“This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.”

Polonius in Shakespeare’s Hamlet (I.iii.80)

• Mars RX 12/6 5:33 PM 6°10’ Leo

Sagittarius

There was this thoroughly enticing ad for a used typewriter shop. Good, I suppose, serviceable, used manual typewriters. I’ll admit I’m enthralled with the notion of using a manual typewriter, having used keyboards for all of this career, but as it turns out? I’m a questionable typist, and the manual typewriters, as cool as one would be? Doesn’t work for me. It’s the most seductive material, though, and if I’m not careful, I can get sucked into a spiral of looking at the images of the sleek, portable, manual typewriters with their imaginary keys clacking away in the night. One of the first add-on pieces of software I used? It made a typewriter noise, with every keystroke, and return key at the end of the sentence or paragraph was a real carriage return sound. There are even, to this day, outfits that make old typewriter-like keyboards with modern connectivity, and there’s even one that turns a tablet into a typewriter-like word processor. As much as this satisfies my natural Sagittarius desires for a desire to return to simpler times, hardware that is less dependent on software, and ornate working tools? Does any of that really affect my output? The answer, dear Sagittarius, is it is not the tools, it’s about what we do with what tools we already have at hand.

Capricorn

We talked about this. Made strongly-worded suggestions. We discussed possible scenarios, likely outcomes, and the way this might just work out, or, in the this example, not work out. It’s about “pre-planning.” I don’t do a lot of pre-planning myself, but what I do?

I got supplies. I keep raw materials, on hand, so I can fix it, do it, make it, or otherwise respond in a crisis-like situation. The biggest challenge in this ongoing, incoming holiday season? For Capricorn? Use what you have on hand. No need to acquire more, just use what is available. If it wasn’t part of the usual and unusual Capricorn pre-planning? Then maybe now isn’t the best time to start.

Aquarius

Best course of action? None. Since at least one, if not several, Aquarius will revolt at the very thought of inaction? Consider repetitive actions, more like “going through the motions” rather than an actual, forward progress step. It’s less about making good, forward progress, and more about understanding, and accepting, that sometimes, no matter what we do, we don’t get any tangible, palpable, results. Hold onto that idea, no measurable results. Now, as I’ve suggested, the best course of action, and several will present themselves, look attractive, and have that Aquarius Siren’s Song of appeal. “No, we must try this, first!” You can try, but I’ve advised against that, right? If it fails? Don’t come crying to me, and if it is successful? Remember, the year isn’t over yet.

Pisces

There’s a disturbing pattern starting to emerge, and I’ll trace its roots back to — never mind. It was a while back. However, moving forward, in this holiday season? Realize that there’s a certain amount of “stuck” energy, and that material is something that needs to change, has the capacity to change, and even wants to change, but in this situation? Resolutely refuses to change, even in the face over-simplified, and over-bearing evidence to the contrary. “Stuck” energy. What can gentle Pisces do about a stuck situation? Nothing. Instead of engaging with the problem? A certain amount of ignoring it, and hoping it will go away, a certain amount of “Not my problem,” and a certain amount of real, and certainly valid, denial, all of that, or some it, works.

Aries

I’ve attributed the quote to the great Stephen King. I’m not sure if it’s a true source, but that’s never bothered me, as the gesture surely carries verisimilitude. “I write because I can’t not write.” While certainly not an Aries, there’s certain sentiment that the expression carries. That’s what I’m looking for, for Aries, that, “I can’t not do it” where the “it” can refer to artwork, plans, planning, actions, rhetoric, or whatever. The second half of the weekly idea? Understand that the artwork, in execution or idea, the plans, the planning, or even just the rhetoric might be a little off. Doesn’t stop it from being a good idea, realize that it might need some work, just yet.

Taurus

There was as a time when the typical business traveling person would lug a laptop, a power brick, cables, cords, and assorted paper files, usually stuffed into a carryon of some sort. One massage person explained that the shoulder-carry bag was the greatest source of clients. We would lug hardware with us, everywhere we went. Last time I got a phone, which is really a pocket computer, I opted for the larger size with a little more screen real estate. In part, my old eyes, and in part, I need to lug less crap, everywhere I go. The old ways are gone. This is a time to figure out what you can do to lighten that Taurus load, whether it is traveling gear for business, or just the usual accoutrements that one carries around daily. While that bigger phone screen didn’t make it any more likely that I would read a book on my phone, it does make it easier to check reference literature, do a little light googling? What’s changed? No need to lug all that other stuff around, not now. Consider lightening the Taurus load, as we have the technology.

