Fishing Guide to the Stars
By Kramer Wetzel
(c) 2007-2008 Kramer Wetzel for astrofish.net
For the week starting: 9.25.2008
"Thus sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud;
And after summer evermore succeeds
Barren winter, with wrathful nipping cold;
So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet."
Shakespeare’s The Second Part of King Henry the Sixth [II.iv.3-6]
Mercury is firmly in its apparent retrograde pattern conjoined with Mars and a New Moon this week. But what’s it all mean?
Libra: For fun and games, on some occasions, I’ll wear a fishing lure as an earring. I’ve got several. Many of them. I started to market my own line of "lures as earrings," but I stopped because it was too much work. I’m doing good just to keep me happy.
I had on one of my creations, the other afternoon. Started to annoy me. See: the lure has a tiny ball bearing in it. Or small shot pellets, something is rattling around inside the lure. As a lure, this works great. As an earring, though, that rattling noise can get positively annoying after a few minutes. Not to mention hours. The lure? It’s a miniature version of Zara Spook, so you can check out the ball-bearing interiors. And it does make a great earring. But the problem is that noise.
With Mars in Libra and Mercury backwards in Libra? It’s like that earring, what was a great idea? Sometimes, like did I think it all the way through? Apparently not. Is it totally awful? No, and for a fashion statement, it’s kind of good. For a little while. The problem is, like this scope that lasts a whole week? So does that annoying rattle, right next to my ear.
Scorpio: I’ve got a small bookshelf over my desk. On it are a handful of reference texts. A dictionary, a couple of astrology reference books, a history book and tables of the locations of the planets for the last century (and half of the next century). There’s also a small book from a Roman writer (in translation), a book of poetry from a local singer, one epic of Western Literature (unread), and a "No Fear: Twelfth Night" textbook. Don’t recall why I have that one. Must’ve been something in it.
I was looking at the commonplace material, looking no further than my own backyard, so to speak, only, I was just looking up from over the desk. There’s something terribly telling about my work, looking at the books I keep on hand, just for reference. I’ve got two books on grammar, but at least one of them? I haven’t used it at all. Doubt I ever will. Is it that obvious?
This is about what you use to define yourself. What books are on the Scorpio reference shelf — at this moment And are you wiling to change some of those books? I’m not saying that you have to change, but one of the books I’ve got, seems a little out of place with me, that "No Fear 12th Night" book. However, it’s there for a reason. Something hidden on your reference shelf you want to tell us about? Mercury might ferret out your secrets, if you’re not careful.
Sagittarius: I was in a large discount store, on the south side of town. If I had to make a judgment call, I’d say the area was primarily working class people. Not that it matters. I got used to being called "that guitar guy" in one area. But on the south side? It’s a little different. I’m mostly left alone, no one wants to bother anyone else, and I might be a little crazy. Can’t tell about guys with long hair.
Deep on the south side, no one’s asked if I play guitar. One guy, he said one thing to me, "Yeah, you sort of have that Ted Nugent thing happening," and then the guy grinned lopsidedly at me. Maybe I do have that Ted Nugent thing going on. While we’re both Sagittarius, both have long hair, the rest of the similarities END there. Philosophically, ideologically, well, to some extent, and politically, we’re different.
But this isn’t about rock stars and astrologers, it’s about Sagittarius. We’re not getting as much, or the same, kind of attention that we’re used to receiving. You know what? That’s not really bad, not given where the rest of the planets are. I think it’s kind of nice not stand out for once.
Capricorn: "This just proves that you hate Capricorns. I know it." Right. I personally misaligned the planets just to promote your own Capricorn misery. I seriously doubt that. I’m sure that this little period of relative unease won’t last too long. It’s not really all about you, it’s about your perceptions.
And for the record, I did try and warn you about this stuff before it happened. Did your happy little Capricorn butt listen to me? I guess not. So here we are, astro-whiz and Capricorn, neither who is very happy with the other. There’s a way out of this, believe or not, just consider the location of Mercury and figure what that symbolizes.
Mercury, in an Air Sign? Problems that are made of air? That’s right. The world of non-reality. If nothing else, as a good Cap, you’re good with the real world. The problem comes from manufactured difficulties, and you don’t have to step in or step up and argue about it.
