One good deed dying tongueless
Slaughters a thousand waiting upon that.

• Herimone in Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale 1.2.92-3

Horoscopes for 7.23.2020

The Leo

“The preacher was extolling the virtues of virtuous living, pretty cool message about staying in the present, and he paused. I let slip one little fart.” While possibly apocryphal in nature, one of my fishing buddies claimed this tale as his own, and stories like this, told in a boat on the water? Data is suspect, at best. However, if the Shakespeare quote doesn’t properly communicate with my Good Leo, then maybe my buddy’s tale will convey the same data. All those good deeds can get quickly subsumed by a single infraction, or perhaps, a simple mistake of passing a little gas at the wrong time. Pause in the sermon, and let a squeaker out that turns out to sound more like a bullfrog? I think the whole thing is made up, but it does illustrate a point about how a single mistake can wipe out years of showing up on Sunday morning with a tie on, tithing, and helping raise the roof on the new sanctuary. Yeah, fart once in church, all those good deeds, “dying tongueless….”

Virgo

How do you manage your time? Valid question, and one I’ve worked on over the years. For me, it’s fairly simple process, as I “live and die by the appointment book,” which, in and of itself, is a funny as I’ve been all electronic with my appointment minders since before the turn of the millennia. Makes certain portions of time management easy, like appointments for consultations. I tend to book up to six weeks out, at time. The question came from a Virgo “management consultant” type. “How do you manage your time?”

I write, I used to eat lunch with friends, and I fish — as often as schedules, pandemic constrictions, and weather permits. I rarely miss appointed readings, but that’s me. I have this simplified. That management guy wanted to allow at least 15 minutes — per day — to look over the schedule and see what was excess, what could be trimmed, and what was a waste. To me? You’re Virgo, perfect Virgo, you can see this one coming, right? That was a sales pitch, “Let me look at your schedule and show you how to be more efficient,” or you can take 15 minutes at the end of every day and consider it yourself. Or? You could, this is my suggestion, pause long enough to reflect back that the extra fifteen minutes — at the end of every day — is almost two hours a week, 1:45, and that two hours could easily be spent doing something either fun, or productive. In my mind, I just got you two extra hours of time to fish.

Libra

Many years ago, I got a custom made leather briefcase. Simple messenger style, with the understanding any place could supply replacement parts. Like if a strap wore out? Any good leather shop could replace the strap with the nod towards saddle and tack, as the briefcase was patterned after a saddlebag. Searching for a local leather place to repair it? Look up leather harness online. Not what I expected at all. Amazon populated the first row of hits with strange material, leather harnesses, made for — I am unsure of their real use. I think it was one of those “not sexual, but…” Don’t believe me? Seriously, I was just seeking some belt-like material to fashion into a replacement strap on some older luggage I sometimes carry. Not a big deal. but what turned up in the search results? The first few pages of hits were all about harness leather, all right, and not something I even want to consider. For the gentle Libra, this is about perceptions and getting granular enough to achieve the correct result. But just looking up “harness leather?” Scary proposition.

Scorpio

In a quarter of a century, I can’t promise that I’ve never used the same Shakespeare quote at the beginning of a week. I’m pretty sure there have been some duplicates and one or two triplicates. There were a couple of passages that I’m overly fond of, and that might be reason I sometimes trot out the same quote from time to time. Reruns. But those are rerun quotes from Shakespeare, and one of the great pleasures I’ve discovered is digging into the body of work and learning about some of the more obscure and strange plays. Little used, or maybe misunderstood.

Digging in, what this is all about, some days, it’s okay to use a quote a second or even third time, for Scorpio when we’re trying to make a point. When we’re trying to convey some valuable information, it is quite all right to repeat the data, more than once. So the answer is the same, and one thing a Scorpio likes? Consistency. Same answer, repeated more then once? Sure, just to make the point and to ensure that the other, non-Scorpio, people understand. Consistency. Answer is still the same.

