“I am much deceived but I remember the style.”

Boyet in Shakespeare’s Love Labor’s Lost (4.1.68)

Horoscopes for 5-20-2025

• Sun into Gemini 5/20
• Saturn into Aries 5/26/25
• Mercury into Gem. 5/25
• New Moon 6°5’ Gem. 5/26

Horoscopes for 5-20-2025

Gemini

I don’t think I’ve ever articulated this before. Perfect for Gemini. I carried a single kind of tarot card deck for years. It’s more totemic, symbolic, metaphoric for me, rather than an actual practice. For a dozen years or more, I’ve used images of those cards as ways to illustrate the energies associated with the sign themselves, as I always liked the connection between that one deck and the symbolic astrology. The story is, it was the first deck I ever received as a gift, my buddy thought it was “too dark” for him. Over the years, I would either carry that deck, or one other deck, but the other deck, I discovered, was rare, out-of-print, and my handy $20 deck of tarot cards was, at the time, worth hundreds of dollars. Meant I had to simplify and I went with what I’d been working with since the start. I have a small, medium, large, and extra-large set. Same cards, same design, same artwork, different sizes. Makes life so much easier to stick with just one way of looking. But using the same set of images, over and over? It adds a kind of consistency. For me, age, travel, and restrictions? I keep one smaller version in my purse, a larger, worn-out version in my show gear, and then, a regular playing card size near my desk. All depends, but the images are the same across all the decks that I might pull out and use. Makes it much easier for me, as a reader.

Cancer

Can a yellow reflective safety vest serve as camouflage? There’s some underlying principle that works here, one I want to call attention to for this week’s Cancer. It’s about a counter-intuitive way to hide in plain sight. The yellow, sometimes orange, adjust as need be for local conditions, reflective vest, usually worn by highway workers, roadside crews, and similar ilk? Some overnight delivery drivers also wear them, which is what made me think about this. A guy was hanging illegal door-hanger advertising, and he was wearing reflective vest, bright yellow. Looked official, but what he left behind was strictly political pandering, and as such, illegal — it’s called littering. But with the vest on? Looked officially sanctioned.

It’s the camouflage — hiding in plain sight. The reflective vest looks official. Looks like you have authority, like you mean what you’re doing, and you’re not hiding. “Dude, if I was hiding, would I be wearing a reflective vest? Pull-ease.” See how it works? I’m thinking, might vary from Cancer to individual Moon Child, but the idea is sound. Reflective safety vest.

The Leo

“Scatter ye… scatter ye…” Forget it. I can’t do that kind of line. Something about scattering your something in front of someone. I don’t know. Not going to look it up. The deal is, Gemini, and the magnificent Leo? Those two don’t exactly align. There’s some overlap, points where the ideas and ideals align, or places where this meshes perfectly, but as a general rule, yeah, no. But like me forgetting the line, like me, forgetting a quote from literature, or the Bible, I’m not even sure from whence it comes, but like me? Like my forgotten sources? There’s a point for The Leo right passed the tip of existence. Just out there, not quite within grasp of what you’re thinking, or able to read in a timely, fashionable manner. “Wait, wait, I know this one!” Yes, yes you do, and like me, we can’t recall it fast enough. The curse of the Gemini time, and that’s now.

Virgo

It’s strange how I arrived at this, but I’ve seen the same message reiterated through tons of business, self-help crap. When in doubt, start with the not-for-profits. Example: an empty business space? Do a reduced cost lease to a charity of some form. “Give it away.” That puts people in the place, drives traffic, and usually there’s a tax benefit. Charity, not-for-profit, whatever you want to suggest, but that’s a place to start. Pro bono to some. Donation or donation-based, or charitable contribution in time and services rather than actual cash outlay? That’s the idea, and it holds up well over the next few days, trying to fill in a little bit of extra time with something that is amusing, entertaining, and, as I like to suggest, “Adds back to the food chain.” Think about that, look at the commentary, ask what’s important. “Adds back to the food chain.” Contribute, but do so in manner that works for your Virgo self.

Libra

Most summers, and summer is upon me, but most summers? I know that there will be some Shakespeare in the park, live Shakespeare plays outdoors, someplace, and I’ll try to have a few of these on my schedule, which, in turn, means I’ll want to look up a little bit of material about the plays I’ll be seeing. First off, this is casual study, not concerted effort to learn everything or understand the play in its totality, just a quick overview. Having been through the canon a time or two, not really a big deal, just get a snapshot kind of a glimpse. But as I was looking at some scholarly work for an upcoming show? I happened across some scholarly material that deals with deeper psychological and philosophical understanding of how we see the world, and, while the article pertained to a specific point about the play I was looking at, it was also, on a grander scale, an important point about how to see the world. My notion, and the largely serendipitous research got me there. Just looking up a few casual points about a play, all I wanted, but then it got interesting. This is a suggestion up and coming, for Libra, as well. “Just looking something up, real quick like.”

Scorpio

It’s been many long years since I’ve done any pawn shop grazing. At one point, though, pawn shops, in their various ilks, were amusing as a spot to cruise. I would look at various pieces of dead tech, old tablet or phones, one time I almost bought a dead Mac computer, just, I don’t know why. The problem was the price. What that was worth to me, as a project device, probably gutted, hollowed out, and the insides updated with cooler new tech? What it was worth to me as a project didn’t come close to the shop’s asking price. Value and worth, and knowing what an object is worth, that helps. It’s been a long time since I’ve been shopping in pawn shops. But as an idea, and as a possibly metaphorical place for Scorpio to start, a pawn brokerage might be the right idea. I suggested looking, though, not buying.