Aquarius: One of my favorite images, one afternoon on a walk around town, I happened across a gate that was partway open. It had a sign on it, read, "No Access." I always like that image, the gate ajar, wherein someone had obviously accessed it even though the sign, pretty clearly in English, spelled it out: "no access."
The position of the gate itself, swinging open, and the sign, telling us not to try it? A normal Aquarius, if that mythical creature (normal and Aquarius, sure, it could happen), if that normal Aquarius happened upon the same gate with the same sign, "No Access," you know what that typical Aquarius will do? Access it, just to see if it could be done. It can. All that lies behind that gate is an alley that goes to the back end of a restaurant, and the alleyway itself is like a grease trap. Not pretty.
Now how would I know all that? Let’s just pretend that I’m Aquarius, and let’s pretend, well, I did take the picture, no pretending there, but let’s just say we wanted to see what we couldn’t have access to. Nudge it open with a toe? Maybe so. Get the heady aroma of the grease trap? Okay, and now we know why the sign is there. Never hurts to pay attention to the signs, when it’s obvious like that. We don’t have to test everything, not during Mercury Retrograde times.
Pisces: I’ve done a lot of freelance work. Over the years, I’ve performed in various capacities for various groups, stand up astrology, sit down astrology, web page astrology, fishing guide astrology, done a little bit of it all. Freelance is the life, that’s what a lot of people think.
Therein is the problem, because, my Pisces friend, you’re stuck, like me, trying to collect past due debts. Other people owe you money. Time to get it. Time to collect. Time to get what’s due. And, because of the relative position of Mercury and some other stuff? Time to not count on anyone ponying up the cash that they owe you. It’s that simple. Some pay, some don’t.
What I tend to do, after years of being freelance like this, I just demand the cash upfront or, at the very worst, at the time the services are rendered. End of the show. End of the reading. Can’t be counting on people to pay up. The check is in the mail? Isn’t that a euphemism for something stronger and not so pleasant? Quickest way around this problem? Collect the money up front. Or, if they promise to pay later, tell them you’ll do the work later.
Aries: Mars, opposite you, isn’t that bad. Mercury Retrograde, opposite you, isn’t that bad. New Moon in Libra, opposite you, isn’t that bad. Put all three together? Each item in borderline annoying. All three together? It’s a minor, in a major way, annoyance. What it means? It’s symbolic of a time to back up, stop, then back up, and assess the direction.
Stop moving, I think is the first step. Then assess. Stop and consider what you want. Stop and consider what is working, what isn’t working, and which direction is best. The whole point to Mars, in this fray, Mars is a big deal for Aries, see, the whole point to Mars in this problem set? Mars is all about activity.
All I’m suggesting is that you pause for a moment and consider the next action. Instead of following me, and blindly rushing of in one direction that seems like a good idea at the time? Maybe, think about Mr. Mars, and that other stuff, and then think about pausing long enough to think through the problem, and maybe, if you pause long enough, you won’t be (stupidly) following everything I say. Or some other ill-informed leader. Stop, think, then plot. Then maybe, you can go back to your original idea. But think, first. The planets are stacked against you. Not the odds, just the planets.
Taurus: When Venus is in your (solar) 7th House, that means everything is good in the relationship arena, loved ones, hated ones, fellow employees, employers, all of it is good. When Venus us opposite your Sun Sign, that means you’re irascible and unhappy about loved ones, hated ones, fellow employees, employers, and various other sundry characters you encounter. Which is it going to be?
I’d look to the employment problem as the problem area. And I’d realize, in my Taurus mind, that Mercury is backwards, can’t fix that, so I’d slow it down by a degree or two. Sometimes, "feel the love," is a term that is delivered in an ironic manner. Consider, too, that even though you deliver a statement, like the aforementioned, "Feel the love," even though you use your Taurus "high ironic" tone, some folks miss it. They take your comment at face value. Can’t fix that, either. Remember, it might not be you, it just be the audience.
Gemini: One Gemini e-mailed about two weeks ago. She just wanted me to know that Mercury was going to be retrograde. Claimed she was feeling it already. Claimed that Mercury’s relative position was raising heck in her life. Creating a ruckus, as it were. She dropped me an e-mail, then followed that with a text message then she left a voice-mail call, too. Just wanted to be sure she was getting through. She was. Loud and clear. Didn’t miss a note there. Couldn’t miss it.
