They say miracles are past, and we have our philosophical persons, to make modern and familiar, things supernatural and causeless.

Lafew in Shakespeare’s Alls Well That Ends Well 2.3.1

Jupiter 17 Libra/Pluto 17 Capricorn. That means?

Means the quote and the planets, or whatever they are calling Pluto this week, means it all is connected.

Horoscopes starting 7/27/2017

The Leo:

Birthday celebration, the birthday week, or the two months wherein we get to celebrate The Leo’s birthdays? Yes, I know, most signs get one month but for The Leo, we’ll do two, both July and August, and so, as long we’re all celebrating? Consider the influence of Mars, alongside the Sun, and the combined influences — in Leo Land. The question, the birthday riddle, inside the hustle and bustle, celebrations and breaking news items, is there a moment to pause long enough to consider where we’re going from here? Mars tends to be an active principal, while Mercury would indicate this is a time best suited for a more reflective pursuit. Leo is great. Take time for both. A moment’s worth of consideration — in the midst of the Mars Mayhem — a well–timed pause serves you best.

Pretend it’s one of those moments wherein you’re waiting for the rest of us to acknowledge your greatness.

Always a good time for a theatrical pause.

Virgo:

I tend to think about elements, like what’s in your Virgo chart at the moment, I tend to think about these energies as “Lapses in judgement.” I’m Sagittarius — as you well know — I’m prone to these kind of behaviors on an alarmingly regular basis. What I’m warning you about? The exact phrase?

“It seemed like a good idea at the time!”

You can easily see me saying that as an excuse, an apology, or as a way to get me out of some kind of a tense situation. Common expression? “Didn’t think that one through all the way, huh.” Now, with this kind of a wind–up, can you extrapolate where this might be going?

Think it through. Think it all the way through, not just to the conclusion that you want, but further — to the logical results from the steps you’ve taken, or, in my example, not taken. Just be cause it’s seems like a good at the spur of the moment? Think it all the way through, first.

Yeah, and don’t ask if I subscribe to my own advice, watch this!

(“You didn’t think that one through, huh.”)

Libra:

One of my cliche expressions is, “Not married to it,” and sometimes? The antecedent to “it” varies dramatically. “It” can be a concept or idea, a situation, a place, a person, an object of desire. Mostly, in this week’s understanding, though, this is an idea. Might be a situation, but the situation is based upon an idea. The idea that you have some facts, some Libra facts that are etched in stone? Something so set, that there can be no other way to understand it?

Let’s back-up, “You’re not married to it.”

There’s an ingrained idea, a concept, a belief that your Libra self holds dear. I’m not one to go in and rip away all the refuge one takes by suggesting that the belief, the idea, I’m not saying that it is totally untrue. I’m NOT saying, “You’ve been living a Libra lie all these years,” no that is certainly not the message. But a certain wiliness to look at a long-held, bedrock-foundation kind of sentiment? Yes, look at it. After all?

“You’re not married to it.”

Scorpio:

If the fish are biting? Keep fishing. It’s not that difficult, right? There’s a kind of an obvious hint, and as a Scorpio, you’ve been remiss in admitting that the clue is right there, right in front of you.

There’s not a lot of hidden meaning to that message, either, “if the fishing are biting, keep fishing.”

I have one example of time I didn’t keep fishing. It was, we’d been on the boat since 7 AM, had a cooler full of keepers — both Red and Black Drum, limited out — but we tied into a spot where little “rat reds” were reloading as fast as we could get lines in the water. We also had a bait well, still half full of live shrimp. Instead of calling it day, after we’d limited out, we kept fishing at that one spot. Tons of fun. I’d hook a shrimp, toss the line in, feel a nibble, set the hook and pull up an angry yet hungry little Red Drum (Redfish). I would tell it to “Grow up!” Then, un-hooked and back in the water she went. Over and over. We did this until we ran out of live bait. One buddy cut up a little Perch, and we tried him as bait. It worked, too. But, by late afternoon, we were all tired. We could’ve kept fishing, but we’d had our fill. Caught, like, 40 or 50 fish that day. I got to where I was too tired to even pose for pictures.

However, unlike me, the Scorpio suggestion? “If the fish are biting, keep fishing.”

