“Men at some time are masters of their fates;
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.”
Cassius in Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar (I.ii.139-41)
Horoscopes for 4-30-2024
Mars enters Aries 4/30 10:33 AM (local)
New Moon 5/7 10:19 PM 18°01’ Taurus
Horoscopes for 4-30-2024
Taurus
I would suggest, that people are always masters of their own fates, for good or for ill. The stars (planets) are symbolic and add flavor, outrage, disgust, encouragement, and various hues to situations, but nothing, and I mean nothing, is etched in stone. The Book of Fate is open. There are trends, indications, and possible directions, but nothing is engraved in such a way that it can’t be changed. Not until this horoscope rolls over into the next one does it hit, and then? There are about three strong pushes, urging a new direction for Taurus. Good luck is indicated. Good fortune is in the stars. Fresh start with a new direction, possibly launching Taurus to new heights is there. It’s all there. This is the week to get ready. I’m a big fan of a simple admonishment, about “Good luck is when opportunity meets preparation.” Or something like that. Good luck is when preparation and opportunity coincide? Means this is the week for preparation.
Gemini
In the middle of a reading, I realized that there were even more cycles within the cycles, and the astrology of generations — how all that plays out. For me, not Gemini, but for me to see this? Little lightbulb moment, I’m sure you get the imagery, but that tiny realization made more pieces of this puzzle fit. I was looking at a Gen-Z chart, one group I’m fond of, inherent native smarts, intellectual curiosity, and casually cynical due to recent events. The close placement of outer planets means that there’s an impact on the way they think. How they think fascinates a Gemini.
I’ve long since learned that “teachers” can show up in may different forms, and in this example, it was a kid, asking astrological attuned questions, trying to get the balance point where this isn’t one readily available. That’s the clue. No easy way to balance any of this out, and instead of trying to balance it all? Go back to being a Gemini, where everything is whack all the time, and no one cares. That? That and be willing to learn from the most unlikely of teachers — they are all around us.
Cancer
What I have to watch for? What I suggest your Moon Child, Cancer, Crab-self look out for? Selective data points. I couldn’t factually source the quote, attributed to Mark Twain (Sagittarius), “There are lies, damn lies, and statistics.” Twain was allegedly quoting someone else, and the trail goes cold. So even in the actual suggestion I would use, there is a remarkable lack of evidence. Which proves my point about Cancer and selective data points. Which is what this is all about. I suggest that this is like that double-edged sword, and it cuts both ways, which might be a problem, if you aren’t made aware of the issues, which I have just done, right? Watch out for other people presenting evidence as merely data points that have been selected because those very nuggets of information support the question and specific outcome. But to go back to the double-edged sword? Careful that you’re not just picking a few pieces of supporting evidence to suggest that you’re right, when the actual material is more ambivalent.
The Leo
Couple of evenings back, I was in bed, and I had a brilliant thought. I got up to write that down, and by the time I’d staggered out of the bedroom and into the room with a keyboard and monitor, I’d already forgotten what step two was. There were three parts, and I got the first item listed, but the second and third? Never did remember what they were. It’s age, it’s spacial memories, and it’s orientation towards data points. If it was really important, the next morning, when I was looking at your horoscopes, I would’ve remembered. There are a couple points in my little example that hold for this week’s magnificent Leo. Obviously, if it important, write it down before you get out of bed, but also, when thoughts wander off unattended? Maybe they are better left unattended — perhaps we can’t remember because it was another one of my half-baked, not full-formatted ideas. I get a lot of those. If the idea doesn’t make the really short trip from the bedroom to where I’ve got a pen and paper for just such notes? Then maybe we should just let that idea slide. Don’t give it voice, dear Leo, don’t give the half-thought out ideas voice.
Virgo
I think I can make good Virgo suggestions based on the planets, their positions, and what I saw the other day. It was an ad, scrolled over it in the blink of an eye, then bounced back to look a second time, as it offered a comprehensive retreat package with a numerous healing modalities, all in a single day. From Yoga, meditation, massage, and some kind of energy work? Had it all, and what the offer was, all in one afternoon! It would fix your moral, spiritual, and physical ailments, all for a low-low price, and just an afternoon of various treatments. Individually, I’ve been exposed to a number of the listed practices, and individually, I’ve found that a number of those practices work. The package price? It was more than all the treatments combined, by my reckoning. Individual, or lumped together? What serves Virgo best?
Libra
The term, “Mindfulness,” got turned into a bumper-sticker, meme-filled, mentally-choking bit of the zeitgeist. From there, just sort of lost its way, and certainly lost its real meaning. When I heard a corporate coach using the term, I figured it was done. Yet the term itself, as it applies to the passage of Mars in Aries, and how this affects nominally gentle Libra is what this is about. It’s both a saccharine term that’s lost its edge and deeper meaning, and a way to approach the next few weeks. Starts as Mars creeps into Aries, and that is opposite from gentle Libra, which means, Mars is banging on one door in your Libra mind while I’m whispering in the other ear to be mindful about actions. I wonder who will win?
