As we are men
Thus should we do, being sensually subdu’d
We lose our human title.

Theseus in Shakespeare’s Two Noble Kinsmen 1.1.231-33

The Sun enters the tropical zodiac sign of Capricorn December 21, 2022 at 3:49 PM (local) — winter solstice.

• New Moon in Capricorn on December 23, 2022 at 3:54 AM.
• Mercury goes Retrograde on December 29, 2022 at 24° Capricorn.
• Full Moon on January 6, 2023 at 16° Capricorn/Cancer.
• Mars turns Direct on January 12, 2023 at 8° Gemini.
• Mercury turns direct on January 18, 2023 at 8° Capricorn.

The cacophony in Capricorn played out against Mars in Gemini, that means, individually?

In its original black and white forms, the coffee commercials were made with red wine substituted for coffee. Made the actors more cheery and the fluid dynamics of the red wine, its texture, and the general hue, looked better on black and white film. The problem I faced, I don’t own any stemware. Glasses, like cocktail glassware? I have coffee cups, coffee mugs, and a few tall glasses, plus an assortment of plastic tumblers from various BBQ places. But no stemware, no proper “Martini” glass, as an example. What I wanted was a simple picture, and what I was going to use? Simple stemware with dark coffee in it. The caption? “Chocolate Martini: no one should have to choose between alcohol and chocolate.” This also worked better as a simple image rather than as an idea, and to make it work? Simple stemware, you know, the archetype for a martini glass. Or, in some of my circles, a tiny margarita glass. Again, no one should have to choose between two vices, and to make it through the whole of the Capricorn season ahead? Combine two vices that might not belong next to each other, not at first. There are dozens of variations online, pick one that suits your own style. For me? I make hot cocoa using coffee instead of milk. Kind of works.

Kid: “See it says, ‘Out of stock,’ so I can’t get it.”

What it says?
For real?

“Add to cart.”

A simple example, and obviously, at the run-up to the solstice holidays, a common question, observation, really, among a certain set. Personally, I’m in favor of teaching kids to read, but that might be me, and if that kid could read, he’d see that what the button really said, and that might not work out. Not sure where the parent was in this situation. I’m not interfering. As an Aquarius in this similar set-up? Looking at the stars? A good example is to neither correct the parent nor the kid. Not our battle, not our kid, and we don’t know what all is going on, and that might be best. I thought it was funny. “Mommy-Daddy said it was sold out.” It could be a wrapped present, or it could be a future gift for an Aquarius, or, more than likely, it was a parent trying to manage a child’s expectations. No idea — wasn’t me, and I won’t be party to either side. Not going to let that upset me, either, but, no, I’m not getting into it. As an Aquarius? Think about following my wry amusement at the little white lie, I’m neither complicit nor party to either one. Admit it was funny, admit it was subtle subterfuge, and admit it wasn’t us. Much easier. Better in the long run, and after all, that’s what we’re looking at for this month’s stars — for Aquarius. “Out of stock. Who knew that was spelled add to cart?”

“Add to Cart.”

Going to be a long start to the new year. This isn’t bad, isn’t a drag, isn’t a let down, just a long, long start. Feels like false starts, but I’ll suggest, by the time Pisces arrives in full? Late February? At that point the new year starts for Pisces, but until then? Be aware that there are false starts, and then false starts that turn into a real starting point, just not getting launched as well as we would like it, not at first. It does get off, just not as quickly. Look: Xmas might still be ahead, and that whole “solstice celebration,” however one wants to observe that? Sets an uncertain tone, at best, and at worst? With Mercury where it is? Sets up a disappointing moment or two, after the whole thing is over. Just gets off on the wrong foot, so to speak. Does get going, it’s just not as quickly, or in any kind of reasonable manner. “Things” aren’t working out correctly, and “things” will not work correctly until we get much, much closer to Pisces time. Pisces doesn’t start until after the Valentine’s crap, and there are many, other events to observe betwixt and between. Celebrate but don’t get married to a certain outcome, and then predicate your own actions on that presumed outcome. Frequently, it won’t work that way, not now. Eventually, sure, who can say “No” to a Pisces? But for the short run? Long set of false starts that might turn out to be real. You are thusly warned.

