Why then ’tis none to you; for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.

Hamlet in Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet 2.2.212

Best time to file taxes? April 15, 4:26 PM. Moon in Sagittarius. Mercury Retrograde. Venus Retrograde. All good.

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Horoscopes starting 4.6.2017

Aries:

I heard squawking, a pitched birds’ cry, and I looked up. From where I was standing, in Central Texas, in a Red-Tail Hawk was clearly visible, gliding in for a low landing on some scrub-like Live Oak. Squawked again. This is a clearly urban environment, so I would be a little more worried about puppies and kittens as possible prey, rather than small, wild game. The markings, the checkered feathers, the characteristic “Red Fan” of the tail, as the spring–like sun shone through, then discordant squeaking. Squawk, I’m unsure, it wasn’t the Emergency Broadcast pitch I’m used to, the sound of the raptor falling out of the sky to grab a meal.

Not often that I get to see a magnificent bird like that, so close at hand. I’ll guess a nesting pair is somewhere in my neighborhood.

While not that unusual of a sight, where I’m from, it is a touchstone — a reminder — to be aware of what’s around us. As an Aries, as a birthday person, when you hear that sound, when your peripheral vision detects a movement, look up, look around, observe. As a special birthday gift, you’ll be rewarded with an image, just I like I was, with some kind of symbol.

Taurus:

For many years, I’ve recorded my “readings” with clients. I then pass the recording onto the client. I was particularly happy when I used to use 15-minute cassette tapes. Worked well for me, and I would hand the tape over to the client. Some folk will read this and wonder what a “cassette tape” is. From cassettes, though, and from lugging around a small printer, I switched to all digital delivery. More modern. For close to a decade, it was the audio CD. These days? I tend to just email a link to an mp3 file, quicker, easier, no printing, no mess, no fuss.

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Take a lesson from me, as this stranger–than–usual period starts, for Taurus, take a hint from me. Easier. Smoother. Fewer moving parts. Let the technology handle the heavy lifting. Let the computers do all the hard work. What I miss about the 15-minute cassettes? They were especially useful as a prop, a device, when the tape hit its end, it was that clear signal that the time was up. The session was over. End of the tape. Which is amusing, as these days, with digital media, there’s certainly plenty of available bandwidth to go longer and longer….

Gemini:

Buddy showed up the other afternoon, got him a new girlfriend. “So you’re a Gemini,” I said. At first, she was amazed that I knew she was a Gemini, but my buddy, a little gun-shy of Gemini from a previous girlfriend, who was probably psychotic, he did a little “background check” with me, before he got serious. She’s an extremely attractive, and quite young, Gemini. Gemini do tend to be prettier, but that’s not part of this equation. With Venus and Mercury doing the backward version of their annual dances, this is a problem time. How much of a problem? Buddy’s new girlfriend? She had on a “Black Flag” t-shirt. Tank top, really, I think. Yeah, I stared. You would, too.

What amused me greatly, love me that quick, whip–like Gemini wit, I had to ask, “Do you even know who ‘Black Flag’ was?” She shrugged, pointed to my buddy, “He said I looked good in it.”

She would look good in nothing at all, or, for decorum’s sake? The oily rags off the garage’s floor. Yeah, he did good. The biggest problem? All the Gemini air? Oh, she’s not an airhead, but all that Gemini air is currently confused. Mercury, Venus, their patterns not exactly being kind to Gemini.

We’ll see how they do in the immediate future. It’s far from bad, but the present Gemini energies do best with a gentle hand. Deflect.

Turns out the band ‘Black Flag’ was part of her education, and she likes it. Yeah, now who looks stupid?

Cancer:

Ever week, I suggest an action, and every week, the Moon Child keeps avoiding that action. I’m back to the action item again. I’m a big believer in free will and free choice. The soul, as indicated by an astrology chart, the soul has options. Even now, there are clear choices, left/right, back/front, up/down, clear and discernible choices. There’s also the very-Cancerian way of choosing not to change a thing. Stubbornly refusing to budge an inch on any of this change — change that would benefit your Moon Child self. If only. If only there was a way to get that hard Cancer carapace to crack. Me? I’d prefer that this become a choice-centered decision, based on available Cancer inputs. I’d rather not get out the pliers and tackle getting under that Crab-like shell of yours to dig out an answer, and to force a choice. No, I’m not real willing to undertake such coercion. But I’m not everyone, and if your Cancer self doesn’t start making decisions, picking, and choosing, left/right, front/back, up/down, soon? Some other person is liable to choose for you. You can guess how that works out.

