A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!

King Richard in Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Richard the Third (V.iv.7)

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Horoscopes by the Fishing Guide to the Stars starting 7.30.2015

The (mighty) Leo:

“A Horse, a horse!” Rather famous lines, and sometime misunderstood. It’s a mean, capricious character, a monarch who has been vilified through the years as a “Hunchback toad,” again, another quote, and until recently, the historical Richard III has been a bit of a mystery. Recent archeological evidence, a skeleton, and some “due diligence” has turned up the idea that King Richard the Third wasn’t all bad, but he did perish on the battlefield, and his bones were recently excavated. Venus is turning retrograde, in Leo. Like Richard the Third, something is coming back to light. Bad? Maybe. Maybe not. This retrograde Venus pattern is about Leo, and it’s about looking beyond the surface to see what’s right.

Maybe someone can update me on where they re-interred his bones. Westminster, perchance? Venus in Retrograde will tend to dig up old bones, and how we react? That’s the true measure of a monarch. Or The Leo.

Virgo:

I clicked through on a site that had a teaser headline that was about fishing. Turns out, it was a sales article, and also, as a sales article, it was about how to “hook” a sale. Interesting information, the way it was presented, as there was an echo. I’ve written about that very technique, the exact same fishing technique, as a way to handle a certain astrological situation. In my example, though, it isn’t about how to hook a big sale.

The Venus Retrograde pattern is about allowing that extra pause, allowing that momentary beat, on, as I like to do it, “Count three,” then set the hook. The technique from the sales newsletter was similar, but it was a metaphor about how hook a big deal, and how everything, on that level, becomes competitive and war-like. I tend to stray from such analogies, as I want everything peaceful and calm. No battleground metaphors, but I do enjoy wrestling with big fish.

Normally, there is a single beat that expires before setting the hook, or setting anything. In the sales article, then in my own work, there’s a three-count required, for Virgo, for this week, as Venus starts to do its thing.

Libra:

This is about stepping out of the way. What this next “Venus Period” is about, for Libra? Stepping out of the way. Let someone else take the spotlight. Simply put, as a Libra, and relatively speaking, a Venus person, this is a time to step out of the way. Step to one side. Step to the other side. Does looks a bit like a two-step, or shuffling pace adapted in some local dance halls, and still, it’s a hop and skip to the left. And a jump to the right. Move out of the way. Step aside. Venus starts a big-deal retrograde pattern, and this is a time, to consider not making a purchase that requires the normal Libra good taste. Sense of aesthetics, understanding of beauty and colors that don’t go together? The correct thing to not do now.

Or, in simpler terms? Step aside. Out of the way.

Step aside.

Scorpio:

Sometimes the easiest solutions are right in front of you. With what’s going on? Look for the simplest, easiest solution. Something that is so clear, it’s so easy to overlook? So easy to miss the obvious? Venus turns backwards at a point that just applies a little leverage to Saturn’s current disposition. It’s up to you to do something with this. It’s there. It’s obvious. Simplest, easiest solution. It probably isn’t pretty, unless you think about not doing it, or complicating the situation, and that doesn’t work, either. Simplest. Ugly, not going to be pretty, but it is going to work out. If you let it. If you take some action. Venus is about beauty, and Saturn is about duty. There’s a “less than beautiful” action you can take that is, however, dutiful.

I used to use this stuff, a special adhesive, we called it “Gorilla snot.” Worked wonders, although, it always blobbed up and made ugly seams. Still, it held when nothing else would work. Strong. Ugly. Works.

Retrograde Venus square Saturn, who isn’t so retrograde, but still exacting a toll on Scorpio, so make this strong, ugly, easiest, and right. Probably won’t be pretty, but it is a bond that withstand the tests of time.

Sagittarius:

I have a small to medium-sized collection of academic books about Shakespeare. Some fluff, mostly material that is sparse and lean, as there’s not really much known about the life of Shakespeare, other than a few documents, and that his name appears on 37 plays with another two or three in contention, as well as possible earlier works that might, or might not, have been authored by Shakespeare.

Post-modern docudrama has painted several compelling pictures, but this is all fiction. There are very few facts. Much speculation. As a Sagittarius myself, facts and speculation are relative kinfolk, in my mind. Then, too, there’s a time to use those reference books because, believe or not, there are times when going to the book itself is faster than trying to locate a source online. As a Sagittarius, we’re faced with this, “I know read this someplace,” and the fastest way to make this happen? What with Saturn and Venus? Look up the fact, the factoid, the idea, the quote, whatever supporting evidence we need to produce? Probably faster in an offline way, for example, look it up in a book.

Capricorn:

I’m not a “taste maker.” Way it is. I know this. I’m not fashion-forward, I’m not setting any trends. I’m not the one to look to when asking question about what elements work best with what other elements, not if this about style, taste, art, beauty, and any other related field. I’ve got a number of good Capricorn friends who are specialists in various areas that are related to the arts. Color, combinations, textures, textiles, and the subsidiary fields? Sure. All of that.

There is a question that involves taste, a question where you think, you might be setting a trend, an example you’d like to set? This isn’t the time to be “fashion-forward,” this isn’t the time to dress in a new style and hope that it would catch on.

Conversely, I’ve been wearing bandanas as a head covering for many, many years, not as a fashion statement, but originally, to keep a headset out of my curly locks. Fashion comes and goes, but I’m so used to the bandana, it’s almost a trend I’ve started. However, I started that for a very practical purpose, not as a fashion. You (Capricorn), me (Sagittarius), we’re not setting any trends here.

Aquarius:

“God is in the details,” and that’s the simplest reminder.

There’s a long and evolved set of details that goes with this week’s admonishment for Aquarius, but in short? It’s all in the minute details that comprise the Life Aquarius. Some folk would look and think you’re being too clean, or too attentive to details, or some other kind of “retentive” remark. That might fit the situation.

