“And we mean well in going to this mask,
But ’tis no wit to go.”

Shakespeare’s Retrograde Romeo (I.iv.48-9)

Mercury direct 8/28 4:14 PM 21°24’ Leo
Pluto Retrograde into Cap. 9/1 6:58 PM
New Moon 9/2 8:56 PM 11°4’ Virgo

Virgo

I got to watching some baseball, not because I was particularly interested, but the sport does almost make sense. It’s an American obsession, from sandlot, T-ball, and little league up to the majors. It was a TV version of game, and I was mildly interested, as a player started arguing with the umpire about a call.

Virgo: Do not argue with the ump.

On the instant replay, on TV, it was possible to see that the call was questionable, at best, maybe just plain wrong, and the player was correct in calling it the way he saw it, but arguing? Guess what comes next? The universal, “You are out of the game!” It’s a call, reserved for dire situations and the point, for Virgo? Even though, I mean I saw the replay, even though your Virgo self is right? Arguing with the umpire always means that you get ejected from the game. I mean, not always, but pretty much, most of the time, a loud, verbal disagreement — not matter about being correct — “You’re outta here!”

Libra

Don’t battle with it. Stubborn people are stubborn people, and despite an impetus to change? That’s not likely. Or, more reasonably, not likely this next few days. Sure, there’s a desire, and there’s a very logical Libra reason for change, but those stubborn folks?

Some days the tenacity of the fixed signs is undeniably strong. Bit stupid, too, if you’re like me, and we’re looking on as that poor, stubborn, silly fixed sign stays stuck in one place, refusing to budge. Here’s the little Libra trick: let that stubborn person be as stubborn as he or she wants to be. Up to them to change, and no effort on your good Libra part can change that — not now.

Scorpio

Client looked at me, and we were discussing travel arrangements. I explained that I always travel with a book, something to read, since well, I just do. My client was explaining how he preferred a book-book, like a real book. There are times when I prefer the feel, the tactile experience of a real book, but then, when I am reading voraciously? The e–reader with an endlessly scrolling page works for me. My buddy didn’t agree. He preferred a book, like a real book. I’ll admit, both have their places. Either way the point was about time in between destinations, and what we do to occupy our time. I’ve found that I like reading, looking out the window, and making notes about either what I’m reading, or what I see, looking out the window, those are ways I stay occupied in body, mind, and spirit — when traveling. Or when stuck just about any place. Doctor’s office, waiting room, just about any place. Chances are, one way, or another, we’re going to get stuck waiting someplace, while — with Scorpio patience — we’re waiting on someone? Having something like book or an e-Book is nice.

Sagittarius

Typical Sagittarius, I’ve got a lot of plans. I’m going to do this, go there, see this, and read that, and I’ll have all of this done before noon tomorrow. I seriously doubt much — if anything — will get accomplished that fast. Herein is the problem with our Sagittarius exuberance. Too much we want/need to do and too little time, or worse, unrealistic expectations, about how we can get this done in hurry. The more we hurry, the worse this gets, and the further behind we fall. Which is the problem. Stop. I’ll agree that all those items on our little list of places to go and things to do? Sure, we do want to get that all done, but in less than 24 hours? Probably not going to happen, and it isn’t until we get into the next week that we’re really ready to start anew. What can we do, now, to get ready for then? Valid question, and better use of time after the nasty little Mercury dust-up thing.

Capricorn

There is always a good time to shut up. This would be one of those times. I’m not being mean; I’m not suggesting that you bottle all your emotions. However, there’s a “play” button, or a “talk” switch, and as much as it looks like that’s being activated? Maybe this is a time when fewer golden Capricorn words are better. Fewer words, or, in other terms? “Shut up.” There will be a time. Next five days, or so? Maybe “no comment” works best. In all fairness, just shutting up works well.

Aquarius

I got lost on “blade” technology. From my forefathers, I’ve always tried to carry a pocket knife of sorts. Useful for paring apples, and opening small packages, the pocketknife itself is as much touchstone, as it is a useful tool. Towards that end, I got to where I liked, after much diligent research, a high-carbon steel rather than “stainless.” The chrome-plated looking stainless seemed just a touch softer than the high-carbon, but ultimately stainable steels. The high-carbon steels are also more prone to rust. However, what I found, the high-carbon steel seemed, to me, to retain a razor-like edge longer. Not as pretty, but works, works well, and suits my needs. That’s also where I stopped. I got as far as I felt like I wanted to go with the technology, the reviews, the resources, and what I had, and that’s where I stopped. I found something that worked. Aquarius: don’t get lost on the technology. Find what works, and use it — pretty or not.

