O ye gods!
Render me worthy of this noble wife!

Brutus in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar 2.1.303

Horoscopes starting 5.11.2017

Taurus:

Always wondered a little about that, how the wives in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar were so important. One would hope that this would be a reflection on the timbre of the times, but I’m unsure if there’s much truth to that. The Elizabethan setting was notoriously sexist and bigoted. No judgement, mere observation. However, it takes strong players — like wives — to get the job done. It’s unfortunate, but in that play? Strong wives get subsumed by the plot. Just how the story goes.

So the noble wives? Doesn’t go well for them. As I was plotting the Taurus stars? I saw strong characters, unlike that play, I saw strong characters and people listening to those strong characters. Strong, Taurus players.

Gemini:

There’s a practice, derived from a certain spiritual pursuit, that serves me well. In this next week, especially now? This kind of practice would serve Gemini well, too. I was driving, in notorious rush-hour-like traffic. Too far for me to walk, which is in keeping with my tendencies, so hop in car. Traffic backed-up. For, apparently, no reason. If there was a spectacular wreck, or malfunctioning traffic signal, sure, I could get it. Nothing. Just stop-and-go crap.

I turned off the radio, car’s a hybrid, so I think it’s a Federal mandate, have to listen to NPR. I just clicked it off. I sat in silence. Car ahead of me inched ahead. I tapped the pedals. No noise. Beautiful day in May, AC was still purring happily, low, but merrily cool.

Breath. Breath in. Breath out. Be present in the moment. No place, better than rush-hour-like traffic is a better place to test one’s ability to be present in the moment. Choking car fumes, the desire to flip on radio, phone, iPod, anything but sit in traffic. As a way to deal with exigent circumstances, try to be present. I only had to go a half-dozen miles, and the traffic eased up and started flowing shortly thereafter. Still, for a nuanced moment, I was totally present in the moment.

Mars is the culprit and as a Sagittarius, myself, I’ll be toying with this exact same energy, albeit in an opposing format, Mr. Mars and all, and that? I’ll be the one, sitting in the car next to you. I’ll glance around, shift my grip on the dash and shifter, then fidget, then breath. I’m not heading into a deep trance, but I’m making a sincere effort to be — exactly — “In the moment.” Turn off the sound, all the other Gemini distractions. Doesn’t matter where you are, just do one thing at a time.

Cancer:

While I’ve documented this, at length, in other formats, I have a strange relationships with printed media. I love me a good library. I have one, at home, in my office, with several rather arcane references, as well as a long shelf of “trashy romance novels” with lurid covers. Not exactly, but not all high-brow, “Literature.” There are a number of authors who I’ll buy the First Edition Hard Cover version of the book, stack it on the shelf next to that author’s other First Edition Hardback books, and then? I’ll get a digital copy to read. The digital, anymore, is just easier — for me — to read. I don’t need a light at night, I can adjust the print size, the tablet weighs much less than some of the epic tomes I’ve read like this, and the list goes on. So this is about my weird relationship with printed media. How is this affects the delicate Moon Child? Doubling up. There’s a kind of friction, and the easiest way to understand, then find a solution to the friction? Like I do. I buy the book, because I want it for my library, but then, I also want one to read, like late at night.

The Leo:

A serious obstacle that I face? I’ve forgotten more metaphysical and spiritual material than I’ll ever remember again. I got lazy, at one point, where I would merely record my material in a daily journal, and that’s how I remembered this stuff. But, yeah, I’ve forgotten more than I can ever hope to recall. I pulled out an older set of my Tarot cards, not an item I use frequently, but as a tool, yes, I’ve done this for many long years. As a tool the Tarot serves me well. I looked at one of the cards, first one I flipped up. That card brought back memories of a similar deck that I’ve used.

Same marque, just different sizes. Still the image itself triggered a flood of memories, and then that flood of images, flashing in my mind’s eye, I was realizing that I’m not using the same phrases or even the same kind of systems that I used before.