Still, there’s an inherent urgency to pay attention to fine print, the smallest, and seemingly most insignificant details, the finer points, like, reminds me of woman I know. Not a Virgo, but might as well be. Tightly wrapped. Perhaps she’s a little too tightly wrapped, to some, but I enjoy her company. Still, she’s busy, after a meal, a carefully cleaning the dishes before putting the dishes in the dishwasher. Kind of weird, if you ask me, but turns out that it serves a purpose, as it’s an older apartment and an older dish washer, the dishwasher is more like a “hot water rinse” instead of real way to clean the dishes. The extra step, in this example, is valid.

The extra step, like my friend’s extra cleaning step, that extra attention to detail, this week? That’s justified.

Pisces:

I’ve been around too many “foodies,” and some folks suspect that I might be a bit of an epicurean freak, myself. Not really, but I do know good BBQ. Inherent in my world, and inherited with my world view. I’ve been around the macrobiotic folks enough to understand names and nomenclature of their various substances that, to some might look like dirt. I was meeting with one client, and she was bemoaning her family dynamics, “My mom thinks most of what I eat would be a good as bath salts or skin care product…” She trailed off a bit.

It’s not a bad influence, but there’s a terribly stubborn quality and this is like our parents, mocking something that is very much a valid part of a daily lifestyle choice. Can be food. Can be style, work, employment, avocation, spiritual life, any one of a number of different avenues.

The best, Pisces-only, way to deal with this energy? Shrug it off. This isn’t about us (Pisces), this is about some other person’s own shortcomings and the need to feel superior by belittling another. Fairly human, if somewhat puerile, notion. Besides, knowing that one Pisces? Some of her foodstuffs do sound like good bath salts. But that could very easily just be me.

Aries:

I have a special place in my heart for “Southern Women.” The term “ladies” is frequently bantered about, but most of the Southern Ladies I know are anything but “ladies.” Strong-willed, strong-minded, willing to strong-arm a situation, if need be. These females tend to be a true force of nature, in a good way, unless, of course one is to irritate them, then those southern women are, will, they can, just, I’m at loss for words. Like being hit with a baseball bat.

The trick for this week, for Aries? I borrowed this from some “southern ladies,” and I’m not sure how to define it otherwise. The weird energy floating around? Those southern girls, they will, watch how this works, long skirts, big hair, under the table? Those girls kick off their shoes. Those high heels and shoes that look good, but have to be uncomfortable? When no one is looking, or better, where no one can see? Off come the shoes. It’s a simple trick, but works well. Under the table, covered up by half an acre of petticoats and such? Off come the Aries shoes. You’ll thank me, before the end of this week, for reminding you.

Taurus:

One of my buddies had a business suggestion for me. Proposition. He wanted to run some kind of an affiliate marketing, sounded like a scam, with my shell and banking on my site’s traffic. While I don’t have an official line, there’s sort of an inboard, on-board sense of ethics that I subscribe to. Enough people pay for website access, so I don’t sell, lease or otherwise impinge on that. However, to appease my buddy’s pitch?

“Shoot me the offer, I’ll run it by legal, see what they say.”

Simple answer. Valid answer. “Legal” sounds like I’m implying that I have a legal department, a separate branch of this enterprise. I don’t really have an army of lawyers on retainer. I do have several as clients, and of those, I can avail myself of services, if need be. Bail at 3 in the morning comes to mind. However, in this case? My buddy will eventually give me a piece of paper with scribbled numbers and call it a plan, and show why I should be doing something with him, and I’ll say, “Let legal look at it.”

End of the question. Not entirely, but certainly a good way to duck out of this one without letting anyone’s feelings get hurt.

“Shoot me the offer, I’ll run by legal, see what they say.”

Gemini:

I warned you. This one is “bad.” One of the most important Gemini traits is the Gemini inherent need and ability to communicate. Sometimes it’s verbal, audio, reading, writing, and more than one Gemini is hooked to telephony, in its various forms. Facebook, Twitter, that last one seems like the most “Gemini” form, to me, but again, I’m the outsider, observing. My observations lead me to warn you that Gemini communication doesn’t go as expected.

When I was doing a weekly video, exactly one time, I rolled out of hotel bed, in a foreign place, dragged my carcass over to the laptop, and I recorded a video. Think I was naked, but couldn’t see anything but my disheveled head. Bed head to the max. Wasn’t a pretty video. Was rather well received, that time. I never repeated the experiment, preferring to adjust the lighting, catch me at a better time for the weekly video podcast thing I used to do.

My experiment was a success, but not one I would repeat. The problem with Gemini, and this week? Do you really want us to see you like I was that one morning? I pulled it off, once. Never repeated the actions. Might pull it off once, but in this next week? Not a good time to try that kind of “casual” stunt.

Cancer:

I studied with one Zen Master, and I realized, under that tutelage, that I arrived at the same message, with a different presentation, much earlier in my professional career. I’ve used that, in bits and pieces, to this day. I realized that I was dispensing a very zen-like missive, only, I was using more familiar terms. Something I liked. Experiences drawn from my world.

This is very much a different kind of message for Cancer’s week. This is, “Chop wood, carry water” time. That’s the point. Even, to jump to a different kind of monk, in the older Christian monastic tradition, there is a time to “Tend to one’s garden,” as in, labor that might appear to be menial or repetitive, that’s what this week is all about. Might be boring, might be boring with the mind soaring, which is how I tend to be. Might be trivial, or trivial appearing, but one never knows.

Whatever it is? The boring stuff, the menial, the “This is below me” tasks? Sometimes, that’s where we find our greatest joy.

Cancer: Chop wood; carry water.