Nay, you must not freeze,
Two women plac’d together makes cold weather.

Lord Chamberlain in
Shakespeare’s Henry VIII, (I.iv.22-3)

Digging round, guess it was after Valentine’s Day, and that observation from Lord Chamberlain’s character popped up. Forgot what I was looking for. But it is — kind of — true. Anyway, happy birthday!

Horoscopes for 4.11.2019

Aries

This week is the “Eye of the hurricane.” As soon as I started to suggest that, an aural manifestation, “Eye of the Tiger” started to play in the background. Heard it in the store, on the background music thing. Whatever. Eye of the Tiger is not what this is about. “Eye of the hurricane,” that’s the most apt metaphor. Hurricane, cyclones to some, are whirling masses of water, moisture in the air, and pressurized patterns, spinning at hundred miles an hour — or more. However, right in the center? There’s a little space of calm. With the Gulf of Mexico in my backyard, I’ve seen animations and satellite pictures all my life. It’s that eye, the cenrterpoint, the place that everything revolves around? That’s where I see your Aries self at the moment. This week is the “eye of the hurricane,” and the next person to start playing Eye of the Tiger, I will manually correct. Just about every summer, there’s a hurricane report, and some intrepid news reporter is standing in relative calm, with carnage and mother nature’s destruction clearly visible. For a few moments, the winds subside. For a few moments, there is calm in the face of raging atmospheres. For a few moments, everything is peaceful. Eye of the hurricane. It’s an eerie kind of calm. Happy birthday, let’s try and stay centered, Aries.

Taurus

To me, these used to be “Thoughts at Two A.M.” Not a real title, but close enough. I would adjust this some, as well, “Metaphysical meanderings of the mind at 4 A.M.” All kind of depends, but the idea is that there is a mental derailment, usually under the cover of night. When most people are asleep. Organically, I tend to be an early riser, and business-wise, I tend to shut my phone off at supper time. I can stay up at night, reading, or watching, but mostly I’m asleep early, like any little old man. Works for me. Like me some beauty rest. So I don’t get the night terrors, or shock awake thing. Well, not anymore. But the idea of the late night thoughts?

These are memories, dreams, recollections, some personal myths, and individual Taurus data that will like to be displayed on the “Big-Scree, Wide-Angle” theater of the mind. There is much energy churning and burning, makes for some passionate data that wants to be displayed. I tend too favor the cold, harsh light of the day, when I can see the issue more clearly. This starts with a glass of water, and it’s either half-full, or half-empty. I’m not Taurus — I’m straight-up Sagittarius, that water is plenty! “Half full, we’re fine!” I would gush, enthusiastically. Years of Taurus time, though, yields a little more prudent approach. “It might be half-full, yes, but shouldn’t we conserve a little? let’s wait and see.” The thoughts at two AM might try and remind you that there is almost no water in the glass, and we’re on the edge of a desert with apparent climate change and now there might never be any water. Ever. There’s wandering miscellany and mental disturbances, usually under the cover of the night? Can’t do anything about that. However, see if your Taurus view doesn’t change — dramatically — in the cold harsh light of day.

Gemini

Going straight to the quote from Henry VIII, “Nay, you must not freeze,/Two women plac’d together makes cold weather.” (1.4.22-3) Yeah, never happened to me, but I’ve heard about this kind of event, two females vying for the attention of just one person, and the common element? “What’s she doing here?” Then the temperature drops. It does cause a frosty situation. Casual, sexist observation, but it is about human nature, too, same kind of atmosphere happens when two males, vying for the attention of a female, adjust genders to be happiest, but the image of two rivals and the prize, those two rivals can cause a frosty situation.

This is about competition, and if the method of the message is too sexist, then remember, it’s from more than 400 years back. However, as a reminder, it is perfect. Two rivals, next to each other, Gemini, this doesn’t end well. Never has. This is the observation for Gemini’s week ahead, as well, these two, usually civil entities, when placed next to each other, as expected, the weather gets mighty chilly. According to the open text? One might freeze, when the two rivals line up like this. Suggestions, for a better today and tomorrow? Don’t place the rivals next to each other. Better yet, don’t let them in the same room together. Don’t invite trouble in, not within the Cardinal’s display.

Cancer

One of my favorite ways to close a conversation, to end a reading, the sign-off? “I’ll see you next time!” Happy, looking forward to the next interaction, and without a specific date set. I use something like this, for signing off from the weekly video thing I did, “Until next time,” because I am unsure, week to week, when I will be able to grind out the video. Not much in the way of production values, no, not that it matters, and not much in the way of electronic distribution, as it was only available via the website itself, but the short clip, each week, I would sign off with some kind of comment about “Next time” rather than saying, “next week.”

