And cannot brook competitors in love?
I tell you, lords, you do but plot your deaths
By this device.

Aaron in Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus 2.1.77-9

Horoscopes by the Fishing Guide to the Stars starting 11.5.2015

Scorpio:

I was listening carefully to an attractive lady explain how her future son-in-law has, thus far in life, failed to make a mark. As a Scorpio, at some point, you’re going to voice, or think, with a similar lament. “I’m a Scorpio, and yet, I’ve not made a name for myself yet!” Or maybe it’s a bad name, not that I know anything about having an ill-reputation, no, not what this is about. It’s about feeling like a failure when there is much that you’ve done well. It’s about yardsticks. It’s about measuring devices. It’s about that sometimes damning internal Scorpio voice quietly, stage whisper, “You’re not tall enough, you’re too tall, you’re not wide enough, you’re too wide,” and it can be too short, too fat, too thin, too poor, too “something,” whatever that inner-critic is working on? This is a birthday time. That inner-voice that is so Scorpio-critical? Get it to shut up, if only for a short period.

“Can’t you be quiet for just a little while? It’s my birthday month, you know…”

Scorpio, darling, dude, whatever, really, you are way cool, just the way you are.

Sagittarius:

There is a least one “Mystery School” that I’m aware of, and that one utilizes the “Dark Night of the Soul” as an awakening process to lead to the higher realms of consciousness. Have to get low in order to get high? Have to know the depth of despair to appreciate the uplifted outlook? I’m not totally sure where this is going, but it’s about fitting together some pieces to find that inner peace. The inner-Sagittarius peace. It’s there. I know it is.

Finding it might be a somewhat problematic this week. There’s a stirring and a longing in our souls, but the source can’t seem to be reached. It’s really Saturn and his heavy weight, bringing out the sadness, the memories, the fractured dreams, and the remorse. Yes, that’s all attributed to Saturn’s legacy. To move forward? One Sagittarius foot in front of the other. There’s a sly, Sagittarius smirk that should play across our faces, as we know, it’s not really a good time, but something will pop up to our benefits. Just give it a chance. Long, dark night of the soul, indeed. Watch this!

Capricorn:

In South Texas, the start of “Deer Season” is a huge deal. Several of my buddies schedule around the first weekend of November, out there, in the woods, hoping to bag a big buck. Gone. Won’t see them for a few days, and then, it’s tales of game cameras and remote locations, cold weather, hardship, trekking through the South Texas underbrush, the hazards, the toil and trouble… just goes on and on. Several of the outfitters I’ve seen advertised offer a “hunting and fishing” special deal, deer or duck hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon.

I’m not opposed to deer hunting, just takes way too much effort, usually too cold, and then, too much work to get the deer meat home. Love me some venison, I’m just not willing to work to make it happen. So here’s the Capricorn idea, while all of my buddies, last week, next weekend, all of them are out carrying high-powered rifles through the brush? Let’s go fishing. A lot fewer boats are out right now, the really big reds are running the cuts, and the pressure is off.

Aquarius:

I spun that planet’s energy around, and all I could think about was a time back in Austin. Fall evening, not quite as cool as it’s been, but not too cold. I was fishing off the dock at the old trailer park and I landed a large mouth bass. Big old feller, probably a “Big, old girl,” as the meanest, largest, strongest of the Large Mouth Bass family tend to be female. She was about five pounds, maybe a little less. One of my neighbors started to argue with me about keeping the fish.

I’m a big fan of “Catch and Release” especially when fishing in a high-density population like Austin. The heaviest trafficked portion of that interstate carefully splits the water between two dead power plants. Think: not exactly clean water. That big fish? If I tossed him (her) back, I might enjoy the experience of catching her again. If my buddy served her up as a meal? He and his wife might be ill — or worse. Finally, one of my buddies, not named “Bubba,” but thanks for asking, he interceded and pointed out that “catch and release” was like a religion to me. “It’s religious, man, don’t never mind.” As you’re faced with similar problem, an opposing force that wants to do the opposite of what your Aquarius soul knows is correct? There are two ways this can go: 1) Bubba can intercede on your behalf. 2) Let them have the fish.

