“For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring”
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet [III.i.6]
Pisces: The expression, “Think outside the box,” is trite, shop-worn and over-used. It’s a cliché. Besides, in order to, “Think outside the box,” one has to presume that poor, little Pisces is stuck in a box. Stop already with thinking outside the box. That expression doesn’t apply, won’t apply and it’s been overused by media, authors, and occasionally, certain astrologers.
Stop with the comments. Stop with the “thinking outside of the box.” Doesn’t work. Instead of thinking “outside the box,” let’s get back to our Pisces roots and realize that the box doesn’t matter. Get back to a true Pisces form, a freeform, boundless energy that doesn’t need any box to define that energy, that special, Pisces energy.
“Box? What box? I didn’t see a box anywhere around.”
(There are no — Pisces — perceived limits.)
Available now: the Mars Minute.
Aries: Apparently, there’s a place where it is possible to rent a dress instead of buying one. I have a brain-freeze at that point. I can’t understand paying several thousand dollars for a dress that might be worn once or twice, but I have, in the past, paid similar amounts for boots. Handmade in Texas cowboy boots. I’d argue there’s a difference, but that’s a specious argument, at best. However, renting clothing for a single evening, I find that way weird, too. At one point in my career, I owned no fewer than four tuxedos.
Black tie. Formal wear. Or, in my mind now? Former wear. I still have one or two, but most of them are gone, as I tend to a more comfortable, more or less shabby, less formal dress these days. I do have one suit handy, for marrying and burying. Other than that? No ties, no slacks, no slack. No need for formal wear. Which was why the whole thing about renting a dress made no sense to me, although it made slightly more sense than buying one, still, the women I have known, and I’ve known a few, they would all rather shop, buy a dress — or two – for that occasion rather than rent one. As an Aries, you have to ask yourself, buy or rent? You’re faced with a similar decision. As long as the Sun is in Pisces? I’d suggest you rent.
Taurus: “I hate ‘green tea,’ tastes like mowed lawn clippings. Wet leafs. Awful stuff.” Well, I hate mosquitoes, but that’s not what this is about. Cheap green tea, that stuff does taste bad. Tastes like yard clippings out of someone’s compost pit, and then, like those clippings were dunked in hot water. When I make tea for myself, I’m a big fan of the green tea stuff, I’ve found that I need to mix and match to make the cheap green tea palatable. I found that even cheap herbal teas, especially a mint tea of some ilk, something like that can greatly refreshen the astringent aroma of the green tea. I sometimes, in person, talk about the “green tea solution,” as, for some, it’s the latest new age, herbal remedy for whatever.
Heart disease? Green tea.
Gout? Green tea.
Overweight? Right, green tea.
Too skinny? Green tea again.
See the logical fallacy therein? Can’t and won’t cure everything. However, its slightly astringent flavor is part of the appeal. I’ve had toasted green tea, expensive stuff, and white tea buds from China, again, pricey options, and those did have a flavor that was well-represented and justified the high price. But for everyday stuff? Long winter nights and so forth? Green tea. With something to help it’s flavor along. Like a package of Blueberry Mint Mocha Vanilla Raspberry Tea. Works wonders. What I’m looking for is a combination of elements, maybe flavors, that will help the Taurus along. Mint Green Tea. Toasted Almonds Green Tea. Something. Anything besides the fresh bermuda grass flavor. Unless you like that flavor. Then skip this.
Gemini: My coffee drinking proclivities are the stuff of legend. To some. I tend to drink out of an espresso cup when I’m home, at work. I can have multiple cups of coffee and not worry about having too much. The problem occurs when, in a finite moment, I get up to get more coffee, like, I need a moment to pause before moving on to the next horoscope, and I get up to refill my coffee cup. It’s usually one of a set of “Arabian” coffee cups, allegedly for Turkish coffee, but to me, they just look like tiny espresso cups.
There were four, now three, there were three saucers, now two. Shrinkage. It happens.
As I got up to refill the demitasse, I glanced down. Bare feet. Cold winter floor. Still, I was scurrying across the cold concrete to refill a demitasse that wasn’t but about half empty. I was trying refill it before I drink it all. Happened several times that morning. I tried to refill the demitasse before it was empty. Sort of in hurry over something that is, by design, unhurried. I’m getting a thimble-full of coffee as a distraction. As a Gemini, after you read this horoscope, you know that you can stop with the hurried tasks that are, by design, supposed to be unhurried.
