Your Week Ahead starting Saturday 28 August 2010: 'There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self.' So said the great philosopher Aldous Huxley. There's not much now in the external world that you can easily adjust, but in your inner world, there's a great change that you can bring about. Those two worlds are much more deeply connected than most of us ever realise or remember. Alter your point of view and you'll also alter what you are looking at! Convince yourself that you can reach your objective and you'll start to see how that's possible. If there's something you're unhappy about, seek a source of inner strength that doesn't depend on changing circumstances. Your Week Ahead Part Two - Love Focus: 'The just is close to the people's heart, but the merciful is close to the heart of God.' The poet's words remain as relevant now as ever they were. Justice excites us. We strive for it. We crave it. Mercy, though, we are not always so enthusiastic about. We feel that some people deserve what they get. We do not feel able to forgive or we do not see it as our duty to look for that ability within ourselves. Yet a spark of the divine exists in us all. We owe it to ourselves, the people around us... and to whatever (or whoever) put us here to be as generous as we can be with our kindness. You won't regret being big- hearted this week.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Jingles
Nope sorry this post isn't going to be about happy tunes oft heard on commercial radio stations. You should by now all know me much better than that - I can't abide adverts when listening to the radio, so I don't listen to them.
I just fancied using that word.
Last night was my chance to revel in literature night. Having finished the White Queen I was ripe for inspiration so Beeb 4 was my port of call straight after a hellish Enders* and a even more hellish Panorama. (Just what you need to relax after a murky Monday family courts and Londoners with more woes than a 13 fingered human).
No no I was engrossed instead by In their own words: British Novelists - picking up from last week. I was ashamed at the names I knew but had not placed as being British, nor whose works I had actually read. I scoured my book shelf and sure enough a fair few were there. As for some of the others I have heard their work dramatised on the radio. All great stuff. It got me restless again. Inspired to write - desperate to crack on with my course and even more detached from my day to day job...needless to say wandering to work this morning after a enlongated tube journey was far from inspiring. Plus the new book I have started is a bit 'delibrate', not sure I will stick with it. My evening out has been cancelled - so to Waterstones I shall go - to look for some tube fodder. Can't beat a good book... beats faffing around on dating websites for sure...
* For anyone who is as sad as me and who watches Enders still - do you ever get confused at the end of each programme when they give out the BBC helpline number if you have been affected by any of the issues in this evening's programme.... my first complication is knowing which of the many disturbing social traits I am supposed to ring about... drug taking; prison pregnancy; bad hairdos; domestic violence; alcohol abuse; eviction; single mothers; bad shoulder pads; child abuse; exam cheating; gay relationships amongst Muslim men etc etc... how many buttons does a phone key pad have? Press 1 for domestic violence etc etc.... ?!
I just fancied using that word.
Last night was my chance to revel in literature night. Having finished the White Queen I was ripe for inspiration so Beeb 4 was my port of call straight after a hellish Enders* and a even more hellish Panorama. (Just what you need to relax after a murky Monday family courts and Londoners with more woes than a 13 fingered human).
No no I was engrossed instead by In their own words: British Novelists - picking up from last week. I was ashamed at the names I knew but had not placed as being British, nor whose works I had actually read. I scoured my book shelf and sure enough a fair few were there. As for some of the others I have heard their work dramatised on the radio. All great stuff. It got me restless again. Inspired to write - desperate to crack on with my course and even more detached from my day to day job...needless to say wandering to work this morning after a enlongated tube journey was far from inspiring. Plus the new book I have started is a bit 'delibrate', not sure I will stick with it. My evening out has been cancelled - so to Waterstones I shall go - to look for some tube fodder. Can't beat a good book... beats faffing around on dating websites for sure...
