Sir, if you’ld save your life, fly to your house.
The plebeians have got your fellow tribune,
And hale him up and down, all swearing, if
The Roman ladies bring not comfort home,
They’ll give him death by inches.

Third Messenger in Shakerspeare’s Coriolanus 5.4.12-6

Sun enters Scorpio October 22, 2017 11:26 PM.

(Death by inches usually implies a painful ending.)

Horoscopes starting 10.19.2017

Libra

This is about roots. Libra roots. The starting point. The beginning, back to where are all became who we are, now. Yes, last of the birthdays, then, following on heels of Jupiter and Mercury, the Sun heads into Scorpio. Love us some Scorpio, nice folks. But as a Libra, with both Mars and Venus still in Libra? This is about roots. Pause long enough to examine where our Libra selves are from before we go blasting forward into this next week. Just about the same time the Sun shifts into Scorpio is the time for Libra to pause long enough to assess where we’ve all been.

Examining the roots, the Libra roots, that helps in a big way to move forward. There’s a simple adjustment to make, and it doesn’t take long, and it’s not a big deal, but a simple adjustment. Happy belated birthday and enjoy the good parts. Roots, all about roots.

Scorpio

Restraint of Scorpio tongue is best observed, just yet. One way I heard it? “Restraint of tongue and pen.” Seriously, who uses a pen? However, in that light, restraint of keyboard or keypad might be a good update to the cliche expression. Birthdays start soon, yes, I know. Going to be good, yes, I know. I’m in favor of this for you, yes, I know. however, with Jupiter?

With Jupiter where he is, just at the entrance to Scorpio, and between Jupiter, Mercury, finally, the Sun in Scorpio? The temptation is to have one those — typical — Scorpio Sarcasm statements loaded up and unleashed. I’m just asking for a little time. A pause, a second-guess yourself, a restraint of hasty comment. Now, the way I see it? With Mars an Venus in Libra, the sign before you? There’s a sense that this is good timing but bad timing. It’s good, but it’s also a better time to bide your time. Keep that snappy retort to yourself. Or mail it to me; I don’t care. I’ll think it’s funny and snarky, like you intended.

Sagittarius

There’s a famous quote from a certain Texas politician, “I say that with all humidity.” Between the accent and the antics of local politics, I can never tell if that was a mistake, an intentional gaff, or a deliberate comment. Local weather being what it is, yeah, it could very easily have been intentional. Never underestimate Texas politicians for their ability to twist words to serve different political ends.

As a Sagittarius, and I say this with all humility, we should be extra careful, even now. We have a year-long pattern getting firmly established that will, eventually, lead to greatness, and I say that with all humility. The trouble is, we tend to get a little confused, excited, or anxious, or, better yet? Some combination of excited, anxious, and then confused, all at once.

So the Sagittarius trick is to respond with great humidity. I’d prefer a little humility from us, but I can only — rationally — expect so much. Great humility would be great, though.

Capricorn

Perfect example? I had, what to some people, a person who was considered a, think of a single word for “Not nice person.” Yeah, not a nice person at all, universally disliked by everyone on board at that time. I’m a shade different than most, and I refuse to not see the good in person, no matter how hard that person makes it for me to find the gold. I’ll dig until I can get some nugget of nice. Takes work, with this one person as an example, and a number of other folks were amazed.

I was born — and raised — in Texas. I’ve been exposed to a rather broad cross-section of populations, from indigenous to indigent, from comfortable to nouveau riche, to old money and comfortably poor. I’ve been around a variety of sexual orientations, various skin colors, all of that. While I’m basically a middle-class white male, yeah, I’ve been around.

So it took me some digging to work with this one person, but did I did. Was it worth it? Sure, I think so. However, I had to shed some pre-conceived notions, and I was confronted with my own failings as a human.

Capricorn: be willing. Simple as that. You’re going to be confronted by an existing prejudice? An existing belief that might not be grounded in reality? Perhaps it’s like me, a person no one else was willing to work with, but, after scraping off the defensive layer, there was some “nice” under the (psychological) grime.

Capricorn: be willing, this week. That’s all.

Aquarius

This week, I got hung up on binary propositions, as in, “Yes or no.” “Black or white.” Or, “On or off.” In computer terms? “1 or 0.” No in between is allowed in any of those binary terms, As an Aquarius, a good Aquarius, at that, you’re reading this, you’re more special to me, then. Anyway, as one of the few enlightened ones? We both know there is no situation that can be so evenly divided into a simple, binary proposition. I’d like to do so for an Aquarius week, but that’s not going to happen. While that does occur with some other signs, I can’t do the same for my favorite water bearer: Aquarius. Here’s how this works out, though, some, several someones, maybe a whole host of people will try and convince you that this is a binary situation. It’s not.

It’s not binary; there is no simple “yes” or “no” answer.

There are contingencies, fallout, lean-in, obstacles, possible meandering, and some other stuff, as well, all needs to be factored into this deal.

It’s not binary. You get that, right? A simple “Yes” or “No” would suffice.

Pisces

The way to make life easier for Pisces? Find — or embrace — that Pisces Passion. Perhaps it’s less of Pisces passion, and more like a hobby, a pursuit that fulfills a spiritual yearning. Maybe it’s as simple as that. One Pisces I know, she simply loves cozy mystery books. All that it takes is a comfy spot to read, and shelf full of books, anymore, it’s just a number of texts on a tablet, but the idea is the same.

