Horoscopes starting 7.19.2018

Proteus: Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit.
Speed: And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse.

in Shakespeare’s
Two Gentlemen of Verona (1.i.106-7)

Venus (Virgo) opposes Neptune (Pisces) this week.

Horoscopes starting 7.19.2018

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Cancer

Happy birthday! Some years ago, a storekeeper in San Antonio had an interesting bit of her own graffiti — and this came up recently. Ten ways to make iced coffee more interesting, and her solution? Tequila. I don’t even know what the rest of the link-bait article suggested. I liked an iced espresso. Done properly, it lasts all afternoon, and is only a single/double shot of espresso, a proper receptacle, and ice. Gradually, the ice melts. Reminds me of a summer trip in England. It’s your birthday time. I’m unsure if the reference about ways to make iced coffee interesting or the manufacture of iced coffee in certain climates, unsure if that applies. But the tequila in the coffee? If it really is a birthday time, and it is the time for Cancer/Moon children, and the very edge of Leo-time, and as such, think about that first version of interesting coffee. Then think about getting someone else to do the driving. Get a non-Cancer to drive, and have some interesting coffee. Works for me.

The Leo

What was the best summer job you had? I worked for close to two years as a bartender at a sleazy bar in the marginally bad side of town, from day bartender to bar manager, to featured star to unemployed, all for what should’ve just been a summer job. But as summer jobs go, think that was one of my best. So the question is, what was your best summer job?

Summer jobs are temporary, intended as only a short time. In Austin, the plum of the summer gigs used to be a Life Guard at Barton Creek Pool. It was a city position, it was cool, and it was a lot of sitting. Maybe a whistle or two, getting rowdies out of the pool, or something. Previously, I’ve mentioned being whistled out of Barton Creek Pool, but that was for a perceived sleight. I was innocent, but I also know better than to argue with a person in authority, even if the Life Guard is about a third my age. Still, sweet gig, especially for The Leo as there is the perception of authority.

Virgo

Maxwell’s Equations are the underpinning of all current electromagnetic theories. Fact. The equations, to me, look like a bunch of squiggles. I recognize the symbol that are derived from ancient Greek letters, the old alphabet, and the locations, stuff above and below lines, but after that? Makes not a lot of sense to me. However, as a technical artifact, as a way to get a person engaged in an activity? Good start as any. It’s a particularly useful process of engagement around certain tech type. Works like a good bait. Virgo needs a good bait this next few days. Pursuing an engineer or — better yet — a physicist? Maxwell’s Equations are as good an opener as anything. “I have never seen that on a T-shirt before,” and the rest, as they say, is history.

Happy Virgo history? What we’re aiming for. Got to use the right bait.

Libra

Bring a date. Simple as that, “Bring a date.” The specific example was for a “Shakespeare in the park” show, and that was in Austin. I’ve taken dates there. Works in my favor, as no matter who I bring? She’ll have a blanket, perhaps a cooler with beverages, sort of depends on the current weather, or season, one year was cold, wrapped up in a blanket, but the last few times, it’s been warm. Beverage, sweating, and something to sit on, all good, am I right? Bug spray. One date remembered bug spray. Bug spray, blanket, cooler, all for a much more enjoyable show, for me. So in light of recent events and looking up ahead? Solid Libra advice? “Bring a date.” It’s really simple. When I go alone to the Shakespeare in the park events, I’m miserable, fighting mosquitos or buying overpriced park beverages destined to be fund-raisers for the Shakespeare in the park dot org. Been to several. Always selling fund raising material. Five buck for a bottle of not too cold water, but it does go to a good cause? Or?

“Bring a date.”

She’ll have bug spray, a blanket, a cooler, maybe snacks, and all I have to do? Be semi-literate.

Libra: “Bring a date.”

Scorpio

“Art is an obligation.” It’s not a choice, either. A not-so-subtle reminder for my Scorpio friends. The actual phrase was a snippet drawn, almost out of context, from a conversation with a buddy who is a construction worker, well, tradesman, of sorts. Still, the comment stands, and it can stand alone, too. For Scorpio?

“Art is an obligation.” The way this obligation shows varies from chart to chart, and from day to day, and certainly, from one Scorpio to the next. Still, the idea itself, the statement, it holds up as the way to work through this week’s strangeness.

“Art is an obligation,” my Scorpio friend, and your challenge to experiment with your chosen art form, perhaps stretching the limits of what you are comfortable with, as a chosen art form. Working around the edges of the Scorpio comfort zone works wonders.

Sagittarius

For a decade, back in the “Bad old days,” I lived in a tiny space, long before the “Tiny Houses” were a thing. I understand the kind of economy of lifestyles that is required to nest, roost, make a home, eat, sleep, bath, and cook in such a tiny space. Think trailer park, south Austin. Before either was cool. So this next week focus attention on Sagittarius dwelling places. What needs to go? What do we think we want to get rid of, but maybe not? What should be tossed, hosed, or hauled off? What matters most? What are the Sagittarius priorities, and this needs to be long-term as well as this next week. Long-term goals, yes, we are the “big picture” people, in ancient lore, but with the influences, it’s easy to get caught up and thinking we should just hose, toss, and haul off everything when we would be better served not taking such rash actions at the moment.

I love grand gestures. I love the drama, the intrigue, the questioning, and the suspense, like, “How will this turn out?”

This isn’t a time for grand gestures, intrigue, or Sagittarius suspense. Yes, it is a time to start a winnowing process. No, it is not a time to slash and burn everything.

