Our ancient word of courage, fair Saint George,
Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons!
Richard 3 V.iii.350-1

Happy Birthday!

Horoscopes for 2.7.2019

Aquarius

All the oddities of current events made me pause and reconsider. One of my first years in this business, a harsh February day in South Texas? I found myself wandering the streets of a certain coastal town, and I didn’t have on a shirt. One in hand, and I was merely sightseeing, playing tourist, or, as some belief systems would call it, “Doing a walk-about.”

Early February, clear, warm, gentle zephyrs stir the moist air, distant breakers rolling in on the beaches. Laconic town, a month or more ahead of the usual spring break crush and ensuing madness. Port town. The Xmas months north of that place, cold weather, harsh winter winds, the usual, but south? Warm winds blowing and subtropical appeal — cowboys with surfboards. Think last year they also had “Surfing with Santa,” but I’m not sure. What this is? A pleasant interlude in an otherwise unpleasant time. While it is certainly not bad for Aquarius, we have to understand why that is, just because, well, there are a number of other signs experiencing great discomfort at the moment. It’s not Aquarius, but not everyone gets that. Have a happy birthday!

Pisces

There are easy ways to deal with this type of week. A strong, conservative approach is what it takes. Maybe “strong” is the wrong word. But conservative approach is best as it serves the Pisces best in the bigger picture. Now isn’t the time for the outlandish, over-the-top, or even uncharacteristically hyperbolic statements. Statements?

A statement can be attire. It can be an actual verbal statement. It can be an innocuous post online. There are number of different ways to make a statement, and the direction I’m urging, for Pisces, err on the side of conservative as an estimate. A conservative action. “I can get this done in 20 minutes,” as an example. A good, conservative guess-estimate? “Better allow for about two hours.” It’s the time allowance and leaving wiggle room, or, as I suggested? A strong, conservative approach works best.

Aries

A little bit of consistency goes a long to help my little Aries friends. Just a little consistency. The answer on Monday? Consistency. The answer on Tuesday? Consistency. On Wednesday? Care to take a guess? “Consistency?” Got it. Follows the rest of the week. Mars and Uranus, this is a hugely symbolic event, and the way to insure the stars start to stack up to your Aries advantage?

“Consistency?”

Exactly. Answer hasn’t changed, and while change is generally good, this week requires a consistent approach. Instead of giving into the suggestions of change for the sake of change? Think about a single, consistent answer. The exact same response on Monday, then again on Tuesday, Wednesday, and repeated as often as need be. “You’re being stubborn!” No, the word, the byword, the catchphrase?

“Consistency.”

Works wonders for the Aries situation. Makes life easier, eventually, Just get through this week. Get through this week with some consistency.

Taurus

There are certain present opportunities in Taurus. Requires a subtle hand. Requires a deft touch. Perhaps a little bit of guile is best. Subterfuge? Even that, sure. What this requires, from Taurus, is a soft touch, a gentle hand at the tiller, is the first expression I really thought of.

“Gentle hand at the tiller” is really nautical in nature, but that’s about how we steer through this next few days. Navigate. There’s a simple course for Taurus, but the best route to thread your way through these apparent obstacles? Carefully. Slowly. More than one Taurus pressure will urge running headlong, willy-nilly, rushing in where fools fear to tread, and that kind of ill-thought-out action results in — results in unglamorous results. Doesn’t end well, failing to carefully navigate. Test, tiptoe, scout, plot, ease gently forward. Makes better use of what’s going on, and just blindly staggering forward? That might work for some of us, but the Taurus is best served by conservative approach that appears gentle and deliberate.
“I meant to go that way.”