The Leo:

It’s a matter of taste. Mars, in Taurus, creates a problematic set of energies for The Leo. Mercury, going retrograde, in the same sign as Mars? That takes this set of energies and compounds the problems. Not big deals, but little deals, when “things” don’t go the way The Leo thinks things should go? There’s the problem. The solution is to understand basic astrophysics. There’s pressure from outside, and that pressure is making the majestic Leo wanting to change. Some days, change is good. Some days, change is excellent. And some days? Maybe not so much. Change, just for the sake of change? Who am I to suggest that isn’t any good? Silly Sagittarius that I am. I move stuff around all the time. But I know that it’s just change for the sake of change, and I know that it won’t be permanent change. I’m interested in buying a little time for The Leo, I’m interested in padding this decision process, which is being hastened by those two planets, I’m interested in getting there to be a little extra breathing room. A cooling off period, for some, a form or transition, or a mindful pause. I just think if you render that Majestic Leo decision right now? Might have to change your mind, later. No one wants to confront you with that.

The Leo: “Can I get back to you on that?”

Exactly what I mean.

Virgo:

A dozen years ago, maybe further back than that? I swore I was never going to move again, and that was in a trailer park in South Austin. I’ve long since decamped from there, and consequently, I’ve shifted several times, and I no longer think to myself, “This is it. I am never moving, ever again. Never, ever.” Never say never, my little Virgo friend, never say never. There’s change underfoot. Can be of your own making, can feel like it from outside influences. Three or four times, I swore I was never going to move, ever again, that I was going to make where I was a permanent place to live. No more moving. No more boxes, packing, unpacking, sorting, throwing away broken dishes, nothing. None of that. Currently, I’m not moving anyplace, as I like where I’m living, at this moment. But this isn’t about me. This is about Virgo, and the expression, “Never say never.” There’s strong change underfoot, and the Virgo energy is restless, exacerbated by Mercury’s tenuous shaking and moving. Means that there’s changes, and they may not be permanent changes. What are you going to do? Get ready to move? “I swore I was never going to move again. Never, ever.”

Virgo: Never say never, my Virgo friend, never say never.

Libra:

When I fish with one buddy, not named Bubba but thanks for asking, and when I fish with that one friend? I will take exactly one fishing pole. Out of my complete set of hardware, I’ll select exactly one pole, and I’ll use that single pole, with its reel, all day long. Only changes I’ll be willing to make are to bait tied on the end of the line. Makes set-up, travel arrangements, and the entire experience more enjoyable for me. I only have to think about the action of fishing. I can, if need be, as the day gets longer, change baits, from top-water to something that sinks rather than floats. But that’s the only change, and I’ll still be using the one fishing pole. Part of this is to keep it simple. Part of this is prove a point. Mostly, this is about me being as comfortable as possible, and the quickest way to insure a wonderful experience? Limit the choices. We tend to hit one or two bass lakes, and that means I know that the lighter line and more responsive arrangement will work well. The only part that changes, then, is the bait tied on the end of the line. Only change. One set-up. One fishing pole. Not too many choices. Less time fiddling with hardware, more time fishing. As Mercury turns into a retrograde pattern? Look over that massive array of Libra choices. Then, like me, take one pole. Make it simple. Limits the choices and enjoy the experience.

Scorpio:

The quote, this week’s quote from Shakespeare? “Nothing’s good or bad but thinking makes it so?” has extra meaning for Scorpio and the Scorpio weeks ahead. Don’t think you can’t snatch defeat from the jaws of success. Don’t think you can’t overthink a winning situation and then worry it unto death, and then, from what’s going in your favor, it all gradually slides out of your Scorpio grasp and away from the Scorpio control. Where it should be. The planets in Taurus? Mars and Retrograde Mercury. The obstacle? Seeing the situation for what it is, not what its worst outcome might be. I’ve got a cup of coffee here. Half empty? Half full?

Scorpio: “Omigawd, he left the stove on! He’s gong to burn down the house, and now there’s no water to put out the fire!”

That went sideways and down in a hurry. Hot as it was the other day? I just add a couple of ice cubes to the half cup of strong coffee, and it all becomes weak iced coffee. No harm. No foul. All good. Happily ever after.

Scorpio: “This is not going to end well, I just know…”

Hence the problem. See that quote again.

Sagittarius:

I got a poem stuck in my head. Really, it’s just one line from a poem, but it fits, so well, with this girlfriend, I can’t shake it. I know, at one point, stop me if I’ve told you this before, but I know, at one point, the professor dragged a reel-to-reel tape recorder and player into the classroom to listen to the original poet read his poem, that one poem, out loud. Chronologically, the guy came before the Beats, although, the structure of the poem, and its content, are similar, being from the same generation, more or less. I’ve scoured the internet, trying to locate that poem. There are many myths told about the poet, and most of them aren’t true, or there’s only the thinest shards of evidence to support the statements.

