“And to that end we wish’d your lordship here,
T’ avoid the censures of the carping world.”

Richard, Duke of Gloucester in
Shakespeare’s Richard 3 3.5.67-8

Horoscopes for 7.21.2022

The Sun enters the most majestic sign of Leo July 22, 3:07 PM.

The Leo

“Make go.” It’s been many long years since I worked in a shade tree motorcycle shop. My legend stretches back to a summer in Ft. Worth (TX), and includes other stops along the way, along with a few trophies. Plus bangs, scrapes, and other assorted injuries. But this is about one place, and then the work order. It was always really simple, a beat-up garage-relic machine would arrive, usually in the bed of a pickup, maybe with the pick-up’s gate down, maybe with the bike on its side, and the work order itself was simple, “Make go.” Simple set of instructions. The goal of the “make go” exercise was to diagnose and triage the machine, and the limit of what could be spent could not be more than the market value of the machine. Sometimes, a new battery, new battery cable, and a good trip to the car wash was all it took. Layers of dust and cobwebs, one time there was an active wasp nest, shudder, but sometimes, it’s simple, and easy. Other times, it could be quite a complex problem with interlocking issues. From pistons, frozen into place with rust, to fuel delivery systems, from the gas tank to the carbs all plugged along the way? Which is why, the instructions usually fell to the youngest guy in the shop, and I learned to diagnose issues. Start at the beginning. Sometimes, just for a starting point? Clean it off and see what’s visible, before going any further. Then proceed in a workmanlike manner, with the simple Leo command?

“Make go.”

Virgo

While hardly an exhaustive source, the crowd-managed wikipedia.org has become one of my standard “quick research” tools. In part, search engine rankings, and in part, the general yet academic nature of the entries. But my favorite part? The footnote that says, (citation needed). It appears after a data point that has no corroborating links.

The Virgo points need supporting, ancillary evidence. We need Virgo data points. This can be a link to a news article, an encyclopedia entry, a dictionary definition, or any other kind of fact-supported piece. It can be as simple as that. No supporting facts? No “smoking gun?” Then we are dealing with either suspect information, rhetorical devices of language, or just plain opinion. While valid in its own right, do not confuse opinion, taste, and style with fact. It’s about accountability. Don’t confuse a single opinion with facts, (citation needed).

Libra

A fishing buddy, of latin origin (TexMex), suggested a term, new to me. “Metiche.” I am unsure of the spelling, I can pronounce it, but even then I might not have it correct. So there is that. What he told me it meant? “One who meddles.” He was complaining about an old girlfriend who used to meddle in all his affairs. Not that he didn’t like her meddling in some, but she — consider the source, my buddy, a spurned lover — the ex used to spend an inordinate amount of time directing the actions of other people. Notably? My buddy. Not that he doesn’t need some direction, a good Libra always welcomes new ideas, it’s just, I wonder. He was sorely put out because his ex would spend time telling him what to do, how to live his life, and organize matters for him. I’m not sure I like that much attention. I’m not sure I like that much Libra management. What’s the missive for the good Libra? Leave well enough alone. If you’re not the manager? Then it’s not your job. No “metiche,” whatever that really is.

Scorpio

In a few weeks, there’s a new moon in Leo. The problem being, Mars briefly aligns with Uranus, in Taurus, opposite from good Scorpio. Plus the tension from that new moon? Yeah, this isn’t headed towards a happy place, but I have a suggestion. Do it now. Get it out of the way. Anticipate the problems, make corrections, and get everything ready. There are certain deadlines that are inevitable. Taxes, as a simple example, come to mind. I know when they are due, so I’ll get a check made out, ready to post, and get everything done weeks, months, sometimes even years in advance. Can’t say, “This snuck up on me!” There is no way that’s a valid excuse. So, looking at the moon, what’s ahead for good Scorpio? Looking at what’s headed this way suggests — before the next horoscope appears? Get it done. Whatever is on the “I’ll do it later” list? Get that knocked out before the next horoscope shows up. You’ll be happier. I’ll be happier. We’ll all be happier. Get it done before the crush of time renders everyone else in panic. “I listened to Kramer, and I got that finished already. Here, let me help you…”

Sagittarius

More and more, I am very wary of cultural appropriation. But that doesn’t t stop me from using what I learn along the way. I’m also rather wary of pretending something is mine when it’s clearly not in my background. However, one of those famous quotes from the fiction side? “Good artists copy; great artists steal.” Fiction because the attribution appears to be false, at least in common usage, cf., Pink Cake. The Sagittarius clue then? Careful about blindly accepting material that isn’t vetted in some form. I had a copy editor, at one time, and my Shakespeare quotes drove her insane because I used a strict system for locating the quote, but my fingers would sometimes mistype the numbers. However, as a way to locate a source, that helped. We have to be extra careful in the following week, following weeks since there’s that sense that we might be either taking a single source as the definitive source, or, we might be blindly appropriating some tidbit that doesn’t really belong to our Sagittarius selves. You’ve been warned. I’ve been warned.

Capricorn

I was fishing off the dock, down at the Texas Coast. Always like the original Spanish name, “The Devil’s Elbow,” as that portion of the coast bends, and apparently, was too tricky for early Spanish seaman and explorers. To me, the water is rich and briny, and catching sea trout is fun. If I dredge the bottom, there’s also flounder. There are several arrangements that work, but for simplicity’s sake? I was just using a simple spinning reel, lightweight rod, light monofilament line, and hook. The problem with fishing like that? The fish, especially the coastal variety, have more than a fighting chance. It’s easy for them to saw through the line, or shake the hook, and some of the little fish? They can chew up the bait without ever getting caught. It’s more for amusement, and less for dinner, but as a very Capricorn exercise? It’s a great idea. Girlfriend wandered over to the edge, “Lovely sunset,” and gave me a wan smile. I felt a tickle on the fishing line, pulled up sharply and reeled in a small “sandy.” Unhooked it, tossed it back. I reeled up the line, hooked the hook in the handle, emptied what was left in the bait bucket back into the water, and followed that girlfriend inside. Capricorn priorities. What this is all about. Prioritize properly.