Gemini

My original source for this week’s Shakespeare quote — for years — in person — I would quote portions of the speech from Henry 5, “Once more unto the breech…” In part, this is because I am a rabble rouser. In part, this is because I have sick sense of humor. In part, just because. Part of me is a hopeless romantic. Consider that the line of text is taken not entirely out of context, as Richard III tries to motivate his troops, even as another noble deserts to the other side. Not a happy situation for the soon to be deposed king. On the eve of Valentine’s Day, why would I invoke desperate characters, a literary rogue, of sorts? There’s that twin element required of Gemini, the good and the bad, the evil twin, so to speak, and that’s what’s going to work. Need to be two places at once. Need to be the best of the best, and also, the best of the worst. Does that make sense? Jupiter opposes you, and the rest of the stuff in Capricorn, plus the Aquarius material (just mostly the Sun), all of that means Gemini plays two roles, and the first role is the bad guy. Have to see both sides to understand how to be the hero.

Cancer

Weird situation I was in, as I was in the belly of the beast — left coast — and it was coffee shop. The person behind the counter asked a question; I made a selection. I asked a question about process, and it turns out, me, even with accent — I sound “southern” to native West Coast people, I had her on the ropes. She paused to query a supervisor. Seems that I knew a thing or two about coffee.

Problems, positions, possibilities? The message, the old guy with the drawl? He might be not be as stupid as you think. Careful about making a snap assumption based upon accent. Then, there’s was the question itself about coffee. I’ve been a student of deluxe coffee and various methods of preparation for most my adult life, riding and cresting with the coffee waves, Third Wave coffee, even then. Then, to make sure I get my point across, the assumption that either I was stupid, or that the counter help at the fancy coffee shop knew the latest arcane data about coffee preparation and presentation? Equally bad, on our both our parts. When I was attempting to wrap my brain, and a decent analogy around this week’s Moon Child energy, I kept thinking about that brief interaction, “Well, that’s stupid,” was my first thought. However, it is about assumptions and a rush to judge that is not well served, on either side, this next few days.

The Leo

In order of importance, which one is most important? 1, 234? Not really a word game, or even a numbers game, no, althogh at least one majestic Leo will take this as some kind of a riddle. In effect, it is a conundrum, but in reality, it is more along the lines of a simple set of priorities. Which one is most important? In that series, one, two, three, four? I’ll give you a hint.

“We start at the beginning.”

In some forms of storytelling, be it TV, movie, or novel? There’s a common technique where the starting point starts in the middle. In Media’s Res, fancy Latin term for it, means, “starts in the middle.” With this week’s energy, we’re starting at a point that might not be the beginning, which, as I started out with, what part of that sequence is most important? It’s the Number One. 1. There wil be a temptation, as The Leo, to jump in and get on towards the rest of the portions of the sequence, maybe 3 or 5, or anything else but that starting point. In a book, in a movie? Sure, that style works well. In real life, and especially — I cannot stress that enough — especially this week? Start at the beginning, not in the middle. There is a definite order, and starting, at the beginning, is what works best for The Leo.

Virgo

There are a few scary items that still live in my world. This is about fashion, too, and I’m not going to go on about the middle-aged person dressed in young, “Kicking it” clothes. This was a computer generated style, an amalgam of popular styles that really didn’t work well together.

At some point, a designer gave an “OK” on this, or someone signed off on the production, but it’s clear, this was not a well-thought out idea. I could easily see this as a joke, too, but no, it was a real item for sale in a real store, although, by now, it’s probably — based on lack of sales — headed towards landfill. It was pointed-toed cowboy boot, not odd, and certainly common in my world, I have several pair, but it was the standard-looking cowboy boot with a “harness,” and that was the mark of the hippies, and their subsequent ilk, who would wear the “harness boots.” Then, there are the rednecks, and their ilk, who wear “cowboy boots.” There is plenty of fashion cross-over, too, where one group wears the footwear of the other, as I’ve worn cowboy boots my entire adult life. Still, as fond as I am of crossover appeal, this was one term that didn’t work — at all.

The harness style was a reference to engineer boots, or cavalry, and the cowboy boot was built for people who spent their lives on the back of horses. Gratefully, that one computer image was the only one I’ve seen so far, and I hope it is the only one I ever see. Combinations of disparate elements is good, and good advice, but some elements really don’t belong next to each other. Given the state of affairs? Use that Virgo sense of style before signing off on some new project.