* For anyone who is as sad as me and who watches Enders still - do you ever get confused at the end of each programme when they give out the BBC helpline number if you have been affected by any of the issues in this evening's programme.... my first complication is knowing which of the many disturbing social traits I am supposed to ring about... drug taking; prison pregnancy; bad hairdos; domestic violence; alcohol abuse; eviction; single mothers; bad shoulder pads; child abuse; exam cheating; gay relationships amongst Muslim men etc etc... how many buttons does a phone key pad have? Press 1 for domestic violence etc etc.... ?!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Parklife
Last night as I sat on the tube wending my weary way home it occurred to me that I was on the precipice (well not quite - I was sat squashed on the Northern line) of 3 versions of London.
The present day. Commuters and tourists (yes its holiday season) in various states of attire all rushing through a tunnel homeward bound. Meanwhile I was reading the The White Queen, by Phillipa Gregory and getting my history fix. She is currently holed up in Westminster Abbey. 1483 and her husband the King has died and her son should be taking the throne but evil dead King's brothers have other ideas. So while she views the Thames from her sanctuary I have crossed it in sun light and dodged the photographing visitors.
To complete my London segue I'm re-living the brilliance of Parklife.. a classic Blur album. Released in 1994 it was a huge success and everyone was jumping to Boys & Girls. 'Tracy Jacks' and 'London Loves' did it for me.
Bring back Shelagh and Nicky...
This week and last Shelagh and Nicky have been on their hols so the Breakfast show on Radio 5 has been invaded by Phil Williams and Rachel Burden...
I cannot stand Rachel. But at least her week day appearances means she is not on at the weekend... then again that's another rant...
So I have been listening to Radio 4's Today programme for the duration I am in the bathroom and am awoken by Five Live when the alarm goes off... this has proved somewhat amusing as I get to hear the same story told 2 different ways. This morning for example was woolly mammoths and how they became extinct. Also the differing styles in quizzing Nick Clegg on the 100th day of the coalition government... the weather man is also different but essentially pedalling the same facts. I miss the laughs and rapport of my Nicky and Shelagh though. Evan Davies has quite a cute voice and there is far less emphasis on the Premiership on Radio Four...
which reminds me..
The Guardian never did reply to my reply to their email notification about Monday's paper being filled with Premiership news the other week. I responded with a gentle reminder that there were other leagues - what about them and that they began the day after the email was sent... I await some news. Real news. About something other than money and 'doing' badly.. its all tosh!
Weekend - at last though Fighting Talk is back... all we need now is that twerp Gethin Jones to crawl back into his hole and Danny Baker's amusing turns to resume... summer on Five can be quite naff unless there's sport on from 9am!!!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Last Wednesday afternoon ...
Ladies wot Lunch!
Then walk....
Then slurp cocktails and desserts @ Oxo Tower
(Tea and Coffee and a large Cocktail - YUM!)
Then walk in search of more drinkies and some comedy action!
Thanks to my companions for the afternoon, Lucy (belated Happy Birthday!), Carole (sorry you are leaving us at the end of August) and Manisha (Congrats on 10 years @ HL!) and thanks to the heavens for not opening!Lovestruck.com
Heheh. I am a complete glutton for punishment... I signed up to this website because the idea of meeting people in a lunch hour or after work for a quick beer appealed to me. However thus far interest has been sparse. One bloke emailed to say I looked stunning.. I eventually got this and replied a week or so later (work has been mental). I mentioned he did not scrub up so bad either. Next day I looked - he had blanked his profile and his picture had been removed. I was blocked, I guess. WTF?! I'll get my coat.
And this weekend I went on a 'date'. Cripes anyone who makes your first destination an iron mongers is probably not going to be a long term choice. Needless to say contact since Saturday has been nil. Like the Gills nil-nil...
It's all rather 'depressing' and for sure keeps reminding me how much different I felt in March/April with Yarns. I do wonder if that feeling was that 4 lettered word that I must not use. Ever. He keeps popping up on my Windows Live homepage.. changed his pic. He is still v attractive, to me at least. He obviously does not realise I have such access to his life. So I'll not be changing my details in case it alerts him. He has also responded to emails regarding Moto GP..and Sunday whilst tuned into Brno I was wondering...it still nags at me - WHY?! Or rather WHY NOT!?
