Focus on Scorpio and Capricorn: Sex and War

Sex and violence.  War and scandal.  Time again for those timeless and timely eventualities. 

War stepped up in the Middle East and sex scandals here at home in the United States and, all taking place with the transits of Mercury, Saturn and Venus (as of November 23rd of November) in Scorpio, known in astrology as the secondary sign of war.  (Aries is the primary war sign arriving first as it does in ascendency over the other astrological signs in order.)

What a dynamic trio, Mercury, Saturn and Venus together but not exactly cozy in the sign of turbulence and sexuality, Scorpio.  (Saturn will be in Scorpio for two years so more such scandals should not surprise us too much going forward.)

What a mess in the overall scheme of things.  With Mars (short term transit) and Pluto (long term transit) in Capricorn the picture of events again point to sex (Mars and Pluto are the major influences associated with Scorpio, the sign of sex, violence and war) as well as careers and wouldn't that be the timely case now. 

Scorpio and Capricorn have the center stage for a while and for those involved in the military related scandal and infidelity, it may not be a very happy Thanksgiving or merry Christmas, the press and scrutiny of the press will be with those involved and who knows, maybe even more revelations. 

In a way, if it doesn't get any worse than this, reconciliations may be possible for the concerned parties.  I hope they are in any case.  Scandal and war and all this before the close of the year. 

We are inching up to December 21st and the planets have been lining up for some time now in a rare alignment?  Off I go to NASA's site now to authenticate the reality of any such alignment.  I hope it is all hogwash but, only time will tell. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas, if at all possible, no matter what. 

The New Moon in Leo is Fast Approaching

What's new? 

Mercury is direct now and that's good news for one thing. 

Jupiter remains in Gemini and that spells publishing and foreign languages.  My newly Amazon Kindle Direct publications are being translated into several languages, the first of which is French to be followed by a German translation so that much is apropos. 

The new moon in Leo is approaching, a time when both the sun and the moon are both in the sign of Leo.  

We will experience three days of the sun and moon in Leo, generally speaking, August 16th through August 18th which should be an exciting time for Leos and the other fire signs in particular and exciting news vis-a-vis the entertainment industry.

Spike Lee has just released his latest film, "Red Hook Summer," just premature the Leo new moon but still a very good time to capture audience interest and the solar/lunar spotlight.  Audiences have sold out for some shows (Brooklyn).

I can hardly wait to see Spike's new film and, listening to him being interviewed just yesterday by his dear friend, John Turturro, well, it was a wonderful discussion filled with warmth, humor and insight.

Turturro and Spike are both Piscean actor/directors and their mutual love and respect came across very strongly during the program as well as the wonderful sense of humor they both have.

My advice?  Before you forget, if you haven't heard the broadcast live, be sure to pick it up on a podcast from WNYC and hear for yourself how refreshing and fun the program was when, John Turturro filled in for Norman Lear.

Michael Phelps and an Aries Woman

A brief and quick commentary on Michael Phelps and his new girlfriend who is an Aries, it won't last long. 

The combination of Phelps (Cancer) and his new gal (Aries) is a conflicted one which is to say all appearances aside, Cancer and Aries are not compatible.  :( 

Since Michael Phelps has plenty of time to find a just right mate, losing a few gals along the way won't be so bad.  :)

Congratulations and all the best to you, Michael Phelps!

Mercury Retrogrades are in the Fire Signs in 2012

The Mercury in Leo retrograde currently underway is inching toward direct movement on August 8th, so for those involved in entertainment and the performing arts, your appearances will be in a better spotlight very soon after the retrograde ends.  If you are signing to contract or doing other business that involves contracts etc., it's best to wait until about mid August for best results otherwise, negotiations may have to be adjusted.

Writers and others who are involved in literary activities and productions will have the green light too in terms of pushing forward their creative work when the retrograde has ended, which will be after August 8th. 

Mercury will have retrograded in each of the fire signs this year with the last retrograde period approaching later in the year when Mercury is in the sign of Sagittarius.  The end of the year may or may not be the best time for long distance travel due to the anticipated activities (solar, planetary eccentricities and other 2012 indicators that may prevail at the close of this year). 

