- “There is a tide in the affairs of men.
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;”
- — Brutus in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar Act 4, Scene 3
Horoscopes by the Fishing Guide to the Stars starting 10.23.2014
Scorpio: “Bait and Switch” refers to the deceptive — and now illegal — sales tactic of advertising one item then switching it for a similar, but much higher priced, product at the checkout. There are numerous variations on this theme, but as a tactic, it is effective. As a way to lure in an unsuspecting buyer, it is without parallel. As far as being shady, unscrupulous, and downright bad? Yes, there is that, but results count. Mercury compounded with the current motion of Mars is playing a game with Scorpio, and to me, this looks like a “bait and switch” deal as perpetrated by the planets. Forewarned is prepared, and I aim to save your Scorpio bacon before this is all done. Watch for the cosmic “bait and switch,” then I’ll save your Scorpio butt beaucoups of bucks.
Shoot me a note when this pays off.
Sagittarius: The Sagittarius blacklist? Seriously? Yes. We all have one. I’ve only got, like, two email addresses on mine, and in person? Not many people I avoid. There will always be one ex that caused so much pain, I mean, I think everyone has at least on of those on the personal list, but even then, as I get older, I tend to forgive the old injuries. About that Sagittarius blacklist, though?
It’s an idea with merit, especially in this digital age when it is so easy to move a name or address to a “kill file” that just blocks contact. On more than one site, several of my friends block me because my buddies are only interested in fishing, or astrology, but my buds don’t want everything I have available. I could get all Sagittarius butt-hurt over that, being blocked, but I do the same thing, block updates from some buddies. However, that’s not what this is about. This about an electronic file of perceived Sagittarius enemies (detractors, opponents, combatants) and what can be done about it. Revisit the list. Look it over. Consider removing some of the blocks.
Capricorn: I’ve been making, drinking coffee made in my French Press, for the better part of a dozen years, maybe more. It makes excellent coffee, extracting the essence of the coffee beverage with a minimal amount of fuss. More good stuff, less trouble. Boil water, grind beans, add, steep, press — near perfect coffee. The Press Pot method of coffee extraction is one of the superior methods of coffee extraction, and it’s been embraced by a new generation of Java Snobs, aka, coffee geeks. The biggest drawback with the French Press is the sludge, unless the beans are truly a coarse grind, some coffee dust accumulates at the bottom of the cup. As we unwind from Mercury Retrograde and wind up for Scorpio? Watch the sludge at the bottom, the sediment. That’s bitter, possibly quite acrid. The top layer is fine. Don’t drink the grinds.
Aquarius: I put up my pen and pencil. I tend to use a pen for addressing envelopes, and the pencil is for quick notes that might — or might not — have anything to do with the real world. Sometimes, those pencil notes are shadings in a doodle, or an abstract figure. Other times, it’s a number, or vital clue. While paper and pencil, or pen and ink, while these are archaic methods for note taking, as an adjunct to whatever my task is, the old analog versions are useful. Occasionally useful. I can’t rely on any one technique because all of them have problems. Dating one girl, she used to steal office pens. OK, she would walk out of her office with a pen in her purse, hand it to me for a note, or something, then forget about it. Problem being, these were cheap pens that tended to “explode,” leaking messy ink everywhere. I grabbed favorite mechanical pencil, went to make a note and the lead broke. Again, problems with note taking. After the last Mercury Retrograde, don’t even ask me about electrical devices. However, to ceremoniously start this week out, I put up the pen and pencil, tucked away the last notebook. By the time the next horoscope rolls over, put away the analog and get back to a full, non-Mercury-Retrograde embrace of the electrical world for the Aquarius.
Pisces: Let’s talk fall fishing. OK, not interested? Then let’s talk about getting a lucky break at work. In September, I can squeeze in a few good days of coastal inshore fishing. Last time out, sitting in a boat parked in a sweet spot of a honey-hole, not more than ten minutes after the tide seemed to change and, my pole almost flew out of my hand. Big one, stripped off 25 meters of line, or better. I gradually horsed that big feller around to get up close to the boat, she rolled over on one side, looked at me, and shook the hook free.
Gone.
I spent a good twenty minutes getting her close to the boat. My lucky break, it came much later that same day, probably in the same location. I think we motored off only to return as the wind changed directions, and that means the fish were back there, feeding again. I think it was the same fish, looked the same, and the hook was buried in her lip, check the websites, I’m sure I got a picture someplace. For Pisces, the message is about persistence. Leave, come back to the same thing. Try the same bait, same location, get the same fish, only, the second time around? Get that fish in the boat so it counts as a Pisces win.