Scorpio
“But it’s the principle!” Same old argument, it’s not what you’re really discussing, it touches a frayed Scorpio nerve ending, and that creates this untenable situation. To some, an un-winnable scenario, and to me, that’s what it looks like for the good ship Scorpio. At least one will argue with me, and sure, I’ll just avoid that discussion as it isn’t worth it. I can’t win against Scorpio logic, but that’s not what this is about. It’s not about me, a sole soul, arguing with a Scorpio stuck in a loop about perceived slight. Perception is the key, and understand, this is one of those situations without all the facts, without all the necessary data? Scorpio can’t win, and knowing that? It’s the principle. Sometimes, though, that isn’t enough to carry the day, and should give you a moment’s pause to consider, “Is it worth it?” Well, yeah, it’s the principle. But is it worth it?
Sagittarius
One of the greatest boons of the texting culture? Acronyms. The short version of longer terms, and the way that these are now almost universally understood, and cross language barriers as well as generations. There’s a temptation and since this coincides with the motions of Mr. Mars? That Sagittarius temptation is to be effusive and vocal in the face of situations where less information is more useful. The less said, the better. I was aiming for a specific acronym, one that effectively captures the essence of what is occurring, even now, in our sign, Sagittarius, but I was worried that the message might not convey. Still, I consider it my solemn duty to try and offer what is best for us. Sagittarius: the phrase for the next few days, what works best? STFU (The F is usually silent, it’s a French thing.)
Capricorn
What do we use for structure? I have a simple dichotomy for my own structures. I break this into two, and then, further along, into two more. The simplest way to see it? I have “digital” work space and then, non-digital work. That’s a simple, an even break. There’s a small notebook for graph, targets, images, and really short notes to myself, and then? The rest if purely digital. Online, on a table, phone, computer. Cloud, even, though, less in the cloud these days, as that’s a little too much to keep up with, anymore. But even then, the digital is neatly halved into two separate pieces. One half is the horoscopes and professional correspondence. Simple, straightforward. That’s business. The other half is blog, various thoughts, and personal correspondence with colleagues. Call that what you want. I noticed this because I was using the tools to divide the two realms into distinct and separate entities. I let the tools themselves decide how to package my own material. What this is about? How does Capricorn sort the material, what does that look like? For me, there are two containers, one is purely digital and hence ephemeral at best while the other is pen and ink, sort of the opposite. Not exactly etched in stone, but ink is essentially impossible to erase. This is a period of time, Mars in Aries, for Capricorn to look at the structures. Might want to retool them.
Aquarius
There are generations, now, who have never driven a standard transmission vehicle. It’s not a complicated skill set, and in my mind? It sure beats playing with the paddles on the steering wheel, urging a sports car-like experience. But it is a dated set of controls. However, it is a useful skill, understanding, knowing, and then, being able to apply that understanding to making a vehicle move forward without damaging gearboxes, transmissions, or other internal bleeding. I watched one kid, raised on video games and their ilk, and he was able to mash a gas pedal, for “Go!” His only other option was to stomp on a brake-like pedal to stop. There needs to be a gentle shading in between “Full STOP,” and full acceleration, “go, go, GO!” This is where Aquarius lands in the following days, someplace between full forward, and complete stop. Instead of trying to do this as either all go, or all stop? Instead of trying to do this as a basic binary function, break it down into relevant parts. Shift the material, use an engine brake, downshift, upshift, coast, or most important? Feather the accelerator. You can do that while tapping the brake without slamming it to a full stop.
Pisces
The most valuable parts to my job? The pieces that I place the most value upon, and the parts that I guard closest? Little bits of data. I had a proprietary astrology chart program and I kept upwards of 20K personal charts on file, but in some cases, it would be as simple as a client’s name, then the DOB of significant other #1, significant other #2, and so forth. I didn’t care about names, and regrettably, that data all got wiped out when all the companies moved to a new format, and the old software shop closed up. Other than that data? I used to guard my contact list, the client list itself, treat it with great reverence, but I’m too old, too tired, and the way people change addresses, I can’t even keep up. So what is the most valuable parts, now? I do have a collection of client files, just names and birth data for calculating astrology charts, but that’s about it. The most valuable parts of the job, the most important pieces of Pisces data? What I thought was most important went away in the blink of an eye. What seems to be most important, now?
Aries
I reused a classic opening quite, taken from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, one quote that got battered around in popular culture. Took a beating as a book’s title, and then, was there a movie adaptation, as well? I don’t recall. The question posed by Cassius, though, is valid, and one that I used frequently, long before the book was a hit, “Do the stars determine our fate or do we determine our fate in spite of the stars?” At least two events unfold next few days, and in the span of those events, the attentive Aries is left with the questions, similar, if not the same, about who is in charge, and is this fated to be this way, or is there some degree of influence that a good Aries can use to influence the outcome. Yes and no, rather specific answers. Or “No and yes”, depends on the order of the questions, like, no, this is not fated to be just this one way with nothing that you can do to change the outcome, but then, the other half, is about what can be done, what action is best, and what you should do in order to most effectively seal with this reality.
- Aperture: ƒ/1.8
- Camera: iPad Pro (11-inch) (3rd generation)
- Flash fired: no
- Focal length: 3mm
- ISO: 64
- Shutter speed: 1/60s