Venus and Jupiter in Gemini and the Venus Transit of the Sun

Lucky Friday the 13th today occurs with two planets, Venus and Jupiter in the sign of doubles, Gemini. 

Nothing to fear about Friday the 13th being unfortunate, generally speaking of course because, the luck pair (Venus the lesser benefic and Jupiter the greater benefic) together indicates just the opposite.  

Despite appearance to the contrary we here on earth are covered with love and beauty on many levels we are blessed.

The two most powerful and significant indicators of prosperity, abundance and beauty, Venus and Jupiter, when placed together as they are now in the sign of doubles, Gemini - twins and doubles will be especially blessed and good fortune comes in doubles.

Everything wonderful is doubled. 

Venus in the sunsign of Gemini occured this year and, we have just experienced a rare transit of Venus across the sun.  

Planet Jupiter was not with Venus for the transit but followed a few days later leaving the earth sign of Taurus where it was positioned approximately for a year and entering the earliest degree of Gemini where it remain until June 2013. 

Jupiter remains in Gemini until next year but Venus will soon move forward into the next sign of Cancer on August 7 until September 6th. 

We are blessed on the local, global and beyond that at the universal level. 

We should keep this rare transit that has passed in mind not because it is simple wishful thinking.  It was astrological fact. 
The significance of which can be interpreted in any number of ways. 

But, it is not just because we are living in difficult times (with wars and other inhumanities proliferating), that we wish, hope and pray that military actions, war, and violence will improve.

It is not merely "wishful thinking," that we do so. 

What is needed in my opinion, is a collective surge of prayer and good will that is demanded and required from humanity.

We thought of and looked to the heavens in some context during the Venus transit of the sun the day of the transit. 

For our world to begin anew in a new direction of love, peace and good will to all nations and "races."  Our prayers and hopes and wishes and efforts to make it so will make it so.

We have little other choice or said differently, if we continue the way we have and don't step up our humanity game, we will continue to suffer hatred, war, inequality and worse.

Our world has a hope and a prayer that we can and will make the difference but, of course, it starts with us here at home on earth.

Wishful thinking, prayers and collective efforts of good-will are simply all good.

Yes, prayers do increase especially when troubled times necessitate prayer.  But, it is the rare times as when the planets themselves move into position of harmony that can benefit us all and this year we have seen the little and lovely planet, Venus make her long awaited transit. 

Very welcome, very necessarily placing herself, a tiny mark of beauty where her blessings could be amplified to our world, a sublime and beautiful transit as you can see from images taken by astronomers. 

Rather because the long standing effects of the Venus and Jupiter's mutual transit of Venus which have given us an amplification of the benefits of these two powerful planets of love and abundance amplified by the solar power of the sun itself! 

Little Venus making her move across the giant face of the sun is a heavenly indicator and a great blessing, since we are living at this time, we are the benefactors and have all been blessed.   

For many who follow spiritual as well as astrological trends see this rare transit as the "return of the Goddess." 

Every century or so, Venus makes that special movement in position to magnify the power and the grace and energy of our sun to our little blue planet, Earth.

Now let us do our part.

Here it is as it fast approaches, after six long months (count them) in Virgo, Mars will leave Virgo for the next sign, Libra.  Thank goodness, the planets move in their course because, while inflammatory Mars has been in the sign of critical health, Virgo, many of us have had to suffer through one kind of health crisis or situation of some another.  I am sure trips have been made to the doctor by many of us.   

With Venus in Libra we have an entirely different scene and placement for Mars and a more compatible one in terms of relationships and the natural opposition of Venus and Mars by way of their respective sun signs, namely, Libra and Aries.  The female and the male principles have been a positive hit since day one so, now that summer is here. 

You know what they say, "The time is right."  The right time for Mars in Libra to bring on new romantic possibilities and or the not nice kind of friction (watch it out there folks, everyone needs to keep their tempers and temperaments under wraps too because this placement of Mars can bring with anger issues that may surface in close relationships). 