Pisces

One of the fun parts of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is the swordplay. I mean, we all know how this ends, right? It’s tragedy. There is no “happily ever after,” and the families are forced to contend with a centuries’ old blood feud, and make some kind of peace. At what cost? OK, I got sideways with that too quickly, but the idea of the sword fights in that play? Fun stuff, when done well on the stage. Also points to a level of athleticism that the actors should have, having to spar and fence with both rapier-like wit, and real epee foils. Never ends well, but there is a degree of fun to be had, and watching young and reasonably accomplished actors go at it? Great theatre. We know how this Pisces scenario is going to end. It’s the stuff that happens in the beginning, the middle, and towards the end that makes this either great theatre, or a tragedy. It’s up to your skill with rapier, or rapier-like wit, to make this entertaining for us all.

Aries

I’ve longed for a product that I could sell. Something that was either cheap, or easy to produce, low overhead, easy delivery, cost efficient, and, most important, in line with my own ethics. It’s that last part that sticks. For example, I found a charm that cost me less than a dollar, and other vendors sell for more than ten bucks. However, in line with my own ethics, I don’t know that I could just add a string and a few words of a blessing, and legitimately resell the charm. I did sell digital, for years, but even that’s gone by the wayside as there are too many “free” resources available, and I don’t want to compete on that level. One client suggested that the charms would be OK, as long as I added something, no matter what that was. I still run into my own ethics, and I would be upset if I paid for $10 for something that was $0.25 in a naked form elsewhere. I like selling books, as I love what I’m selling, and that’s about the only “product” I’ve got these days. I desperately want to sell a good luck token, but I haven’t found one that I’m comfortable with, not at this point, and I doubt I’ll ever find it. The search continues. Aries, two points, really, one is about ethics and sticking to those internal guidelines that you know work. Hint: not everyone gets it. But a second point? Looking around for a new way to expand on a regular business, something else to sell, a side-hustle, something that looks good, and might be fun.

Taurus

I got used to background noise. I lived inner-city for many years, usually within a few miles of metropolitan airports of one ilk or another. In schools, in work, in a professional career, just seemed to happen that way. So I got used to background noise, and I got used to tuning it out. I got to the point where I worked better if there was something to tune out, just white noise of some variation, running in the background. Opera music, oddly enough, worked well for that. I was living in a trailer in old South Austin, with the gentle, dulcet strains of heavy German opera wafting on the zephyrs. This is about background noise. As I’ve changed, and especially with the current state of Mercury? I work with no background noise this week. A distinct shift from what it was. Whatever way you’re used to working? Noise? Silence? Try the other, see if that helps.

Gemini

Using software, it is possible to time, to within a minute, the moment that Mercury goes “un-retrograde.” See above, and that’s as close as I want to get, although, I suppose, with different calculations, it would be possible to get this down to the second. The trouble with such a precise calculation? Latitude and longitude, location on the planet, and relative motion of the other heavenly bodies can disrupt that precision. The numbers are accurate, and in my case, the numbers are set for my home, more or less. And that’s what this is about for Gemini, “more or less.” Look: the miracles of the modern world we can ascertain with finite accuracy the exact moment. However, when dealing with humanity, people, humans, or human-like people? We’re dealing with a certain degree of inexact. Basically, for the foreseeable Gemini future? People will be inexact. Always figure that in your Gemini computations.

Cancer

Some years ago, I happened across an outlaw brand of T-shirts, and while this is local phenomena, the essence can be applied anywhere. “Marfa: I want my three days back.” For me, Marfa (TX) was (still is) a lovely halfway to nowhere spot on the trails in and around Texas. Not a lot to see, and not a lot to do, and outside of a few tourist spots, Marfa Lights and the Chianti Foundation galleries, I don’t know that there really is a lot to keep a person engaged. I suppose there’s a festival or two, and some material of great historical value, for me, the hoteliers managed to capture and revitalize that aspect of the area, but that’s it, really. Not a lot out there. Not a lot to keep one entertained for years at a time unless — I’m a writer. I can make stuff up. But that’s the rarity, and that’s not what is advertised. Worth a trip to see the art and the stars at night, and then? Move along. For Moon Children, the Cancer-corner of the heavens? It’s good for 48 hours. Don’t waste time waiting on the epiphany.

The Leo

Looking ahead? First comment that popped in my mind? “It’s an uphill battle.” It’s a long, slow slog for gentle Leo, still the best fixed fire sign of them all, and it feels like an uphill battle. I try to get away from battle, war-like analogies, and some days, it’s just not worth getting up and girding my loins for the skirmishes ahead. I know you understand that feeling. So the first comment, “It’s an uphill battle?” The first idea? Might not be the best way to start out. Might feel like it’s a long, slow slog through the morass of material that others have created and left for you to clean up. Good thing you’re better than everyone else, and no one but The Leo is able to accomplish this — you know — what’s ahead. Uphill, it is!

• Aperture: ƒ/1.8
• Camera: iPad Pro (11-inch)
• Taken: 29 November, 2022
• Flash fired: no
• Focal length: 3mm
• ISO: 64
• Shutter speed: 1/60s