- How courtesy would seem to cover sin,
When what is done is like an hypocrite,
The which is good in nothing but in sight!
Pericles in Shakespeare’s Pericles, Prince of Tyre (1.1.121-3)
Sun moves into Sagittarius Nov. 21, 2017 — 9:03 PM (Plus or minus for time zones).
On sale now: Chart Reports.
Horoscopes starting 11/16/2017
Scorpio
Scorpion
Doing so promises a wonderful set of conditions ahead. Paves the way for a bright Scorpio year, and after what we’ve all been through? Wouldn’t that be better?
Sagittarius
The late, great singer/songwriter, Townes Van Zandt once noted from the stage that, “Folk singing is about 20 percent writing and signing, and about 80 percent driving.” He was alluding to the years on the road. For many long years, looking at vast expanses of Texas highway, I preferred inexpensive commuter air rather than driving. However, I’d agree that I spent more time traveling and less time doing real work. Part and parcel of the gig, whether I’m an astrologer, he was a folk singer. It’s a variation on the 90/10 Rule, or the 99/1, where the job is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. Personally?
As a lazy Sagittarius myself, I prefer Townes Van Zandt’s version of the rule, as it’s more in my experience but realistically, the numbers tend to skew towards the extreme end, 1% inspiration and 99% work. Hard work. We’re not done yet. Almost, but not quite.
Following on the heels of the singer/songwriter (he was a Pisces), though, following on his commentary about this is less about the job and more about the work of the work? The requirement to put one foot in front of the other to get to the end? There’s a bit of material that’s been left undone, and we really should attend to this now. After all, this task in front of our Sagittarius selves is more about the hard part of the job, the driving, the perspiration, we’re not at inspiration, not quite yet.
Capricorn
I glanced at a sign in local coffee shop and thought I read, “Almond Chicken Mocha.” Wasn’t what I saw, not really, but it was what my brain intreated at the time, and I was going to run with that.
- How about an almond chicken latte?
Not sure any of this is real, but then, the nature of reality is one of the oldest philosophical debates, is this all a dream, or is it real? Or, if you’re of a certain age, “Is it Memorex?”
Where I live, with its close proximity to Louisiana, chicory is a common coffee element. Not unusual, not around here. So the mistake, “Almond Chicken Latte” was really about some other kind of connection, but the problem being, I jumped to hasty conclusion, and made a connection hat was — frankly — not present. I can save Capricorn the embarrassment of making a hasty assumption and arriving at an erroneous conclusion by reminding you about my faulty memory and “Almond Chicken Mocha.”
Aquarius
Life is not a binary equation. It — life Aquarius — doesn’t resolve to a simple “Yes” or “no” equation. I like it when the equations are simple. However, this week’s Aquarius energies require a complex algorithm to answer the questions, and to most effectively set the destinations?
The arrangement for arriving at the Aquarius answers, or the answers the Aquarius wants and needs? There’s a set of conditional statements. “If the answer is yes, then we proceed in this direction, and if the answer is no, then we proceed forward in this direction,” with an understanding that each of those possible directions have further questions that qualify, suggest, organize, and set possible limits on directions.
Each situation this next few days is fraught with possible outcomes. Instead of simple, “Black and White,” none of this binary. Me? I can reduce it to binary question, but just a soon as that’s done, then there’s the the question about the conditional answer, and this is why the answer to this week’s set of questions is not really as a simple as it seems, “If this, then this, which implies this, but might really mean this, so we need to proceed in this direction, conditionally, for now,” but be aware that the Aquarius algorithm can kick in and subtly shape the outcomes.
“If this, then maybe, this, and maybe that, and we will refine our answers as more Aquarius data is available.”
Pisces
Ever meet a person who — it feels like — just swallows your own soul? Someone comes swimming into your life and there’s a connection, a real, palpable connection, you can feel it in your heart of hearts.
- I’m Sagittarius, so the terms “soulmate” and “cellmate” are uncomfortably close in sound.
This is also less of a connection that ends in a soulmate, and more of connection that ends with solid friendship. Perhaps more than just friends, but a little less than the Pisces standard lover.
This is about connections between people, and there’s one — probably a new one — entering the Life of Pisces this next few days. I would tend to see this as a casual connection that holds earmarks, and symbolic meaning, but might not be a lover, not in the conventional sense.
Aries
A single idea, a simple image can give birth to strange new worlds and hitherto unrealized directions. Starts with a single image, Car Crushing Bump was the one for me. An idea, in that case it was a simple image, that spawned a website that still rolls along, although, some of the conditions have changed, still, it’s operative even now. The reason I was thinking about that idea, a single image? A single image that created a whole collection, even spun off a real, printed book? Started with a simple image coming out of TexMex place for lunch.
That singular image, a sign that said, “Car Crushing Bump?” That’s what is probably ahead for Aries. “A ‘car crushing bump’?” Yes, in a word. Now, this can play out two ways, and they seem pretty far apart, when in fact, they are far apart. Either you drive right over the car crushing bump and feel the underpinnings of the drivetrain ripped asunder, or you use that idea to launch something new.
It’s your choice, Aries. You did see the sign, though — no excuses.
Taurus
“I always dreamed of having a little business on the side where I…”
It’s the “dot dot dot” part that I can’t fill in for Taurus.
But you can. I’ve tinkered with a number of collectible items, mostly hardware, and I wanted an Apple Computer museum, at one time, again, this is just my partial list of ideas. I’ve long held a fascination with older, American cars, the original iron from Detroit. Same for British Roadsters or variations on the VW Bug. All held fascination at one time or another. However, I don’t want to get greasy anymore, so cars are out. I’m not interested of trolling eBay for deals and steals and learning about any new collectible material, so that’s out, too. The idea remains, but none of it really holds enough of a grip on my psyche to make it appealing to me. However, as Taurus, there’s a side business you’re interested in. Start taking steps toward that goal. Look up prices, look up sources, look up sellers, look up buyers, estimate what it could earn you, then adjust that estimate with real-world — Taurus — knowledge. You can make this work, but it will take some planning, and I’d suggest you sort with a simple spreadsheet. Hobbies that make money? That’s a tiny business.