Gemini

Brevity may, indeed, be the soul of wit, but I’ve never managed to cut myself off. In part, this is because I fell in love with words, and the way the words sound, how the words bump up next to each other, rub on the edge of the pages, and what it looks like, and more so in my latter years? What the words sound like when they are marching across the screen, and in my head. The problem being, and this is a very Gemini problem, the challenge is understanding that “Less is more,” but that’s not going to interfere at the moment, and then? Just because it sounds good in my head? Just because I like the way it looks, just because the phrase seemed innocuous at the time? That doesn’t make it a good idea. I liked the way it sounded in my head; I heard stentorian orator deliver the terms and conditions, only, what came out when I delivered the same message? Wasn’t near as nice, and the casual humor came across as caustic sarcasm. Just because we’re asked to say a few words? That’s not an opportunity to speechify — in fine Gemini style.

“But I just need to say this about that.”

No. No you don’t. Trust me.

Cancer

I’m old school. There was time in a my life, think the good, old days, in which I was neither good, nor old. But old school? There was a time when a quick dunk in the lake, the creek, really, and a splash of some patchouli, that was considered good personal grooming. I tend to be a little cleaner these days. A lot cleaner, really, and while I liked the idea of a swim in the sacred waters of Austin’s Barton Creek, realistically, that’s not much of a winter option. And patchouli? Not my favorite. I’ve used it over the years, and it carries wonderful mystical properties, but not really one of my fragrances. Not that it matters, this is time when the idea of a dunk in the creek, and splash on some patchouli, when that appeals to the Moon Child’s psyche. The sign of the Crab wants, simple, easy, effective grooming procedures. The myth is mightier than the facts themselves, but that was a lifestyle at the time. I can’t say that it works for Cancer all the time, but we need a quick answer, a simple solution to make this better. “Just slap on some cologne?” Yeah, that works, too. Adjust as needed be.

The Leo

I get a little unstuck on the current time-space continuum, and that causes an error. I have a pretty solid idea of what I’ve said before, and that means, I don’t get to repeat anything I’ve used previously. Regrettably, a similar, not identical, but similar metaphor popped up in the last few weeks, and here I am — again — using the “pause” button as the perfect Leo example. I tend to think most Leos are perfect, so we’re good there, but the idea does stand up to repeated, if somewhat different, usage. A certain Leo I know, he stokes his beard, “That’s interesting, hmm.” There should be an ellipse after his comment, but alas, no. We leave it at the commentary itself, “That’s interesting, hmm.” Like it gives you a moment to pause. It gives you a moment stop and assess the inbound information. Check the facts. Listen to the competition. Look at an opposing point-of-view. If they oppose The Leo they are obviously wrong, but listen. “That’s interesting, hmm.” I still like the idea of the pause button, but some people, not Leo, but some folks need to hear a message. “That’s interesting, hmm.”

Virgo

Little Virgo girl looked at me, well, she’s not “little,” nor, for that matter, is she close to “girl,” but if I suggested coquettish crone? Think she’d be upset. Anyway, she looks at me, and asks, “Can’t you fix those stars?” No, not really, I mean, in her life, I’ve performed amazing leaps of intuition and perspicacious astrological observations, saving time, money, and precious resources, but no, I can’t realign the stars themselves. “Well. I don’t like this.” And I don’t like reporting it, but here we are, and what this means is that there is period of time when nothing will work out perfectly. Nothing works the way your Virgo self thinks it should work. Doesn’t mean it isn’t good, or it doesn’t work out perfectly in the bigger picture, but this week? Next week? Pretty much until after the (calendar) new year starts? Nothing works out perfectly for Virgo. “Well. You suck, and so do your horoscopes!” That may be, but it doesn’t stop this from working out the way it is supposed to work out, despite the ministrations and protestations of dear Virgo. It does work out perfectly, but we can’t see that in the moment.

Libra

There was “Write your adventure,” and “write your own mystery,” and I’ve tried, “write your own horoscope.” None of those, especially that last one, have been particularly popular among my balanced Libra persons. The “fill in the blanks” workbooks are nice, but not as effective as a regular novel. It’s about fewer choices, and that helps prevent a paralysis by analysis, which can be a very real problem. There’s a tenancy to have too many options, and that makes weighing out the proper solution that much more difficult. I’d rather just give a pointed answer, “Go this way,” or “go that way.” Why don’t we leave it at that? Fewer choices. Better decisions, and better decision tree for balanced Libra persons with fewer choices.

Scorpio

Eccentric is expensive, but anyone can be crazy.

Decades past, I was a volunteer docent in a history museum (like) place. The original set-up was funded by an eccentric Texas millionaire, and that begged a question about the Texas millionaire, at least the ones I’ve known? Which one isn’t eccentric? From arts and sciences, to other weird affectations? I don’t know of any who aren’t eccentric. Which comes back to the original definition, and what we’re looking at as the holidays unfold — “Eccentric is expensive, but anyone can be crazy.”

Where does Scorpio fit on that scale?

• 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