"I do desire we may be better strangers."
Shakespeare’s As You Like It (III.ii.98)
Pisces: Happy birthday to that one Pisces. Yeah, and you thought I forgot. Maybe I did. But me forgetting that one Pisces birthday is not going to ruin a week. And the way I see it? It shouldn’t be a week, should be more like another three weeks, after this one, for Pisces celebrations.
Sun will be in Pisces the whole time, and it’s nothing but fun in the sun for the duration. To be sure, there will be a little bit of let down as the lunar phase gets a tad sour. We’re starting this week’s scope on a full moon, and from there, it’s on towards the last quarter moon, and that’s a bit of a bummer. However, there’s still the over-riding "best birthday wishes," and in the card game of life, that trumps just about everything else. Moon notwithstanding. So it’s good, maybe not the best ever and always, but good nonetheless.
There’s a kind of stability that’s going to come along, and all I can suggest is that you make a decision to go for the more stable version of whatever it is that is being offered. Part of this is the birthday material and part of this is Saturn, on the opposite side of the chart from you. I was using some new astrology software, strictly beta testing. Program kept blowing up. Part of the problem is my own fingers, part of the problem is the computer I use, and part of the problem is beta nature of the project. For calculating your horoscope, though? I rolled back to an earlier version of the software — it works and it’s solid. Reliable. Which is good at times like this. Go for the most stable option.
Aries: There’s a King Ranch brand of trucks. Imagine that? A ranch that has its own brand of Ford trucks. Just weird. Wouldn’t be a big deal, but I was on the street the other afternoon, and I saw, like, about three different versions of the King Ranch truck. This has exactly what to do with your week? It’s matter of seeing some image, time and again, and finally, letting all that sink in.
The King Ranch, in history and myth? Large ranch. South Texas. Cattle was King. Begat its own town, Kingsville. County. Might be larger than some eastern state, that ranch. Through a careful marshaling of resources, the big bucks from the cattle operation has turned into a business, where, years later, the cattle are but a small portion of the ranch’s revenue.
There’s the deal with the trucks, there’s a whole line of saddlebag-inspired luggage, there’s probably a magazine, a guest accommodation, maybe an airline or something, all from carefully working with the myth of the cattle empire. In a similar fashion, there’s a brand you can develop, a simple, even humble Aries origin, yet, it holds a chance for more, much more. Dream a little, and then, try to see where the extra bucks can be squeezed out of the Aries Empire. Like the King Ranch, only, for an Aries? Bigger and grander?
Taurus: The San Antonio weather has become a running joke for me. The weathermen that I watch, at night, are almost always off. Off by large degrees. It’s amusing. Writing horoscopes shares the same hope that those San Antonio weathermen share, we might be wrong, week after week, but we keep trying.
I was thinking about the weathermen because one had the perfect prediction the other evening, on the eve of San Antonio’s big rodeo "cowboy breakfast." The weathermen made a dire (and wrong) prediction about the weather then he predicted that was a 100% chance of biscuits and gravy. The annual rodeo, like Houston and New York, it’s a big deal. To kick off San Antonio’s version, there’s huge cowboy breakfast for the masses. One year, they almost pulled the white gravy. Uproar. So the white gravy was kept on the menu, and peace was restored.
I don’t know what the uproar has been in the Taurus camp, not from individual to individual. But it’s like the threat of no biscuits and gravy, and the results are typically the same: 100% chance of biscuits and gravy. This week.
Gemini: Progress, and when is progress really a step backwards? I upgraded my phone system, like, got rid of the odd collection of wired and wireless handsets, and I replaced everything with matched set of wireless, latest technology, with built-in satellite imaging, and I think, automatic internet. I’m not sure, whatever was on sale, looked good, was cheap, and promised a better quality of life.
Bigger numbers usually mean better, am I right? I’m not sure. The old wireless handset, two of them really, the cheaper, cheesier-looking one? It had the best range. From the trailer to the trailer park’s laundry room, I could do laundry while listening to one of my buddies complain about Mercury. Or something. Mail letters, fish, and best of all, it was a cheap wireless handset, so I wasn’t ever afraid it would fall in the water.
However, in the upgrade process, I wound up with a pair of nicely matched, sleek little handsets, and nothing more. Simplify my existence, that was the idea. The problem being that new, better technology? It isn’t. Not nearly as good as I thought it would be. Doesn’t even stretch to the mailbox. That was irritating to discover. But that’s also how it goes. New, better, upgraded? Is it really better? Should I have just stuck with the cheesy-looking mismatched wireless handsets that really did offer good range? Is an upgrade, at this time, really an upgrade?