Pisces:

The two biggest lies? “We’re happy to be here; we’re here to help.” I thought about this one, looking at how the planets play out, and the biggest indication was that Virgo stuff, with Jupiter still the player. How this goes? As a gentle Pisces, you’re going to get approached within the next few days. I’m not making this stuff up. You’e going to get hit with one or both of those lies. Might show up in a different guise, might appear to be something else. The wording might be different, but you’ll know, as soon as you hear it, I warned you, and untruth is untruth, no matter how it’s packaged. Then, too, there’s the distinct possibility that the lie is something you’re wanting to hear, and that’s also a problem. As you know, I do adore my Pisces friends, and as you know?

“I’m happy to be here, and I’m happy to help!”

See how that rings a bit hollow? Watch out for the lies even if you think it’s something you’d like to hear.

Aries:

It was a frightfully cold November morning. I didn’t want to get out of bed, to fix coffee, so I could roll on over to the desk and work. I was snuggled under the covers and enjoying it. Living in South Texas, like I do, there’s funny change, occurs about this time, temperatures drop below a balmy 70, and the natives crack open the war-chest of winter clothes. Scarves, woolen sweaters, jackets, knit hats, and a personal favorite? Fuzzy boots. Looks like roadkill, sometimes. Still, it’s been “summer” since last February, so now it looks like there might be a time to wear “winter” fashions, short-lived that this is. Cold weather, winter wear, and me, like an Aries, snuggled in the warmth of the bed, Aries, snuggled in bed, not really willing to get up and go to work. I have a pretty short commute, maybe ten paces, but still, the snooze thing on the phone’s alarm? Easy to grab another 15 minutes? Here’s the Aries challenge, in the next seven (7) days: get up. Suit up. Show up. Be ready for action. Or, unlike me? Don’t hit snooze. It seems more difficult to get up this next few days, but doing so will bring big (Aries) rewards. Get up. Suit up. Show up.

At least, do like I do, pull on a tattered robe, make coffee, and turn on the sleeping computer.

Taurus:

One of the “fruitier” place I’ve eaten? It’s an “all-vegan” spot in downtown San Antonio. Kind of gives it away, but whatever. They’ve been known to stop in the front yard of the restaurant to clip some greens for the next meal. Cool place, and especially good considering it’s all vegan. The other afternoon, for lunch, I had a the soup and salad, plus, the special ice tea of the day. It was Texas Sweet Tea, with a huge amount of free-range, drug-free cinnamon, so the tea itself, it was like a liquid cinnamon roll. Cinnamon rolls themselves vary, but most of them the better ones, are doughy, yeasty, sugary goodness with butter and grease, maybe a hint of honey, all of that wrapped up in a small pastry factor. The liquid version was a treat. Never had anything like that before.

Gemini:

Before the next horoscope rolls out, Venus will move into Libra. Before the next horoscope rolls out, Venus will smooth over a previously tense situation. “Before the next horoscope? But what about this week!” The Gemini cries. Looks like a question while it comes out more as a statement. Here’s the deal, this is a planet that’s moving forward, paving the way for goodness in Gemini land, over the next 5 to 7 days. The problem with this transit of Venus is that Mr. Mars is still stuck in Virgo. The perspicacious Gemini will realize, by now, Mars is still creating friction. While Venus starts to make this a more bearable load, Mars irritation persists. Acknowledge that the irritation still exists. See it getting a little bit better? Seriously, give it time, things (events and people) are starting to turn in your favor. Give it a few minutes. You’ll see. Before the next horoscope rolls out, all better.