SO I have tasked myself with jazzing up my profile..
please help - what three words would you use to describe me? I need some pointers!!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Sunday pm
I finally used up the last egg from the double yolk batch... (its OK it had been hard boiled) and guess what folks it was indeed a double yolker... so out of 6 eggs - 4 had double yolks. Marvellous! Not my most inspiring tea though - sardines, boiled spuds, peas and hard boiled egg.. maybe there is a reason I am single...
Weekly aghastness...
Your Week Ahead starting Saturday 14 August 2010: Do you want some good news? Would you like to be truly uplifted and inspired? Are you now feeling nervous about reading the rest of this forecast lest it causes you to become vulnerable by raising a hope that then gets dashed? Your answer to that last question reveals a lot. If you are now too confident, you may inadvertently overlook the obvious drawback to a tempting proposition. If, though, you are too sceptical, you may fail to spot that the drawback can be compensated for. You need a blend of caution and hope. You also need to trust your ingenuity. Think smart thoughts and you'll yet get great results. Your Week Ahead Part Two - Love Focus: Is life fair? That depends on what we mean by 'fair'. Some people seem to have been born blessed with very obvious gifts. It can seem as if others appear to have been short-changed. Then, as we go through life, it can seem as if some of us just keep on winning while others have to wrestle with hard times. These, though, are very shallow superficial ways of judging our situations. The most enviable ability you could ever have is the ability not to envy anyone. Count your blessings this week. You've got many more assets and advantages than you realise. Use your ingenuity and nurture your faith.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Monday, August 09, 2010
toot toot
You're a wise soul, Capricorn. On Tuesday you'll experience a moment of truth in a certain situation. It's time to open your eyes and look at the matter clearly. Family issues flare up on Thursday. The Moon opposes erratic Uranus in your home zone. A relative will be unwilling to listen to your point of view. You'll need to keep your opinions to yourself. On Saturday you'll feel very restless. Consider taking a day trip to a new location.
----
Most of the planetary activity this week centres on your career sector. Mars and Venus are there for starters, firing up your ambition to move ahead with your agenda, and a Venus/ Pluto square can make you demanding and inflexible. Remember to turn on the charm and work towards compromise, it will get you further than trying to force your hand. Even romance is dominated by work issues, as jealousy crops up over too much time spent at the office. Try instead to examine your expectations of your partner and your relationship. A Moon/ Neptune opposition cautions you to be careful with who you give your money to.
--
Your Week Ahead: What do you have to be thankful for? What are you entitled to resent? Automatically, unconsciously, we make judgements about events, circumstances and experiences. We deem them good or bad and then think no further about whether we have applied the correct label. No process of selection, though, is ever perfect. We all mistakenly celebrate gains of dubious merit. We all complain about factors we should be glad of. Look again, this week, at something that seems to be a problem. Actually, it's a gift. Accept it, embrace it and watch everything improve as a direct result of your new, wise understanding.
Your Week Ahead Part Two - Love Focus: Humans do not have the capacity to be permanently rational and logical. They can summon that ability for short bursts but if they try to throw their inner switch so it remains 'on all the time,' they are bound to blow a fuse. The most dangerous folk are not the ones who do silly things, they are the people who vehemently insist that their every judgment is impeccable. You're not sure quite what you are doing now. That's actually a very reassuring indication that you may be doing exactly the right thing. Make fewer judgements about others, about yourself and about your situation. Make more effort to nurture hope.
Your Monthly Forecast: Some things happen too quickly. We just don't have enough time to enjoy them. Other situations seem to drag on interminably. We feel we can't wait for them to be over... but we HAVE to wait! You're now tired of living with a particular difficulty. The good news is you no longer have to. Change is coming at a surprising speed. Suddenly, instead of wanting a process to speed up, you're more concerned about slowing it down. What's happening, though, is right. August is potentially one of the most important months of your life. It brings the culmination of a process that has been building up for months. You have nothing to fear and everything to gain from all that lies ahead.