This is worse than a lyric to a song, as it’s pure poetry. Can’t get the lick out of my head, which, in turn becomes a fruitless search over web page after week page, trying to locate that file, hopefully as an mp3. Some years ago, I had similar experience, but I did locate a public domain copy of Allen Ginsberg (another Gemini, if I recall), reading his poem “Howl,” out loud.

This horoscope got sideways really quickly, much to my amazement. It was supposed to serve as reminder that we can’t let petty distractions hold our Sagittarius attention for too long, otherwise, we might not get anything done. I wonder what other poets have recordings, online, like maybe Dylan Thomas not going into that good Mercury Retrograde?

Distractions are abundant. What’s worse? I can’t find the book that has those poems in it, an old text book, red cover? Seen it?

Capricorn:

Saturn was getting kind of close, but then, that old devil? He’s turned around, this week to head back to torment Sagittarius some more. In the meantime, there’s a good direction for you: shed what no longer serves you. Unload that which is no longer of value. Let go of crap that you really don’t want to take with you. While I value the sanctity of human life, and I also understand that there are variety of belief systems, and as much as I don’t want to interfere with any particular religion or faith? I saw a bumper sticker that was angelic in appearance, and carried a simple message: you won’t need your organs in heaven, so give them a second life, too. Too preachy? Maybe. A little dark? Sure. Too heavy on symbolism? Sorry. But I was thinking about letting go of material items that have no future service within the Capricorn world. I carried around a laptop computer that was a “hand me down” when I first got it, maybe a dozen years ago. I refused to let go of that computer for some kind of perceived emotional attachment. Never used it. After 5 or 6 years? I finally off-loaded it onto a buddy, who desperately needed a laptop. Everyone is happy.

Recycle. Or, if you don’t cut loose with that stuff? In a year or two? It might get wrenched from your grasp. Start looking at stuff to unload. Only took me 5 or 6 years, in that one example.

Aquarius:

I used to know this one girl, younger than me female, and her claim was simple. “All my friends are guys. I just don’t have many girlfriends. They always compete or something.” The guy friends she did have? I would be less than honest if I didn’t suspect that each and every one of them, myself included, each of us were hoping for something more than “friend.” Wasn’t a realistic expectation, not for me, and I didn’t hold that as paramount, but there was that undercurrent. So think about the comment, lovely young lass, “All my friends are guys, and yeah, we’re just friends.” It’s not an original thought, but I’ve subscribed to the belief that male and female tend to have more than “just friends” on their minds. Or male and male, or female and female, I mean, it all depends on the situation and whatever the individual’s orientation runs. Still, this looks like a troubled relationship where a friend wants to overstep the bounds of “just friend.” To some, this OK. To others? Maybe not so much. With Mercury’s mess on top of this, too? The message can be confused. “I think we should be more than ‘just friends,’ so you want me to come over?”

Aquarius: Be extra careful about “interpreting” signals in the next few weeks, but especially now, and especially along the perception of “romance,” as there’s more trouble there. Not more trouble, but a better chance of getting a garbled message.

“So you don’t want to be my friend?”

Pisces:

It’s really just a plain picture of a cup of coffee, from a local diner. Not a big deal, not really, but over the last five, ten years, I would look down at the cup of coffee, early in the morning, and wonder. Pull out a camera or, anymore just a phone, and grab an image. A simple cup of coffee, but it seems to taste better than most. It’s not “artisanal” coffee, it’s not micro-brew, with an intimate relationship with the guy who grows the beans, no, it’s just a plain cup of coffee in a place with sparkly lights — Xmas year-round. How can something so mundane, so commonplace, so quotidian, how can an image of a simple cup of coffee evoke so much sentiment? In part, it’s the location, and, in part, it’s the food, and, in part, it’s the very ambiance of the diner. It’s a classic, for sure, open 24 hours a day, long-established as both a hotspot for tourists and a place where locals congregate. Food’s passable, nothing remarkable, but then, not unremarkable, either. Plain fare with the proper hint — upon request — for the local spice and heat. This is all drawn from single image, but it an image I’ve repeated over and over. Each time is new, but not new. Familiar, yet there is the standard excitement of being there. The way to tease meaning from this week’s stars? Look for a message in the mundane. Look for relief in the oft-repeated theme. The answers are much less hidden than before; the challenge is looking at the answers and realizing that they are answers to the very Pisces questions. Like that cup of coffee in a diner.