Aries: Number 22 from Tao Te Ching? Depends on the translation, but, in part? “To become whole, be scattered.” I can’t read the epigrams in the original, as I have tenuous grasp of English as it is, so I scanned about three translations, and the message, in part, first part of the refrain from Number 22 seemed to echo that message, “To be whole, be fractured.” Which is a problem with Aries, as there is no clear-cut answer. However, I do have some insight. Consult your friends. Neighbors, roommates, pet cat, whatever (whomever) it is that you might ask? Ask. I used at least three different translations, including a public domain one I keep stashed on my site, just for such occasions. Like I looked at three different “translations” of that text to grasp a meaning? To find the Aries meaning, now that the Sun moved into Scorpio? Best if you poll a number of friends, cohorts, enemies, even, to find out what this week’s direction is about. Going alone, and blindly blundering forward? Not a good idea.
Taurus: I have a long list of suggested “Mercury is Retrograde” activities. Fishing is high on my list. We all have pursuits that suit this time. Now that Mercury is no longer retrograde, there’s still a sense that review and revision is needed. As the Sun arcs its way through Scorpio, the Sun opposes Taurus. Just means it’s a good time to review, revise, then review again before moving forward.
“But I need this now!”
So do I, Taurus baby, but “now” isn’t the time. Look it over one more time. Maybe get a second opinion. No, by the end of this horoscope Mercury is no longer retrograde, but that doesn’t imply there are no more similar problems. Just another glance, all I’m asking you for. Look one more time.
Gemini: In my “day job,” such as it is, I wear many hats. Be helpful if there was more Gemini in my chart, but alas, we take what we’ve got and work with it. You have much more Gemini in your chart than I do. While I’m “Gemini friendly,” and “Gemini compatible,” I can only observe. You’ve had a hectic and chaotic couple of “Mercury is Retrograde” weeks, let’s concentrate on one thing right now. One goal. One aspiration. Focus. Out the mercurial melee of the passed few weeks, a single goal, a single Gemini goal has emerged. Purse that relentlessly now.
I get the impression it’s a Gemini running after a rapidly fading target, and I see you stumbling a few times, but, before the next horoscope rises? You start catching up.
Cancer: Only seen this once, so far, but when I was fishing? Caught sight of bobber, a “cork,” being pushed in a way that didn’t make sense. Circled the boat around for a better look, and what it was, a big Red Fish was hooked, clean hook, and the leader was still attached to the cork, strong line, there, and then, the pole it was formerly attached to, presumably, someplace else.
Fish broke off, took part of the tackle with him. Her, probably a big “mama” Red Fish. Mars enters Capricorn, and that’s like a left over hook and cork, weight maybe on the line, but no pole attached. That fish was limited in depth, but most of that bay isn’t more than three feet deep, wasn’t like it was going to hurt the fish. The clue is, some days, the fish win. Let it go. That one bobber, flowing along against the wind? Eventually, like a day or two, that tackle would dissolve, and the fish will be free, free again.
The (mighty) Leo: Work your jaw. It’s almost safe to talk again. You’ve taken to chewing on your own shoe leather, the affliction I’m rather familiar with, the “hoof in mouth” disease. I’m good at it, but I’m a silly Sagittarius. As the mighty Leo, you don’t like this position. I suggested you shut up, and you didn’t listen, so now, mouth a little sore from chewing that shoe leather? You can try, and the image I kept thinking about it, giggling, it was a certain Leo, trying out new scales, “Do Re Mi,” and how does the rest of that go? Just trying out the scales and rubbing a sore jaw. Too much shoe leather. Me? I’ve got size 20 mouth, that’s two size ten boots in it. But I’m not Leo.
Virgo: Which identity is most important? Question for the Virgo guys. Virgo people. The folks who have that Virgo thing in their charts. Which identity is most important? As ‘Fishing Guide to the Stars,’ is that most crucial? Is ‘Kramer Wetzel, author’ more important? How about “That weird guy who asked me my birthday, then knew my sign, strange person. Told me something about mercury. I don’t get it.” Which identity is most important? As an author, this all runs together for me. I am all of those things and no lines between which one is which. However, the Virgo side of the brain needs to start looking for distinctions where there might not have been distinctions before. Your “persona” and profile image, on say, a social media outlet, does that really reflect who you are? Or is that just one part of who you are? I’ll ask the question again, now that Mercury is no longer Retrograde by the end of this, “Which identity is most important?”
Libra: “Don’t date married men.” That simple. No tricky advice, no fishing story, nothing from Shakespeare.
Don’t date married men.
The expression, it can be changed, as this works for some, “Don’t date married women.” Either way. If some is “spoken for,” in some capacity? That means we don’t touch them, other than a chaste peck on the cheek.
Libra: You think I’m kidding, right? Wait, this will make perfect sense in about two days.