The ardor of love (sex) or the anger of argument (war), we can and do have control over which direction Mars will take while in the sunsign of Libra for approximately a month and what our desired outcome will be. 

Choose wisely and have a wonderful, love filled summer. 

Sultry days are here again!

Party Like It's Not 2012!

I am taking my direction from J. A. Konrath who told me by way of his website to get back to my blog and stop spending so much time on his and, he was right.  I have been delinquent, forgive me.  :(

I am here now for a quick update and with an aplogy for being away for so long.  You know how it can get hectic and the Mars in Virgo transit for the past six months has been one humdinger!  Literary projects and other matters of importance have been underway. 

However, the news is all good so I'm here to share some of it with you:

It's that time again when Venus gets ready to make her move by going in direct motion tomorrow after the retrograde has ended in Gemini.  Love may appear in pairs so watch out! 

No duplicity please, two guys or gals at one time or double timing as they used to call it could be happening now.  Be nice and stick to one at a time, please?  

Love will be on the correct footing again and moving forward, love will be in the air like never before especially with Mercury going into Leo on the same day, tomorrow. 

Perforance arts, appearances, pomp and circumstance, looking good, seeing and being seen wonderful incidents such as these are waiting in the wings immediately to take center stage and what better time than now?  What better time than summer?  No better time than now. 

Mercury begins its approach to retrograde later next month but there's still time to get any number of projects you may have in the works finished or ready before then, generally speaking. 

Writers especially get that extra boost with Mercury in Leo now for the next few weeks.  Write that novel, finish it, revise it and send it sailing.  No better time to do that than now. Crank it out!

July 4th is the big, beautiful entranced and transit of Mars finally out of the sign of critical health, Virgo, where it has been sitting retrograde for most of the past six months. 

Health issues cropped up on friends and family alike and I found this particular long transit of inflammatory Mars in the sign of critical health particularly disturbing. 

It's over in a few short days on July 4th when Mars enters the sign of its fall , Libra (as in fall into the love nest and or fall in love).  The astrological transit of Mars will make at least the next four weeks very exciting and shall I say, sultry?  :) 

Take advantage of this wonderful time period where entertainment (Mercury in Leo), love (Mars in Libra and beauty (Venus in Gemini) unfolds all around us. 

We may be in 2012 but its summer and not winter so, enjoy! 

And be sure to remember to, party like it's not 2012!

The Mercury Retrograde in Virgo is Approaching an End. On With Direct Motion Mercury!

The Mercury retrograde in is coming to a close after tomorrow, April 4th and what a relief.  I suffered some computer failure, my DVD burner malfunctioned but it could have been more dramatic as in past times.  I am very grateful that the DVD flareup or I should say temporary, strictly temporary failure was minor.  There are other issues I would not burden my visitors with, suffice is to say that, it has been an interesting time with Mercury the past month or so and now, onto bigger and better direct motion with you, Mercury!

With Mercury moving on up through the lovely constellation of nebulous and nebula sign of Pisces, then into Aries on April 16th.  We'll all have smoother sailing and hopefully healing (up from the Mars in Virgo retrograde) going forward.

It will be another two weeks until April 14th that Mars remains in Virgo so for those who have had surgeries or other physical or health related incidents, get better quickly and with Mars moving on, I am sure you will!  Take it easy on yourself though and, don't over do it (at least not at first :)when, Mars enters Libra (a sexy move that one) on July 3rd until August 23rd when it will be perhaps the best time of the year for love and creativity! 

A Beautiful Jupiter and Venus Conjunction This Week

Jupiter in conjunction with Venus in our night sky is something beautiful to behold! 

Space.com offers us information on this brilliant and I will venture to say, blessed close proximity of planets. 

Jupiter and Venus are known in astrology as the Greater and Lesser Benefic respectively.  When they are together as they are now and remain for the next few days in the sign of Taurus, the earth receives the blessings that are associated with this pair, namely all things great and beautiful according to astrological traditions.  The exact conjunction appears to take place on this Wednesday.

Make the best of it, see this pair of dynamic celestial stars pouring down blessings to us all here on earth!


