(Enter Jailer’s Daughter.)
I am very cold, and all the stars are out too,
The little stars and all, that look like aglets
The sun has seen my folly.
Jailer’s Daughter in Shakespeare’s Two Noble Kinsmen (III.iv.1-3)

Kind of a Pisces thing, that quote. And, certainly for me? “The Sun has seen my folly.”

Horoscopes starting 3.1.2018

Pisces

Annually, for a spell now, like a long time, each year, around this time, the Sun aligns with Neptune. Some folks think this is bad. Some of us think this is neither good, nor bad, but deserves observation and reflection.

While I’m all about action? This is one of those times, like I suggested, the best course of action, the best steps to take? Observation and reflection.

Couple of important birthdays this next few days, but even, in general, so very few Pisces have just a Pisces Sun, so that other stuff is getting a tap, a hint, a gentle misting of energies from is Neptune alignment.

Best way, especially for my dear Pisces to use that fairy dust being sprinkled by the planetary influence?

Observation and reflection.

Aries

Calling cadence, when marching? “Left, right, left, right.” Repeat. There’s a subtle rhythm to the calling of cadence, too, all marching in order. Here’s the problem, the Aries left foot goes out, but everyone else in this lineup is starting on their right. Can be the reverse, but that’s not the point, it’s that your Aries self feels horribly out of step with everyone else. Normally? I would suggest you fall in line with us. Normally. These are far from “normal” times, now aren’t they?

Realize that you’re out of step, my little Aries friend, and that you’re trying to catch up. Here’s the funny part, well, funny to me, but I’m not an Aries, my mirth stems from the fact that yes, you are out of step, but you’re ahead of us, not behind us. You’re not really trying to catch up, you are actually further ahead than the rest of us. We’re just not smart enough to realize that we are all looking at the Aries backside at the moment, which is our problem, not yours.

Aries: You are out of sync with the rest of us, but, Aries, you are ahead, not behind. Look over your shoulder, if need be, ascertain the facts.

Taurus

I grew up with a family of “Catalog Shoppers.” Both parents, and to this day, especially my mother, they all prefer to shop in a catalog. Pretty, staged pictures, professional models, the convenience of mail-order wherein, we fill out an order form and then the stuff gets delivered in a few weeks?

An ad cycled through my inbox the other morning, and it included a image of a device that I suddenly wanted. Perhaps it was the color, subtle suggestions in the imagery, or maybe the short description awakened my desire to own the thing.

As a challenge, though, I’ve seen a similar device for sale in the discount bins at the big box stores. More than one, and more than once. So those items, the one pictured, yes, I wanted that, but the ones I’ve been able to handle before buying? They all feel cheap, inexpensively manufactured, and mot really worth the asking price. Not really even worth the discounted price, not to me.

The momentary flash of longing and desire, awakened by the image online made me think about catalog shopping, and how the delivered product never seems to be what was ordered. It fits the legal description, sure, but doesn’t really work out.

Got a few of these items, this week. In the simplest of terms, go see for yourself. That thing advertised was really cheaper, and when I had it in hand? I discovered I didn’t really want one, after all.

Taurus: You have to handle the material yourself before you acquire it.

Gemini

Anyone who’s been around any of my material for more than a cursory glance is aware that I am an inveterate rule-breaker. Some days, this is intentional and some days, just a happy mistake, but “rules,” are less hard laws and more like guiding principles that don’t always have to be followed too closely.

Usually, my fine Gemini friend, usually.

Personally, I’ve always maintained that I follow the spirit of the law, whether or not I stray from the exact letter of the law, but that’s me, and while I’m a Gemini fan, I’m not Gemimi myself. You knew that.

Next few days? Follow the letter of the law. Rules are meant to be followed, not broken, bent, or even tested, not now.

Between a few rather unbalanced astrological elements, the strict adherence to the rules, whatever form that shows up? The stricter obeisance will deliver the best results for Gemini. Not the spirit of the law, but the letter of the law.