Sagittarius:

Because I’ve worked in my backyard — Central Texas — for all of this professional career of mine? I have a simple pattern I use for announcements. It’s a one–two kind of deal. If I’m going to do something on Tuesday, like make an appearance? I know my schedule well in advance, and I’ll get an announcement ready. Two announcements. For example, I’ll be in Austin on a Tuesday, or a Sunday in San Antonio? On the day before, 48 hours in advance, I’ll post quick reminder about the schedule. Then, day of? I’ll do another. One-two. 48 hours ahead and then 24 hours ahead. Easy when I know where I’m supposed to be, and what I’m supposed to be doing.

Before we go any further, though, look at the next month for your work/play schedule. For the Sagittarius work/play schedule. Fishing trip, Virgo birthday, something for The Leo, yes, got it all down? Good. This tends to be a framework rather than hard–and–fast, have-to-do-it-now rules. Think a framework, and then? Into that Sagittarius schedule, pencil in a couple of items that need to be “pre–processed.” Anything you can do ahead of time.

When I traveled a bit more, I would get cheap seats on airplanes by buying in advance.

Now is the time to plan out the next six weeks. Got back to school stuff, that one Virgo birthday, all of that to get ready for. Put it all down, in pencil, now.

Capricorn:

Within a certain group of guys I know, the term “EDC” became quite fashionable. Every Day Carry is usually about some of the stuff we tote around with us. I’ve got this down to a fine art, as I like to travel with as little as possible. My daily carry is some kind of a blade, useful for slitting open envelopes and nail-paring. Key ring with a house key and mailbox key, plus a link thing so I can attach to the girlfriends car keys, and a thin wallet. Phone. Phone in a case that looks to be bullet–proof. Doubt that it really is, but that’s not the question is it? Simple, Every Day Carry items. Back in the old Austin days, I would simply carry a knife that was also a money clip, keys to the PO Box and the trailer, a phone, and some days, nothing else. Swim in the creek, walk by the PO Box, that was about it. Eat BBQ, of course. I’ve seen, and used, a variety of “Man-Purses,” but I tend to go back to just the items I can stuff into my pockets as my Every Day Carry.

None of my EDC is artisanal, hand–crafted, micro–brew in shape or form. Which means, if I lose something that I tend to carry every day? No loss. Also means I’ll tend to have those items with me, when I need them, and if they’re not too terribly expensive, I’ll be willing to use them. This is a time to decide what’s important in your Capricorn Every Day Carry. Some days, simple works really well.

Aquarius:

Ever have a neighbor in the Witness Protection Program? I was joking with one neighbor about this, then he got a funny look on face, “Wait, Kramer, that’s not really your name, is it?” Yes, yet it really is. On my birth certificate, the original, not one that’s been manufactured to cover up some heinous crime. Or some other infraction where I was being charged like that. Nope, I’m original. If I was trying to disappear I wouldn’t have my name and face displayed like I do. However, that neighbor, based solely on our conversation that one time, he always ask if we’re still safe. There was a TV program, apparently, about this. No, I’m not on a list. No, I’m not hiding from anyone. Well, that’s not totally true, we all have ex–lovers we might not want to encounter again, maybe an ex–wife or two. That’s not nearly the same thing.

A single, innocuous suggestion on my part got totally sidetracked, and now, I’m rumored to be a dangerous felon with a shady past who helped bring down — I’m not sure what I supposedly did.

All from a humorous comment I made. One neighbor has warned his kids to stay out of our yard, and to make sure there’s plenty of distance between me and them; obviously worried about bullets flying.

I’m really pretty “Out There,” as in reachable, searchable, and available — which, if you’re paying attention, means I’m not in some kind of witness protection program. See how easy it is to jump to a hasty conclusion with only the barest threads of a story — and one that has zero support?

Pisces:

Hatch Green Chile harvest will roll in soon. I had some — always wondered about this — on the X-Ray of my luggage, flying back from New Mexico, I had a couple of baggies of powdered peppers. Would look highly suspicious on an X-Ray, right? Anyway, for Pisces, the batch of green chili powder was very potent but mild, and the flavor in it was far superior to the red chile, and the even the smoked peppers, the green chili was surprisingly good. Better. It’s not always like this, and the strength of the red or green, the flavor, the essence of each type varies from location to location, time of the year, recent rains, all play a part in this. Takes sampling, and a wiliness to be surprised when the predicted results don’t happen like the way they usually do. There was an earthiness, with hints of other spices, like a cinnamon essence, plus an almost fruity sense that went with the spice. Not just burn, but flavors, too.

