Horoscopes for 12-23-2021

Your cake here is warm within: you stand here in the cold.
It would make a man mad as a buck to be so bought and sold.

Dromio of Ephesus in Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors 3.1.72-3

Winter solstice is around 9:59 AM, 12/21/2021 — 12-21-21 — Sun goes into Capricorn. As noted before.

Capricorn

Some places in the world? It’s been winter for quite some time. Maybe a few months ago, there was a gentle changing of the seasons, and the days got noticeably shorter. The calendar pictures from New England always remind me of the colors and the magnificent shading of the trees as the leaves change, almost overnight. Where I live? There will be an occasional tree that sprouts orange, or almost orange burnt-sienna coloring, but mostly? Trees around here, the deciduous oaks? All variations on a theme of brown, then dead. But we passed the Winter Solstice, and the beginning of Capricorn, and that means the days are inching towards getting longer. More daylight, and that suggests rebirth.

Our current issue? Holiday madness. There are two lines, mostly straight lines, one going up at a 45-degree angle and the other going down, at a similar angle. That point where the two lines cross? That’s where Capricorn is at the minute. Going to be a long minute. The gradually lengthening days, almost imperceptible, the dead leaves, and the holiday insanity? X. “X marks the spot,” huh. I’d start planning on rebirth, but what you do and how you approach it? Up to you. Happy birthday, dude.

Aquarius

This is a long-term, weirder than usual period of time. Memories, dreams, and reflections come bubbling up, and there’s that ever-present issue of romance. Aquarius romance is different from most other signs. Not bad, just bounces along to a tune that most people don’t seem to hear. Especially with maudlin holiday insanity sandwiched into this mix?

The caution is reaching out to that former Aquarius lover. As in, it’s not a good idea to do anything more than suggest they have a merry “Whatever you celebrate” holiday message. If you’d asked me earlier, I’d suggest not even bothering to mail a card. Leave it alone. “What’s passed is prologue,” as Shakespeare said. In other words? Let whatever lies in the past? Let it stay there. Remember the good times, but don’t dwell in the past.

Pisces

Xmas Eve’s Eve — tough time to write a horoscope. Madness rules the land, and it’s not like it’s much of a challenge, “Don’t do anything too stupid?” Little late for that. We’re left with trying to piece together the pieces of the last few days, the last few weeks, hell, the last year or more. None of it makes sense, and then? The bane of the Pisces existence? The ex calls. E-mails. Texts. Something. Might not be an ex, but there’s always one, I tend to think of “the one that got away,” but there’s always one, and we all feel a little rip in our heart, an un-mended rent, a paper-cut on the psychic Pisces aorta? That person contacts us. Always one that got away and always feels like a little piece of heart went in that direction, and to persevere what’s left of the Pisces psyche? Don’t respond. Yeah, be nice to reconnect, but maybe now isn’t the time, not in the heady holiday madness and all the false, insincere “good cheer” we are all supposed to enjoy. Yeah, be nice, especially if they do contact you. I’d look down at the caller ID and click on “ignore.” About a month from now? You can thank me for my brilliance.

Aries

If there is an Aries easy fix, then I’m all for it, and I would suggest you go for it! The catch, the way I see this, in your chart? If this isn’t an Aries easy fix, then I wouldn’t proceed with it. If you can’t just knock this out in a matter of minutes, then it’s not worth your while. Simple: if it is simple for you to correct, fix, or make better? Then do it. If you can’t get this done, in a hurry, quickly, efficiently, and with no sweat? Then I would put if off until next year. Looking for stuff that’s easy for Aries to correct? And if it’s not? Then don’t. Simply put? If it is simple, and easy, do it. If it is not simple and easy — at this time? Then don’t. Merry Xmas, too.

Taurus

“Internet” radio opened up certain possibilities, hitherto unknown. Locally, several radio stations have their own apps, but I’m not too fond of getting stuck in just one category. Which is why I liked the “internet” radio idea. I was looking for something different, and I happened across a station that featured “Bollywood.” I barely know what it is, much less, the language, instruments, or even central themes. I’ve been exposed to a certain amount through my own, limited cultural explorations and travel, but even then, in this I am limited. Which was why, listening online to a some “Bollywood” music was outside my belief system, outside my world-view, and outside of my experiences. That’s such a perfect example of what to do, for Taurus, all about trying something that is totally different. I mean, completely outside of the realm of possibilities. I stumbled across the music stream with that title, “Bollywood,” and I started listening. A DJ came and rattled excitedly in a language I didn’t understand, and then an ad with a clipped (Indian) British accent, and then more noises. Different. Just something different. Happy Xmas!

Gemini

“I always swore that…” I have a long list of “Never-ever (again) will I…” You can imagine. Won’t date any more Virgo, won’t date a Scorpio, and the list goes on and on. What does, and doesn’t work, and then, the ultimatums to ourselves, “I will never-ever (some action, some bad decisions, etc.)” Holiday madness, holiday bad behavior, and holiday cheer, all mixed up with a few backward moving planets that will have an impact, and throw in a good Gemini mindset? Just, as a suggestion, an astrological ideal? No ultimatums. No, stay away from the “Never, ever, no, not even if tempted, will I ever…” The command form, the absolute with no Gemini wiggle room? That doesn’t work, the absolute, the ultimatum. How about, just for now, suggest that you won’t ever do that, again, this week, or, at least, just not today? “I will never contact Kramer again! Never-ever-never!” Xmas morning? Bet I get that Gemini e-mail, huh.