The large blessings of huge planet Jupiter and the lesser blessings of Venus will be ours, be sure to see just how beautiful they appear in our night sky.

According to this Space.com article, after this year it will be over a hundred years before they are as close together again in 2117!

Neptune Enters Pisces!

Yes, finally here, the bold planetary move of Neptune into the sign of its rulership (and I do mean ship), Pisces! Neptune with it's long orbit around the sun is back in the sign it rules one and half centuries. We need fear nothing however, our world it seems has always been a predominant water world but, there will be issues the world will have to cope with regarding water many of which we already know. The price and value of potable water will increase due to scarcity and other, political factors. Tsunamis will make the news after taking lives in island countries of the world in the next twenty years but, that is to be expected. People have known about these occurrences for hundreds and hundreds of years. The above are merely two of the perhaps inevitables. So what's the potential of an upside for this major planetary movement and transit from one constellation to the watery world of Pisces? It remains to be seen but we, star gazers and speculators can dream, can't we? Honestly, the only benefit that comes to mind (and especially with the other two water signs not involved in a Grand Trine with Neptune any time soon from what I can see), technology changes, advances in the film industry, a surge in psychic phenomenon and possibly the arrival of who else? Aliens. Just joking there, who knows when those outer space critters will make their perhaps inevitable grand stand on the stage of humanity. It could happen at any time and why not in the next twenty years? I think trends for Neptune in Pisces will involve evolutionary development or shift to higher mental capabilities including psychic abilities that were latent in humans, the potential for those abilities to become functioning will probably be something that emerges during the next twenty years as well as other psychic related phenomena whether or not scientists can get a full understand of or perhaps they will unlock the secrets of the mind to a very advanced degree. That remains to be seen but, because Neptune rules higher mind and psychic functions, we humans will be evolving and not just at the individual level. It may or may not create a certain amount of fear because growing up always does but, humanity will be evolving perhaps and by a due to necessity scenario, we will survive and be able to cope with upcoming revelations about the human experience, our world and our place in it at the indivudal and collective level. I know, I'm sounding like Kreskin the Magician a bit here but, I'm merely stating what is fairly obvious to most astrologers. If the reader is not an astrologer, take my word for it. If the reader is an astrologer, they know this to be the "speculative" case. :)

Mercury Retrogrades In and Out of, All year Long

The pace of life being what it has been for the past while now, I only just yesterday came across some staggering information regarding the triple retrograde phase of planet Mercury this year.  Mercury will be going in and out of retrograde for the majority of the year and this will be extremely consequential.  Other planets are retrograding as well including Venus in Gemini later, in the late spring and then there's the long standing Mars in Virgo transit underway.  Oy vey.  God help us all!  More on this later, just a head's up.  A lot is happening at the cosmic, extra terrestrial level and we will need to be level headed going forward, forget we not that this is the big one:  2012.  More on this soon.

Farewell, Whitney Houston and Thank You

Listening to a Whitney Houston recording just now, I'm prompted to post this blog. 

With our transcendental, huge, ice/gas ball planet, Neptune on the very cusp of it's own sign after traveling throughout eleven stellar constellations of the zodiac - Neptune has finally arrived at the threshold, the earliest degree of it's planetary place of greatest power.  The constellation of Pisces, sign of the underdog and the sign of sorrows.  It is significantly in relation to Whitney Houston (and to us all really) that "the house of Pisces" is the sign of our own undoing. 

Pisces, the astrological sign often related to the water element, to vibrations of all sorts, music, fine arts, dancing and yes, drug addiction and other visionary states of  mind, the mystic and so on. 

 It is no mere coincidence that the world lost Whitney Houston during this time period.  The singer has been known to have had problems with recreational drug abuse and other issues that apparently reached a culmination and may very well have contributed to her loss of life. 

With Neptune arriving in the earliest degree, again, we can see a global sorrow for the loss of this huge, international talent.  When I heard that the state she was born, New Jersey, will lower the flag to half staff, I had to reserve my judgement as best as I could.  I am not sure that sets the right example for her many young followers to connect with but, it is for her contribution and not her weakness the flag will be lowered. 

