at the chart, especially two item; the phase of the moon and Mars. Under these twin influences, I figure that the perspicacious Cancer individual will want to spend a little time with two areas of life: rest (concurrent concomitant relaxation) and planning. Take a little time for both. Take a lot of time for both. Consider that the phase of the moon is such that you’re going to want to “sleep on it” a little longer. Take a few extra minutes for a power nap, or a longer mid-afternoon siesta. Then, as you wake up refreshed, before anything like news or other people infect your freshly rested brain, think about some long-range plans. Issues that need to be addressed. Problem with your future? How about planning a way around those obstacles? How about taking a few minutes to plot a course for the good ship Cancer? I’m not saying commit anything to print, or make big, sweeping changes, but thinking about it sure will help.
Leo: The first of the month. Rent’s due. I knew I was forgetting something, and while the Moon was in Cancer, I got around to seeing about mailing off a rent check to Mr. Landlord. When I sorted through the bills, and the check register, I discovered, much to my chagrin, I hadn’t mailed the check from August yet. This must’ve been last week. The moon was in Cancer right before it entered mighty Leo. So I’m a little late. Doesn’t bother me much, I mean, I think I’ve got enough money in the bank to cover that rent check. And I’m figuring, like I always do, that as long as it postmarked before the 15th, I’m still okay, no late fees. I tend to run a little behind because, well, after all, this is trailer park. Isn’t worth that much. Any rent, as far as I’m concerned is just lining some fat slumlord’s pocket with cash. Capitalist pigs. Brings up a point, though, about what you’re forgetting in the land of the lion. Certain bills are due. You might not have a forgiving and occasional forgetful landlord like I do. Line up the paperwork, and see what you can pay, when you can pay it. Personally, I think the ungrateful landlord should be happy he’s getting the August rent by mid-September.
Virgo: Ran into one of my neighbors, out strolling along in the trailer park. Like guys usually do, we talked about women. He said something in Spanish, I showed off my French, then he replied in English, “You know, the girl with the brown hair and the brown eyes? Wearing faded jeans?” I thought about it for a moment, chuckled at that response, and kept on walking. That sounded so much like a line, a like set-up for some trap. I can think of a half dozen neighbors that fit that description. Probably a third of this town can fit that description. Maybe even more. That’s the problem, too. It might have been a serious comment, but judging from the jocular, multi-lingual exchange, I think he was trying to trap me. I’m not sure you’re going to face that very line, or that Virgo neighbor with brown hair and brown eyes, wearing faded jeans, but I’ll suggest that you are going to encounter a similar set-up. The trick? Hey, just do like I did. Laugh, enjoy the revelry, and keep putting one foot in front of the other. Inquiring minds might want to know, but prying too deep can run into trouble.
Libra: “You would think, it being September and all, that it would be cooler by now.” Sure thing, and it’s not likely. It’s still summertime-like temperatures. It’s Texas. Way it is. In another couple of weeks, we’re hoping it will cool down a little bit, but I’m not getting my hopes up. Deal is, the hot weather is also going to continue, on into the Libra chart. There’s a certain amount of heat, a certain kind of friction, that telltale perspiration on the upper lip, the damp spot in the small of your back, t-shirts that cling, and not necessarily clinging in an alluring fashion. Yeah, Texas weather. Hot times in Libra. They go hand-in-hand. It’s a chance, a time, a place, to make something happen. I’m not limiting you on the action, it’s a matter of doing something to make insure that the good fortune that’s going your way, we all want to make sure that it continues to go your way. So it’s a little hot outside, and sure, you appearance is a tad bit disheveled, maybe there’s a strand of hair out of place, or that sweat is making a dark stain when you’d prefer that it not. Hard work pays off, I’ll promise that. Plus, with Venus where she is? And Jupiter? Compounded with the onset of the new lunar phase? Going to be good, even if it is a little warm.
Scorpio: “Door broken. Please use other door.” It was a sign up at a convenience store. Not a big deal. Double door entrance way, fairly common architectural feature, I’m sure. One door, from the sign, appeared to be in a “not working” condition. Since the glass wasn’t shattered, nor were there any other visual clues, I didn’t know what was wrong, nor, did I bother to inquire. When I saw that sign, letting me know that the door was broken, I took some uncharacteristic action, I just used the other side of the doorway for access to the store. Hot afternoon here, I wanted some tall and cool beverage to drink. With Mars where he is, you’re going to encounter a similar kind of sign. In fact, it might be blocking your access to some type of rest, a much-needed cool drink, something like that. While this sounds trite, after a fashion, it’s going to occur, and instead of trying the broken door, which might — or might not be — broken? Instead of trying that just once, why not just pay attention to the sign. “Door broken.” Just use the other door. It’s a really simple solution, but it can save your fine (frustrated) Scorpio self a lot of trouble when you encounter a similar Martian problem.