“That’s a great idea, now stop.” Simplest of expressions, sort of two parts, sort of just one, continuous idea, “That’s a great idea, now stop.” There’s a whole bunch of energy pushing, pulling, exerting force along a motivational line, and mostly, just an internal drive for Aries throughout the holidays and on into the start of the next year. All good. Or, as I hinted from the beginning, “That’s a great idea.” The second half that completes the idea, though? “Now stop.” It’s half-baked. It’s not fully formed. The concrete ain’t completely dry, and you won’t understand that if you walk across the surface. Hence the problem, and my simple solution, the two-part phrase, “That’s a great idea, now stop.” Early in the holiday season, a batch of cookies came out of the oven — at the ten-minute mark. To me, the cookies were fine. But the baker suggested that the cookies were a little underdone, sort of like ice cream with raw cookie dough added in? Didn’t bother me. I got them warm out of the oven. That first batch was great. Burned the roof of my mouth, a little on that first one, though. Since I don’t want you to burn your Aries mouth, too? “That’s a great idea, now stop.” Nothing half-baked will do any good, not now. Let it be fully formed, so, great idea, now stop.

I’ve noted this before, but a brilliant example showed back up recently. Made me think about this, especially for Taurus. Males tend to learn about “risk aversion response” later than females do. While all generalizations are false, over time, from what I’ve seen, females tend to understand if a retain action is risky, then it is to be avoided, and that occurs much earlier for females. For males, and I can substantiate this with plenty of my own examples, males tend to be in their late 20’s to maybe 30 — or so — until we learn that a the risks are far greater than the rewards. As a generalization, females learn this at a much younger age. Now that I’ve alienated a good portion of a population with my sexist ranting, I’d point out that this is merely an observation, and this is merely from my own point view, not otherwise endorsed. The reason for the example? The high holiday season, then the start of a the new year? All full of extra opportunities for Taurus to take big risks. I can’t condone such behavior. “But if it comes in, I’ll win big!” The odds are long, and with such long odds? The risk outweighs the reward. This isn’t forever, but this High Holiday Season, Xmas, NYE, new year, Mars, Mercury, and so forth? Risk? Reward?

One (female) Taurus, sitting in front of me, coquettishly biting her lower lip, “It may be dangerous, but it would be so much fun…”

Does the risk outweigh the reward?

I spent near thirty years battling dis-information. This is a reminder of that battle, once again. The planets, and their paths, as the planets follow their proscribed orbits, with their various retrogrades, entrances, and exits? Like players on the stage, each planet has a role. Each planet serves a specific purpose, and it colors, shades, adds, or subtracts, from what is going on. For Gemini? This is a long, giant pause button. Pause long enough to review the material, then, pause again, while you wait for the rest of us to digest what your Gemini self has already analyzed, catalogued, verified, double-checked, and then, published. That’s a lot of motion while I’m still trying to find the business section of the newspaper. Sports section is too fiery, politics is front page, and the buried business section gives me the best way to get handle on what the zeitgeist is at the moment. Besides, in the course of the next few weeks, everything changes directions for Gemini. Everything. I know it felt like it was going good, right up until recently, and then, seemed like all of a sudden, everything felt bad again, and I can’t help that, but it will change. By the end of this Xmas/NYE/Mars/Mercury thing, it all changes. The amount of bad information, though, that long battle of mine, now it is a Gemini battle, too, the battle is about what is true. Good luck with that, as the planets tend to obfuscate the correct material.

Hope, dreams, and good wishes? All moving in the correct directions, no? There is nothing wrong with hopes, dream, and data sites of sugar plum fairies, no, not a problem with any of that. However, with Mars camped out where he is, for the duration of Capricorn, the notion of the dreams, hopes, and wishes? That’s put to a test. Nothing wrong with getting excited about the holidays, or looking forward to a new year and new start, but putting Cancer, Moon Children stock in a specific outcome? The trick for successfully navigating the next few weeks? Understand the difference between the dream world of fantasy-land, and the real-world where the rest of us are stuck. The Non–Moon-Children? The people who have no Cancer in their charts (like me?) We’re stuck in a drab landscape devoid of understanding what your vivid, dream-like fantasy-land looks like. We don’t get it. Also suggests that there is at least one outcome, like, a certain Xmas gift you’re expecting, and that item doesn’t show up.

“But all I want for Christmas is world peace!”

See? Unrealistic expectations. Rein them in.

Doesn’t hurt to hope, but be realistic, too.