----
Most of the planetary activity this week centres on your career sector. Mars and Venus are there for starters, firing up your ambition to move ahead with your agenda, and a Venus/ Pluto square can make you demanding and inflexible. Remember to turn on the charm and work towards compromise, it will get you further than trying to force your hand. Even romance is dominated by work issues, as jealousy crops up over too much time spent at the office. Try instead to examine your expectations of your partner and your relationship. A Moon/ Neptune opposition cautions you to be careful with who you give your money to.
--
Your Week Ahead: What do you have to be thankful for? What are you entitled to resent? Automatically, unconsciously, we make judgements about events, circumstances and experiences. We deem them good or bad and then think no further about whether we have applied the correct label. No process of selection, though, is ever perfect. We all mistakenly celebrate gains of dubious merit. We all complain about factors we should be glad of. Look again, this week, at something that seems to be a problem. Actually, it's a gift. Accept it, embrace it and watch everything improve as a direct result of your new, wise understanding.
Your Week Ahead Part Two - Love Focus: Humans do not have the capacity to be permanently rational and logical. They can summon that ability for short bursts but if they try to throw their inner switch so it remains 'on all the time,' they are bound to blow a fuse. The most dangerous folk are not the ones who do silly things, they are the people who vehemently insist that their every judgment is impeccable. You're not sure quite what you are doing now. That's actually a very reassuring indication that you may be doing exactly the right thing. Make fewer judgements about others, about yourself and about your situation. Make more effort to nurture hope.
Your Monthly Forecast: Some things happen too quickly. We just don't have enough time to enjoy them. Other situations seem to drag on interminably. We feel we can't wait for them to be over... but we HAVE to wait! You're now tired of living with a particular difficulty. The good news is you no longer have to. Change is coming at a surprising speed. Suddenly, instead of wanting a process to speed up, you're more concerned about slowing it down. What's happening, though, is right. August is potentially one of the most important months of your life. It brings the culmination of a process that has been building up for months. You have nothing to fear and everything to gain from all that lies ahead.
Why Some Men Have Dogs And Not Wives
1. The later you are, the more excited your dogs are to see you.
2. Dogs don't notice if you call them by another dog's name.
3. Dogs like it if you leave a lot of things on the floor.
4. A dog's parents never visit.
5. Dogs agree that you have to raise your voice to get your point across.
6. You never have to wait for a dog; they're ready to go 24 hours a day.
7. Dogs find you amusing when you're drunk..
8. Dogs like to go hunting and fishing.
9. A dog will not wake you up at night to ask, "If I died, would you get another dog?"
10. If a dog has babies, you can put an ad in the paper and give them away.
11. A dog will let you put a studded collar on it without calling you a pervert.
12. If a dog smells another dog on you, they don't get mad. They just think it's interesting.
13. Dogs like to ride in the back of a pickup truck.
And last, but certainly not least:
14. If a dog leaves, it won't take half of your stuff.
2. Dogs don't notice if you call them by another dog's name.
3. Dogs like it if you leave a lot of things on the floor.
4. A dog's parents never visit.
5. Dogs agree that you have to raise your voice to get your point across.
6. You never have to wait for a dog; they're ready to go 24 hours a day.
7. Dogs find you amusing when you're drunk..
8. Dogs like to go hunting and fishing.
9. A dog will not wake you up at night to ask, "If I died, would you get another dog?"
10. If a dog has babies, you can put an ad in the paper and give them away.
11. A dog will let you put a studded collar on it without calling you a pervert.
12. If a dog smells another dog on you, they don't get mad. They just think it's interesting.
13. Dogs like to ride in the back of a pickup truck.
And last, but certainly not least:
14. If a dog leaves, it won't take half of your stuff.
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Monday, August 02, 2010
August overtures..