Aquarius

Because I’ve been part of the Apple Eco-System for all of this career, and, I wonder, thinking through the details, I was an Apple guy before I started reading charts. So there is that. Been at this a while, and the last 15 or 20 years? As part of the Apple system? I noticed a difference in the branding of devices. There is the ubiquitous i–Thing label, usually a consumer-grade version. iPod, iPhone, iMac, all good examples of the labeling, with a pro version a more industrial kind, targeted at — I don’t know — professional? For years, I used a Mac Pro as I liked the added horsepower. Once I drifted into a more simplistic arrangement, I can get by just for work with the regular, consumer stuff. My geek pride dictates that I just have the “pro” version, but realistically? When I started to compare price and performance, the included features, and most important? Benchmark numbers on chipsets? I found that the consumer version, the i-version worked just as well, and it cost less. See where this is going?

Pisces

The tradition of musical solace runs deep. The musical interlude, poetry itself, this is millennia-old traditions as a source of comfort. Epic poetry and classical plays, set to harmony, over the ages, that becomes more popular forms, gospel, blues, and more modern variations? Sure. Pick a song for this next few days. Pick a sad song, pick a blues number, pick a “Somebody done me wrong” tune. Looking at two planets, alone, which is tedious at best, but to planets alone, Neptune in Pisces, and Saturn in Aquarius, just those two planets alone? A sad song makes you feel better. An alone song makes you feel whole. A blues riff brings tinges of joy that otherwise might not be visible, given the current conditions. In this situation, though, it’s just the two planets, and no, you’re never alone, but there’s a sense that a dolorous tune might make you feel better.

Aries

There is a restaurant in Port Aransas, TX, and that location has been through several hurricanes, last check. In the span of a few decades, seems like the location was either blessed, far enough inland, or just plain lucky, but any which way? It survived. While it features a chalkboard menu, seems like the prices change, but items on the menu have stayed pretty much the same. Fine dining, extremely casual atmosphere, and a chalkboard menu that reflects current market prices, but that’s the only change. Seems like they’ve added to the menu in the last years, but they haven’t seem to take anything off, so it gets more and more crowded, with the print getting smaller and smaller. As a consumer, and occasional patron, I approve. As an astrologer, I have to wonder if this is what Aries is doing? Keep adding to the menu, but not taking anything away? With the limited space available? Just keep using finer and finer print? Does that really work? I mean, it works at that one place. Menu grows, but the available space stays the same.

Taurus

On the heels of a plague, thoughts about hurricane season are relatively tame. With deeply rooted memories, and some loss, but mostly just that old person fascination with watching the weather unfold? Hurricane season, in my mind, starts in August, and goes to the end of September, while, technically, it is June through November. My point of reference is localized; it varies with location. But as a guideline, I have to remember that I must always be vigilant, watchful, and for that matter? Prepared. I’ve kept variations of a “hurricane box” on hand since the old days in a trailer park. There are certain emergency supplies that I keep safely tucked away. Flashlights, batteries, chargers for phones and whatnot, cans of food (that can eaten straight from the container), a case of bottled water, the list is pretty obvious, the contents changed over the years, but the idea is sound. If you haven’t already, time to take a peek at the Taurus hurricane box, whatever that looks like, emergency preparedness. This is a time to weed out the old, and replace it with fresh. Unless, of course, this doesn’t include certain beef-salt grease sticks. Those things last forever. No need to rotate that stock.

Gemini

Attend to what you can. Can’t fix everything, despite that Gemini prowess. Can’t fix everything. But you can fix the broken bits that are right in front of your Gemini selves. There’s a marked tendency to get easily overcome with that dreaded sense of “Too much to do; not enough time!” Here’s the special Kramer Hint: it can’t all get done in that insane Gemini timetable. Not happening. I know you have great skill, but no, not happening on that pre-programmed Gemini schedule. Thus noted? Means you got time, place, and space to fix some of the mess. Fix what you can. The parts that fall within your obvious realm of possible solutions, and easy Gemini fixes? Do that. Attend to what you can, and know when to say, “yeah, that’s above my pay grade and way above my training.”

Cancer

I’ve never understood the concept of night caps, not a nightcap, I get that, “Come on over to my place for a nightcap,” but the use of a hat one wears to sleep. I never really understood it until recently. Suddenly, the frilly hats on period dolls, and implied images from yesteryear, now that nonsense makes sense. Which means, now I get it. The purpose of the nighttime bonnet? It’s to keep hair out of the way. This comes to mind because I was thrashing about the bed on a warm summer’s eve, and stray strands of gray hair kept ticking my face. My hair, curling, receding, but still there, it was making me highly uncomfortable. I finally pulled it back in a tight knot, and that seemed to do the trick. But that problem sleeping, with wild strands of my own sparse hair, what’s there is still long, but there’s not as much these days. Doesn’t matter, I could understand the need for a nighttime bonnet of sorts. It’s a gradually dawning, an image from history, at least an image from Moon Children history, and the much-needed clarity comes to you. Could be as simple as understanding that I might need a little night cap to wear to bed. So practical applications for Moon Children?

astrofish.net/travel for appearances