Gemini: Just follow the damn rules for now.

Cancer

In most of the lakes I’ve fished, there’s and old “go-to” bait that works, year after year. Called a number of different names, the bait looks like a 4-inch long plastic tube, comes in various colors, textures, and consistencies, while some are infused with the “flavor that fish crave,” others are merely cheesy plastic compounds, yes, just a plastic-looking worm-like piece of bait. Some of the more recent ones are also biodegradable plastic-like compounds. Ah, science.

The trick is how I reel the bait back in towards me. A subtle, halting motion let it sink back down, and the plastic tended to resemble the motion of an injured bait-fish, which, in turn, attracts the bigger fish.

The Cancer Moon Children benefit from that timed — or un-timed — pause in the middle of the return, the volley back, the long soliloquy, at some point, the unmetered halt, or pause, just a break in the routine action, that’s all you’re required to do.

These baits typically don’t float, but they don’t sink quickly, either. Depends on the brand, and I’ve used many variations.

Okay, the bait thing isn’t working, how about a pause button? Just hit the pause button for a moment. Middle of the delivery, stop for a moment, an un-timed pause.

“Wait? What am I waiting for?“ my little Cancer friend asks.

The fish pole bends over, and there’s a big fish.

Middle of the sentence, stop, wait for it.

The Leo

There comes a time when the illusion is more important than hard facts. This is one of those weeks for The Leo. Verifiable facts are less important than the illusion that supports The Leo.

Ever met anyone in my family? It’s easy too understand, for one, I am the most factual and reality-based, and then, facts, to other members of my family? Highly mutable. Facts can be morphed to fit any given situation. My university degree is Liberal Arts from the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Doesn’t matter if a position is incorrect, if I can effectively argue the point? I can win. Provide some kind of corroborating argument, and we’re good — again, in my family, “facts” are highly mutable.

So as this week rolls along, my special Leo friends, The Leo? I support your position, even as untenable as it might seem. What I see? From my my non-royal, non-Leo position? The illusion is way more important than the facts.

“Look!” The Leo cries out, “Kramer and his family say I’m right!”

See? Our illusion is much nicer. Let’s stick with that one for now.

Virgo

To suggest that I am a fan of ritual is a misnomer. But I do respect ritual, as we all have them. It can be something as simple as up-ending a cowboy boot before I pull it on, more as a ritual rather than serious problem, as I doubt I’ll have any scorpions or other critters crawl into my footwear. However, I respect the ritual. I watched as a Virgo buddy unlimbered a laptop, a phone, a tablet, and then chargers, cords, pens, pencils, a notebook, and then, a reference manual, all before he could get to work. I think his next step was to check social media for messages.

All part of the ritual. Which is what is important, especially to the Virgo mind, and especially right now. We need some kind of ritual to demonstrate respect. The various planets in their odd places at the moment? Ritual. Watching him unlimbers his gear, the phone, just so, the tablet, just so, the laptop, then a paper notebook, and pens, pencils, all straightened on the tabletop, everything in its place, first?

Then it’s on to the ritual of looking at the social media and various news feeds before work can occur.

Dear Virgo: it’s all part of the process to bring order to the current chaos.

Virgo: Respect the ritual.

Libra

With the planets, where they are, the energies, playing off each other, as they do? The simplest way to direct the Libra way of understanding is about what you say, and how you say it. One Libra complained about always having to, and I’m quotting directly, here, “I hate feeling like I have to walk on egg shells like this.” Yeah, I wasn’t suggesting that there was any walking involved.

Can you talk like you’re on egg shells? Don’t think that one works.

Besides, this isn’t about what you’re saying, it’s about how you’re saying it. It’s the opposite of “Talking on egg shells.” You have a voice; use it.

The little trick, for Libra, whether this is speaking or other forms of communication? Do so — nicely.

“But I’m always nice!”