The circumstances in which Whitney Houston lost her life are known to a certain degree and significantly again, water was involved.  The results of toxicology reports will be available for the Houston family and for the world in the coming weeks. 
In the next few days, the sun sign of Aquarius will have set and the next sign, Pisces will have ascended.  The results of the exact cause of the pop star's death will be revealed during the sun in Pisces time period. 

There must be a takeaway that comes from this sad and tragic end to a still young star's life, I believe it will be that once again, drugs have taken someone, in this case, a talent of great magnitude away from us. 

The takeaway must in some context be made clear that for the youth who so often experiment with drugs and altered states of consciousness - our youth must see it as an example of a needless sacrifice not worth the early, unnecessary loss of life.  But "see" this loss as a closing of the door on the possibility of drug use by themselves. 

I hope this sad and terrible event is not just an occasion to sing Whitney Houston songs and bring flowers or listen to her music.  I hope the loss of her life is in some way authentically meaningful and that our youth learn something they can strengthen themselves with now and take that with them going forward with their lives. 

The benefit or good that can come out of this universal loss, if it can be seen as a benefit, should be that, we need to strengthen and not weaken ourselves going forward.  Realize the obvious, drugs kill.  Drugs are not sexy or glamorous but destructive and deadly.  Recreational drugs ruin lives and families suffer. 

No matter what our age, we need to take a clear and honest look at our lives.  Ask ourselves whether we care if we live or die.  Is it a 50-50 balance of will to live or death wish? 

The fact that our world is changing so rapidly with many opportunities but with so much denied our youth and really people in all age categories and walks of life, lower class, drug class, middle class and luxury class, we simply have no other choice.  We must strengthen not only ourselves but each other, our friends and neighbors.

We need to find a way to help our young people rid themselves of the destructive lifestyles of drug use and the sale of drugs.  I think this is the perfect time to see the need to do so although; it is a sad time for so many people, this loss of a star who gave us so much.  It can be a final gift from the star if we see it as such, a lesson to learn from her loss with which we can and should strengthen ourselves and each other. 

Recreational drug use is a killer.  It ruins lives and generates sickness, disease and a pathology of infection of others who are too young, too weak or too brainwashed, who want to buy, use and get into drugs and the drug culture.  

It will be extremely interesting to see how the Hip Hop and Rap music community responds in the press as well in their musical recordings with this loss.  Was Whitney Houston too far removed in terms of age, from our youths today to make an impact on Hip Hop and Rap stars and their audiences?   

My personal prayer on this day of Whitney Houston's final services and burial is that. at the cusp of a major planetary movement, signaled by Neptune in the earliest degree of Pisces, we see this sign for what it is, powerful, seductive and at times deadly. 

We come from the water of our mother's very body.  Water is our life source but we cannot return to it in destructive ways, drugs and alcohol abuse - we must strengthen ourselves against these options.  Jimi Hendrix who also lost his life because of drug abuse sang of it when he sang that "...man cannot live or breath in water." 

We honor our lives going forward in the evolutionary sense when we can recognize this simple fact.  We cannot live or breath in water and it is water that we need to respect now more than ever going forward in our lives and in the life of our beautiful planet, Earth.  A planetary shift has taken place and simply stated, the power is with the water. 

• Respect yourself and your life here on earth.  
• Respect marine life and the waters of our beautiful, blue planet of water.

Farewell, Whitney, God bless you and thank you for giving us so much beauty, so much beautiful music. 

 No one should judge you unkindly, each one of us has our own individual destiny and our own individual end. 

Your loving family, friends and fans the world over cry for you today but, you have left us so much of yourself. 

God bless you and keep you always.

Portrait from the 2012, A Woman is not a Flower, Series of Photographs, Joyce Dade

Venus Transits Aries from the 2012 Superimposition Series of Photographs

When they tell you (and the time may very well arrive when they will tell you), "A woman is not a flower," you have every right to question exactly what it is that they mean by that statement.  Is it that a woman is not as fragrant as a flower or that a woman is stronger than a flower?  Or perhaps they mean to say, a woman is something more than a flower.  Or that a woman simply symbolizes a flower and beyond that, a garden of flowers. 