Leaves it open-ended.

There might not be another video. The work is hard, mostly thankless, and the viewership is quite limited. Then, too, the idea of the podcast, and not dropping the tracks into the massive circulation, giving only a limited kind of engagement? Worked for me. No where on the site was it promised. It was called “an occasional piece,” and that was it. Absolutely weekly for years and year, starting in a trailer park in old South Austin, then migrating around, it did generate some traction. Still, the way to sign-off, the way to close the conversation, the way to end the ongoing discussion? “Until next time, my friends…” So what this means, there will be a next time, but we’re not setting that data point in a concrete fashion. Not set in stone, so to speak. The other way to close that is both near and dear to my heart? Old set of stage instructions from Shakespeare, oftentimes cited as the weirdest stage instructions ever, “Pursued, by a bear.” However, as this week rattles forward, just remember, we’re not saying, “Goodbye,” nor are we saying, “I’ll see tomorrow,” or “I’ll see you next week,” no, what we’re gong to say? “Until next time!”

The Leo

Always a weird time for me, and my extension? I’ll suggest this is a weird time for my most excellent Leo buddies, too. Just a little off. Like, there’s change brewing but you can’t put your paws on what it is. Change that might not be of your own making, and change that might not be something you’ve got anything to do with, and change that might not be a direct influence in your life. Still, the question remains in your mind, “Why do they have to mess that up? It was good the way it was.” I’ll agree on that point, but there is a fine hand at the wheel, the person — entity — serving as the driver.

There is a fine hand at work, therein, and we just can’t see the whole picture. That change, not a part of The Leo’s world, not directly, but the results are going to be good — eventually. The way the planets line up — or in this case — don’t line up? There’s a change brewing, right in front of your Leo self and you’re going to be uncomfortable with the change. Change, in this case, change is good. It doesn’t directly impact your life. It does, indirectly have a big influence in the coming days, tough. Not all of this feels wonderful. Might be a little bit of pain, but pain stimulates growth. This is a paving project, right near where you live. Inconvenient noise. Stalled and disrupted traffic patterns. Minutes added to each trip. However, when the pavement is fixed? Eventually? Smoother ride. Smoother ride for The Leo.

Virgo

Some do. Some don’t. Who’s next? Simple enough set of statements and then, a query string. Some do (some people do what Virgo wants them to do in a timely fashion in the next week). Some don’t (can’t be helped but some people are just too stupid to realize the Virgo way is the best way, and this results in a situation wherein one fails to comply). Who is next, as it implies, let’s move on to a more willing target.

Old sales trick, if the person isn’t buying, then move on. I have a couple of typical qualifying questions that help move a process along, and I can tell whether or not I’m getting it. I can tell, usually quickly, if a sale is going to go through. If not, then I need to cut my losses, and move onto a better, more suitable, more receptive audience. I was trying to wrap this week’s full moon, and everything else, Mercury moving out of Pisces, Venus moving away from Neptune (in Pisces), Mars in Gemini, all of this stuff? I was working on a way to express that in Virgo land. I boiled all down to a simple series of statements followed by a query strong. Some do. Some don’t. Who’s next?

Libra

One of the lessons we all have to learn, over and over, what other people think? Doesn’t matter. My familiar advice? “What you think of me isn’t important to my self-worth.” Looks good on paper, so to speak. Makes a great bumper sticker kind of quote, I think. Or some variation thereof. However, in the real world, where I live, it’s easy to get all butt-hurt over a perceived slight.

Therein is the warning and watch-word for the next few days in Libra, getting all upset over something someone might’ve said. Or what you think they think that you think that they think about you. Complicated? As only a decent, intellectually aware Libra can do. Some would suggest that this is more along the lines of the inner-critic, or that Virgo voice, but this is particular and peculiar, just to Libra, just for now. Inner-critic needs a great big dose of shut up. That usually perspicacious innerLibra voice, the self-contained critic? Yeah, not a good week to listen to it too much. Can let it dress you one day, but I’d leave it at that. One day. No more. Out of the next seven days? One day is allocated or letting that voice run rampant. Then? Reel it in.

Scorpio

I so very warned you about this! Small problem, right? It’s nothing more than a larger problem, trying to claw its way to the surface. Like an egg, hatching. Only this can be monstrous. Awful, terrible, it’s a “Godzilla-like egg!” Small, cute, scaly critter that grows up to eat cities and ravage the countryside!