I’ve long railed against the various list managers, get-it-done, nag-ware systems for achieving goals. Everyone has a system and everyone has a system that won’t work. My own system is simple — it’s series of lists using built-in software with no amount of nagging required. Either it gets done, or doesn’t get done. Simple as that. “Do, do not, there is no try?” Majestic Leo requires no system besides the innate, on-board system already in place. Simple as that. I watched, one dear Leo just used a simple system of writing it down on a piece of paper. It worked, and it was super-simple. No need to have a list that dings the phone, and chimes the front door whenever there’s another problem to solve. Makes sense to me. I’m not Leo. With what is happening? Someone, not naming names, but someone has a great new system that will work, this time, yes, it’s guaranteed. However, as I’ve noted before, there’s whole industries, metaphysical and otherwise, dedicated to making your own wishes come true, if you just “Buy this product.” Hint: buying a new toy won’t solve the old problems. Make a list and stick to it.

I don’t want to make this obvious, but a single image, from maybe a dozen years back? That surfaced. It’s a simple image, just a chalkboard on a sidewalk, one way points to — I believe — a restaurant, if memory serves. Might not. High Timber, strange name to me, in a big city. Not a strange name to me, just in that location, like, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Too far back to recall whether I went in, or not. No notes. But the idea, the image itself, even after a dozen years, what captivated me? The simplicity of the sign, the symbolism, and the way the directions are inscribed. Naturally, to a Sagittarius like me? The arrow pointing to “nothing” is like flame to a moth, or red to a bull, whatever illicit enticement your Virgo self understands best. “Do not enter,” or “no parking.” Under no circumstances, should you go that way. It’s fraught with peril. “Thar be dragons.” (Best delivered in character.) With Mercury, especially where it is, and Mars, where it is, compounding mercurial Mercury? Virgo: follow the directions. Follow the rules to the letter. “You should read this entire set of instructions, first, before proceeding with the first step.”

Make the skillet hot first. I started using a cast iron skillet some years ago. Never really liked it then, as the teflon-coated, aluminum ones seemed to be easier to handle, but I wanted that traditional approach. With the explosion of multi-media, muddy media, and various other electronic platforms, I learned that the secret was “Make the skillet hot first.” A dollop of left-over bacon grease, and then turn the stove-top on “high” for the first few moments. Waited until the whole pan was sizzling, smoking a bit. The secret with the cast-iron skillets? Get them hot, first. Overheat, overcook, just set the stove to “hottest,” then wait a few moments. Makes for a more effective cooking surface. I didn’t learn this quickly, or easily, and at this point, it’s a rerun, but the data is out there. The secret is so simple, and it’s so easy, and why I didn’t do this before? I don’t have a valid excuse. When cooking with a nice, cast-iron skillet, the first step? Get it hot. Make the skillet hot first. After that, it all works better. What this means for Libra is that there is a simple step, an easy way, something simple, perhaps an old kitchen tale, lore handed down through the years, but even in our modern world? Some of the old tricks work well. Make the skillet hot first.

Wasn’t me, I’m quoting what a certain Scorpio said. Standing over a dead body, looking at a character who was stabbed in the chest with large hunting knife (murder-mystery fiction). “You know how I know? No good Scorpio would stab them in the chest. Only in the back.” Wink, nod, and thanks, as there was at least one thriller writer who got it correct. Turns out? Look it up online? Scorpio (sun sign). That’s the fun stuff. The problem being, as we have all of this material unfolding, and the planets headed into certain disarray? There’s the idea that a decently (back-stabbing) Scorpio should try a new approach. Try something different. Do it differently. Break from the usual way of conducting Scorpio business. We have a long haul with both Mercury and Mars, and in some ways of seeing this? Both planets affect the Scorpio mindset. Try doing it a different way. Personally, I always liked the idea of stabbing them in the chest, so you can see the look of alarm, and potential suffering.

Besides, with Mercury Retrograde?

What could go wrong?

The “Dark of the Moon” is a confusing time to those not intimately acquainted with either my volume of work, or just the sensitivity required to understand the subtle emotional shading of the moment. It’s not long, just one turn of the Moon’s phase, a brief two or three day period when the Moon’s at its tiniest, thinnest shard of a sliver before it goes totally dark and disappears. It also means that peoples’ personalities are at the crankiest. This is a function of the sense that there is a single, unanswered question, simple task left unattended, or even just forget to do one last thing. Doesn’t much matter, happens minutes before Xmas, and then? Then we get new and better, and improved. While Xmas is deeply significant in some calendars, the run-up to this year’s solstice is even more important in the Sagittarius calendar because, in our datebook? Solstice hits and then, we’re in the middle of the Xmas crush with no place to go and a single, hanging event, strung out over our heads like — like a string of Xmas lights that don’t work. Or worse, until we get past the Xmas day and its emotional detritus, until it’s all over? We have this hanging thread, maybe a light string that flickers on and off, and you know, that could be a hazard.