For the Week starting: 11.15.2007
"My cue is villanous melancholy, with a sigh like Tom o’ Bedlam."
Edmund in Shakespeare’s King Lear (I.ii.151)
Mars is in apparent retrograde motion, the Moon is waxing or First Quarter, and it all means?
Scorpio: In older schools of thought, like, old-fashioned astrology, Mars is associated with Scorpio. "Rules it," as they say. Always being one to break with some traditions, I tend to just suggest that Mars is associated with Scorpio. The sign and the planet? They like each other. Mostly.
However, as Mars slowly turns towards a retrograde pattern, that "liking each other" symbols falls out of favor. Mars goes from a benign influence with its gentle, healing touch, to a more corrosive sense. Caustic, even.
I’ve long admired the Scorpio wit with its razor-like edge, sharply exploring the bounds of good taste and satire. While Mars is, indeed, backwards in a water sign, it’s not the best placement for darling Scorpio. Not the end, but the end of the beginning, for sure. Slow down. Don’t resort to your usual (smart) retort, not yet.
Sagittarius: I stopped, one afternoon, just last week? I think so. I stopped for an afternoon drink, a quick shot of espresso. Nothing too fancy, just a quick double-shot, drawn extra slow and long, with a steamy head and oily texture. Great stuff. While I was expecting the usual banter from the bar, my appearance generated as little stir.
"You look nice today, what, job interview?" I was dressed in fall season appropriate black t-shirt, black jeans, boots, and sports jacket over the whole outfit. That’s not so unusual. But it was a relatively new place for me, and the look was definitely new for them, not used to seeing me thusly attired.
Some days, it’s big changes, other days, it could merely be our response to the seasonal vicissitudes, but to someone else, it seems like a big honking deal. Whatever. Embrace the other peoples’ perceptions. Understand that this is a big deal — to them. Understand that the idea of change is upsetting — to them. Grasp how you’ve rocked their world view. Or just left them a little unsettled.
Capricorn: There’s an emotional component to this week’s chart, and it reminds me of a certain fishing trip. I had a big fish on the line, probably a record breaker, and if not a record breaker, at least the fish was about to be the biggest fish I ever caught. Me and that fish? A mighty fight it was, me reeling him (her) in close, then the fish taking off with the line again, the drag screaming as the fish unwound the reel. Then me getting it close again, bit by bit, then the line screaming out again. All good fun.
Only, as I say from time to time, some days the fish win. That one did. Within a few short feet of the boat, not quite to the net, the fish changed tactics, and swam at the boat. Charged right at me. Which means that the line went slack, the hook came unzipped, and away went the fish, record-breaking trophy, enough food for a family for a week, and my epic tale. Not even a picture.
My buddy, who wasn’t quite fast enough with the net, was cursing the luck. "You had him, man." Right. It happens. Some days, the fish win. There’s an emotional let-down when that occurs at times like this. You feel; I feel it. That’s what the planets are doing. What did I do? Bait up, cast out again. Got to keep trying.
Aquarius: Simple solution for the stress? Dried cranberries. I don’t even know what I was looking for, probably beverages or chips, or something like that. Chips and dip, be a good guess. That’s what I normally get at the grocery store. But as a seasonal item, I’m guessing, they had a container of dried cranberries. I bought a pint. Half that pint was gone before I ever made it home with a small bag of groceries. Good stuff.
As I understand it, the cranberries are high in anti-oxidant material. Vitamins, minerals, build strong immune systems, 12 ways. I suspect that the real strength in the dried cranberries is the stuff sprayed on as they dry, the red color, the preservative, the compounds that are used to desiccate and enhance the fruit. Which, when I was buying it the first time, I just bought the dried cranberries and ate most of them before I ever had a chance to peek at the label.
I just liked the way they tasted and it was okay to munch on, on the way home. I’m sure that there’s a fixative and laxative in there, too. Just seems natural that something natural would have a lot of chemicals in it. The holidays are approaching; Mars is going backwards. Find something — allegedly healthy — that you can munch on. While at work. While at home. Getting ready for the holidays. Can’t do much about anything else, but you can try and eat a little healthier. Try some dried cranberries.
Pisces: I’m all about saving you some pain. I’m all over that saving the Pisces some frustration. And I’m all about helping you. But, as a descent Pisces, you’re going to have to work with me. Two hours, two days? Two months? Two years? Well, I’m pretty sure it won’t be the two-year mark, but it could be, like, in the next two minutes (but I doubt it), or it could be in the next two days, still doubtful, but it is certainly within the next two months.
There is a reward for efforts under the apparent retrograde Mars pattern. The problem is this can be immediate, like two minutes or two days, but I’m more inclined to figure it’ll be like two months away. Is it worth it? The answer is yes, it is worth the effort. The problem is, you must — work with me here — do the job now, and hope to see the fruition of the task, the reward, later. It’s simple, see, you get a chance, a weird opening, and you must take that offer that comes down. Might require you actually get up and out to answer the call. But if you do? There will be a reward. Soon enough. Like, in a couple of months. Maybe. Might be two years.
Aries: The week or ten days before Thanksgiving is usually a weird enough time. Retail is getting geared up, and not that I would like to belabor a point here, but has anyone noticed Xmas stuff starting earlier and earlier? I always thought it was rule that no Xmas stuff could go up until after Thanksgiving. Silly me, believing that retail giants and commerce would pay attention to common sense guidelines about taste.
August 31, 2007, swear, I saw it in a certain retail giant’s store: Xmas stuff.