Sagittarius

“I want to renegotiate the terms of the contract, if you don’t mind.” Oh, but I do mind. It’s bothersome, and as soon as I hear that we are looking at renegotiating a previous agreement, I have to wonder. My little Sagittarius mind, with its hamster wheel, that starts spinning around and around. Terms and conditions that we originally ironed out, set upon, and agreed worked for all? The concurrent phrase, the usual addendum, the one we like to hear the least? “This for your own good,” or “this is an advantage for you.” As soon as some other person comes along and wants to renegotiate the existing terms? Sagittarius? Be suspect and circumspect.

Capricorn

Some days, there is nothing that can replace a real book. I was thinking about this, and I got stuck in a downward spiral, overthinking as is my wont, about a daily lesson, then a daily reading, then a way to access information for Capricorn in a manner that is both useful and timely. A book. A real, paper-bound together with glue and stitches book. Here’s how I work, I tend to favor digital these days for novels, and novel-length material, research, and academic pursuits. But when I’m stuck? I use a book. I started by explaining that I carry a digital version of the Koran on my tablet. Also: King Jame Bible. Then, to round those two out, think I’ve got a Complete Works of Shakespeare, and several version of Marcus Aurelius as I’ve found those last two serve me better. But as to how to use a book, like a printed version? I’ll grab one of my printed versions of Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations, and I’ll let it fall open, then I’ll look at the passages. I let, literally, my fingers do the walking. Requires a printed book to work like this. Don’t be afraid to consult a book, and if someone is quoting passages from scripture, don’t be afraid to look it up. Context, and apparent serendipity is the Capricorn friend — takes a little bit of work.

Aquarius

One of my problems, I’ll look at an astrology chart, and I’ll have certain pre-conceived notions. “Seen this before, saw that one time, and it meant this,” all running thoughts, sometime verbal. With the burgeoning influence of Saturn and Neptune, I’d look at the way some of this stacks up, and what’s right, and what’s best kept to ourselves. I’ve seen this before and I know what it means.

Aquarius? You’ve seen this before and you know what it means, too. That doesn’t translate into saying it out loud, or posting that in a public forum as some kind of notation for others to see.

(No posting on social media, for example.)

Despite a desire to be loquacious and outgoing, genteel and gregarious, there’s an uncharacteristic reticence that is well-rewarded, now, maybe over the next week possibly ten days. Not silent, but no indiscriminate volunteering of (Aquarius) information.

Pisces

There are some days when I feel like I pour too much of my own soul into this work. Other days, I’m as glib, flippant, and insouciant as I can be. Which one is it? Sort of depends, and sort of depends on the conditions. There’s a moment, ahead in Pisces that requires a special way of handling this. It seems to appear like this is just a facile answer, and that’s what it is, exactly as it appears, a quick, easy answer that rolls off the tongue, Pisces tongue, like it was meant to be, and like you had that one spooled up, at the ready. But the answer is more than that, and it works on several levels, which is the secret to why this is such a cool way to deal with this. Simple, glib — think: bumper sticker wisdom. Just an inane piece of advice, rolls out of your mouth, or off the keyboard, and yet, hits the spot. The trick? “Did you just make that up?” Shrug. No answer, no “yes” or “no,” just a shrug. Can be interpreted many ways.

Aries

One gesture, repeated becomes habit. Habit, repeated, becomes a learned behavior. What starts out as an idea, a simple action, repeated, over and over, can become a habit, and that simple habit can change the Aries world. For me, it started as a simple kind of meditation. Not long, usually only a few minutes, but long enough to still the mind, quiet the voices, and pick directions in a more effective manner. For the next month or so, there are two pieces, more pronounced now and next week, and those twin elements of structure and obvious Aries obfuscation can be combined. For years, when my knees and back would let me, I used to wander into the great cathedrals in the middle of a hot spring afternoon, and I would cross myself then bow in supplication to — something. My philosophical, emotional, and mental connection with what I understand? It’s personal. But in that setting, a holy space, I always felt something tugging at my soul, and therefore, I preformed the correct obsequies, my version of respected ritual. Not saying it’s right, or right for you, but it worked for me in these conditions. Habit, more like repeated gestures, and repeated again and again, as needed be. Manifestation, creative visualization, or simply, prayer. Call what you want, but twice daily is a good idea for now — at the very least.

Taurus

For me, there’s the Barton Spring gauge. I would swim in Austin’s Barton Springs when conditions were just perfect. Had to be hot enough to make me sweat, and the sun had to be out enough so when I got out of the water, after having my core temperature dropped a few degrees, I didn’t suffer from any kind of acute hypothermia. My own, internal Barton Spring gauge varied. Several years, I was in the water as late November, and as early as February. Other seasons, and reasons, it would be much later before I got in the icy river water. It was, and it is, reflective of air temp, humidity, relative UV strength, and how much time I had on my hands. What was good. What was best. Did I want a cooling dip in the creek? There were a ton of sliding scale factors, as well. This affects Taurus the same way, there’s a whole slew of sliding scale factors to consider, and it’s like my Barton Creek gauge, hot enough, warm enough sun, just a whole bunch of factors. Each piece weighs against the next piece, too. Consider that gentle Taurus is playing with the same kind of sliding scale factors even now.