Not what I was expecting. I tend to think my green chili will do like the local variants do, burn. Locally, the green is made from jalapeño — and the local version is white–hot with its burn.

Sample and be surprised at what comes out of the little, Pisces, magic bag of tricks, Or bag of tricks that has magic powder. I love that hot pepper, and weirdly so, it’s different, every time.

Aries:

In a coffee shop, someplace. I asked the guy who owned the place what he thought was worse, “Pigeons or Tourists?” What he explained was the difference, one pooped a lot more. He didn’t explain which type, was it the bird or the tourists.

Kind of depends, but one way, or another, the planets — Jupiter/Pluto — are trying to make sure your Aries self gets a message. Like the pigeons. Or the tourists. It’s one of them, and I’m not sure which one would be worse. One has nitrogen–rich residue while the other might be more metaphorical. Since I tend to regard myself as a tourist, even in my own home towns, this makes it a little more amusing, and makes it easier for me to ask such innocuous questions.

Look: the planets are shoveling something on top of you at this very moment. My little Aries friend? I wish I could help but the deal is, like the tourists with their questions, and bad attitudes? Messing everything up? We are dependent on the tourism for income. Works both ways. That pigeon by–product, makes for reminders about where not to park. Both serve a function. Maybe it’s a hint about where to go, instead of what not to do.

Taurus:

There are certain routines that I employ — to an outsider? It might look like ritual. Definitions vary. Results count. As a Taurus, you’re as interested in the process, the rituals as you’re interested in the results, the outcome. When I finish writing one weekly horoscope, when I’m done with all 12 signs, for a whole week? The very next task I have is to roll the charts out for the next week. Inner planets, like Mercury and Venus move quickly. Then moon hits three of four signs in a single week. The further out a planet is, the slower it seems to move, in relation to our position on Earth. So my ritual is to prepare the next batch of weekly charts, as soon as I’m done with one week’s worth of work. Kind of labor intensive, in my mind but then, it’s a way to keep looking forward.

Honor and respect the rituals. This — strange that it may be — this energy, currently coursing its way through Taurus? Honor and respect the rituals. Me, grinding coffee beans in the morning, or, me, when I’m done with a piece of work, casting the next chart, getting ready.

Honor and respect your personal rituals, even if outsiders don’t entirely understand.

Gemini:

Many, many years ago, I developed the “Cheap Wal-Mart Flowers” habit. I’ve used this as an example, as a teaching point, and now, I’m recycling some of this as a message for Gemini. I do adore my Gemini, and I’ve been called out for that, too. Kind of funny story — wait — stay focused. This is about what’s happening this week. Astrologically. What action to take. What Gemini action yields the best results? Pruning. Those two–dollar flower bouquets I get? Sometimes, there’s a dead bud in there. Just snip it off. Don’t disturb the rest. As this week unfolds, mostly this is a Leo thing but as it gradually gets better? Consider, with those cheap-ass flowers, every morning, I have to prune them a little. As the flowers die off? Just lop off the dead one’s “head,” as it were, or so it looks to me.

Pruning. Judicious pruning, at that. No need to whack everything, although, sure, that can be a desire at times, but no, not everything. Just prune the dead leafs, the dead bud, the flowers who have flown their missions? Let them rest easy.

Prune, this week is about pruning, and in some cases, like my example, it’s not really a lot, just enough to keep the cheap bouquet looking alive for a few more days. At least until the weekend is over, right?

Cancer:

Last week, I left it hanging with a question, “What defines us?” That was a nod towards the royal “we,” as the Moon Children as a whole, not just one. There’s an influence that makes us dig up what we really are, and that which defines us. For many years, as a much younger man, my library, the books in my room, I had over a thousand titles, that was central to what defined me. One move after another, and I got to the point where the books that I use to define me are much, much less. Anymore, I don’t really use a Complete Works of Shakespeare because I have those in much more accessible digital formats. However, as a totem, I still have one university copy with my notes scribbled in the margins. That’s a singular example of something that does define me. Not in an outward way, either, because the text is carefully ensconced on a shelf with no light and not a lot of attention, other than my own. It has negligible value on the used book market; its inherent worth is my notes to me, from university days. That’s both sentimental and work–related, for me, as an example. That’s an object that defines me. Not the hundreds of titles, just the one. As a Moon Child, the question, and a simple example of how one book defines me? What are we using to define ourselves?