Pay with falsehood false exacting,
And perform an old contracting.

• Measure for Measure, act 3, scene 7

Horoscopes for 7.9.2020

Cancer

With the concentration in Capricorn again, this is not the time to just best thy enemies. Don’t just beat them into submission, no, not this week, not this birthday week, no, we’re not all about just beating them until there is nothing left. Instead? I just get an image — specifically for the Moon Children — an image of your Cancer self standing there, over a dragon, and you, with sword in hand, about to slice open the belly of the beast. See what that monster feasted upon.

In other words, don’t just vanquish thy foes, no, slice them monsters open and see what makes those monsters want to eat you up, attack, or otherwise plague your gentle Moon Child, Cancer self in the first place. Don’t just whip them into submission, cut them open and let’s see what makes them tick. There’s a certain amount slicing and dicing, and why I liked the analogy of using a sword, using that to both slay then investigate the problem, and its source.

I have an analogy from coastal fishing, if you really want. When we’re at the dock, cleaning fish? I’ll slice open the belly and contents of the fish’s stomach, see what they’ve been eating. Helps to know which lure will work best. Slay your dragon then cut open his belly to see what he’s been feating upon — see what drives that vanquished Cancer, Moon Children foe.

The Leo

It helps to be stubborn about The Leo goals. However, might want trying to be more flexible about the way we get to those goals. Never give up?

Never give up the desired outcome, but the way you achieve that goal? Might need to be a lot more flexible about how those goals are achieved. It’s that simple, really. Firm about the outcome, but willing to negotiate different means towards that end.

Virgo

I don’t have many guidelines that I adhere to. I don’t follow many rules. When it comes to working with individual signs, I tend to see this more as an energy rather than a hard and fast rule that this is what it is. So there’s that sense that there are rules and definitions for Virgo that I would suggest is almost stereotypical. There is still much confusion about this last Mercury and Venus retrograde action, and strictly speaking while it is techncially over by the end of the week? Yeah, not so much for Virgo and that means?

“I don’t want to offend your intelligence, and in two minutes? I doubt that I can.”

I bet I can. I’ll also wager that some else will try to do that — insult your good, Virgo intelligence. Mercury fallout? You were warned (by me.)

Libra

There’s an old advertising trick, where one books in advance at one rate, but as it gets closer to the event itself, the price goes up. There’s a name for that process, and I forget what it’s called. It’s just, recently, there’s been this one “resort,” and they keep advertising super low rates, book in advance summer special now, and their rates have gone down since the ads started running. Was one price for the waterpark and now, it’s even less.

I’m guessing that the plan to sell post-virus space in advance didn’t work out. Or there is some kind of loss-leader that wasn’t working, or, maybe a series of bad reviews. Desperate times call for depurate measures. The idea that “book in advance and save money,” and the way the price goes up, though, that’s an effective way to get a good head-count. Good way to fill rooms. Airlines used to book like that, too, one in particular, a personal favorite — at one time. Book far enough in advance and it was cheap, but get closer and closer to the summer departure time, and the prices went up. I suppose there are algorithms and established guidelines that govern such processes. The idea of selling out in advance it what this is about, and the deal for Libra is about watching as this week holds a few last minutes deals. Against all odds.

Scorpio

Being guided solely by one’s feelings introduces a weird dynamic, and the last 4 or 5 weeks, been a good chance that those “feelings” have led my good Scorpio friends astray. It’s not that the feelings lie, it’s just that perceptions shift, and with the one-two lurches from Venus and Mercury, the sense that “feelings” are not always true? No time has that become more apparent than now. The other side of this equation? I tend to rely on imperceptible markers, and I usually trust those.

To some, it looks like I’m using “feelings” to dictate my actions. How many times, as a good Scorpio, have you said, “Oh, I have bad feeling about this one?” And how many times have you been 100% correct? Up until this last few weeks, I mean. So here’s the deal, that good Scorpio gut instinct, that intrinsic intuitive ability? There’s a good chance, high probability, that you’re still off. Not correct. Usually spot-on, but at the moment?

Yeah, no.

So when you have that “bad feeling” about a situation this next week? Remember how wrong you’ve been lately, and perhaps, try the opposite. Way things have been lately? Doing the opposite of what’s you feel like is right, can’t hurt, can it?

Sagittarius

The planets conspire to deliver some confusing messages. This is one of those times. I’m sure I’ve included this in my torrential legal material, but it was sign that made no sense — to me.

“Employees only/No entrance.”

I wasn’t sure which way that was so supposed to work — or what the message was. Only employees? But no one was supposed to enter, so no employees? No employees could enter, but other people were welcome? I’m totally not sure. In part, this is my own, twisted — Sagittarius — mind having fun with bad language and poor communication skills by sign painters. But then, this is also about the very confusing nature of the times. Making an effort to make sense of some scenario, I mean I get it, it was intended for employees only, and no one else should be admitted, but that didn’t stop it from appearing confusing. Being too literal at times — and believe or not — playing a grammar cop? Me? I know, sounds weird as no one can run sentence together and obviously avoid even common forms of grammar but that one series of signs?

Capricorn

I pinched off the head a dead shrimp. Shrimp was floating in a bait bucket. I slipped the tattered shrimp bits, carefully threaded it, onto a hook, and then, with minimal fanfare, launched the line into the water. I sat back and waited. The tip of the pole jiggled a moment, then paused. I waited, watching. The tip of the pole jiggled a little more, then, within about three heartbeats, the line was unspooling from the reel as a nice-sized fish had chomped on the bait. The way it was supposed to work. There’s a certain kind of patience required in this sort of fishing. Then, too, in Capricorn, there’s a certain kind fo patience required. Smelly, dead bait, and patience. Both are equally effective, and best when combined. I am unsure of what kind of smelly, dead bait bait you’re using, I found that coastal shrimp, left over from the day before was good for, but the real trick? Wait for it. That patience. I can just see the big redfish sniffing the bait, then chewing briefly, then spitting it out, then realizing — I didn’t move the bait — that I was just a meal. Bite, chew, and “Fish on!” All works out, but it works out because I was patient and let the fish test the material before I did anything. Patience. Patience and maybe some shrimp. But patience, no matter what you’re fishing for this week.