Cancer: It’s all about morphing. Preferably, morphing in ten frames or less. Take two items that seem far apart. Then figure out, in less than ten frames, how one of the images turns into the other. I swiped this idea from a university art student, something about an animation class. I’m not sure. The morph she showed me went from a scorpion to a hand-held crossbow. Pistol-grip crossbow. Sort of a fun series of images. Also infers damage from a Scorpio. Not that I would ever have anything against a Scorpio, no, not me, nothing but upmost respect — and a little distance — from that Scorpio. The images didn’t really morph through that many frames. The result was a Scorpio with the claws looking like the arms of the bow, and the meaning mouth was replaced with a single eye. Or beam. Or all-knowing, all-seeing, HAL-like image scanner. Cool. Predatory without being overtly so. That single eye was colored red, the only touch of pigment in an otherwise black-and-white drawing. Pen and ink. With certain planet influences, there’s a time when a little Cancer-morphing is required. Now. Change. In ten steps or less. Maybe five. Then, even though it was against the rules, add some color to punctuate your point, like, in the example, that red eye.
Leo: “This mortal crap is irritating…” One of my mighty Leo clients. I was talking through an issue with that client. Yes, it is irritating. Leo clients of mine are not bullet-proof. Should be, but they are not. Leo clients of mine are not immune to disease and infection. Should be, but they ain’t. Leo clients of mine tend to deserve a little more respect than they get. With Mars backwards in the Leo Solar Second House, this is going to serve up a sideways step. Not a step forward, not a step backwards, but one step to the side. Not bad, not good, not anything but lateral. No forward motion. Only hitch is this adds a small delay. That and the usual Leo accolades, you don’t wind up with that, either. Can’t say I didn’t warn you, and can’t say that I don’t appreciate and hold most holy the mighty Leo person. However, I’m but a single voice, and as the mighty Leo? Even if it seems like you’re not recognized this week, know that 1) I adore you, and 2) you will be noticed in good time. Maybe not this week. And maybe that isn’t so bad, not when you see what happens later.
Virgo: When Mars is backwards like this? I ran across a curious comment, then I thought about it. Sums up the way it is going. Never underestimate the disaster a dumb, young, handsome guy can bring to any situation. Typically, this is played out in the movies, one of those scenes where an otherwise brilliant actor can appear stupid. Seen the actor on the red carpet, heard the sound bytes, not a dumb guy, but on screen? Rippling muscles and chiseled expression? Looks stupid. Acts stupid. Character part, I’m sure. However, this might get played out in person, too. At one time, in Austin, I was the guy who would cause the little (neo) hippie chicks to stumble and pause. That was then. Alas, I’m not that cool, not now. However, I know the amount disruption just such a fellow can cause, usually a younger male, and usually with that bedraggled yet earnest good looks, and what happens? I get ignored. What’s going to happen in the next few days, as this all unfurls, you’re going to get side-stepped. Upstaged, ignored, or otherwise replaced by deceptively good-looking and probably not very bright young man. Young woman. (It’s not gender specific, just watch out.)
Libra: Dealing with a little bit of harsh reality is part of the message You’ve been seasoned, fertilized, prepared, cooked, basted, roasted, and just about any other kind of preparation that I can’t think of. Boiled? Baked? Sure. Maybe frozen, too. Something that isn’t comfortable for you. Therein is the problem. Now, the good stuff: this preparation will, indeed, pay off. In a big way. How soon? Not soon enough. You — and me, for that matter — we both feel like this should happen sooner rather than later. However, there’s still a tiny bit of harsh reality that needs your attention. Some part of this needs you to work. Stay focused. Stay on point. Place I fish, I kept putting the bait in the same place, and the fish kept stealing the bait. Finally, persistence paid off. Big fish. Worth the exercise. As a Libra, ask yourself if you can see yourself with a trophy-size fish, or whatever it is that you’ve been working towards. Can you see that in the Libra mind’s eye? Sure. Now, persist.
