Horoscopes for 1.17.2019

“The mercy that was quick in us but late,
By your own counsel is suppress’d and kill’d.
You must not dare (for shame) to talk of mercy,
For your own reasons turn into your bosoms,
As dogs upon their masters, worrying you.
See you, my princes and my noble peers,
These English monsters!”

—King Henry V
in Shakespeare Henry V (II.ii.79-85)

Happy Birthday!

Venus aligns briefly with Jupiter, in Sagittarius. Sun moves into Aquarius, January 20, 2019 around 2:59 AM. What that means for the rest of us?

Horoscopes for 1.17.2019

Capricorn

Listening to Henry V, a situation popped up, and made me think about Capricorn. In, I think it’s the first act, of Shakespeare’s Henry V, a group of noble are arrested for treason, plotting to overthrew/assassinate the king (Henry V). Once their plot is uncovered, then the nobles are all “Lord have mercy upon my soul” but where was the request for mercy, before being discovered? It’s like this, I’ll beg forgiveness and act contrite, if I’m caught. If I’m not caught? Yeah, no harm, no foul. Being caught introduces a new element of religion, with a sudden onset of guilt, as well as a willingness towards its acts of contrition, provided, of course, there is substantiating evidence of that guilt. Getting caught introduces a most Christian and pious mature. Getting away with it?

Not so much.

It’s about how we feel about our actions, if we’re caught, if we’re not caught, and how bad the crime is, right? Matter of degrees. Matter of degrees in our Capricorn parts, too. Not a good week to try and “get away with it,” and I’m not preaching, just suggesting. Not a good time, and if you do get caught, against my recommendation? Act contrite.

Aquarius

Take a lesson from me, maybe. My birthday comes right around Thanksgiving, every year (early Sagittarius, that’s me). I get lost in the shuffle of the holidays, wherein what folks tend to do, you know who you are (family), “I got this for your birthday and Xmas…” See how that goes? However, as an Aquarius-compliant astrologer? Take a lesson from me, maybe.

I let the birthday thing shoot in under the radar, so to speak. I let it slip. I don’t get worked up. I showed up, apparently, a few weeks early, on a Thanksgiving Day, so yeah, I’m good with that. Also means, every few years, my birthday falls on Turkey Day. Ha-ha. But take a lesson from me, maybe. Let this one slip, under the radar, unnoticed, unannounced, not a big deal, no worries, no hurries, not a thing, you know? Take a lesson from me, and let this one slide by. With the stellar traffic where it is? The less attention we draw to Aquarius, right now, the better off, next week, next month, and in this next year? Let is slide by — apparently — unnoticed.

Pisces

Ever try “Network Marketing?” That was the term, at the time, for what was once called, “Multi-Level-Marketing,” or MLM for short. The design, and it’s been used — successfully — by any number of corporations, but the idea is that one talks to one’s circle of friends, and then, they talk to their friends, and it has a pyramid effect. In my line of work, I’ve listened to many pitches for various health products, lotions, potions, and notions that will be whiter whites, fresher breath, burn fat, and promote well-being. Plus money. Supposed to make money. The joy of the inter-webs is that for every person pitching something, especially a MLM-style product and service? There’s a review on the web someplace, plus or minus, for the product, service, and business model. I’m not complaining, just observing that some of us are good at that kind of sales, and other folks aren’t. Simply put. Some are good, some aren’t. If it’s a product I can truly believe in? It helps, but still, I’m a lousy sales person. Don’t even bother wasting a pitch on me. Won’t work. I’m too inured. I’m not saying it’s bad, and with your network of friends, your social circle, the people you know, but how many of them do you want to annoy with a pitch? There are two warnings with this week’s Pisces missive, one is about annoying your own network of friends, the circles in which you circulate. The other one, though, have you really researched the product and service? Deep dive on it, not just the top ten search results.

Aries

Focused, patient, attention to detail yields the best results for Aries. Two challenges, maybe more, one is Mars, in Aries, which includes a very Mars-like drive. Haste, hasty, hurried, and rushed, which all echoes back to the original statement about focused and patient attention to details yields the best results. Mars, playing off against both Jupiter and Venus, again, that makes for a hurried attitude, and that attitude will never work with the rest of us, because non-Aries folks don’t understand the perceived urgency. Finally, if you can pause with previous energies held in check, if you can pause long enough to listen for the little voice of Aries reason, the intuitive side can speak loudly and clearly. This is, perhaps, enhanced by the full moon, but whatever. Listen. Pause and listen. That simple pause can save a lot of problems. I adore the Aries urgency, and I understand its source, Mars, Venus, Moon, and so forth, but not everyone gets it. Therein is the problem. The solution? Pause. Pause? Pause long enough for the internal voice of reason to answer the question. Pause, if only for a fraction of a second.

