“My Oberon, what visions have I seen!
Methought I was enamor’d of an ass.”

Titania in Shakespeare’s Midsummer’s Night’s Dream (IV.i.57-8)

• Eclipse 9/18 26° Vir./Pis.
• Sun enters Libra 9/23

Virgo

“Hope for the best; prepare for the worst.” Good words for Virgo energies and what’s probably ahead. Simple, direct and to the point. While I lifted it from popular literature, that doesn’t stop it from ringing true. Do both. “Hope for the best,” as there’s a good chance it falls together the way it supposed to. Likewise, “Prepare for the worst,” because, well, people. Vaguely gesturing around. Happy birthday.

Libra

The absolute worst accidents I see? Usually, these involve a deer and a vehicle. Deer tend to be the mass of a large human, probably with less brains than most, and while fleet of foot, the deer are also somewhat domesticated. Don’t think that’s the right word, but the only natural predators inside the city limits tend to be cars. It’s not a pretty sight. The fallen deer carcasses attract carrion critters, mostly the turkey buzzards. I think they are distant relative of the California Condor, but don’t hold me to that.

When I see the buzzards circling, or in a group, close? I know there is probably deer carcass, and someone’s insurance is getting a claim. Personally, I like being a neighborhood with deer, as they serve several purposes. Can’t grow a garden as the deer will eat just about anything green and growing. And the deer serve as a natural way to enforce the slower traffic speeds. Failure to yield to a deer creates a mess, badly damages the vehicle, and there is no upside. Knowing that there are deer in the neighborhood means locals slow down and watch for it, carefully observing the speed limit not out of respect for the law, but out of a sense of self-preservation. Libra: it’s about self-preservation. Rules and laws, like a speed limit in my neighborhood, a limit that seems ridiculously low? You know, that can save an expensive mistake like winging a deer.

Scorpio

It’s not about “Thinking outside of the box,” no that’s not it. It is about a creative solution to what was otherwise an untenable problem for Scorpio. The more I teased the planets and looked at the various astrology charts, the more I realized that there was no direct line to answer the pressing Scorpio question about how to fix this. No clear answer and no clear route that appears just straight ahead. With that as a set-up? A clear path doesn’t exist but there are ways around this mess. It requires creative solutions to problems that need some kind of alternative thinking. Mars, as it moves forward in Cancer makes this easier to see and easier to come up with, those interesting solutions that might seem convoluted to some, but to the Scorpio? Those creative answers are ways to solve the present problems. All it requires? “Thinking outside the box.”

Sagittarius

Nearly 30 years ago, I built a small graphic file, tiny in comparison to today’s standards, with an aim to use that file as DIY e-mail tracker, leaving it in the footer of the e-mail sig file that was attached to all my outbound correspondence. I did build the first part of that, the graphic file, and I did insert it, and then? I got way too lazy to bother to track it. I mean, this falls under the heading of “Something that could happen,” but I never bothered, as it was too time-intensive to be worthwhile. I could track, and see if someone saw the e-mail, but if it mattered? They replied. If they didn’t they didn’t, and in any situation? Move on. Move forward. “What’s next?” Years later, sneaky corporations and web entities would use a single, clear pixel file in the same way, just to see if an e-mail was opened. I can’t be bothered with such minutiae. The question, think I’ve mentioned this before, but the question, for this current Sagittarius infleunce? The question is, “Just because we can, should we?” The addendum, is always about do the results justify the amount of effort required to achieve those results.

Capricorn

There was an automated sprinkler system working in a commercial zone. I was on the sidewalk, and I was navigating, trying not to get wet despite the notion I had on sandals, shorts, and it was still summer-hot in mid-September. After a miserable summer’s usage? The sunken sprinkler heads were out of alignment, by some small margin, a result of pedestrian and lawn-care error, I would suspect. But the sprinklers’ water dispersement pattern showed a clear path, if somewhat circuitous. Dodging the water patterns on the sidewalk and pavement allowed me to circumnavigate in a way that I didn’t get drenched. Part of this is merely looking at where the water is, on the sidewalk, and picking the dry spots. Part of this is a little dance. In theory, none of the sidewalk should be damp, but it’s been a year, no? Capricorn has two obvious choices. One? Just charge right through and get wet, not that it matters, and don’t worry about the extra moisture ruining anything. Might cool you off. The other choice, like me, I carefully threaded my way along the dry spots, weaving, ducking, dodging so as to not get drenched with the fine lawn spray. Worked, mostly. Got a little wet, but I got through just fine, I didn’t get soaked. Your call, Capricorn, your choice on navigation.

