PAR.:I love not many words.(exit)
LORD. DUM.:No more than a fish loves water.

From Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well (III.vi.26-7)

Mars “squares” Jupiter, Mercury turns retrograde, Venus turns direct, and a Happy Scorpio Birthday!

Mercury’s retrograde pattern starts Nov. 17, at 13 (and a half) of Sagittarius and slides back to a resting point at 27 Scorpio, December 5, 2018. Usual caveats apply.

Horoscopes for 11.15.2018

Scorpio

Having been on both sides of this kind of energy, I can help my Scorpio birthday friends. I watched as a friend carried anger like shield to protect her. Righteous indignation is a luxury and for a Scorpio? This isn’t a good week for that holy cross and mighty sword of anger with which you slay demons and devils who have done thy Scorpio self so very, very wrong. No doubt this anger is justified. No doubt you were wronged. No doubt someone — not me — but someone crossed that line and should feel the heavy hand of Scorpio wrath. Still, think, birthday, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, all of that. No need to launch into an attack, which, here’s a birthday promise for Scorpio, no need to launch an attack that you will have to fight yourself, when , if you’ll just put the petty difference aside?

In good time, not soon enough, but in good time?

That justice will be served, and here’s the funner part: Scorpio won’t have to do any of the work. Put away the flaming sword and holy cross of Scorpio martyrdom, for now.

Sagittarius

Is it a choice? Or is is a decision? Simple question. Every morning when I wake, I get a chance to make a decision. It’s a choice, for me, as I choose to be happy. Yes, the planets are applying an undue amount of pressure but that just means there’s something cooking up in the astrological pressure cooker of Sagittarius, and it will pop out a little later. In the morning, when I wake up, I have a choice. While it looks like a choice, it really is a decision. What’s with the questions and definitions?

Decisions or choices? Which is it? Kind of depends, but from a rhetorical way of seeing it, the term “choice” implies that there is more free will and less deterministic than the idea of being a “decision,” which implies a more final tone. With what’s cooking? One un-retrograde (Venus) versus one turning retrograde (Mercury), none of this is a surprise. What we can do, though, choose. Choose wisely. Realize, too, that our decisions are not final, and that we can amend our answers a little later, as we learn more in the next few week. Yes, Mars and Jupiter serve as a temporary pressure cooker, but that’s not all bad, we just have to decide to wait before we open up that pot — that can of worms, the beans on the stove, whatever metaphor you think works best for now. Might change. Might make a better choice, later.

Capricorn

Over the years, I’ve worked with a variety of tech companies for services. I can trace my web hosting experiences back to a then-legendary server farm, in Austin, back in the bad, old days. Over the years, I’ve bounced from one company to another, until I finally wound up where I’m at. Someplace I’ve got a link with information about domain registration and domain hosting recommendations — I tend to be pretty transparent, besides, this data is accessible enough to sniff out with relative ease. However, I was helping a buddy with her site, and doing a transfer from one service to another. The service she was leaving made it very difficult to transfer out of their technological grip. As a techie, I felt like I was fighting to get them to release their tenacious grip on product that no longer belonged to them. As a tech, it was miserable. As a business person, though, I had to admire the way it worked, as the company had so many bells, whistles, hoops, and loops, a lesser person would give up and just stay with the one company. Which is why I was helping my friend. Up against this kind of tussle in the next few days? For Capricorn? Pause, read all the instructions. Admire the tenacity of the opponent, but don’t give in. Persistence pays off.

Aquarius

Invited to speak, one time, I stepped into the back of the room and the promoter was going to do an introduction. I’m not used to that. I’m used to strolling up to the podium, stepping to one side, and then launching into the material. The introduction threw me. I’m not used to accolades or a build-up, then, “put your hands together to welcome Kramer Wetzel!” Way too much for what I do. However, it was part of that gig, in a little town west of here. While I’m quite earnest about the content, my presentation tends to be a little more relaxed. I was briefly put-off by the intro; it upset my own timing, and my own intro. Still, it was nice to be acknowledged and some of the material was pulled straight from old website stuff, “Sometimes he thinks he was Shakespeare in a past life,” which is false. Still, the intro was nice. A change from what I’m used to getting. As an Aquarius, there is a change to the usual introduction you receive, which can be upsetting, but then, pause and consider, this could be good, too. You get the build-up, the introductory chords, the announcer saying something kind, if slightly hyperbolic, about who and what this is about. Think: “In this corner, the pride of Aquarius-land, the achiever who out-achieve the competition, we have…”

Pisces

Thunderstorm. Flash of lightening. Big “boom!” A power transformer near me was blown apart by a lightening strike, and that meant no power for a few hours. Hey, we can always use the rain, am I right? I was reading a book on a tablet, and with about a half-charge, I could read all night long. I was bereft of internet router, TV, lights, and the stuff in the fridge might start to melt, but if I left it all alone? It would be ok.