Mars in Virgo, Retrograde!

Almost here at last and not entirely welcome, the Mars in Virgo retrograde begins.  Oy vey, it's going to be one heck of a transit with Lord knows what kind of repercussions.

The retrograde apparently will last for about 80 days and then the slow forward movement going forward but, 80 odd days is a long time for Mars to be retrograde and in Virgo, it makes me think, for some people there may or may not be surgery involved and for others, perhaps all of us, there will be some early and continued, sustained, spring cleaning.

Not an exciting or sexy place for Mars to retrograde (that would have been in the sign of Libra), we must deal with this planetary configuration whether we like it or not.

Many other astrologers have said, "don't buy tech equipment, computers and such during this time period," there will be issues perhaps so, best to wait until the spring. Yes, the spring, why push your luck?

The Mars in Virgo retrograde will end on April 13th and by that time, we will be in early springtime.

I hope we can use the Martian energy to get the job done (but not new projects). All that spring cleaning is waiting and trooper that he is, Mars will see to it that we march to his call, like it or not. :((

Chinatown Lunch on the First Day of Year of the Dragon

Lunch with a close friend in Chinatown yesterday was exciting but the food was particularly not good.  I don't like soup and because the restaurant is known for serving great soup, I took a chance.  Mistake number one, it was terrible and I ate almost none of it.

My long time friend (who covered the bill) had a business appointment and had to rush off by bike as soon as we left the restaurant.  I won't give the specific restaurant a name here, I think it's enough to say, it was the worst soup I've ever had.

It was nice to see my friend who is leaving for San Francisco where she lives when not in NYC (those Geminis often lead two lives and or have two of everything) but, we barely had time to talk.  Nevertheless, and although the restaurant was crowded to the max, I gave her a brief analysis on her new partner.  She had brought along a computer generated horoscope and when I did the analysis, I spoke as if my friend was a stranger and to the point now - I spoke perhaps too bluntly and I regret that. 

Analysts want to help, I certainly do when I do analysis but, it's up to the person who is having the interpretation done.  They can take the advice or not.  If they have fallen in love already let us say or have dived into the pool, whichever way one wants to mention it, it may be too late for any prohibitive analysis. 

I gave my friend a to-the-point (we were under time constraints and, I wanted to discuss as much as I could) analysis and tried as best as I could to make light of the fact that this person might not be in her best interest).  Keep it light.

My friend tired from working into the wee hours of the morning, said the analysis was, "a brutal" reading which of course was not my intention.  I only want her to be happy and so, I gave fair warning the way I saw to do under the tyranny of the clock. 

Confetti poppers and two dragons with an entourage of followers trailing behind them were just arriving on Mott street as we meet, a very auspicious indicator for the two of us to be sure.  The ever young Dragons shook their heads and bobbed up and down as they were followed closely by an expert drummer from the local Kung Fu school and a bevi of disciples - it was an exciting and auspicious moment to meet my friend yesterday in Chinatown. 

As the two Dragons bobbled about on this, the very first day of the Year of the Sea Dragon, in front of a nearby bank to bring them luck in the coming year, I felt that my friend a I were very much a part of the auspicious moment in time that would last us a year and beyond.  I still believe the same.  (I feel confident this will be a fortunate year in so many ways for so many of us, 2012 notwithstanding.)

My friend, who happens to have been born in the year of the Dragon will need good fortune going forward because, she will probably have her hands full with the new partner. The best of success in their relationship going forward.  I hope it works out well for the two of them but, a Dragon is a Dragon is a Dragon and no amount of fluttering around the truth will make that Dragon an Ox or a Rabbit! 

The truth at least the way this analyst sees it will have to stand although, I will be writing my friend a thank you note today and, I will try to smooth over my brash and a perhaps insensitive, astrologic analysis of her new love. 

I'll be needing some good luck too, I simply hate being negative.

:((

Byzantium & the New Year of the Water Dragon

Sailing to Byzantium in the new lunar New Year of the Water Dragon!  Happy New Year of the Water Dragon and many happy returns of the day, visitors, friends and family out there. 