“I always dreamed I would have a little business where I…”
Fill in the blank.
Gemini
My business tended to be largely cyclical, depending on the variations and vagaries of the seasons. Over the year, though, my business has tended to even out some, as I learned to fill in the blanks with longer-term goals and tasks. I don’t tend to have a “slow season,” not so much, not anymore. However, there is a dip in earned income incoming. That is seasonal. As an astrologer, I prepare for this. As an astrologer, I’ve tracked this over the years, and I’m aware that this is going on, or that it is coming up. And as a Gemini-compliant astrologer, I’m warning you that this is a dip, either here now, or in the next few weeks. Just a seasonal slow spot, not the end of the world. For those of us who are freelance? Task, or project-specific earned income? Probably a slow spot. Not the end, and the holidays will kick it all back up into high gear, but, yeah, a little slow spot now. Worried? Don’t be. The Gemini mind can easily find all manner of things to keep it occupied for the time being. No, seriously. You can clean this place a little, right?
Cancer
I got an idea. A pop-up Xmas setting. I’m a firm believer that no Xmas decorations or anything Xmas should be put on display, or even thought about until after Thanksgiving (US). Period. No decorations in October, that’s just wrong, on so many levels. Just wrong. However, think about a single way to make it all work, and work well, in hurry.
Last year, right after the big Xmas crap was over, I picked up a sweet deal on sale item: a genuine fake Xmas tree, with lights and boxed up. All I have to do is pull it out of the box, and the branches fold down, and I have an instant Xmas tree display. Super easy. Simple. No mess, no fuss. This took planning, preparation, and little scheming ads I had to hit the store when all that crap was on sale, between Xmas and New Year.
I’m prepared for Xmas. Just whip that sucker out of its box, and I got a tree. Lights, just plug it in. Nothing else is required. Domestic bliss, such as it is.
Cancer: for the Moon Children, I was envisioning something a little more elaborate but still, in the box. Like a suitcase Xmas display for the office, just whip that crap out, and it’s an explosion of Santa Claus, elf, and related foppery. This is the time to get it ready. Not unfold it all, just set the stage. Staging. This week is all about staging for the near future.
However, please, respect the holiday, no Xmas decorations until after Thanksgiving. (At least, none that you can see yet.)
The Leo
There’s usually a cold snap in November, but then it will warm back up to typical, balmy, south Texas weather. I finally got used to the idea of having to wear long pants for a few days and then I’m back in shorts. The short burst of arctic air, obviously a Canadian export, burns off and I’m back to normal.
Like south Texas weather in November, there’s the astrological weather for The Leo: cold, warm, cool, hot again. One buddy called this “psychotic ex” weather, and if we are to be believed, we all have a crazy ex someplace in our distant past. But this is about weather, not failed romance.
- I got to thinking about it, for perspective, there are probably a few ex-girlfriends who rate me as a psychotic ex. Hey, at the time? It probably fit. I didn’t see it that way, but I’m not an unbiased observer.
The Leo: be aware that the emotional timbre of the times shifts, rapidly, easily, and — apparently — with little or no notice. Warm, cold, hot. Freezing rain that paralyzes this town. Shorts, two days later. All the pile up in Scorpio does this to you. Hot and cold, sometimes the same day. Here? I’ve seen this. Had to run the AC and the heater, same day.
The Leo: you have now been formally apprised of the situation. Dress accordingly.
Virgo
Many, many years ago, I sat on the floor of the New Age Bookstore in South Austin, and I paged through several copies of the I-Ching. I would look up specific passages in at least three different versions, translated by various scholars, to see how each interpreted a single symbol. I don’t recall, there are a ton of variations, but each interpretation that I read that sweaty summer afternoon in South Austin? I was originally intent on purchasing a single copy of the I-Ching to use as a reference, but the lack of any kind of cohesive meaning left me disturbed and confused.
After that experience, I’ve never really investigated the I-ching again. I do use Taoist and other Zen writings as a source of spiritual material, and I've noted the problems between translations with some of the more recent Roman authors I cite.
The problems facing Virgo is a tendency to fall into a trap like a single translation of the I-ching, and believe that it is the single source for data. Just comparing through “authoritative” versions should indicate the problems with trusting a single source, Virgo dear.
Libra
My habit has roots deep in old East Austin, back when it was a dicey neighborhood, before the Urban Gentrification crowd moved in and took over. I lived close to a cheap storefront and a big, ethnically oriented grocery chain. I would tend to buy the “Seven Day Candle” with some unknown saint’s name and icon on the front, then a brief prayer on the back of the label, usually printed in Spanish then English. The neighborhood had been student ghettos turned barrio, and was in the process of being “rediscovered.” I fancied myself an urban adventurer when I was just post-gradual school, starting out as a full-time astrologer.
The source of that habit might be deeper, I’m unsure, but I know I was in the habit of leaving a candle lit, at all times. The reason I mentioned the old roots, deep in old Austin, was to show some source material. Those candles cost a dollar — or less — and they were a symbol of keeping the home fires burning. I got to where I would only leave the candle lit on the stove itself, under a metal hood, about as safe as any place.
There’s a way, as a gentle Libra, there’s a way to pay homage to old traditions, older flames, older ideal, and perhaps, older beliefs. The converse side of this idea, as a gesture for this week’s Libra news? Keep that price at a buck, or less.