I kept reading.

The lights flickered on an hour or so later, and nothing was damaged, hurt, or otherwise compromised. All the electronics are on double safeguard back-ups, and the rest of it didn’t matter, nothing that would go bad if it defrosted, but if I just left the freezer alone, nothing would seriously defrost. In this example, I did nothing. Minor inconvenience. Didn’t interrupt my cell service, but I also didn’t pay attention. I keep a big flashlight by the bed, just in case of events like this, and I figure I could grab a regular book and read it, if needed. The Mars and Jupiter thing will cause an interrution. How much you let this bother you?

Aries

One of clients confided in me, “I only have a kitchen because it came with the place,” with the follow-up being she couldn’t — or wouldn’t — cook. Ever. Not a domestic goddess. While I am certainly no domestic goddess myself, and I really don’t look good in a French Maid outfit, I do know my way around a kitchen. “Yeah, it’s where he makes coffee,” would be the smart answer. True, too. In a certain — no longer there — trailer park in South Austin, I used the oven to store plates. One former girlfriend confided she used her oven to store linen. I would be a little worried about that, fire hazard and all, but the oven in Austin? It wasn’t even working. No problem. While I was originally headed in one direction with this horoscope, that thought about Aries and open flame in the kitchen, made think to remind you what to watch for. Remember that one who used store linens in the oven? That could — potentially — be a big problem, someone accidentally turns on the stove? Two cautions, don’t turn on the stove — or other flame source — without looking, first. Second, extend that idea that an unintentional fire source could cause problems, and as a reminder? Maybe store plates and silver in the oven instead of something flammable, even in the example where my oven didn’t even work.

Taurus

I spin it, tweak it, tease it a little, I look at the chart on the screen sideways. I try a number tricks to get a new way of explaining this week’s energy for Taurus. Think I simplified this one quite well: don’t blurt stuff out. It’s that simple.

Don’t blurt stuff out

Seriously, there’s an urge to just open your Taurus mouth and spit out the first, almost random thought. “Well, it needed saying.” Sure it did. It was the very Sagittarius lack of tact that ruined the message. Right message, wrong phrasing. Right message, wrong way to say it. Right message, but if you just blurt it out, no one seems to grasp the gravity of what you’re saying. Me? I’m not Taurus, so I tend to blurt stuff out frequently. To some this might actually be an endearing quality. Others? Not so much. But I can get away with it, by being who I am. However, as a suggestion what to watch for, and what to guard against, that urge, that moment when the Taurus mouth gets in gear before the Taurus brain seems to be engaged. Causes the situation to stall. Or, in simpler terms? “Don’t blurt stuff out.”

Gemini

“Watching a fishing show is like pornography, lots more fun to do it yourself,” an adage from an old buddy. He is right, though, much more fun to engage in the activity rather than watch it on a screen, and then, to carry this further, what is portrayed on the screen sets up for some unrealistic expectations. Watching that fishing show, it looks like every cast gets a fish. In the real world, I can spend up to eight hours on boat, and catch maybe a half-dozen fish. On certain days, when the stars align, I have boated more than 50 fish in five hours, so yeah, it could happen.

However, usually, it is a little less. I have, in the course of years, had luck on the first cast, sail that bait out, and get a fish on the first try. Doesn’t always happen, and this week ain’t looking that good for Gemini. Thus noted? Be willing to work it, be willing to try, be willing to get out there with realistic expectations and then, watch how events work out. Last fishing show I watched, there was sunrise, then six clips with five fish of note, then a wrap-up at the boat shed at dusk. In less than 30 minutes. So, apparently they didn’t catch fish in the other 11 hours or so on the water, in the boat. See how this washes out? This is about the work involved in the rest of the material that doesn’t get used.