Sagittarius

Good deeds? Especially Sagittarius good deeds? Rarely noticed. Until the next horoscope appears, we must remain silent about our good works. Have to keep our lips sealed. One of the exercises I suggest, and this comes back full circle, I hope, but we’re back to the idea that a good deed, unannounced, undocumented, and quiet anonymous? That’s the secret. Do one nice thing, each day for someone else, and then? Our Sagittarius selves must not take credit for it. This isn’t complicated. I once paid for coffee for the person behind me in line, and I was out the door before that person figured it out. I even tipped for them; all good. Except, in this example? I have to say that I did it, and that negates the energy behind the “do one good turn, silently, and with no credit.” Try it, though, see, there’s an internal kind of self-satisfaction, and just one good deed, this next few days, anonymous and stuff, just one good deed? Makes the world a much better place, and what goes around? Comes around. We all need a little help.

Capricorn

Novelist I like — think I’ve got pretty much most of what he’s written in my library, anyway that novelist? His books got optioned and turned into films, summer blockbuster, when there was such a thing, and the author himself managed to sneak a cameo role in a couple of the films. What was most amusing, and the point to be made with Capricorn? When that author spoke, from the confident, self-assured voice in his long-running narrative series? He squeaked. In part, there’s a certain fear that comes from being in front of the camera, in front of the hot lights on the movie set, and in part, the exposure to the big-name stars. Me? I’d be dumbstruck. I would croak, too. “Uh, huh, uh-uh, yeah, uh, what’s your birthday?” This is a real-life versus fictional world scenario. Plays out this week, in a big way. For me, it was hearing a favorite author’s voice, and I’m unsure if he was star-struck, scared, in awe, or if he just has a stammering, squeaky voice in the real world. One of the reasons we like to write? We don’t have to come face-to-face with the public. Real world versus the fictional world we’ve constructed in our (Capricorn) heads?

Aquarius

One of the most difficult propositions that I ever face? When I see a person, typically a consulting client, ask for directions, and we map out the easiest, most expedient route from here to the goal, and then? What’s difficult for me, is watching as that person blunders forward, almost like purposefully running into every obstacle we just mapped a route around. While there’s a simple, expedient route, straight ahead? The current brand of Aquarius energy is going to take the longest route that is not the easiest. Polite way of me dancing around the idea that there’s an easy way and hard way, and it looks like the current crop picks the most difficult, hardest, most arduous, possibly longer, fraught with dangers and obstacles, and dragons. Yes, think that’s the word I’m searching for for. “Dragons?” Yes, if Aquarius continues with making this hard on one’s self? Then there are dragons all along the way.

“Thar be dragons!”

There is an easy shortcut. Not a shortcut, but just a more direct route. You can continue to make this hard on yourself, or, if you choose? Take my easy way. Avoid the pitfalls, and avoid the dragons.

Pisces

There’s a kind of growing sophistication that unfolds. Sometimes, this is really gradual. Doesn’t happen overnight. Doesn’t appear to happen in the blink of an eye. Yeah, this one really doesn’t occur in rapid manner. And I can’t make this stuff happen fast enough. That’s our problem here in Pisces: can’t make it happen fast enough for you. If we all adapt a little more forgiving attitude, that will help. Better yet, a little more forgiving attitude with an adult-edge to it. Yes, joke’s on me, I know, the idea of acting in mature fashion doesn’t sit well with me. Still, as a way to move forward? Let’s take a little break from acting like a child, and there’s high probability that there will be a childish temper tantrum in Pisces, but if we can step to one side, calmly, rationally, and like an adult? See it for what it is? Mad at something that can’t — or won’t — get fixed in a good, timely fashion? Can’t fix it, Psices didn’t break to begin with, and now, getting all mad because it’s like this? Sure. I’m the last one who can suggest an adult way to fix matters, but there it is. An adult way of looking at this week, no pointless temper tantrums, that helps.

“ I am so mad at you!”

See? How does that work?