Taurus

Another one of my favorite quotes from Shakespeare’s Henry V play? “The game’s afoot!” It’s rallying cry from Hal, King Henry, and I always liked the way it sounds. In context, it’s even better, but I don’t have time and space to illuminate all of that. However, as a strictly Taurus exclamation? Try it, out loud, right now, “The game’s afoot!” Means that it is time that someone take some action of some sort. Someone. Taurus, maybe? Or maybe, like King Henry (5), your job is to rally the troops, motivate the team members, get the Taurus squad back on point and headed in the correct direction. Charge! In order to get there? Simple expression coined from Shakespeare’s works, but useful enough both in — and out — of context at this moment. Come on Taurus, are you with me? “The game’s afoot!”

Gemini

A recent posting on Social Media was a friend (of a friend) asking for a few kind words. I know the astrology chart, and what immediately came to my mind? “Tough, nutty exterior, but she’s filled with tasty, creamy nougat.” I didn’t post it, but this was just a few days ago, so I can run the compliment — it is a compliment from me — and that addresses two items. One, there is that friend and she needed a kindly word or two, and that’s my statement.

“Tough, nutty exterior, but she’s filled with tasty, creamy nougat.”

However, as a secondary use of the statement, and using the current Gemini stars as guides? Same applies. Same term, some kind words, and there’s the idea that there is a cream-filled (gentle, kind, tasteful) Gemini energy wrapped up in a tough, almost bitter, crust-like exterior coating. The nuts are a wrapping to make the creamy, gooey, delicious filling easier to handle. As a Gemini, or for a guideline in dealing with Gemini in the next week? Remember, there’s a tough exterior to make the interior easy to deal with.

Cancer

Venus and Jupiter make nice-like, and this is weird for the Moon Children. There’s a sudden, hopeful expectancy about the times. There’s that heady rush that there is something wending its way down the old pike, headed towards the Moon Children, and this ought to be good. Any fire at all, in a watery sign’s chart gets lit up by this action. Mostly just Mars playing off against the Jupiter-Venus alignment, but still, there is a hint that there is fire, hence the sudden, hopeful expectancy. But with that hope for a brighter future — this week — there is also the sense that this might be an artful dream. The quicker of the Cancer signs will figure a way to make this work. Latch onto that hopeful, “There’s something good right around the corner” feeling. Because, way I see it, there is something right around the corner that is good. Better. Best for you. Realize, too, that this is a fleeting feeling, and as such, requires a pointed bit of action on the part of the Moon Children; pointed action is required to seize that momentary sense and stretch it out to last for a while.

The Leo

Old buddy of mine used to claim he was nothing but a “Big picture guy.” In other words? He was an idea person, but not responsible for execution. Made a great manager, in some settings as he could roughly sketch ideas, plans, and directions, but he was not responsible for the minute management of the little parts and pieces that keeps everything running. However, this is a week when The Leo is required to pay attention to the details. The little things. The minute parts that make it all work? The bits and pieces, the details I tend to leave for a Virgo to sweep up and complain about? Yes. That stuff. Bits and pieces. Minutiae. “God is in the details,” and that expression is so very true for The Leo, this week. Someone has to look after all the intricate, moving parts and that’s up to The Leo. “But,” I can hear it, “I’m an idea person, I’m a big picture kind of a guy.” Yes, and usually that’s perfect for The Leo, but this next few day, especially once the Sun ships into Aquarius? Details. “God is in the details,” and we can’t have good without bad, so failure to attend the details? Results in problems, confusion, and, as it turns out, yes, I warned you, but if The Leo doesn’t look after this, then who will?

Ever date a Virgo?