This is about taking stock, looking back, and then, Leo, dear Leo, The Leo? Move forward. I write stuff down so I don’t have to remember it. Just easier that way. That obstacle of not remembering? Maybe some of this is now left to be forgotten. Or, perhaps, let’s see if we can find where wrote that down.

“I wrote it down so I don’t have to remember it.”

Virgo:

Sometimes, the simplest of changes is all it takes. This is also a consideration, rather than a any kind of a Virgo pronouncement. I started, it was link from a friend, who knew a guy who mentioned this someplace online, and the idea, I’m way late to this party, but the concept is simple. Remember how orange juice, every morning, was supposed to be good for us? Turns out, yeah, maybe the sugary, orange-flavored substances might not be too good, but real — and natural — citrus? The way this started, it was a recommendation to have a single, preferably organic, lemon, fresh squeezed, first thing, in the morning. Before any other substances hit the body, the first wake-up swig? Juice from a single lemon, preferably an ergonomically-correct, free-range lemon, but the idea is sound. I checked it with my fruity, new-age, essential-oil sniffing buddies.

“First thing, in the morning? Oh, it’s very good, that acid washes out the harm. High in anti-oxidants.”

So far, there’s no medical support for the practice, but that’s never stopped me. As a Virgo, adding a simple, easy step in your nutrition line, in your way of thinking, adding a single step or process? Time to look at that.

Libra:

Eventually, Mercury will shift into Taurus, and eventually, there will be some Libra relief. Eventually. Next week, this weekend, sometimes, depends on the eccentricities of the individual Libra chart. Still, there’s an “issue” with motivation. Problems getting going or problems starting a task that is required, or problems getting up to get out, even. I have trick that I employ, and translate this, as best you can, to Libra Language, and see if it works. I tend to work from one of the horoscope wheel to the other end, in a linear fashion, when I’m building and fleshing out the weekly horoscopes. I tend to work from the beginning towards the end. I’ll get an occasional insight that requires some jumping around, but overall? One end — the beginning — to the other end — the final horoscope for the week. Makes good sense to a Libra, no? This week? I started at the end, because, for some reason, it wasn’t hooking up to start at the beginning. Using that as a guideline? Try a reverse order in order to get ahead. Backwards is not always backwards.

Scorpio:

Since I’ve been using a keyboard most of my adult life, and since I’ve been using it with some kind of computer? The keyboard is a primary contact point for me. I get attracted to various collapsible, portable keyboards, or, in one case? I found a roll-up keyboard on sale. It was such a cool idea. Rolled up, it was super-carry-able, and it was advertised as spill-resistant, being plastic and all. I used it once, maybe twice. Had it half-wired into a laptop, and then, what I found? The keys weren’t as solid, and sometimes, they didn’t even connect. There was a reason it was cheap, and on sale. So, as I was toying with the Scorpio chart, another ad cycled through, it was a cheap, collapsible keyboard. “Works with Bluetooth, Tablets, iPads, iPhones, and Android!” I’ve played with a number of these, keyboards that fold up, or fold over, or hinge, or something. Yes, rather portable, that’s true. But the problem is, the portable nature comes at a cost of efficiency. Then, as I looked at the super-cool, Swiss-Army knife of a keyboard? I realized that I’ve purchased — and abandoned — a number of similar gadgets. As a good Scorpio, this is the time to look back and reflect, think, I’ve tried this before, slightly different, but eerily familiar, do we need to do the again? Will this be different?”

Hint: probably not.

Sagittarius:

One of the biggest troubles I run into? Objective point-of-view — as compared to — subjective point-of-view. I ran into this question, and answers, through some work I was doing on my hobby. I tend to think of Shakespeare as a hobby rather than presupposing I’m some kind of a great scholar. The lecture was about some approaches to one of the plays, and the idea was that it was looking for evidence, in the play itself, to prove the point. The point the lecturer made? The evidence could easily, the parts in the play itself, the evidence could easily prove that the point was valid, or, it could also prove that the point was invalid. Which is the idea of objective versus subjective.