Cancer

I learned, a long, long time ago, about mistakes and regrets. Simplest way to express this energy, and this might be ongoing for a few weeks, for lovely Moon Children. If it is an action you know you will regret in the morning? The morning after is scary? Then don’t do it. Typically, this is as simple as a three in the morning communication with a former lover. The hour, the questionable content, and the resistance from the former love? That, alone, any one of those, but that alone should be an indication that this is not Cancer’s best idea. Remember how you didn’t part under good terms? A sudden bout of holiday-infused nostalgia, and the affects of holiday cheer? Not a good idea to try and contact that person, and especially not at that hour. I can see this one buddy, “No,” he slurs, “I know she’s up, wait, let me see, I still got her number here…” This doesn’t end well, and can result in possible legal ramifications. The urge to reconnect is strong, this season, the advertising practically demands it. But the time to do it? Daily, between the hours of 1 PM and 4 PM. Even then? Don’t really expect good results.

Leo

I’ve kept a variation of a journal for over three-dozen years. In the midst of the holiday madness, and once we get to “Boxing Day,” the day after traditional Xmas? My sweet Leo friends need to take a moment and flip through the old, maudlin archives, and see where you’ve been. Flip through my archives, then, and see where we’ve been together. Doesn’t matter much, which set of archives, and I always get this image of a microfiche machine, looking at holographic copies of old newspapers. Maybe that’s it. Or maybe this is a sentimental journey in some other form. I was thinking, but this reflects my tastes, that it was as simple as picking up a novel I’ve read previously, and then re-reading the story. Why I still like some books, as books. No battery, no updates, just read. The added advantage of a real book, or paper journal? I tend to date those, and there is sometimes margin notes. Sometimes, I usually can’t decipher my own, cryptic handwriting, but since can see where I dated a passage I pulled out to serve some purpose. I would hope, to illustrate. The heavens are not kind to all signs, but The Leo, taking just a moment to peruse old archives? That will give you a much needed boost in a new direction, once January arrives.

Virgo

More than once, owing to my history with the sign of Virgo, but more than once, I’ve observed this. It’s classical form is “Tempest in a Teacup.” I’m less concerned with what it is called, and more about what it looks like to the non-Virgo players: a tornado in a coffee mug. Or, as previously alluded to, a Tempest in a Teacup. The term, it defines a giant raging event contained in a diminutive form. I prefer the idea of Tornado in a coffee mug, but that lacks alliteration and literary precedent. Either way, I mean, either phrase? You get the imagery, correct? A veritable storm, of epic Virgo proportions, possibly over a detail that matters not one whit to the rest of us — it matters to me, but I’m not involved in this equation. “But Kramer, you don’t understand! This is major big deal to me!” I get that. I’m just suggesting, lost in the crush of the holiday madness, the sprint to the new year, and pesky Venus? Not going to be noticed by many, other than you seem worked up over something. Partake of holiday cheer, the storm will subside, eventually.

Libra

When is it time to “Call it?” When is a time to stick a fork in it, and see if it is done? When is it time to suggest that nothing further can be done, and what it is? It is. Childhood, reminiscent of holidays, but a seriously old memory? Think it was my mother, and she would take a straw from the broom, and stick that in the cake, to see if it was baked all the way through. In a more modern variation, I would use a steak knife to see if the meat was still pink, as this one girlfriend, the beef had to be quite dead. I often though she would like beef jerky, but no. Still, her steak had to be “good and dead,” not just done. It is a metaphor for this week, and the days ahead for Libra, ask yourself, “Is it done?” I don’t know how to test this, individually, but the straw from a broom, or a fork, that is as good a start as any.

Scorpio

I’ve been writing about astrology, the influences of the planets on us, mere humans and citizens of Planet Earth, for a long, long time. I know of what I speak. One of the coolest aspects of my work life is the way I can combine written form with prognostications. What I like best is hammering something out in advance, then letting it sit for a period of time, then returning to the text, at a later date. Seems to percolate, mature, and the rewriting process helps. I feel like I’ve got fresh eyes on old works. For Scorpio, fresh eyes on old works is this week’s theme. Might stretch into the next year, but for now, let’s stay on point. This week, let’s just give this to Venus and her backward pattern, but it is a simple holiday cheer version of getting a new look at an existing piece of Scorpio work. “Wow, this is good stuff, I forgot how eloquent I could be.”

See?

Sagittarius

Stop. Pause. Stop and pause. Stop and pause again. The only time that one might not want to follow my suggestion is in heavy traffic. Heavy, holiday traffic, especially, with short tempers and even shorter emotional fuses. My simple Sagittarius solution? Stop and pause. There’s a traffic light near where I lived, and watched, a number of times, as other people have blazed through the light when it was “pink.” That’s when it’s red, but not really red. Green, go, yellow, go fast, red, stop. Simple, right? Stop and pause. I know how local drivers are, and I know local customs, and how a yellow light means stop unless it looks like it might almost be red, and then, at least two more cars can fit through. I was stopped at the light, and I stayed stopped until I was sure that no one else was trying to sneak through on a pink light. Wait for it, one last car goes firing through the intersection. Best way to save the Sagittarius soul? Stop and pause. Wait for it.

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