Virgo

Simply put, it’s called “pattern recognition.” Seeing an over-arching pattern, a similar set of beliefs, a set of behaviors that haven’t seemed to change? Same phrase, over and over? Like, I always talk about how many Virgo females I’ve dated, which is true. Just simple facts, really, in my example. Never ended particularly well for me. I also know enough to know to admire, respect, and steer clear of Virgo females. The problem being — and this is not gender specific — there’s that appeal. That love, grace, charm, wit, intellect, all part of what makes Virgo, well, Virgo. Also part of what might help, this next few days, full moon and all. There are some relative patterns that are clear, to you, to your friends, and, in one case, to me. If you have to ask, “Do you think I do this too much?” Might be a problem. Might be part of the pattern I’ve talked about, and now? Now isn’t the best time to break the pattern, but recognizing a recurrent set of behaviors, a similar set of words and wording, or even just attractions to “wrong” people? I’m not asking for changes, just recognize — and acknowledge — that your Virgo self sees the same pattern the rest of us seem to detect.

Libra

In a coffee shop last week, I found an old Sunday paper. Newspaper with ads, mostly ads, preciously little content, but after flipping through the summary front pages and useless op-ed, I found a pull-out for a certain sports store chain, along with all their specials for that week. Soccer balls and deer rifles. I am always amused by the term “Sporting Rifles,” which, to my untrained eye, look a lot like assault weapons, but what do I know? Interesting stuff, intellectually, but I was more concentrated on fishing gear. Looking for deals on fishing gear. I consider this “shopping,” and I tend to see this as acquiring knowledge about current trends in bait colors, the new look for the season after the spawn this year? Freshwater looks like “Chartreuse – Pumpkin,” and thinking about that, I wonder why no one has introduced a “Pumpkin Spice Flavor” for fishing gear. It would probably work, right? “The flavor that bass crave, pumpkin-spice!” Moving on, I was sorting through ideas, color combinations, the latest trend in fishing pole technology, and what looks good — this week — for Libra? Shopping. Shopping for ideas. Thinking about possible plans. Looking at a gear ad, made me think that I can get a few items sorted out, and then get ready for the up and coming spring season. At least one buddy has been on the water already, although, personally, I think that’s just plan crazy in the winter. But hey. He reported a good time was had by all. We’re getting ready for a spring season here, in Libra, and that includes shopping. Maybe not buying, just yet, but shopping? Sure.

Scorpio

A dozen years ago, maybe two decades back? I found a place in Austin that was selling bottled water that was labeled as “Austin Tap Water.” Not purified water. Not refined and triple filtered water, but simple tap water, presumably, from the faucet. In my mind’s eye, I always held an image of old Austin guy, rinsing out discarded, plastic bottles, and refilling them with water from his kitchen faucet. Pleasant kind of notion, amusing on some levels. I always did suggest that the tap water in Austin tasted better. Could be location, could be the Violet Crown, could be proximity, could be drugs in the water, or it could be mythology.

Repeat it often enough, and some people will believe.

Landing in Austin’s old airport, and even at the new one, I can recall watching the teal-colored shallows clearly visible, mostly just east of Austin. Water bodies that were naturally shaded a light, aqua-marine. Doesn’t matter where you live, though, as a possible side-venture, a little extra Scorpio cash? Think about bottling and labeling the local water as just that. This lunar phase sparks ideas in the old, Scorpio brain. While what I was suggesting is patently absurd, I’m sure there are certain people still paying for this kind of bottle water. Might seem like a ridiculous idea, but until you try? We’ll never know. You could get rich; I’m in for 1%.

Sagittarius

I get a little sideways, behind some kind of scholarship on a particular play by Shakespeare, and then I won’t let go. Helps to have seen the play in production, more than once. On stage, for this one play, and more than once, as a movie. I get to be like a dog with a bone, and I won’t stop gnawing on various minor plot elements, nuances of performance, and general trivia about the play, both in performance, and in a historical perspective. In my career writing horoscopes, I stumbled across more readily available data that helps paint a better picture, about the play, about the history of the time, and this scholarship lends a much fuller backstory. Shakespeare’s (dry, boring) history plays — Henry V is an exception — have a reputation of being just that, more matter with fewer sword fights. No romance.

As a Sagittarius, though, this is of more interest, the way I can get carried away with cursory “research,” filling in gaping holes in my education, and I might add, in true Sagittarius fashion, filling in the those holes in a wandering, serendipitous way, following links and clues, digging around in old text books, then watching a movie. While it looks like I might be just avoiding work, the actual subject matter is poignant and has much to do with our planets. With this Full Moon? Dig around, get stuck on one topic, research that, look at the compelling backstory. All helps paint a better picture in our Sagittarius minds.