Lucky Days: 2, 3, 10, 19, 20
Yucky Days: 6, 7, 12, 13, 26
Fashion Icon: Sienna Miller
Colour: Royal Blue
Everything is in its right place for change. While most other zodiac signs are experiencing a forced slow-down this August, Capricorn is going strong. That’s because Saturn, your ruler, is one of the few planets not out of phase this month. Not only that, Saturn is in his most exalted state gracing the top of your horoscope, crystallising your grandest professional dreams into perfect manifestation. With Mars and Venus powering up your career sector along with Saturn, expect your status and ranking to skyrocket— seemingly overnight thanks to the triple threat of Venus, Mars and Saturn. Yes, you are on the map indeed. The New Moon in your transformation sector on 9 August brings the impetus to shed old skin and outworn wardrobe items. While the Full Moon in your communication sector on 24 August brings the busiest week of catching up on correspondence and finishing up any summer coursework. Not a typical summer vacation for most, but you wouldn’t trade success for all the leisure time in the world. Caps were born to conquer.
Yucky Days: 6, 7, 12, 13, 26
Fashion Icon: Sienna Miller
Colour: Royal Blue
Everything is in its right place for change. While most other zodiac signs are experiencing a forced slow-down this August, Capricorn is going strong. That’s because Saturn, your ruler, is one of the few planets not out of phase this month. Not only that, Saturn is in his most exalted state gracing the top of your horoscope, crystallising your grandest professional dreams into perfect manifestation. With Mars and Venus powering up your career sector along with Saturn, expect your status and ranking to skyrocket— seemingly overnight thanks to the triple threat of Venus, Mars and Saturn. Yes, you are on the map indeed. The New Moon in your transformation sector on 9 August brings the impetus to shed old skin and outworn wardrobe items. While the Full Moon in your communication sector on 24 August brings the busiest week of catching up on correspondence and finishing up any summer coursework. Not a typical summer vacation for most, but you wouldn’t trade success for all the leisure time in the world. Caps were born to conquer.
And now for some theatre!
The New Wimbledon Theatre has some good stuff coming up... sign me up for Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake and Reginald D Hunter, Armstrong & Miller, oh amd maybe some HMS Pinafore!!
Sweet!
Sweet!
So ...
it's been a long 3 months. May, June and July, but there they are gone. I have failed miserably to book my Cuban adventure - but at least this evening I have booked my course... so starting in October I'll be doing something in my own time that I truly love... writing.
The plan sort of took hold this morning on my walk... spend the next 3 years working towards my end goal and so by the time I am 40 I can start to work the way I want to work.. not the current nearly 50 hour week...
I was on leave on Friday - I have slept fairly solidly since Thursday evening. No social activity. No interaction. Just sleep and radio. I did go for a walk Sat/Sun am - and yesterday ventured to Waterstone's for books.. No Bret Easton Ellis mind you which was what I was after.. a compromise - still came away with 3 books...! Chekhov. ''The Essential Tales of'. Philippa Gregory, 'The White Queen' (to recapture my last holiday) and 'Her Fearful Symmetry', by Audrey Niffenegger (who wrote the awesome 'The Time Travellers Wife'.) It's an optimistic set of purchases as I haven't read a book all the way through for a while. The last being Philip Roth's The Ghost Writer and I only managed that because it was supremely short. For a novel. Interesting ideas though. I need to get back into some of my more relaxing routines. I have been blown off course for a long while. The year is now over half way old. The nights are drawing in. Wearing vest tops and sandals won't last much longer.
Next week the football season re-starts. Division Two. I have my season ticket but I am unsure as to how enthused I am likely to be.. there are far more entertaining sports out there... currently the European Athletics are on, yes I am wireless and knackering my back in the 'comfy' chair, whilst typing and watching athletics. Earlier - The Grand Prix. Excitement in the pit lane and I do like to see Vettel beaten. The last week - cricket - M Vaughan and Aggers have been priceless on TMS. 