That’s also going to point up the problems for the next, oh, say, about two months, or so, as Mars hits backwards stride. Common sense and timing are not going to be major factors. Or they are going to major factors, in that, they are missing. Get used to the idea that you’re going to be standing there, like this week, looking at someone and asking, "What were you thinking?" I just hope it’s not you who’s getting looked at in that tone of voice.
Taurus: "It’s Mercury, it’s retrograde, isn’t it?" No, and you haven’t been paying attention, which is a problem. It’s Mars, in apparent backwards motion. Which means that your loquacious, voluble and pretty way of talking isn’t going to work.
Instead of counting on your own native ability to slip in and out of trouble? You can count on yourself getting into trouble. Getting out of it might be a another problem. Or a bigger problem.
For next couple of weeks of Mars action? The best thing you can do is watch your mouth. I’m really earnestly serious here, and I don’t mean looking at the lines around your mouth, not in the mirror. No, I mean watch what you say. It’s really easy for you to make a classic mistake wherein you say just the right thing. At just the wrongest of times. Yeah, I feel your pain about this one, but you know? You can’t say I didn’t warn you that your Taurus voice could get you in trouble. Bigger trouble than you thought, too.
Gemini: The biggest distraction, the largest source of Gemini ire in the coming week, or coming weeks? Upcoming holidays and so forth? It’s the distractions. It’s not the major point of focus, either, it’s the little details. The small, bright, shiny objects that litter the Gemini pathway. Seems like you’ve got to stop and pick each one up. What’s worse, you’ll turn it over, whatever the object is, and you’ll and think about how, "For seventeen dollars, this is a good deal."
It’s not. Some time after the first of the year? You can buy that same shiny trinket for about two dollars. I’d look at Mars as the major influence, and Mars, in Cancer right now, starting a backslide that will last until almost all the through first month of next year? Those smart retail people, they’re know how to tickle your fancy. It’s just a trinket. Looks cool, but do you really need such a device? Right now? It’s the "right now" part I’d pay attention to. Give it a few minutes and let cooler heads prevail.
Cancer: I passed a thrift store the other afternoon. Sort of a new location, for me. South side of town. Interesting signs, too. Not exactly hand-lettered, but I’m guessing, it was in spirit. "Thrift Store/Antiques/New & Used." I was curious about the new and used antiques. So if it’s a new antique, does that make it not old? And doesn’t an antique have to be old? Or am I confusing an issue here?
Perhaps I’m trying to make something up where there is nothing of note. Maybe it’s just a poorly marked sign. Maybe. And perhaps that’s a good point for delicate Cancer folks to watch out for, too. Poorly labeled signs? No, more along the lines of trying to stir up an issue when, in fact, it’s nothing at all. Not that I would ever let that stop me, but I’m suggesting that the Cancer corner of the sky? You guys might not want to wander into the store to correct the grammar on the sign. Not a good time for such actions.
Leo: I copied down a Spanish expression, might’ve been the name of a business or a street sign, and I looked it up on the inter-web thing. I didn’t go with the first or second hit, but as I scrolled down through the results, I found one that looked okay, and then, from that one brief snippet of text, I drew a conclusion. I knew what that word meant.
One web page, only a partial reading of the text, and I’m saying that I understand it all now?
I hardly think that’s the case. Not really a fair way to address any problem, with such a cursory examination of the available data. All it took was me to read something that sounded plausible, in — or out — of context. Good enough. There really is more data available, as Spanish is derived from Latin, and Spanish is like French, and I was, at one time, versed in French and Latin, so I can make literate, educated guesses at Latinate Language meanings. But it wasn’t exactly a literary word. Doesn’t much matter, though, because this is all about making hasty decisions. Don’t. Turns out that one web page? It was wrong.
Virgo: I was in the normal check-out aisle at the Super (brand name) grocery store. While, as befits my lifestyle, I had fewer than 20 items, and no processed food, still, I just figured it was easier, and for that matter, quicker, to run through the regular line. The line moved forward with alacrity. The checker was a young, fetching and from what I could see, attractive young lady of Hispanic heritage, as the name, I think her name tag said "Sophia." Don’t hold me to my observations.
Sophia finished up the transaction that proceeded me, and then started on my basket of groceries. The belt advanced. The woman behind me put a divider on the belt, then started to unload her cart. The checker tried to scan the divider, and then she tried to get a price check, looking at it, trying to figure out whether it was fruit, hardware, or some other department. "Not mine," I said. I paid and left the quizzical checker. I was toting my groceries out the door, being quietly amused about how someone named "Sophia" could be unlettered about a divider, looking for a barcode.
The more I thought, though, the more I wondered if I had been an unwitting foil for her jest. I’m not saying you’re a fool, my fine Virgo friend, but I’d watch those hasty assumptions. I was halfway across the "back forty" sized parking area before I realized I was the butt of the joke. Don’t let this happen to you, too.
Libra: The T-shirt said, "All Night Weenie: open all night every night." I’m not sure exactly where "all night weenie" was, not in the real world. I suspect it was a mythical hot dog stand. But I’m sure that there’s a metaphor that can be derived from the shirt. The t-shirt was stretched taut over a young girl’s pregnant stomach. As in, "pregnant with child," that sort of metaphor.
She figured out, sooner or later, what that all night weenie was about. Just a guess, as she did seem pretty happy. I’m not one to pass judgments. So I’m not sure if there was intentional humor there, or not. But using my non-medical observational capacity, I’d suggest she was about to pop any day. Scorpio or Sagittarius baby, huh? As Mars goes backwards, we have to be careful about drawing conclusions from diverse items, like T-Shirts. Might have been an accident, the t-shirt. Might not have been some kind of metaphor. I’m not sure. Careful with the conclusions when there’s an absence of fact.