Cancer: Mars, we talked about Mars, right? Mr. Mars is just about to re-enter your sign, and that’s going to make for extra energy. The problem is that this Mars on fast approach? He’s not here yet. As such, and with everything else going on, I’d like to sit down with my Cancer friends and have a frank discussion. Something about what’s going to be happening over the next two weeks. Honestly, and I’ll forget all about this conversation by the time next week gets here, but seriously folks, we’ve got to do a little plotting. I’m not saying that this is hard and fast, must-follow route that we’re planning.
I’m just suggesting that we get out pencil and paper and plot a possible trajectory for the next two weeks. Get a plan in order. Get a plan on paper. Get a plan planned. Doesn’t mean that you have to follow what you’re planning, I’m not so sure that’s the right idea. I am sure, however, that formulating a plan will help.
I was directing some friends towards the coast. They wanted particulars about locations to fish, guides and hotels — and any good restaurants. Other than that, date and time? That was open. The destinations were clear, but the exact highway, that wasn’t so precise. South. South to the Gulf Coast. Either back road or interstate. Either way gets you there, and both have merits. So like my friends, like me, all I’m suggesting is a plan. Don’t have to stick to the plan, but an outline, some framework, something as simple as a point of reference, that’s all you need.
Leo: I watched as one particular Leo sought my advice, then followed my advice, and, over a period of year, more like three, that advice paid off. We’re striking pay dirt now, it’s only getting better. But this requires a kind of long-term attention.
It’s about trimming resources in order to make room for more stuff. Get rid of things to make room for more things. It was a simple shift, there were two deer heads on the wall, over the mantle place. Mantle piece. One of those, I’m guessing. Mounted trophy bucks, one was a decent 8 point, the other was a smaller mule dear, I’m guessing. After a consultation, and it’s not really the "art of placement," as much as it’s observed behavior, but anyway, moving those two deer heads to the garage?
Next season rolled around, last fall? Two more trophy deer. This time, though, the deer weren’t mounted. Just cut up and stored in the freezer. Free-range food source. My Leo buddy? He hunts for sport, really, but it’s also a food source, as he doesn’t like to see anything get wasted. This isn’t about whether it’s right — or not — to shoot animals for food, either, this is about an example of how cleaning something out, how a little bit of cleaning can make room for more.
Virgo: It was sign, at the entrance to large store. The sign read, "Notice: No propane cylinders allowed in store." Like this was a problem. Like this was a common occurrence. Like this was something, judging from the hasty nature of the signs themselves, taped up and hand-lettered, this was something that occurred in the recent past with alarming frequency.
Could be me, but I would tend to think that refilling a propane canister would be a task left to the propane store, or, at the very least, at the garden section, the outdoor area, off to the side of the big box building. Might be me, though, and I would never think about propane, or any other similar natural gas, in an enclosed space.
I’ve seen what can happen. I’ve had a chance to make little things go "boom" in a big way. Doesn’t take much. The stuff is fiery, dangerous, and I wouldn’t be dragging my empty propane cans into a big store. Now, as a Virgo, I’m sure you’re up to speed with me on the safety issues here. I’m sure you’re up-to-date on what is a possible hazard. Avoid the hazards. Follow what the signs say.
Libra: I was trying to wrap my mind around the present positions of the planets and how this is going to play out for you. My fine Libra friends, you guys got it all worked out, don’t you? As the planets start get themselves corrected, there’s a scene, I saw it while I was walking around one afternoon. Not long ago, either, I’m sure. It was a typically small car, and it was normal driver, I’m guessing, and everything was okay except for a big dog. I’m not sure of the breed. I’m not sure if the dog could hunt. But it was a happy dog. Instead of hanging its head out the window, the dog was upright, with its head sticking through the sunroof of the little car. Mighty happy dog, I’m guessing.
I’m not sure what the wind in the face does to the dog, either. Dogs seem to like that. So the sunroof was a best possible situation. Now, I’m not saying that Libra is a dog, that’s not the point, the point is puppy happiness. And how to make a Libra-styled puppy happy. Open the sunroof. Stick your head out. You’re not going to have to worry about traffic, or some other driver getting too close to the side window because, you’re using the sun roof. Makes it a ll a lot easier, if you think about it.
In a slightly insular way, you’re doing rather well. The recent planet madness is over. And like that dog with its head stuck out through the sunroof, you’re in position that’s inviable, inevitable, and really, kind of good. You can bark, don’t have to worry about anyone getting to close, and best of all, there’s the wind in your face.