And last Sunday night I was genuinely on the edge of my 'comfie' chair as the Moto GP crowd made their way round Laguna Seca. The race that last year drew me in. Having spent a pleasant day with folks perusing aviation art - and then having Sunday lunch and a free beer - I knew that getting home I would be waiting for 10pm.. I love it! Even my Gillingham team picture has been consumed by a Rossi with a crutch... he came third?! Aliens. Aliens. Ah. And there's the rub. He is still in my head. Every day a reminder. Be it a loud bike roaring past or some other spoiler.
And last Sunday night I was genuinely on the edge of my 'comfie' chair as the Moto GP crowd made their way round Laguna Seca. The race that last year drew me in. Having spent a pleasant day with folks perusing aviation art - and then having Sunday lunch and a free beer - I knew that getting home I would be waiting for 10pm.. I love it! Even my Gillingham team picture has been consumed by a Rossi with a crutch... he came third?! Aliens. Aliens. Ah. And there's the rub. He is still in my head. Every day a reminder. Be it a loud bike roaring past or some other spoiler. (More MotoGP.com piccies see here)
I suspect my lack lustre state at work is as much the realisation that the respect I once had has gone. I should feel more but its just anger towards First Man, towards Yarns it is still disbelief. And a tinge of regret. How different might the last 3 months of been? The only high at work - possibly placing myself in the middle of a total fall out.. contradicting all the 'solutions' the business wants me to implement with the basic hard facts - its not the answer.
Either way last Monday I was the walking dead.. even missed swimming. I worry that smoking has finally caught up with me. Today so far only had two - my head feels less heavy and my body less tight. Despite the urge to go back to bed after the GP I did manage to stay awake and even called home.
I hate feeling so tired and displaced. I hate feeling safer behind the walls of my flat rather than out in the world. Where did the confidence of March go? Am even boycotting Facebook.. I was getting desperate for attention. It's not the answer.
There have been some high points this past week...but they are for me to know... and possibly you to find out.
I can give an exclusive... that egg box had a further 2 eggs with double yolks - see soon to be sent mobile pictures!
Auspicious August?
General....For modern astrology, no planet is all bad or all good. All have their positive negative attributes. Ancient and medieval astrologers had no such ambiguity; for them Saturn was ‘the greater malefic’ and Mars ‘the lesser malefic’. Jupiter was ‘the ‘greater benefic’ and Venus ‘the lesser benefic’.
No matter how rounded one’s outlook, however, it is hard to see the combination of Saturn and Pluto in much of a positive light. Their cycle, which takes 33-37 years between conjunctions, has unfortunate associations. In the twentieth century, World War One started shortly before Saturn and Pluto met in 1914. Their opposition in 1931 coincided with the trough of the Great Depression.
Their next conjunction, in 1947, coincided with the subdivision of the Indian sub-continent and its plunge into bloodshed. Israel also came into being at this time and was immediately at war with its Arab neighbours.
The next conjunction in 1982 coincided with the oil crisis, as Arab states restricted supply, and with the Israel-Lebanon war. The opposition of Pluto and Saturn in 2001 coincided with the events of 9/11 and the onset of the ‘war on terror’.
This month, on 21 August, Saturn and Pluto square up to each other for the third time in a year – November 2009 and January 2010 being the previous occasions. This is three quarters of the way round the cycle that completes in 2020.
The late Charles Harvey described critical aspects between Saturn and Pluto as indicating periods when ‘there is a need to ‘get back to basics’, a feeling that only some kind of drastic action will suffice’.
On an individual level, Aries, Librans, Capricorns and Cancerians born near the equinox and solstice points are those who are most likely to feel this in their personal lives, but a mood of austerity, focus and touch choices looks likely to be widespread.
Let’s hope that August and the season of Leo also manages to conjure up some hazy, lazy, crazy days of summer by way of compensation.