Aquarius

In my own, internal language, I think of this as “The falling moon sign” phase. After a full moon. After the insanity but before the cycle starts all over again. Not always the most pleasant of time for most, but as an Aquarius, and as an Aquarius compliant writer, I just got this sense, there’s a little bit of something leftover that really isn’t too bad. There was some party dip left from the holiday, and its root source was sour cream. I popped open the container, gave it a taste, and it wasn’t too bad at all. Since the root ingredient, the main stuff was “sour cream,” or a reasonable facsimile thereof? How can I tell if the dip had gone bad? I tested a little bit; tasted good to me. A little later, I had the a full serving, and it wasn’t bad at all. I’m still here; I didn’t get sick. The proof? The proof that I required was in the dip itself. It wasn’t bad. So this “falling moon sign” phase? It’s like that food, rescued from my icebox, and furtively tested late one night? Turns out it was good. No problem. The Aquarius “stars” hold a little surprise like that. I’m not sure if it’s a science project from your refrigerator, but something turns out — ironically — to be the opposite of “not so bad after all,” which, in my mind is the same as “Good.” And, against all odds.

Pisces

Perhaps a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, but that spoonful of sugar can also exacerbate certain other issues. Life is all about serving up some material that might not be so palatable to Pisces. Might be a lot of stuff we don’t want, can’t stand, or really, really don’t desire. Might not even be earned. Might not be out fault, at all. That’s not what this is about. Attitude.

“Attitude is everything.

Yeah, not what I like to hear, not when this is me getting served what the universe trying to make our Pisces selves choke down. So the deal is, this happens, now. And the deal is? The attitude and reactions to what is happening varies greatly from person to person, Pisces to Pisces, but how we chose to react is what is so critical. Important. Attitude>? Have a better attitude, and we’ll be just fine. Adjust that sour attitude as need be and watch this all turn around — in your favor.

“Attitude is everything.”

Aries

The joy of this — astrology — as a day job? I guess night job, in theory, to observe the stars, but as a ‘day job’ for me? Watching the cycles fill out and complete themselves. Which is part of what is going on, a cycle is coming full circle. As an Aries lover, I think the cycle will be complete, and therein is the good news. It won’t be completely, the circle won’t be closed, until a later date, and that’s the problem, as an Aries?

There’s a certain degree of haste, intransigent ideals, and what some refer to as stubbornness currently present. “Has to be done this way, because…” Because it’s the way we’ve always done it? With that cycle finally come full circle? Is it possible to consider another route to get there from here? Is it possible to look at other avenues that might be less strewn with obstacles, but those avenues yield better results? Quicker, more efficient ways to to accomplish that Aries goal? Consider the way you’ve usually accomplished that stated Aries goal, and then consider the way someone is showing a process that might be easier, and quicker, perhaps more efficient. With this week’s stars? The cycle is complete, give the new way a try. If it works, great and if it doesn’t work, you can always blame me for suggesting you try a shortcut that didn’t work.

Taurus

I’ve got about three charts, all people born within a few days of each other, some years ago. All three share the same drive, determination, and zeal. All three also look to me for advice. That I don’t get, but then, not my thing to understand. The deal is, from the first time I looked at the astrology charts, then, moving forward through the ensuing years, this has been about a certain signature that is now repeated. A certain arrangement of the planets, and what it means? There’s a level of strength, determination, and an ability to carefully make motions forward. When everyone else is caught up in holiday mess clean-up, or summer vacation/pandemic, and similar distractions — think fishing — there’s a chance for Taurus to carefully plunge forward. Plod in a generally forward direction? Stately make headway against all odds? There’s some combination of these scenarios that plays out. To be most efficient, start taking steps towards a very specific destination, but be willing to adjust the course as need be. Like, in Austin one day, the traffic on the freeway ground to a stop. Hopped off, hopped into an old neighborhood and took the back way. Worked fine. Arrived on time. That’s the plodding way to keep moving forward even though a number of people seem to be completely frozen in place.

Gemini

Finished the rough draft, last week’s horoscopes weighed right at 2K words. Included in that number is the opening quote. Typically, my horoscopes, for the last decade or more, have been at least that, and recently, I’ve found that I like at least 200 words per sign — 2,400 words or more — each week. So the sparse scopes were — I hope — not a trend. I’m often reminded of a great writer who once noted, “If I had more time, this would’ve been shorter.” All of this points to a summer-time Gemini problem, and a serious issue facing the Gemini week ahead.

Editing.

Proofreading and editing. Proofreading, editing, and condensing. Proofreading, editing, condensing, and streamlining. The trick is to distill the message to the point that it makes sense. In my example of last week’s messages, I didn’t do a good job of distilling, but I aimed to keep it shorter than usual, which, at this point, I’ll give it a “marginal” success on the my personal metrics for horoscopes. Great idea, didn’t fully meet my expectations. Which is what this is about for Gemini, getting to the point, and getting to the point quicker, in a more concise fashion. Fewer words. Less verbiage. Perhaps, less stylized options, too. Like a string of dependent clauses strung together with a period. The idea is to distill what you’re trying to communicate to the rest of the non-Gemini world, and get that information across in as succinct form as possible. Which, as we can tell from my rambling, I failed at — this week. But as a reminder for Gemini? Concise, distilled.

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