Cancer

As a Sagittarius myself, this isn’t even a fair question, as I am less than picky about the foodstuffs, myself. However, as a Cancer Moon child, you can be a tad more concerned with the left-over foods. That’s what this week is about, leftovers. Leftover food, leftover goals, leftover girlfriends (boyfriends, whatever). Mostly, leftover food, and what is good the next day, or the day after, even. For me, leftover pizza, days later, is still good. For me, I had some kind of take-out Asian egg-roll thing, dish. Three days? Dip it in the hot mustard sauce? Still tasty, if a little soggy with age. But that’s me, and I’m not a Cancer. See how this goes? What works for other people might not work for yourself. “Look, here, everyone is doing it!” Does not apply to Cancer and the Moon Children. “Everyone” does not encompass your unique sense of style and taste. Some of you love the idea of the three-day old pizza. Others? Not so much. Just because it works, and works well, for me? That does not make it right for you. If, as they say, “Everyone is doing it,” does that peer pressure really apply to your fine, Cancer Moon Child self? To think, this started with whether or not you should have that three-day old pizza. Me? I’d like it.

The Leo

There’s a strong, long tie I have to certain chain of bookstores, Half-Price Books. In part, because we started in towns close to each other. In part, because, well, it’s a book store, and, in part, well, I like to browse — and each store has a personality. Regrettably, this isn’t a more universal brand, so the idea and ideal might not translate well across to people (The Leo) who don’t have such a store close at hand. Big chains, and lack of personal attention are part of it, and where I live, I have access to half-dozen Half-Price Books, and each one is a different flavor. I tend to look for old books, arcane texts, not-quite-yet-rare first editions, and whatever else might catch my fancy.

Some gold. Some crap. Some crap that turns to gold, and some gold that turns out to be crap.

However, the books themselves, I can read and return, or read and toss, or read and pass on. This isn’t about a specific text, or looking for a certain book; this is about a voyage of discovery, for The Leo, and I tend to favor books, and then, by extension, bookstores, as a way to gain some knowledge. Varies greatly from individual to individual, but there is a longer-term influence that suggests, this week, cruise the bookstore. Above and beyond my own texts, I would suggest a used book store. Just cooler stuff, and then, there are some copies with notes in them?

Virgo

Old fishing buddy of mine used to brag about harsh conditions. His fast, over-powered bass boat — the key ring had a floating reminder, “Sit down, shut up, and hold on.” My buddy took great pride in a boat that would knife through the waters at a scary-fast speed. He liked the hotrod aspect of the adventure as much as I liked the fishing. His favorite time, I also suspected, was as soon as we cleared the “No Wake” zone in the marina, and he would slam the throttle forward, bouncing us up to — best guess — close to 70 MPH. Most of the other craft were running about 40 knots or so. Until the boat got on its plane, and smoothed out? Rough ride. In part, that was part of my buddy’s favorite part, punishing the passenger. The key ring message was accurate. “Sit down, shut up, and hold on!” Starting soon, now, last week? That message is like my buddy pulling out of the marina, slamming that boat’s throttle forward, and us, the Virgo passengers, getting pressed back in the seat, then hitting the crest of wave and feeling like we might bounce out. Advice? “Sit down, shut up, and hold on!”

Libra

Fruit jerky is some of the weirdest named material I’ve come across. It is variations on a theme, like real beef jerky is an ages-old method of preserving protein for storage and transport, and its little cousin, the Slim Jim. Weird food stuff is a category of its own, and then, this is a mere subset. In recent years, I’ve seen material that I would think less likely for the “jerky (desiccated food product)” oft repeated. Bacon jerky, pork jerky — same thing one would think — meat substitute like soy and tofu jerky, and the ubiquitous turkey jerky.

I had some fruit jerky I carried for work, as in, it was material that rode around in my shoulder bag for a while. Tasted OK, served its function — the fruit jerky — but it also left me underwhelmed. I expect, if there is “jerky” in the title, to chew on something salty, perhaps tough and leather-like. I wanted something to chew on, to take my time grinding up with my teeth, where I felt like I had accomplished a goal by eating instead of feeling some barely solidified fruit purée slide down my throat. However, as a viable food source for those long days on the road, yes, it worked. And the product itself, check the ingredients, but it does — in the broadest terms — fall under that definition of jerky. Still, as a Libra, does this really work? Is it tough and leather-like? A food-like product you can really sink your Libra teeth into?