Horoscopes for 9-9-2021

Then you conclude, my grandam, he is dead.
The King mine uncle is to blame for it.
God will revenge it, whom I will importune
With earnest prayers all to that effect.

Edward Plantagenet in Shakespeare’s Richard 3 2.2.12-5

Venus enters Scorpio Sept. 10, around 3:39 PM. Mars enters Libra Sept. 14, around 7:00 PM local, almost visible at sunset.

Rare Thursday in Austin, see listing for details.

Virgo

There are a few authors that I care enough to collect their books. Anymore, I rarely buy the new books, but I do have weird library-like collection of a number of strange texts, including long shelves full of certain authors. Speaks to a time and place, and also shows something about my sentiments. There was one author, his second sequel in a series that was supposed to be a single book? It had a misprint in its first run, and that turned the first edition into a collectible copy. Eventually, as is my taste, I bought a corrected version of the paperback. Even then, in the last move or two, I’ve misplaced that rare, misprinted first edition. This is tearing me up, as I knew I had it, someplace. Maybe lost in a move. Maybe donated to a library, and it was sold off — perhaps someone realized it was a collectible and made some money. Either way, it was released to the wilds, gone now. When I was working on your horoscope, I was looking through my various shelves, trying to locate that one book. I couldn’t find it but it got to a point of obsession, trying to figure to where it was. Careful, as with Neptune and the Sun lining up opposite from each other? You can get like me, stuck looking for something that currently isn’t present. It might turn up, later. (It did, back on a shelf.)

Libra

There’s a small token gift from an old girlfriend, sitting on my desktop. Bit of technology that I no longer use, but can’t be convinced I should throw it away. I have very little technology that I am thusly attached to, but that’s as good an example as any. Libra, actually, who gave it to me.

That aged technological bauble serves as a touchstone for me. A reminder of the past. A reminder of what might’ve been. A reminder of what can still happen. Until Mars gets firmly into Libra? There’s a remembrance of things past that comes up, and keeps inserting itself. For me, I don’t want to forget so there’s a small tech bauble still there. Subtle reminders, touchstones, keepsakes: these all remind us where we’ve been and that makes it easier to plot our way forward. Waiting on Mars, you know.

Scorpio

Ever heard of a “Cemetery Gun?” What I understand, in the late 18th Century, medical “schools” had a shortage of cadavers to experiment on, and grave robbing was common. “Parts is parts,” as the old line went. So a Cemetery Gun was like a cap and ball pistol, set on a swivel, with trip wires running outwards, and, in theory, under the dark of night, as as villains crept through the deserted burial grounds, the trip wires would cause the weapon to swivel then fire, hopefully driving off the would-be robbers. Strange bits arcane cemetery lore, presented for Scorpio. I’m not about to suggest anything nearly as potentially deadly for Scorpio, but the idea of a simple tripwire, real or imagined, in a physical or metaphorical form? Something that leaves a footprint, sounds a warning shot, or raises the alarm that there might be intruders? That’s what works. An early warning device for The Scorpion, just so there’s a way to let you know that there might be unscrupulous people present. Maybe, though, we’ll just keep this between you and me.

Sagittarius

This week’s planets. Look like a gallimaufry of energies. Say it out loud, or, at least sound it out, “gallimaufry.” In the bad old days, along sketchy South Congress in Old Austin, there was a junk shop that just — can’t help but think of that place, a fond memory. It was a weird-ass collection of strange things, in a strange town who’s mantra was “Keep Austin Weird,” and even by that standard, it was weird. Some new, some old, some antiques, some pseudo-antiques, and then, some remaindered stuff. New stuff that fell off the back of a truck, or something, questionable provenance. That’s the week ahead in Sagittarius, too, some old, some new, some jumbled, rag-tag collection of rather disparate material, all thrown together. None of this makes sense. I can’t make sense of it myself. Which is why I thought of that one store front in the old days, with it’s totally random collection of strange things for sale. It was always an adventure, and there was always something new (old) to look at and see. Different stuff, and oddly enough, it worked. Buddy of mine, a Sagittarius, worked there for a few months. That odd collection of stuff for sale belied a solid kind of business that provided a good income for the store-owner. Which, out of the odds and ends of this week’s totally random weirdness? We’re going to find a cohesive, albeit off-beat, meaning.

Capricorn

There’s a kind of “political myopia” spreading in and around Capricorn. I seriously doubt this is you, but you are able to observe, see, and feel the effects of that kind of short-sighted action — or lack of action — in your own Capricorn fiefdom. Typically, this is a work-related environment wherein a pointed-headed boss-type is being inappropriately indulgent, or just too near the problem itself to see the correct answer. You have the best answer, but with this typically inherent political myopia? Your voice will go unheard. You suggestions fall on deaf ears. You’re right, you know, but no one else will admit that at this time because no one is thinking long-range. That kind of short-sightedness? There is no real cure, and time will be on your side, but the problem with having that great, long-range view while everyone is being stupid in front of you? Bothersome, at best, and troublesome to a degree, and an endless source of irritation. I don’t have a fix. I do suggest you keep it to yourself, for now.

