“Have you no modesty, no maiden shame, no touch of bashfulness?”
Helena to Hermia, as she wants to fight for Lysander’s affections
in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream [III.ii.286-7]

Horoscopes by the Fishing Guide to the Stars starting 6.19.2015

Gemini:

In the summer months, like now, iced coffee is a favorite midday beverage. The cold-brew method, it’s great for condensing a coffee. Cold brew coffee has the flavor of coffee, the kick of whatever is in the beans and none of the bitterness usually associated with coffee. Making Cold Brew Coffee is not a Gemini task, but the way this week looks? “Great, I bought the kit, got some excellent beans, got the cold, fresh filtered water in, and now?”

Coffee is on it’s way. However, this isn’t like a Mr. Coffee, with the drip starting quickly, and you can’t do like you usually do, pulling the pot out and catch the fresh drip right in the Gemini coffee cup.

“I like watching the ‘cold brew coffee,’ and I just checked, only 23 hours and 57 minutes left…”

Overnight. Over time. Over a period of time. Can’t make anything ever happen fast enough, and like that cold brew coffee? This is going to take a whole 24-hour period before “It’s ready.”

Cancer:

Day that this horoscopes starts, maybe, if you look to the east, right at sunrise? There’s the barest sliver of a moon, with an entirely supernatural, ethereal quality about it, hanging, following the Sun. Moonrise is shortly after Sunrise. Sometimes, I can’t even make it out. This kind of astronomical event, look it up in the almanacs, this is a good one for planting a quick crop, an idea, a project, something you want launched and seen through to fruition, in the next two weeks. Start now?

The trick the clue, the hint? Start while the Sun is still in Gemini. Pop those seeds into the ground. Plant that idea. Get the allies together to launch your Moon-Child Mission. Mars makes haste, and Mars joins this fray before too long. What I’m urging the Cancer flavored-people to do? Get a head start on whatever it is that you’re aiming to do. In the good, old United States? July 4 is up and coming. that’s going to add delay to the culmination of these Cancer plans, so let’s get that jump on Mars. Start now.

The (mighty) Leo:

A certain Leo I know, she has full-length mirror over her bed. There’s another “dressing mirror,” a full-length one, at the foot of the bed. “Any time I look around, I’m surrounded by people who love me,” was her explanation to me. At least one wise-cracking buddy of mine, say “Hello Bubba,” will make an appropriately snarky and lewd remark about the location, and placement, of the mirrors. That’s not what this is about.

To make the best of these times? Some Leo, you’re The Leo, so yes, you, you require an entourage at all times, and lacking that? Surround yourself with special friends. My little Leo mistress friend, she does that by the correct placement of mirrors in her own bedroom. The placement, and whether it’s mirrors or stuffed animals, or a live audience, that’s going to be different from individual to individual; however the notion of surrounding yourself, you majestic Leo self, with an entourage, real or imagined, that’s perfect.

It’s OK to talk to your invisible friends, but if they answer?

Virgo:

I’m not too strong with catholic mythologies, or the saints and stuff, but the way I heard the tale? The Raven, the figure of the Trickster, the Raven stole St. Benedict’s bread that was poisoned. So an act of theft poisoned the thief. Retribution with no action required on the part of the holy guy. Don’t know, I didn’t even bother to fact check with the mythology sources, although a cursory search left me with no referents.

If you are patient, not always a Virgo strong point, but if there is a modicum of patience? There is a reward, doubt it’s as good as the apocryphal St. Benedict story, but you know, it could be. Mercury — a very Virgo-like planet — makes a tension angle with Neptune, and that sets off a chain of events. No need to let these events become a problem.

Libra:

One of the tenets of my various belief systems is that I remain “teachable,” whatever that might mean. As the Sun and then Mars both head into Cancer, that starts a tension angle for Libra. It’s not bad, it’s not good, it’s not anything, but loosely unaffiliated tension that is looking for a problem to exacerbate.

That tensional energies, played correctly, can be a very teachable moment for your Libra self. The trick is, as the ire rises, as the anger flushes out, pause, think about me, and think about being teachable. At least one Libra buddy is going to grab his crotch and quite rudely suggest I “teach this,” followed by a comment that should be redacted.

But pause, stop, and assess. There is a lesson that will be presented. Opening up and looking rather than reacting with anger? Serves you in much better stead. If that doesn’t work? You can always fall back on, “Don’t get mad, get even.”

Scorpio:

“What’s your birthday?” I asked a person I encounter frequently in a government office. She flashed dark eyes, swept a lock of jet-black hair out of her visage, and rattled off a Scorpio birthday. “No wonder,” and I smiled. Backing away, slowly, but firmly making a visible step backwards. There’s always the allure of Scorpio, passionate that lurks just beneath the surface. It’s obviously there, just not too obvious to an untrained eye. I’m trained. I can detect Scorpio at 100 meters, easy. With my back turned. Yes, I know and love them Scorpio, and also, respect them.

“What, you scared of me now?” she queried.

Yes, as a matter of fact, a little. I prefer to think of it as respect, but I’m a minority. I love, trust, and respect Scorpio. But I won’t date one, not ever again.

(Sagittarius Sun Sign, I know I’m not man enough for any Scorpio female. Way it is. Get over it.)

This event is either feather-ruffling or awe-inspiring, and I’m not sure how you’re going to take it. However, when you’re faced, as you will be, in this next few days, with a similar inquiry, might not be about your birthday, but about some task at hand? When you’re faced with this? Before you get your Scorpio knickers all knotted? Stop and consider that this is actual a sign of respect, and you’re being respected, not put down. Pause long enough for that to sink into your Scorpio psyche before you get upset.