Sagittarius: Have to be careful with certain designations. To me, a quasi-high-tech guy, DSL usually means Digital Subscriber Line, you know, the broadband internet access provided by, usually, telephone lines and telecoms. I was on the road, driving back from some far-flung Texas destination, or maybe we were just coming back in from the lake, and I noticed a sign — at a truck stop, for DSL. Diesel fuel, not Digital Subscriber Line. Granted, a number of the highway stops I’ve seen do advertise “high-speed internet access,” but this was a situation where the same acronym displayed two different meanings. One is a way to access networks, at a relatively high speed, while the other is a fossil fuel. One is copper wires in the ground and overhead while the other is viscous liquid burned in an type of engine usually found hauling freight. Since I tend to live in two worlds at one time, the single designation of “DSL” can therefore, carry several meanings. Cheap fuel and/or moderately fast net access. Something like that. The little signs along the Sagittarius roadway of life, over the course of the next few days? You’re going to get some confusing problems that have to do with a simple designation like that. Could have more than one meaning.
Capricorn: Hot summer night in Texas. Like there’s really any other kind of early September evening? I was set to dine with a friend, and after I stopped by her trailer, we set out. I suggested we walk. Which evoked an immediate response, a non-sequiter to me, “Why, do I look fat to you?” From my suggestion of a leisurely stroll for an evening’s repast to “Do I look fat?” — I fail to see how those two items are even remotely linked. I’ll never claim to understand the way certain females’ minds work, but then, that could be me. In a situation like this, though, there is no right answer. I merely pointed out that I preferred walking and it was almost cool enough to walk, and that I didn’t understand the path of reasoning that lead to the conclusion, because, in no uncertain terms, no the Capricorn in question didn’t look fat at all. You’re going to get pitched a similar scenario. If you’re male, good luck. I know no right answer that question, other than, “Where would you like to eat?” To prove my point, after we did dine, we had some soft-serve “frozen custard.” Not that it matters, but in my example, that seemed to ameliorate the problem.
Aquarius: I walked into a neighborhood convenience store to avail myself of an afternoon snack, a hotlink and big plastic tub of brown, fizzy water. I observed a clearly unmarked police car with an officer in it, sitting in the late summer sun, out front. I asked the clerk what the deal was, and the clerk allowed as how he was about $100 in the hole with an overdue traffic ticket, hence the officer’s presence. But this is a neighborhood kind of a store, and the owner showed up at the same time as the officer entered. The owner shelled out the cash to keep his employee out of “debtors’ prison,” at least, for the afternoon. I suspect the real motivation was so that the proprietor himself wouldn’t have to work. Doesn’t matter. Two lessons can be learned. One, pay your tickets on time. Saves a lot of trouble. Two, at the last minute, there are some folks who will rescue you sorry butt. There’s a warning that goes with that, though, they might take the cost of the rescue out of your next paycheck. Nothing seems like it’s free anymore, huh?
Pisces: I was boarding a flight for a destination in far West Texas. In the line to board the aircraft, I was a single Hawaiian shirt in sea of maroon. Now, typically the Austin airport is a home to much Burnt Orange, the native color of the local University. The deep red maroon is a rival, just a few miles down the road, another huge university with terrific team spirit. I kept my mouth shut until I was seated on the plane, next to a couple of young ladies, “Texas A&M Track Team.” The flight attendant made her way down the aisle, followed by the coach. Didn’t look like I was going to be buying anyone a beer on that flight. I toned down my usual delivery and engaged the two little girls sitting next to me in light conversation. One was Pisces. She throws a javelin. She was from a little rural place, not too far from where I was raised, in deep east Texas. Javelin. She throws a long, pointed stick. A Pisces spear-thrower. This is not the kind of woman that one wants to start an argument, even a friendly a one, about which college team is better. “You can run, but she’ll nail you anyway,” smirked her friend. There comes a time in the life of Pisces, a time when folks like me understand that it’s a good idea not to argue with you. Not everyone shares my insight. Maybe, if they’re starting to be a little caustic? Either point them to this horoscope as a warning about that long arm of the Pisces, or, if you can, find a seating companion who will serve up a friendly reminder that one can run from a Pisces, but we might wind up looking like a butterfly in a collection.