Aquarius

There’s one BBQ place, I tend to prefer the slabs of smoked meat, but at this one place? The “chopped beef sandwich” is the best deal. It’s like a Hawaiian Roll, almost a confectionary sweetbread for the base, then the chopped beef, which is the trimmed ends of the brisket swept up off the cutting board, and finally, the coup de grace, a small scoop of cole slaw, on top, then gently mashed into a circular serving, underneath that crowing half of the bun. It’s the right amount of tang, sweet, and smoked brisket. Considering it’s the ends, the “crust” makes up most of the selections that gets chopped? It needs a little extra zing, and that comes from the juxtaposition of the citrus-like cole slaw, underneath that sweet roll-like bun. It’s a rare combination, and this one little dive-like place in Austin does it right. I wouldn’t bother trying to replicate the exact contents, or, for that matter, try to do this at home, but for Aquarius? This is about combining elements that usually set next to each other on a dinner plate, elements that might be a normal part of the every-day routine? The trick when mashing together those Aquarius elements, like with that sandwich? The simple idea, it’s a small scoop of the aforementioned cole slaw. Works perfect, small scoop, gets an almost even distribution when the top part of the roll is pushed down. Different elements combine in a good way, if you’re willing to play. Slow, Low, and Bangin’, just ask Bubba.

Pisces

“Use both hands.” Simple set of instructions. Might be lost on some, and it’s been many long years since I’ve done anything that resembles manual labor, so I’m preaching, but I might not have a solid understanding. Doesn’t stop me from making a simple suggestion for dear Pisces, “Use both hands.” I realize it sounds like something out of the fineprint, but it’s not, no, it’s admonishment for the next few days. While Mars won’t be opposite from you much longer, the Sun moves opposite from Neptune, still in Pisces, and that create the illusion of being perfectly safe. Simplest way to insure your Pisces safety? “Use both hands.”

Aries

We’re getting ready for another transition of Mars. While not every time Mr. Mars, putative ruler of Aries, while not every transition is a big deal? This one is. Getting psyched up, getting prepared? Mars will move into Libra, as noted above, pushing into a sign that is opposite from Aries, and Mars moves “above the horizon,” when I’m looking at the chart. Think of an old-time doctor’s operating room, not the modern TV variant, but the old school. A metal tray, and on it, an array of useful tools, a scalpel, tweezers, forceps, various spreaders, closers, a roll of thread, a couple of needles, all the tools? Got an image of that? All those tools required, all laid out in order, all nice, and neatly arrayed. Getting ready for Mr. Mars is like that, get those tools out, get them all in order, polished up, sharpened up, ready to slice and dice once Mars arrives. As a final note, I’d get out whatever kind of whetstone you chose to use, and I would sharpen the metal edge of those cutting and healing instruments.

Taurus

While not exactly swimming in a sea filled with stability? There’s a kind of solid foundation that some of ya’ll can enjoy. It’s been built by accretion, the slow deposit of minute material over the years, bit by bit, tiny grain of sand by tiny grain of sand. I grew up around huge limestone ledges, jutting out from the flat prairie landscape, the line between East and West Texas. Buried in those limestone formation would be the shapes of small shells, scalloped edges, fossils from former sea life. Yes, I suspect, most of my native Texas was at one time, geologic time, an ocean front. Over time, that compressed and become a solid limestone foundation, evident in gentle uplifts, and along roadside cuts, and other places, like a where a stream carved out a meandering path. That limestone, built up as a solid foundation over many years. Likewise for this week’s Taurus, there’s a foundation built from years and years of solid work. Look back at that foundation, as yes, you’ve got a body of good work behind you.

Gemini

Shift, change, adapt. At one point, I loved the term “pivot.” What I meant, standing in one place, just turning, either to the left or the right, shifting one’s point-of-view, changing the direction one was looking, just seeing things differently? “Pivot” worked as an example. However, having used that for a little while, I need a new term for this week’s Gemini flavors; “pivot” doesn’t work anymore. My friends who did “pivot,” stationary, just rotating to the left or the right upwards of 90°? That expression worked well — and now we have to adapt some. All about shifting, and as the inner planets shift signs, Gemini change is back. It’s not a grand gesture, although, to one Gemini, any gesture is a grand gesture, but for rest? It’s about adapting and possibly just shifting some views. It’s a matter of a new outlook, or a better outlook, or a way of seeing that you haven’t used before. There’s always a new way to look at this. Shift, adapt, and change.

Cancer

Some years back, I became a huge fan of the local, public library system. In part, it was one of the first major metropolitan areas to offer an all-digital version of a library, and while that was marginally cool, over time, I grew to where I found that resource invaluable. Some of the “book-reading” software is suspect, at best, feeling like a design left over from a previous decade, too simplistic and not always user-friendly, but offering the data, in such an accessible format? Amazon, too, had a library-like feature, and I thought it was kind of nice, only, I got tired of the idea that I would read one book by an author, like it, and then, the algorithm kept trying to sell me the rest of the books by the same person. “First one’s free, little boy…” I can’t do that creepy enough for it to carry weight, but you catch the drift? Back to the public library, especially now that I’ve discovered, there are several versions of it. Also: several universities have a wealth of data on tap, just let the fingers do the walking. I like this. You like this. From the comfort of your own web browser, e–book reader, or whatever, you can access the knowledge of the whole of human-kind. Makes it easier for Cancer, Moon Children to research certain facts. Facts, fictions, and near facts, plus, there are always facts that aren’t facts, but appear fact-like. Cancer: look it up in the library. Simple as that, make sure it’s “real,” whatever definition works for you.

Leo

Couple of rather separate energies are weighing on The Mighty Leo, in part, this is that long-term leaning of Saturn in Aquarius, but then, there’s also the subtle shifts of both Mars and Venus, making it all, ahem, more interesting. It means you’ve got some tough odds, but you’re The Leo, and as such? Tough Odds don’t scare you off. Besides, there’s a lingering bit of oddball good luck that will, at some point in the next few days, when you least expect it, in a way you can’t forecast, that good luck will come whiffling in to save you. From where you least expect it, when you least expect it, and at a time, when, with those tough odds, you’re sure all is lost. Some fancy-pants guys call this Deus Ex Machina, a term for the Ghost in the Machine, and it refers to that kind of unpredictable rescue from the least-likely of corners.