Aries

It’s all about our approach to the problem. It’s what we do with what’s there. Look I’ve been at this game for a long time, and the approach is what is so important. I know this is a weird time, I know there’s a lot of pressure, and I understand what’s pushing and pulling on Aries. All I’m suggesting? There’s a different approach that benefits your sweet, Aries self. There’s a different POV (Point Of View), a different perspective. Thinking about the term “perspective,” that brings in a fresh allusion to some of the old-school “modern” arts where “perspective” was altered. My art history is notoriously weak, so we won’t play that game, but think along the lines of the total lack of perspective as a new way to see this week’s onerous challenges. Not all bad. Like I suggested, a different approach to the problems? That helps. Just try looking at the issue from a different angle, get a fresh perspective, see if that doesn’t illuminate a new way to fix the problem.

Taurus

I was looking at an article, I happened upon, by a self-titled “efficiency-expert.” The biggest portion, the target of the article was about to effectively deal with distractions in our modern era. How to avoid checking email when conversing with friends. How to not look at the incoming text messages while engaged in other activities. More material all like that. It’s a great idea. However, in my own work, I depend on distractions. I thrive on the spurious and weird inbound material that leaks in around the edges of my periphery. That’s where I find the gold. It was how I found that article in the first place, silly link bait. Caught my attention. Exactly what it preached to avoid was how I happened upon it. I tend to work in a slightly distracted manner at all times, as that allows the stuff that percolates beneath the surface to bubble up. I count on that. I want this week to be smooth and easy going for Taurus. However, make allowances for the distractions. Make allowances for the wandering eyes, curious natures, and intellectual interests that are suddenly piqued. Remember, though, it’s just as easy to drop the material as it to engage fully. “Whoa, that’s interesting, but doesn’t apply to me.”

Gemini

Rodeo: It’s not about the ride. There is no “ride.” It’s about how long you can hang on. It’s that simple. Dig far enough back, the high school I graduated from had a rodeo team. Not a silly, make-believe type of affair, but horses, ropes, boys being real cowboys. Handling ranch duties can be nasty work. So for Gemini, thinking about an old high school buddy, with his hard rope, gloves and straw hat, big chew in his lip? Thinking about that, reminded me of the old line about rodeo — as a sport. There really is no “riding,” per se, it’s merely a matter of holding onto the back of the animal as long as one can, whether this is a horse, bull, or managing cattle. Just hold on. The missive is the same for Gemini, just hold on. It’s that simple. It’s not really a “ride,” no, this is merely an effort to hang on a little longer. You’ll be able to make it, just — think rodeo — just hold on a little longer. Need ot hold on until you hear the buzzer. That’s what, in some events? Just 8 seconds. Of course, for some of my Gemini friends, 8 seconds is like — “Forever, man!”

Cancer

It was a summer’s morning pandemic stroll. A little walk to get some coffee, before the sun fully came up. Get out while it’s sort of cool outside. In the gloom, there was a pair of guys, walking around the shopping center with a package in hand. Some kind of sub-contractor working for — my guess was Amazon — but I’ll never know. Sub-sub-contractor, from the looks and lack of organizational skills. Wandering, lost, in the dark. It was like this package had to be delivered before anything opened, but at a commercial address, that doesn’t work out so well because there’s no way to get in the door. Currently, most retail places are running abbreviated hours, like 9 to 5. If I saw a sketchy looking dude waving a package at me? I’d keep buffing the floor and stocking the shelves. Looked like that was what was happening. This is material I’ve assembled from a casual observation before I had any coffee — consider the source. Consider, too, that I put together a narrative about what was happening with little — or no — supporting evidence, other than what I observed. Just a casual glance, the guys were looking at an address or instruction about something on the screen of a phone in their hands, waving the package, and gesturing towards closed storefronts. At the high holidays, last year, a couple of my buddies picked up extra cash running deliveries, why I was aware of the position. Still, this is a story that’s built entirely on scant, superficial, circumstantial evidence. Story fits, though. I’ll never know. I didn’t stick around to find out the real deal. As a Cancer sun sign, this next few days is about that narrative we build out of scant, superficial, circumstantial evidence.

astrofish.net/travel for appearances

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