As if I didn’t know that Mercury was lining up to back down in Libra, a Cardinal Air Sign. I get a sense of an anticipated event, then a false start to that much-anticipated event. Sort of a pre-launch flop. I’m not saying that this is doomed to fail miserably, but I would tend to consider that events during the next two weeks? It’s like a trial run, an experiment to see if it will work. We’ve got a hypothesis, now let’s test that. If it does work? Success. Can’t say I didn’t suggest you go ahead and try. And if it fails? That’s okay, there was something that needed some twiddling and tweaking in order to sort it all out and make everything work right. Again, this isn’t a problem. But yes, your main planet, Mercury, is backwards and than can create confusion. If you let it.
Cancer: I was reviewing some material for publication, and I happened upon a pattern. Make bad predictions, I mean, predict death and destruction, dire consequences and so forth? That will hit with one or two of the most vocal people, and those folks will trumpet the claims, pointing out how accurate the predictions were.
It’s all about cycles. Watch some of the cycles, too, as this is time to consider just where you are within those cycles. Beginning? End? Middle? End of the beginning? Beginning of the end? It’s certainly going to be one of those, especially this week. What you do with this data? That’s the clue to happiness in times of raging Mercury Retrograde. Happiness is possible, and understand, that this is just part of a cycle. Nothing more, nothing less.
Where are you in that cycle? It would appear that we are nearing the end, but Mercury is a tricky little devil, and what it appears to be now? That position could change. Therein is the problem. Is this really the end? Or just a new beginning? Or just another false start? I’m sure you’ll get a grip on what it’s not, and maybe that’s the best we can do.
Leo: I was pasting together postcards. Upcoming shows. It’s about the only kind of direct mail advertising I can do, and I manage to pull together a mailing list about once or twice a year, usually in the spring then again the fall. So I was working on the fall mailing list. Upcoming shows, just postcards printed up here. No big deal. It’s not like this is particularly unwieldy list, but I try to make all the supplies come out right.
Little postcards, mailing labels and stamps. Stamps cost the most. I suppose, though, what really costs the most is my time. In comparison, trying to manage the mailing list, the labels, the postcards and balance the postage? That’s nothing.
Here’s the trick I used, might help my excellent Leo friends. I didn’t have quite enough postage. Mailing labels, like 30 to a sheet? Couple of sheets. Then figure out four postcards to a sheet, and arrive at an even number. That was worked out. But I had a little over hundred postcards and less than a whole roll of stamps. Something has to balance out. In my "bigger picture" way of seeing this, it’s less of a problem, as I can just buy a couple of more postcard stamps. The rest, then all comes out evenly. Which was the point. Take up the slack, someplace, somehow, or leave yourself some wiggle room. Better to have too few than an over-abundance.
Virgo: I was getting into, I think it’s called a sub-compact, a small car. I was tossing some fishing poles in with me. I was tired, worn out, and otherwise happy but exhausted. Not the best frame of mind to make judgment calls. I neglected to disassemble one of the poles, and when I gave that pole a good shove to fit it into the tiny car? Cracked the tip of the pole. No loss. Only an older pole that’s seen better days, and it wasn’t that expensive to begin with, for this very reason, the hazards of "travel with Kramer," and all, so I wasn’t heartbroken.
I do have a rod-repair kit that has glue and an assortment of fishing rod tips, so I could fix that pole. From a six and half footer, to more like a six and one inch pole, and from a fast tip, to a tip with more backbone, I could’ve done that. Wouldn’t be the first time. But that pole, it’s been around. Been many places, and I finally decided, due to the car’s roof and door, that it was time to retire that pole.
I set it outside, by the dumpster. Public property. Pole was gone before the trash hauler came around. Recycled, I’m sure, making some less fortunate person equally happy. There’s a time to call it a done deal, too, and that’s what this is about. That pole, it had seen duty as a lakeside pole, an ocean pole, and then, as a car pole, one that rode around with me, getting kicked and squashed, and finally, it was recycled. Time to call it quits. What this is about, is it time to set that item by the dumpster, so that item can be recycled?
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copyright (c) 2007, 2008 Kramer Wetzel, for astrofish.net