Sagittarius:

There’s a gradual shift going on in Sagittarius. There’s winds of subtle change, gently blowing. Spring-like zephyrs, in the middle of the hot summer, in South Texas.

This is about shift, not so much as change, just a slight adjustment to outlook, perceptions, and embracing some changes. As a typical Sagittarius, gentle and subtle doesn’t usually work. Need something strong and “slap me in the face” to make sure I understand that there is a change afoot.

Capricorn:

I was in a “Trader Joe” place, not a typical shopping venue for my groceries. I prefer local stuff, but Trader Joe’s is nice enough. I watched as one of the employees hefted two cocoanuts. Female worker, pretty, not too young, and she was hefting those two cocoanuts, one in each hand, right about chest level.

This can go bad, in a hurry. Very bad.

Comparisons, comments, sexual innuendo, all of that. Bad to worse. She looked up and saw me, watching her, as she hefted those cocoanuts. I probably had a wan smile on my face, but I eventually, after our eyes locked, I eventually looked away. I might’ve smirked, but I made no comment. I didn’t actually bite my lip, but I probably sucked it in, then I averted my eyes, and I grabbed my phone, suddenly remembering something I had to look up or a grocery list I needed to consult.

How can you not make a comment in situation like that? If I was younger, more callous, less aware of cosmic energies, and if I wasn’t worried that no matter what I said, it would come out wrong? If I wasn’t worried about that, I’d of said something funny. I didn’t. You’re faced with a similar situation. Might not be cocoanuts, but it is obliquely sexual in nature, and this can go from bad, to worse, to lawsuit, in 30 seconds. Smirk. Chuckle. Say nothing.

Aquarius:

Buddy of mine had a huge record collection, at one time. Then it was CDs. I’m unsure of what he does now, but he claims he’s got most of his collection “ripped” onto a small laptop. Problem being, there’s not an easy way to plug music into his car’s player, not like that. It was the record collection that always amazed me. Albums, a square foot of real estate, possibly with great graphics. I just figured that album covers themselves would fine pieces of art work for the walls, as some of the material that can be close to forty or even fifty years old is classic in elegant art work terms. Shape, design, execution. Not unlike some of the paintings that were used for Tarot Cards, at one time. Still, the massive music library needs some kind of coherent organization, and that’s what your week is about. By genre, then year, then artist? All by artists? Artists’ first names then last names? Bands’ names? Genre, which is such a jumbled mess these days with more types of music than musicians playing the various types. This isn’t about music, not really, it’s about organization. My buddy? He’s all digital now, so he says, but at his house? One wall is framed album covers. As an Aquarius, this next few days, it’s about how we organize our various (digital) libraries. Collections, whatever.

Pisces:

This is about filtering. How do you filter? Remember when Starbucks had those little business-card sized cards that were good for free iTunes download, usually a song? Went on for years, those little free songs. At first, I grabbed every song. Then, over years, I realized that about three-quarters of those songs were pop-crap, and closer to nine-tenths were songs I didn’t really want. But they were free, right? That makes them better? I was hoping that the process of getting, entering the code then downloading the song, popping it onto a media player, usually my phone, I was hoping that there would be a process of discovery in there. In a couple of years, I happened across one group that I rather enjoyed and subsequently purchased the music. Out of two, maybe three years of free music downloads? One? Not good odds. I might’ve picked up that recommendation, some place else. Some years ago, a local artist was featured, and I hoped that would lead to some acclaim outside of Texas, but not as far as I could tell. Two examples in several years. What I figured? It’s not worth the attention span. I might still casually glance at the “free download” thing, but it’s not really worth my bandwidth to willy-nilly download free stuff just because it’s free. Just chokes the drives, the pipes, and worse? Burns useless (mental) bandwidth. Consider, this next couple of days, what you’re wasting mental horsepower on, and that’s what you can skip.

Aries:

Next week holds a nudge. A tweak, a gentle reminder that you, as an Aries, is supposed to be doing a certain task — my bet is — you’ve been avoiding. Maybe it’s an onerous or grueling task that you really don’t want to do, but in your mind, you know, it’s there, and no one can do this like you can. Or no one besides you, is able to handle this job. It’s something like that.

“If it’s meant to be, then it’s up to me.” that thought should resonate, and what’s either good or bad? It gets stronger as the Sun approaches Cancer, and then, there’s that “Bump,” where this makes itself readily apparent. Not like I’m the shining example of being responsible myself, no, that’s not what this is about. Not that I don’t go to great lengths to avoid work, problems, and situations that aren’t comfortable, no, can’t say I’m not with you, or like you, no that’s not the issue. This can be difficult, awful, distasteful, discomfiting, or unpleasant. Or this can just get done.

Your choice.

You would be surprised, after much complaining and avoiding, how much easier it to just do the deal, and get it done with, and then, this no longer hanging over your head, for the rest of the Cancer Sun, or worse, Mars in Cancer. (3 to 6 weeks. Oh, just do it now.)

Taurus:

For me, the way I encountered this scenario, I first saw this as a TV cartoon, a character would scream, “Mom, mom, mom, Mommy,” over and over, seeking attention and approval. With one of my fishing buddies, I watched as one of his kids did the exact same thing. “Mom. Mom. Mom. Mommy.” Over and over. Parents know this is a truism, while those of us bereft of offspring, we are less than familiar with the behavior. As a Taurus, this is the time when that familiar repetition comes around. I doubt you’re screaming for your mommy, no, that’s not it, but there’s that familiar refrain, repeated over and over, seeking attention, approval, and some recognition.

The second half of this?

Maybe.

Maybe yes, maybe no, maybe you do get recognized, maybe you don’t.

50/50, fifty-fifty split on the outcome. As the week progresses and the Sun moves into Cancer? Perhaps being less vocal will help. Hint: we heard you the first time.