Hear it now? That sounds like a whine. Be nice. Might take a little extra effort but the results will speak for themselves.

Scorpio

I got grinding on some Golden Age material last week, and I thought I would carry the sentiment forward into this week with 70’s Sitcom Music. Entire series from another kind of “golden age,” whole swaths of popular culture are available online, now. See where we were, and see what was funny, and then, watch as they dance around sexual innuendo and allusions, as it was a far different time.

70’s Sitcom Music

As a genre unto itself, 70’s Sitcom Music and this week’s Scorpio have much in common. There was a lilt to the tunes, rather simplistic jingles, and the entire song was short-lived, I think, from what I could determine, no songs lasted more than 90 seconds, and that’s the “extended mix versions,” while what was heard at the introduction usually ran about 17 seconds, and?

Cut to commercial

They might even have featured, “And now a word from our sponsors,” but I’m unsure of that part. The 70’s Sitcom Music is how to describe this weeks foibles in Scorpio’s slice of the sky. Poignant, funny, wry, and a bit obtuse at times? Yeah, that’s what works best.

“But you know you’ve heard that before, right?”

Sagittarius

A few weeks back, a buddy mentioned — in relation to a Mercury manifestation — “Short Attention Span Theatre.” I wrote that down, intending to use it in a few more weeks, having to do with Mercury and its motions. Instead, this cropped up for Mars in Sagittarius as the term applies to our lives, at this very moment.

“What’s the topic?”

Turns out, the term wasn’t totally original, and turns out, it doesn’t have to do with Planet Mercury — at all. Turns out, Mars in Sagittarius is making us move faster, think quicker, and jump to conclusions more hastily than anyone else.

You now know the culprit, source of the quickness, and possibly overly hasty decisions. What were we talking about, “What’s the topic?”

Short Attention Span Theatre, now playing in the Sagittarius mind.

Capricorn

A business associate of mine moved to San Antonio, then up towards Austin, arriving here from SoCal (Peoples Republic of Southern California). She was constantly amazed at how nice people were. Texans, especially those of who are native, tend towards kindness. We tend to ask before we shoot, and even when we’re being cruel, we try to do it kindly.

“Nice shoes.”

I was amazed at her outpouring of love and tenderness for “people from Texas,” as I’ve come to expect kindness as part of the process. After so much time traveling the highways and byways, enough time spent in wayside little towns in Texas, yes, there’s an innate kindness we try to display.

With a little bit of Sagittarius-inspired tension in the Capricorn chart, though, I would be careful of one part of this, the “Drive friendly” sign. A recent meme online, “Drive friendly, in Texas, we’re armed.”

Not totally true, but a nice reminder.

As a reminder, for Capricorn? Try the friendly way, first. You will be amazed at how much easier it is, if you start with a smile.

Aquarius

At the grocery store, the other afternoon, I picked up a particular brand of tea bags. Herb tea, healthy, organic, free-range, vegan, no animal cruelty. In doing so, I was adding back to the environment, from what I read on the label.

I don’t always buy all that stuff they claim.

The instructions were simple, steep the tea bag, all-herbal, for eight or ten minutes, while breathing the fumes and thinking positive thoughts.

Read my horoscopes, while thinking positive thoughts. Stop and wonder why certain Scorpios are so cruel to me. Pause and wonder the little things in life that bring you joy.

Then I thought?

As this horoscope steeps, and brews, inhale the fragrant aroma of the blend of cosmic and consciousness, and think positive thoughts.

If there was a way to build in a moment’s reflection I would. There’s still a short audio file that has Tibetan bells at each end, perfect for timing a mediation, and since it was 9-minute piece?

Here.

Perfect for timing this. Right amount of time for the tea to steep, or the horoscope to make sense. Or the deeper meaning to become imbued with, well, deeper meaning.

No time like the present to include a momentary pause to make the Life Aquarius better, no time better than right now.

Nine Minute File

I strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact me.