Aquarius

Cleaning up. I was cleaning up a bunch of old weblog entries, just miscellaneous meandering musings, and going through really old data, I was also looking for clues. I’ve got, maybe thirty years or more of material, and trying to put together when I was where? I’ve got approximate dates, and vague recollections, and I’m sure I can piece some of this together from receipts and such, but most of it is long-forgotten. It’s that corroborating evidence that matters. I won’t just put down an arbitrary point for data if there is no real proof. In this, in my example for gentle Aquarius? This is about evidence that I have that I was in whatever location, at whatever time, whenever that was. Journal entry, ticket stub, receipts, something. While, as an Aquarius yourself, and me, as an author, we are capable of just making up stories spun from the fabric of our own imaginations? This is a time when there needs to be some kind of supporting evidence, other than, “I seem to recall…”

Pisces

There is a certain comfort that comes from daily rituals. This is less about what has to be done, and more about whatever ritual — rituals — one observes. As an example, before I go to meet clients in person, I splash on some essential oils that are largely now of my own concoction, various herbs and spices, a carrier base, and a drop of holy water, just to make sure it’s all covered. Does it work? I can’t answer for its efficacy for anyone else, but it works well for me, in a metaphysical manner. Likewise, on most Thursdays? I light a green candle thats been dressed with oils and spices, again, just out of habit, but in these daily rituals, there is a kind of comfort. Take delight in whatever those rituals are, as this is more important now, than before, to help Pisces maintain peace, piece of mind, peace in the Pisces world, and inner Pisces peace. Take comfort in daily rituals, whatever those look like.

Aries

I am, by no means, a project manager. I have, however, successfully negotiated the completion of more than one project, using “project management” skills. Start with a stated goal, a definite direction, a specific, desired outcome. Now comes the tricky part, the paper planning phase, what has to happen to make this happen to make that happen to achieve that desired outcome? In the example, let’s say, we’re building a house. First, lay the foundation. As we look at that on paper, the plumbing has to go in before the foundation can be poured. Pause, then sketch in where the plumbing lines need to be, especially a drain, bathroom, and so forth. What happens, there’s always a step before you take that first step, and what we’re trying to get at by looking at this on paper, first? What is first? Start with the stated goal, that Aries-specifc destination, and work backwards to make sure all the parts are ready. Given where Mars is? Doesn’t hurt to have another, non-Aries person look over the plans.

Taurus

There are lessons we all learn, over and over. Keep getting repeated, time and again, and it seems like we never learn. One client called it “Another Freakin’ Growth Opportuity,” and I can’t say that I disagree, only…. Look: Taurus, there’s a repetitive situation, and seeing the same message pop up, repeatedly, doesn’t that make you wonder? One time, it’s a just a thing. Twice, not a big deal, maybe a coincidence. Third time? This is getting old. Fourth and fifth time? That’s when I wonder if a different approach would be better. Staid, conservative, sensual, and a bit pedantic? Sure. But try a variation on the old ways, maybe a different approach, doesn’t have to be a radical departure from what you’re doing, but a slightly different answer might help. Just a little different, like, from over here instead of over there, where you started the last three times.

Gemini

It’s all about choices, direct actions, and decisions. I had to reorder the way I was thinking of this, and I had to put it in a logical frame, a sequence that made more sense. “Choices. Decisions. Distractions.” In the first sequence, I had interposed distractions and decisions, which leads us to where gentle Gemini might wind up, if you’re not careful. Me? I’m Sagittarius so I’m enthralled with that Gemini mind, and while not alone, I do find that the September Season does tend to make this a little distracting for Gemini. That’s why the order I had to go back and redo the sequence of events. First there’s a choice, then there’s the obviously weighted Gemini decision, and finally, there are distractions. The trick to getting this to work? Make the decisions then look at the distractions, and not the other way around, tempting as that might be.

Cancer

Love me some precision in discourse. Love me the right word at the most correct time. Love me a poet’s economy of words. Regrettably, this is something I can’t do. I’ll try a whole paragraph instead of trying to boil it down to just a single phrase, and therein is my problem. But that’s not the Cancer Moon Children’s issue. Boil it down to a single phrase. Condense it to just a simple phrase. Rip away at the excess until you’re at the very heart and core of the message. Perfect that. Or get better anyway, maybe perfection is too much to ask, but pare away at what’s there until you can get a more succinct message — or whatever is paramount at the time, missive, message, body of work, or like me, a simple horoscope. Less is more. “Less is more but be precise.”

The Leo

I thought it was universal. Another site pointed out that it tends to be “southern,” and a third pointer suggested it was “rural,” as in “not urban.” But doesn’t every real kitchen have a junk drawer? One drawer that collects the odd bits of material, scissors, tapes, glues, strings, dead pens, fragmentary pencils, and hosts of other material that doesn’t have a home? Paper clips? Old business cards from vendors who left notices attached to the door. A number for a yard guy I won’t use any more. Just crap. There’s an urge to organize that Leo junk drawer. It is a noble cause. It is a noble experiment. It is a noble pursuit. Careful, though, because of the strong Virgo influence? That noble cause can easily get derailed. Not that it was bad to empty it all out, but after hitting on a scrap of paper with a number you meant to call a few years back? Just tossing everything back in the drawer really doesn’t organize anything, “But look: what I found!”

• Aperture: ƒ/1.8
• Camera: iPad Pro (11-inch) (3rd generation)
• Taken: 13 December, 2022
• Flash fired: no
• Focal length: 3mm
• ISO: 80
• Shutter speed: 1/60s