Capricorn

At least one of my friends is predicting total anarchy, a breakdown of biblical proportions, the end of civilization, and the return to caves as a primary dwelling space. Yeah, I’m less sure of any of that. The tendency to “catastrophize” seems to be an inherent human characteristic. This is exacerbated by the machinations of the inner planets, Mercury (not so much, but in Leo, and Venus opposite Neptune) plus Mars, and the rest, is as they say, the rest of the story. It’s not the end of the Capricorn world, but there will one or two who will see it so, and then, when calamity strikes, albeit of a lesser nature, it will be, “See? I told you so!”

If you look for trouble, you will find it. However, if you look for conflict resolution, there is that, too. Saturn in Capricorn at the moment, will eventually award patient, measured, cautious steps in a forward direction.

Capricorn: Caution is the byword, not “End of the world and total breakdown of existing structures!” Just exercise a little caution.

Aquarius

This is about “Advice from the back of the boat.” I thought about spinning that off as a separate set of instructions, or some kind of heading on its own, but that’s too much trouble, and right now? This is advice from the back of the boat. The back seat is reserved for passengers, camera crew, supporting characters, and the odd hitchhiker. It’s one of my favorite places to ride, means the trolling motor is out, and some one else is “driving.” All I have to do is fish. One fishing buddy started asking questions about my other day job, astrology, and he started expecting advice about girlfriends, former wives, and his kids. So the advice from the back of the boat is based upon my experience and observations, and carefully looking at charts. However, I wasn’t getting paid, so the one buddy — Aquarius — didn’t pay me much heed. Listened then did the other thing. Didn’t turn out well. “Should’ve listened to you last time.” Mars is getting ready to oppose the Sun, and Neptune is getting ready to oppose Venus. Spells out relationship trouble. Duck. Weave, avoid conflict, avoid Aquarius conflict at all costs.

“But did yo hear what she called me?”

My answer? “Think about — it kind of fits.”

“I know but….”

Stop, right there. See what I mean?

Pisces

In the next week, Venus will be opposite from Neptune. That means there will be seeds of confusion, and possible disillusion. I tend to see this as a fog bank. I haven’t really spent much time along the Left Coast. Love it out there, but no, not really having spent much time there, this more an allusion rather than first hand experience. Saw it once, that’s for sure, but once in lifetime doesn’t count as verifiable experiences. It was the fog, the legendary fog of San Fransisco, spilling into the bay. While an amazing image, the cloud-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge, all of that, while an amazing image, yeah, I haven’t experienced it personally, at least, not too much. When I do run into the fog, I’m a little awe-struck, water vapor, clouds, whatever, coalescing right at the surface of the planet, rendering visibility next to impossible. I marvel at the image, myself, kind of cool, like “Whoa, dig it.” I don’t live where it is a constant phenomena, or regular, to some, a traffic hazard.

This week sows fog, either real, or perceived. Instead of trying to make quick headway when it is clear that the planets are against that very idea? Instead of blindly plunging forward at a high rate of speed, endangering other people, well, and your Pisces self? Instead of making trouble, slow down, look at the fog, and go, like “Whoa, dig it, this is cool.”

Perfect example is an old image of the Tower of the Americas shrouded in a fog one winter day in South Texas.

Aries

As the Sun gets ready to shift into Leo? There’s a bolt of electrical current that runs through Aries, like the smell of ozone from a summer squall’s crackling electricity in the night sky. There is a problem, too, because not everyone feels this way. We are not all as energized, not up to the same level of expectancy and output as the Aries can be. You can detect the flow and tap this energy well. Us? Not so much.

The challenge is to properly engage the “Mars, the main Aries planet, Mars is Retrograde, and that’s hardly a deal-killer, but it does slow down the other 11 signs,” and the tricky point is engaging that other energy properly. I got all kinds of burned out from seeing the term “Mindfulness” popping up everywhere. However, an Aries moment of mindfulness can go a long way in helping engage and harness this energy, properly.

Buzz words for this week’s Aries energies?

“A moment of Aries mindfulness goes a long way.”

Taurus

While back a fishing buddy handed me a burned CD, carefully labeled — by Sharpie. “Son-in-law did this; give it a listen,” and my buddy shrugged. After letting it play on the truck’s CD player a few spins, though, I would say good things. To me, though, and this shows age plus experiences, it sounded like early Beatles and certain sophomore Pink Floyd.

Pretty even split about half and half, the gentle harmonic rhetoric of young love and stray acoustical experimentation, early synthesizer and raw acoustical shreds. Strangely appealing material.

It was “Millennial Music,” and instead of forging completely into the unknown, there a definite, definable exploration of existent forms.

The tip for Taurus came from listening to that kid’s music, one more time, instead of broadly exploring totally new areas? Build on what has worked before.

Gemini

I couldn’t help myself, “What an ugly shirt!” Young lady of approximate dimensions had it on; the letters across her chest read, “Adulting.” Ugly, isn’t it? Nasty words, and one a single adverbial phrase for Gemini and this week? “Adulting.” I mean no disrespect to my Gemini clan, but seriously, follow the advice on that lady’s shirt. Act like an adult for a little while. Maybe not for long, maybe not really be an adult, although, many of you are adult-aged, I didn’t say you had to be an adult, but act like one. Just for a little while? Perhaps do that Gemini thing you do so well, and fake it? Make believe? Pretend?

Pretend to be a real adult and make adult decisions? Always worth a try.

“Cool! That means adult beverages!”

I’m not winning at this “Adulting” point, am I? Not for Gemini, anyway. Can’t blame me for trying, though.