Libra

It’s all the damn details. Details get in the way. Obsessing about little details, placement, perfection, minor crap that doesn’t matter? In the over-all picture, the big ideas in Libra are sound. It’s the little details, and those are driving you, me, us, crazy. There’s a marked tendency to get worked up about details — yes, I’ll agree, the color selection is important — but getting to the obsessive and compulsive side of this? Really, is that important? The planets in Capricorn, then the approach of Mars and Uranus, doing a little dance right before Feb. 14? All of that adds up to discomfort, and then, as a good Libra, you’ll find that we get obsessive about stupid details, and once Mr. Mars is long passed up Uranus? Too many details will appear insignificant, and probably subject to change. I’m just suggesting a way to stay out of the fray.

Scorpio

This week culminates with a semi-annual, or really, bi-annual Mars/Uranus conjunction. Historically, not a big deal, just a little bump in the road. Hysterically? There is that. As I rewound the dates, every couple of years, not really a big deal, just that this happens at a “spacial place” in the Aries chart, and as such? Means something. Going into the big V-D holiday? Quick idea? Go as librarian. Not a slutty librarian, not a vampire nurse, zombie librarian, no, none of that. Find a little bit of that truly Victorian-era style. The Victorian-era style is perfect for Scorpio, as a way to do the unexpected. Which is what this week’s energy is all about, am I right? The Victorian-era look was the buttoned up, corseted, lacquered, and layered look. Petticoats and cloth, yards, even acres of cloth to protect human body from ever being seen in the light of day. Suddenly, the concept is starting to make sense to Scorpio. Takes a few layers, and it is the opposite of what anyone would expect. See how that works?

Sagittarius

With Jupiter, there is always the great temptation — it’s easy for Sagittarius to get distracted. Temptations, distractions, influences, or, as I like think, “Bright, shiny objects.” Trinkets, ideas, books, concepts, new toys, old toys, raw material, supplies, artist’s tools, paper, ink, brushes, keyboards, mice, it all adds up to distractions. In order to stay focused? New idea: no new stuff. Tools, toys, trinkets, none of that. “But if I just had this, then my life would be complete!” I am Sagittarius, I have the exact same drive to acquire, and I am old enough to know, it’s not the equipment. Fishing, other day, felt a nibble, set the hook, and I was left with nothing. Buddy looks over, and I nod, “I guess it’s the fishing pole. Going to need a new one.” We both smirked. Hint: it is not the fishing pole. The only real need, in Sagittarius? Certain raw materials, like blank paper. Even that is a bit of a misguided idea, as I print so little these days. I will, occasionally, print up a colorful astrological chart wheel, but usually, I can just text the image. Easier, and there is no real paper-printed chart. So the term, “raw material,” that can be a bit of a slippery slopes as a definition, too. The temptation is for more, and the current Sagittarius suggestion is to not acquire more this next few days.

“But wait, did you see this?”

Not now. Maybe later.

Capricorn

Looking for the correct way to approach this week’s planets, in Capricorn, I was rethinking about the tone. From there, I thought about texture, and there is a planetary alignment — ongoing — that I was attempting to find a way to characterize. Leather, heavy cowhide, or a synthetic material, if that’s a preference. Like suede? Sure. Leather is largely a raw resource that resembles its components elements, in part, a direct reflection of the cattle that the leather is from, the animal’s no longer-used hide, but leather also carries the aromatic blend of whatever treatments are used.

In modern times, it’s the chemical smell. Used to be a boot shop in old South Austin, and we would all wander in to sniff the leather “smell.” In the market in San Antonio, there is a leather shop, not much more than a kiosk, and I’ll still amble in for a sniff. Not sure what the aromatics are derived from, but we all know that smell. Sandals, boots, belts wallets, etc. The answer to the problems are in texture, not tone, and the correct texture? That old piece of leather, or leather-like material for that one animal friendly vegan Capricorn, material that is tough, soft, looks rough, strong, durable, but still supple. Going to require a bit of bend with this week’s planetary push-back.

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“Nothing runs on automatic.” – L.W. “Bud” Shipley, Jr.