Oh please, Scorpio dear, you’re taking a small thing and blowing it way to far out of proportion.

You’re giving the problem far more bandwidth than it warrants. Here’s the secret, start and don’t finish. Start a piece of artwork, only, leave it sitting on the easel. Start some notes for a story, and leave them on the kitchen table, on that tablet, “Been meaning to get back to that.” Start a complaint e-mail to me, only hit “draft” and save it, you know, for later. There’s an energy and the easiest way for a good Scorpio to tackle this? Plan to start but maybe, don’t get so worried about finishing — not in the “foreseeable” future.

“Yeah, I meant to get back to that.” Perfectly acceptable response.

Sagittarius

When I talk about “targets,” what immediately comes to mind for some? A round image consisting of concentric circles of varying sizes. Usually red or black. The proverbial “bull’s eye.” Yes, that’s what some people think of when I mention targets. For me, though, and in this Sagittarius context? A target is more like a goal. A desire, a number, an item, a thing, a specific, acquired image that is what we want to get. Hit.

“Hit the target,” or, better yet, “achieve the goal.”

The target, not exactly clear what it is, but that’s where we’re going with this. What your Sagittarius target is this next few days? That varies, according to the individual chart. Achieving that goal? The trick is to keep watching what the goal is, what that target is, keeping an eye on the goal. Keep your eye on the target. Simplest exercise? The old trick? I would put a posit by the computer’s monitor. Eventually, I amended that technique, and I’ll put a post-it note, a sticky note, on my phone’s case. No, not a digital reminder, but an actual slip of paper. Just to remember what that goal is. What the target is.

Capricorn

I would like to think this is handled lovingly, and with a sense of humor. I tend to joke — trying to be slightly ironic — about the sense worry present in Capricorn. Not like there isn’t anything to worry about, but in the bigger view, is it really worth fretting like this? Hand wringing is good, nail-biting, good enough, too, but is the fear worth that much emotional bandwidth? Is the fear real — and justified? Or is just that unattached anxiety, looking for a weak spot int he Capricorn mind? One Capricorn buddy was like this, “I’m not worried about making the payment — this month — it’s the month after that…” In other words, with no serious worries, that one Capricorn is borrowing trouble, like borrowed cash? That’s the message and that’s the warning, and that’s what not to worry about, this week. Although there will be more than one who will chine in, “But look! We left this unattended, and now?” Now looks all right. Next week? Good, too. Week after that? All good. Never underestimate a Capricorn’s ability to take a small problem and worry it into a larger one. Is that prudent? I hope you don’t worry about it.

Aquarius

“Reciprocity.” A vendor at one of the events I worked at approached me. Wanted a reading because I tend to be busy and have many happy customers. That vendor wanted some of my magic — which isn’t magic by any stretch, but some folks will perceive it that way. So here was the deal, in the spirit of reciprocity, I was going to do a quick chart overview for $50 and then I would buy $100 — or more — worth of product from the vendor. Way I see it? That is a net loss for me. Doesn’t work out — for me. This wasn’t going to be barter situation, either. I tend to shy away from bartering for goods, having long-learned that I might never get anything close to the value of my services in the exchange. There was no real reciprocity on the table, so to speak, with this one vendor. This wasn’t going to work in my favor, and frankly, well, I wasn’t offended, I just learned my lesson a long time ago. Hang around enough of the new age fruits, the wholistic vendors, and yeah, there’s a real question about price and value. In the example? No real reciprocity. Aquarius: is it really a deal? Or is it a good deal for someone else, and while we love everyone and want what is best, is this good business? Ask yourself, “Does this serve my Aquarius self best?” I think you know the answer.

Pisces

Always the question, “Does this work?” Strangest thing, currently in Pisces, is that it does work. Well, sort of. Kind of? Maybe a little? Is this sufficient progress to call it a winner? Or does the process require some kind of adjustment? Lots of questions and not a lot of answers. Hence the problem. The weekly Pisces conundrum. There’s an insistent pressure in Pisces that would suggest a change is required. Wholesale change. Big changes. Monumental in size, epic, even, change, change, change!

Change what? Change everything!

In light of some recent events, and using my lens of the placement of the Pisces planets, what I would see is yes, a change is good, but I would think along the lines of adjusting a single setting, and instead of running it up — or down — all the way? I would just dial it up, or dial it back, but only by a little.

Instead of huge adjustments, try doing this by degree. “But we need to change everything! Now!” Change it by a little, more like a fine-tuning move rather than bulk. The tiniest of changes yield the best results. It is “little stuff.” No, not “big stuff,” it is the little things.

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