It's going to be an exciting year and a year of prosperity and blessings according to the Chinese lunar zodiac, we are in for it so let the good times roll.

I know. I know.  Christians identify the dragon with the you know who but, the Dragon is the dynamic force of the creative and combines elements of all the other animals in the Chinese zodiac.  I found this out just this morning and had been unaware however; I know that this dynamic symbol of the force of creativity is highly held as the greatest sign particularly to bear (male) children.  It is a bit of anathema if it's a girl born in the year of the Dragon.  :(( 

This year, the Water Dragon also occurs in a 5 Universal Year and according to numerology the 5 year also has a special, creative and masculine arc to it.  I think we can expect very exciting changes in the film industry, breakthroughs in other creative oriented platforms in technology and a strong surge of continued development and prosperity particularly in Asia, China, India, Africa, Brazil and other quickly developing economies of the world but, one need not be a rocket scientist or an astrology analyst to realize that to be the case!

America is undergoing such difficulty, I am not sure what I think the upside of the Year of the Dragon and a 5 Universal Year will hold for us but, I am optimistic.  I was born in a 5 Universal Year so, I am particularly hopeful that this year will be one in which I can introduce myself and my particular brand of artistry to the general public as well as to collectors, curators and others and that, my creative work (there's that word again) will be well received. 

With so many other aspects of astrological interest at play now, I am fortified in my opinion that this is a wonderful although difficult time for so many Americans.  There are a number of interesting trends (Venus will cross the face of the sun later, in the springtime or early summer, which is a rare transit for the planet.  I believe it is auspicious and something to look forward to.  You will probably hear of this when it happens on the news media channels). 

We are in the 2012 year after all and it has with it a lot of expectations of doomsday and other cataclysms.  I have found that from any number of perspectives:  Religious, spiritual, helio-geological, Aztec calendar, psychic (Edgar Cayce predictions) etc. that, the overview does not look calm for the 2012-20-14 year time period. 

We may get the business but the business in a not nice way if the power grid crashes as some authorities are suggesting it may (Dr. Michio Kaku) and that remains to be seen or not seen if we luck out. 

Come what may, Americans, Chinese, wherever you may reside and land or group you may come from, we all need to continue our efforts for peace (an end to wars), brotherhood, love of family, neighbor and animals alike.  

If we can continue and step up our efforts in the all of the above whatever comes our way will be met with grace, love and brotherhood.  When you think of it, these are the essentials that will get us through any hardship on the global, national or personal level.   

What a spectacular way to open the new year, the grand trine (great harmony) in the earth element makes this a special new year and a time to build, create, recreate and rebuild if necessary your hopes wishes and dreams because a great deal is possible for us to accomplish at this time when the planets are so favorably aligned.

Friends and interested parties, we are going into an extended transit of the planet Mars into and retrograding in the constellation of Virgo.  It is significant particularly for Virgo native sun sign people and the rest of us as well. 

We can expect not to have much happiness with newly purchased electronics in February so don't say I didn't warn you.  Wait until the transit is at least past the retrograde phase later in the year before making that purchase to be on the safe side and watch it.  Your present electronics may act up or fail.  :((

Mars in Virgo is good for body building and getting clerical work done, the energy will be there and the situation corporeal and otherwise will improve. Clear up the clutter, no better time than now and I say it to myself as I suggest it to you.

People who handle sharp instruments and or knives, beware, Mars is has cutting potential that during the retrograde may be unwelcome. 

The transit gives Virgo and the other earth signs and those with other planets in Virgo, you get that extra amount of vigor that perhaps you have not had in a long time.  Virgo males appear more masculine, more attractive and they give off a Mars like (male) vibration so step up your game and ask someone out, make a bold move or appearance, you'll be glad you did.  Remember to take it easy during the retrograde period February through March generally speaking, other than that, you can get a lot done during this period where, Mars in Virgo, Jupiter in Taurus and, yes (!) Pluto in Capricorn form that grand trine that we here on earth are all being blessed with!