Cancer:

“Chicken and waffle” is a southern (Southern American) treat, near as I can tell. I’ve found it in a few places, and locally, it’s ok, but the best one I’ve had within recent memory was in Dallas. For those not familiar with the geography of Texas, Dallas is in East Texas with clearly Southern roots while Ft. Worth, 20 minutes west, is in West Texas, with definitive cowboy lineage. Two towns, twenty minutes, totally different cultures. It was in a kind of seedy, slightly greasy please with biscuits piled as high as the Dallas hair. The “Chicken and waffle” offering was on a chalkboard menu, perhaps, not a typical, every-day menu item?

Still, the secret, the way it was so good? Had to do with the breading on the chicken. There was a hint of some spice I couldn’t readily identify, something distinctly “southern” in its roots, and the slightly thick breading was fried until crisp, all the way through. Done right, this is a miraculous, soul-saving event, truly food to comfort one’s heart.

There are a variety of influences upon which to pick, but the deal is, as a the Moon Child, there needs to be a way to anchor yourself. Grounding, for me, one recent Sunday morning, it was as simple as finding a place that had excellent “Chicken and Waffle.” Some days, like this week? The answer is a lot less complicated than you make it out to be.

The (mighty) Leo:

Standing in line to get an afternoon beverage, I was scanning a woman’s visible ink. I know, Texas, but it was still warm, she had on shorts, and her legs were festooned with a variety of arcane and not so arcane symbols. One caught my attention, more than any of the others. Some of pieces were quite intricate including a death’s head, Dia de la Meurta’s skull that was amazing art, in itself, and as skin art? Astoundingly good. But what really caught my attention was a simple heart with two words etched inside it, “Not You.”

Brought a smile to my lips, as that’s the right kind of reminder, inked, in a visible spot, as way to recall specifics. A good, Leo tattoo. I asked, I had to, and, of course, I gushed a little about some of the art, then I asked about the heart.

She smiled. “It’s a long story full of heartbreak, you really want to know?”

No, I don’t. But as a visual reminder, where you’ve been, what’s up, and what’s necessary to remember, for the mighty Leo? Might want to think about that, as a way to remember to not make that same mistake, again. A simple post-it note might work for some, but yes, “not you,” as a reminder.

Virgo:

There’s one place I bought a couple of shirts, a local shirt-maker in Austin. The sizes are “generous,” which means that the shirts are extra large for those of us who are getting extra large. With that in mind? Looking over the Virgo chart and looking at specific instances of the effect of Jupiter combined with the love planets of Mars and Venus? Consider a larger size. Not much larger, just a little bigger than before.

There’s several ways this works, it’s as if you imagine that you want a larger house? So you see yourself in a larger house and then, it happens, you’re in larger house. Creative visualization, Virgo-style. I wanted a regular large shirt that sit loose, like the old days. I discovered a shirt-maker in Austin, my style of shirt, and the shirts are “generous” in size. Certainly works for me.

This is a week about seeing and then, finding it in the Virgo life. Bigger sizes, looks like the way we’re going, too.

Libra:

How solid is your foundation? I’m not talking about the cinder-blocks that the trailer rests upon, no, that’s not it. This is about the emotional center, and the soul’s foundation. How well are you anchored? There’s a rattle, a hum, a distant roar, could be, we get these violently cold north winds that whip through in November, chilling everything and everybody to the bone. That cutting cold, and, back to the trailer park analogy, most of the trailers are on wheels with jacks or blocks at the four corners, providing make-shift stability. In the Libra heart, this kind of stability, this make-shift type of an anchor isn’t enough. Need to make sure that the Libra psyche has something to hold it down. How strong is your anchor, your foundation?

Desk I used to have? I used little pieces of would, tiny wedges to shore up the desk, make it level, make it so it wouldn’t wobble. As the desk represented my heart and soul? I needed that little wedge to make sure I was stable. Figurative and literal.

One more option, if your center isn’t really well-anchored? Wrap a skirt around it. Again, borrowing from a trailer park in Austin on that one, yes, just wrap skirting around it.