I’m very Sagittarius. I’m very subjective. I make no claims, otherwise. I know better. I’m highly animated and agitated, but I get into it, with almost no objective point-of-view whatsoever. Did I ever lie about that? Did I ever represent that I was “Totally objective?”

No.

There’s the question of “objectivity,” and the question whether we’re really being objective about the question. I tend to pretend — in my mind — that I’m dispassionate and aloof. However, as this unfolds, don’t forget that we do tend to get caught up in it, and don’t forget, our answers — our Sagittarius answers — tend to be more subjective.

Me? I’m biased. But you knew that, right?

Capricorn:

What tools do you have at hand? Important question, and that question’s answer is the answer to this week’s Capricorn conundrum. What tools do you have at hand? In my case, it’s rather simple: pocket knife, Leatherman Tool, “smart” phone, and tablet. The tools I have at hand. If I can’t do it with one, then another will be fine. “If only I had…” and therein is the Capricorn problem. There is no other tool that can’t be substituted for what you’ve got right here. No need to grab extra gear, no trip to the hardware store, or software store, or whatever, or wherever. While the tool I have might not be the very best tool for handling this task, the job in front of Capricorn, at this moment? While it might not be the perfect piece of hardware to solve this problem, as far as immediacy? That’s the critical Capricorn concern, immediacy. It’s not what you have, it’s about making do with what you’ve got on hand, at the moment. It’s not about what you’ve got, it’s about how you use what you have available.

What tools do you have on hand?

Aquarius:

I’ve gotten lazy. There are certain crutch words I’ve taken to using, and there’s also an alarming use of passive voice in recent work from me. Between the two, crutch words and passive voice, I’m not doing well. It gets repetitive, a little cliche, and seems like the spark is gone. I still have great passion for the work, just, the zing has gone out of the words. As an Aquarius, you are suffering with the same malaise. The zing is gone. The passion is still there, but we’ve forgot how to make it all alive again.

Simple changes. Stylistically. Active voice. Jump into this with both Aquarius feet, and stomp around. Go all “Godzilla” on it.

Pisces:

So far, I’ve never “waxed.” I’m not really that hairy of a guy, and I don’t have the physique that would demand it, either. I’m not a body-builder, nor, for that matter, will I be one. I can’t even grow a decent beard. Has to do with heritage and genetics, I’m sure, and I’m not too worried. The concept of “waxing” — my understanding? It is derived from copious girlfriends, over the years, who have described the process. I’m a Sensitive, New Age Guy, so I can commiserate without actually engaging in the process myself. As I was looking at the planets, for this week, for Pisces, I kept thinking about the images I hold in my mind, associated with some temporary discomfort, for “waxing.” Looks painful, and to me? Too painful to try. I’m not that willing to suffer for fashion. However, it is “Beach Season” and some folks are thinking about waxing.

There’s a planetary position that affects Pisces. It’s like ripping that wax up and having the painful “Follicle Removal” process go along with it. Rip it off. Pull it up, in a hurry. Quick, quick-like give it a good, fast pull. That gets this over with quicker — and easier — and I’m all about making it better for Pisces. Just rip it off, quickly, and decisively.

Along the beach-side shops, where I fish, there’s a novelty item sold, a special brand of “Dr. Zog’s Wax,” with an obvious allusion to surfboard wax, but far more slippery. That’s the opposite of what this is about.

Aries:

Being born and raised in Texas, I understand “weird” better than most. Not a brag, just a fact. As such, there’s a strange sensation afloat in Aries. Recent reports include ghostly apparitions, hauntings, and “Things that go bump in the night.” Footsteps and other-worldly noises. Like Halloween, only this is the wrong time of the year for that noise and nonsense. This is less a function of the “Other Side” reaching out and more function of Uranian Energies acting and reacting in Aries. First it was Mercury, and soon it will be Venus.

With Mars, where he is, and this weirdness loose upon the Aries landscape? Double. Double down. Double up. But double. “Double Trouble in the Morning,” used to be a radio program, sure, that would work, too. But consider that it takes two, in order to get the goal — the Aries goal — it takes two to get it done.

Double. Double down. Double up. Get it together.