Scorpio: A cattle hauler was slowly creeping along in the traffic. I was a pedestrian, so I got to observe from a slightly different frame of reference. I’m sure if I’d been stuck in the traffic, I’d have a different way of seeing the cattle hauler. It was a trailer behind an older ranch truck. Late model truck, older model trailer. It was, I’m guessing, a horse trailer, but it had two cows in the back, and single bull, separated, in a different compartment, further towards the front.
Only makes good sense, a tandem-axle trailer, distribute the load. Then, too, there’s the animal husbandry point. Separate the critters. I’m not sure that the old trailer could take the load of the bull doing his business. I’m sure that it would make for interesting discussion about the drivers and traffic, as there’s got to be more than a ripe metaphor within that tale. But that’s not really the point.
On several levels, there’s a reason why certain items get separated into compartments. Could be a very simple matter of distributing the load in the most efficient manner possible. Or, maybe, that old bull? Maybe he doesn’t get along too well with his ex-wives, and that’s why they’re riding in a different part of the trailer. Could be a number of attraction and rejection factors. Or it could be as simple as trying to make the load as least contentious as possible. What will it be? Bunch it all up this week, in Scorpio? Or try and separate the distinct item out from each other, to make a more harmonious situation?
Sagittarius: I came across the "Alamo Irish Festival." Yes, anything for a party. I was trying to work out the details on that one, the Irish Alamo thing, and I never could quite get my concepts straightened out. To be sure, there were Irish in the Alamo, that’s not the question. But then, there were a lot of different ethnic backgrounds in the Alamo, originally. I’m guessing, more than anything else, the Alamo Irish Festival, it’s an excuse to have party. Drink lots of beer, combine St. Patrick and the heros of the Alamo, and so forth. Any excuse for party, huh.
Sounds much like a Sagittarius, too. As this weekend approaches, there’s not much trouble with getting party started, not a challenge for our Sagittarius selves. But after the weekend? We’re going to need an excuse to keep happy, a goal to strive for, something to look forward to. First it’s Xmas, the New Years, then Halloween, then nothing of importance until, like the summer or something.
So look forward to the annual Irish Alamo Festival. Or whatever else is clearly manufactured yet perfectly acceptable event. Falling prey to marketing guys, maybe that’s not the best point, but after the last round of holidays, it’s time to consider a celebration that us Sagittarius will enjoy. Something that’s cut out, just for our style and tastes.
Capricorn: Parking ticket. It’s a bet, and it’s a bet I lost. I was meeting a client for reading, and seeing as how it was a cold day, a neighbor lent me a car. So I drove downtown, and met a client. I parked in an available spot, and I didn’t have any change. Half an hour was going to cost fifty cents. I skipped the fifty cents, looked around, decided it was probably too cold for a meter person to be out. Readings cost $65. I paid for my own espresso, $2. Tipped a dollar to the cute girl making coffee.
I was in for about 45 minutes, total time. I went outside, and as I pulled away, in the borrowed car, I noted a telltale yellow envelope. Parking ticket. $30. As I went to pay it, as there’s a certain amount of honor that I have, not to mention that I’d like to be able to catch a ride again, so I paid up in hurry.
As long as the planets are arrayed like they are? My afternoon reading that should’ve been a net profit of over fifty bucks, by the time I subtract the price of the ticket? Ruins the afternoon. It was a bad bet, on my part? Of course, I’m not Capricorn, but I’m warning you about sucker bets. Just because you’re feeling lucky? Remember how actual profit, after subtracting all the expenses, remember how that works out. Maybe, just maybe? Slide a quarter into the meter.
Aquarius: I was standing in line at the counter, waiting to get an afternoon shot of espresso. The lass in front of me, her outfit craved and begged attention. As did the the flames licking upwards from her low-slung jeans. Tight, low-rider jeans. Practically begged attention. I’m not sure what the flames went to as the source of the tattoo was covered by clothing.
That’s absolutely as far as my investigation went. I was able, through careful questions, to ascertain what her birthday was. "Really nice ink, what’s your birthday?" And that’s as far as I was going to delve into the situation. Which, as far as the rest of my Aquarius friends go? That’s about as far as you should go, too. Maybe ask a light and easy question, but the probing, investigative stuff? Leave that for a more agile mind. Or more febrile mind, one of those.
My imagination could come up with a any number of possible sources for the flames, the ink on that young lass. I can appreciate the artwork, too, just for what it is. From a tasteful and adult perspective, that location for her tattoo was nice in that she could wear off-the shoulder material and not have anything show. Merely tucking a shirttail into her jeans could, conceivably cover it all up. Which makes it all less provocative. But on that balmy winter afternoon, showing the ink was part of what mattered. The question is, can you show your fine, Aquarius colors in way that is tasteful yet provocative, and can the evidence be covered up for a more traditional setting?