I have another Pisces example, at the other extreme, training for triathlon — I won’t even pretend to understand, but the endorphin rush, the results speak for themselves.

Hopefully, the real Pisces passion is someplace in between those two extremes. There’s subtle sense that embracing the favored Pisces passion has long-term, beneficial aspects, over the next week. Embrace that desire.

Aries

Weird week, huh? Weirder weekend, huh? Here’s the way I see this: it ain’t pretty. It’s possible, and there are great avenues to make your way forward, but, in the simplest terms? It ain’t pretty.

One Aries girl in the back, I can hear her now, “But I have to look my best for this!” You will. You’ll astonish some of the guys. However, the steps to get there from here?

“It ain’t pretty.”

I can make up a lot of words, and explain the trajectory of the planets as they all seem to careen around in the universe — at will — and all seemed determined to make Aries uncomfortable. I can’t fix that. I can say there’s a solution and I can suggest that pushing forward works, after fashion, it’s just the results?

“It ain’t pretty.”

Pretty effective, but no, not always attractive on some level. Doesn’t mean it isn’t any good.

Taurus

Binary option, right? Where I’m from, either you’re a Ford guy or a Chevy guy. There is no “in-between.” It’s decisive and divisive. Either one owns a Ford Pick-Up or one owns a Chevy truck. Each brand has adherents and enemies. Each brand has strengths and weaknesses. There is no middle ground in this kind of a discussion. As a Taurus, you’ve got a situation that is equally divided. One or the other. Can’t be both, can’t have both and one side can’t see the other side’s point-of-view.

Tough spot to be in.

I’m a Ford guy and one of my Taurus fishing buddies is a sworn Chevy person. The solution? We don’t discuss trucks when we fish, as that strays from new models to old models to him suggesting my mother dresses me funny, which is why I must be so stupid as to prefer a Ford over an obviously superior Chevy, and that’s when I realize he’s strayed from reality into “You mother dresses you funny.”

No, I dress I myself.

Much to my mother’s chagrin and alarm. Which has nothing to do with the binary debate about which brand is better.

With the motion in the planets, opposing Taurus, mostly, there’s a debate that might rage on. Maybe, like me, in that fishing boat? Even though I’m clearly right? Maybe being right isn’t as important as keeping the peace.

Gemini

“Ease and Grace,” as last week’s mantra, how did that work out?

For some, it was the first part of the mantra, “Ease.” For other Gemini’s? “Grace” was the answer. However, takes two tries, perfect for Gemini, to get the answer you’re looking for. As you will.

Ease and grace, baby.

Cancer

While I’m not ambiguous about coffee, I have clear preferences and tastes, I am a bit weird about coffee beans. The beans are one of the key elements in making coffee, and yet, I’m rather ambivalent about the source, on many occasions. I had a cup of coffee this morning that was buttery smooth, like a fine — I don’t know — not wine, better than that. To some, it might be evocative of the smoky essence of sipping whiskey, I’m not sure. For me, it was smooth, creamy, buttery with a slight tang for a finish, no citrus overtones. It was just an exceptional cup of morning coffee. One cup. The next cup wasn’t so good. I’ve been attempting to duplicate the process for that cup of coffee, several times. Unsuccessfully, I might add. Just a perfect combination of water, beans, filter, and process, I suppose.

I can’t nail it that often. For over a decade I used a single French Press, and while serviceable, it was never the perfect answer. Along with that, I tended to use Peet’s Italian Roast as my default coffee. These days? I’m much more experimental. Still, I’m trying to emulate that single cup of coffee that was so good.

Don’t be afraid to try something a little different. I found some coffee beans at the grocery store that looked good, a different roast, a different source. Not bad, not bad at all. Didn’t quite make it up to that first cup, but it was close.

The Leo

As the Sun moves into Scorpio, out of opposition to Uranus, and as the week unfolds in Leo land, there’s an abrupt stopping point. A pause, to some, a final ending to others. Sort of depends, and yet, what there is, a kind of finality that looms ahead. Welcome to Scorpio. To move The Leo ahead, what I’d like to see? Some sort of gesture, be it symbolic, real, or imagined? Some sort of gesture that paves the way for an increase in The Leo’s income. While monetary wealth won’t solve all problems, there’s a very real gesture that launches The Leo closer towards some kind of freedom — potentially financial freedom for The Leo. that’s good news, right?

Make that gesture. Take a step. Make a move. Something. Anything. Just trust me, even the smallest token gesture yields Leo-sized results. Soon.

Virgo

Wear scrubs.

No, I’m not kidding, try wearing scrubs. I think I’ve mentioned this before, but it really does work. I have several clients who are nurses, medical office technicians, and so forth. Scrubs. Magic clothing. Here’s how it works, far as I can see, wearing scrubs makes one look “official.” Then there’s the ease of maintenance, simplicity in picking out “What to wear today,” and the added bonus, if you’re lucky or smart? Get a name stenciled over the pocket. The aquamarine, navy blue version of scrubs is what I see most often, but could be any color. Cheap, relatively disposable, and best of all? Makes us look important. One of my nurse buddies, he works for the big hospital chain, we discovered that scrubs are also perfect for certain fishing conditions. More the pants, as a way to ward off painful but non-fatal jellyfish tendrils. Sometimes a problem, wade fishing.

What I noticed though, was scrubs tended to make the person wearing them seem official in a doctor-ly way, without the gravitas of a stethoscope.

The trick to appearing official when there is no real official Virgo dictum required?

Wear scrubs.