Scorpio: I know I’ve used this example before, but this was a different sign in a different place. “Use Other Door” and an arrow, indicating the door next to it. Double glass doors, old-school industrial building, near downtown. No big deal, not really. I didn’t get to observe other people trying the door, to see if it was broken or locked, no, not this time. Three days in a row, that door was locked on one side with the hand-lettered, in red letters, that sign. “Use Other Door.”
The first time, going out, it was a reflex action on my part, I pushed on the broken door’s handle, trying to exit. Didn’t work. I remembered the sign, laughed at myself. I thought I should dig through my archives and find that one column about sitting there, laughing quietly to myself while people tried the door even though there was a “Do Not Enter” sign. It’s one of those little karmic retributions, I’m sure, for me mocking people trying the door that was broken and locked. Clearly marked as broken and locked, I should add. Might be part of human nature, but then, as one sage guy from Oklahoma (Scorpio) pointed out, “Some learn by doing, others learn by watching, then some folks just have to pee on the electric fence.” Right now, I’m trying to save you the pain. Pause and observe. Or read the warning sign.
Sagittarius: I stumbled across a website, a business card type of site, promoting a writer as an expert in organizing, writing, editing, and publishing. There were mistakes in grammar and punctuation, and the general feel that this was a person unfamiliar with the ways of the inter-webs. It’s not that I can find fault here, in this example. I had one site, a side-project, and one of the original site banners had a typo. Simple typo. Misspelled a word in the graphic program. Typo never showed up in any print form, and by now, my little mistake has long since been erased. No one was thoughtful enough to call it to my attention, so I have no idea how long it persisted. Judging from my breadcrumbs, I’d guess it was about six months or so that the bad banner was up in various places. Maybe no one noticed. However, let’s pop back around and look at that business card web-page, advertising a writer, editor and publication specialist. Something struck me as wrong. Something struck me incorrectly, to be correct. As a Sagittarius, we’re not afraid of our little mistakes. Usually, I can brush off a typo, correct it, and motor on down that hard line. However, as this was advertising for a service, it was clear that the service wasn’t what was offered. In short, this week? Sagittarius, heal thy self. In short.
Capricorn: I’ve written extensively about love and lust. I did one book about what signs get along with what signs, and I tried to keep it light. However, as a Capricorn, I’m sure you’d agree, there are just some people who don’t belong together. The converse part of that equation, there are people who are just destined to be together. We got the love holiday over, and we’re looking ahead to Austin’s SXSW, St. Pat’s and so forth. This week, as Jupiter lines up with tight with Pluto, there’s a hint that you you’re going to want to watch the lust meter. I recall one speaker, making a funny joke about flirting, he would call the young lady behind the counter an endearing term and then he said she called him, “old man.” Because the speaker was positioning this material in a humorous manner, it went over with a chuckle from the audience. I later found out that he had a daughter the same age as the supposed female he was flirting with. It was an act. However, as a basically upright and functioning male, I bought the line at the time. As we hit this profound and powerful aspect in Capricorn, don’t get confused by the act. The line, the hype, the pitch. Don’t confuse it with the message. One is an act, to get your attention, frequently prurient interest. That’s the hook. Don’t get that confused with the real message.
Aquarius: There is a single issue that needs to be addressed. I hope we’re clear about that. A single item that needs attention. Clarity is important, especially now, and I want to make sure we’re really clear about that issue. The single item that needs attention. That’s what demands your attention, or it should demand your Aquarius attention. Simple, really, just one item that needs to solved. A single problem. A simple issue. No big deal, just handle this one thing and the rest of the problems all fade away. Or fade to black.
The biggest challenge, and it’s not really a problem, just where the effort has to be directed, the most important place to spend your time? That Aquarius energy needs to figure out what the problem is. What is the issue? What’s the one point that needs addressed? Simple, really, isn’t it? Or is is less simple, because, trying to address one issue, there’s an obstacle in the way. Which is why I was voting that you use clarity in order to see what the big deal. See what the real problem is. Clarity, ask for a little clarity before you just assume that the first issue is the only one that needs to be addressed. There’s only enough of you to hit one spot, you got a single shot at fixing this right the first time, do it correctly. One issue. Clarity.