----
Capricorn
Wondering when the cosmos is going to cut you some slack and let you freewheel a little? The chance of temporary escape is certainly in the air – the month of Virgo that begins on the 23rd is very sweetly starred for downtime, especially since with Mercury in retrograde, you’ll be away from the petty bureaucratic torments that accompany it.
There is no dodging your ruling planet, however, which is on an inexorable march across the roof of our ‘scope right up until new year, a period when your formidable executive powers will be put to the test. As much might already be apparent, since Saturn is already squaring up to other planets, emphasising your split loyalties between work and home/family. It is, of course, a balancing act, though in August you might have to give your work more of your time and energy than you care for. With both Venus and Mars dominating your professional profile, you can, at least, present yourself as the noble public servant and ultimate safe pair of hands. Any family turmoil promises to calm down this autumn.
Love and marriage? It looks hard to fit such matters into the schedule. Partnerships are where you can find an outlet for all the pent-up energy you can’t express at work; warn them that you may have to vent. Single? Anyone attractive at work? For all, the weekend of the 20th/21st has a lustrous quality.
-----
Your August Monthly Forecast: Some things happen too quickly. We just don't have enough time to enjoy them. Other situations seem to drag on interminably. We feel we can't wait for them to be over... but we HAVE to wait! You're now tired of living with a particular difficulty. The good news is you no longer have to. Change is coming at a surprising speed. Suddenly, instead of wanting a process to speed up, you're more concerned about slowing it down. What's happening, though, is right. August is potentially one of the most important months of your life. It brings the culmination of a process that has been building up for months. You have nothing to fear and everything to gain from all that lies ahead.
-----
Your Week Ahead starting Saturday 31 July 2010 - Love Focus: Must everything always involve an uphill struggle? You're starting to wonder how long your patience will last. You can't quite believe how many setbacks you have encountered lately. Don't dwell too long on any of these this week. A conjunction of Venus and Saturn is coming up. Either you're about to get a brief respite from some raging storm - or you're about to discover lasting relief from a source of stress that has become all too familiar. Which it turns out to be depends on how positive and optimistic you can now bring yourself to be. Forget what's worrying you. Focus, this week, on what truly inspires you the most.
----
You’re a problem-solver, pure and simple. But why do you sometimes find it so hard to unravel your own personal issues? You’re a master at fixing what’s broken at the office, or even helping your friends get through various crises. This time, think about what’s going on in your own most intimate life, and apply a bit of that elbow grease there.
No matter how rounded one’s outlook, however, it is hard to see the combination of Saturn and Pluto in much of a positive light. Their cycle, which takes 33-37 years between conjunctions, has unfortunate associations. In the twentieth century, World War One started shortly before Saturn and Pluto met in 1914. Their opposition in 1931 coincided with the trough of the Great Depression.
Their next conjunction, in 1947, coincided with the subdivision of the Indian sub-continent and its plunge into bloodshed. Israel also came into being at this time and was immediately at war with its Arab neighbours.
The next conjunction in 1982 coincided with the oil crisis, as Arab states restricted supply, and with the Israel-Lebanon war. The opposition of Pluto and Saturn in 2001 coincided with the events of 9/11 and the onset of the ‘war on terror’.
This month, on 21 August, Saturn and Pluto square up to each other for the third time in a year – November 2009 and January 2010 being the previous occasions. This is three quarters of the way round the cycle that completes in 2020.
The late Charles Harvey described critical aspects between Saturn and Pluto as indicating periods when ‘there is a need to ‘get back to basics’, a feeling that only some kind of drastic action will suffice’.
On an individual level, Aries, Librans, Capricorns and Cancerians born near the equinox and solstice points are those who are most likely to feel this in their personal lives, but a mood of austerity, focus and touch choices looks likely to be widespread.
Let’s hope that August and the season of Leo also manages to conjure up some hazy, lazy, crazy days of summer by way of compensation.
----
Capricorn
Wondering when the cosmos is going to cut you some slack and let you freewheel a little? The chance of temporary escape is certainly in the air – the month of Virgo that begins on the 23rd is very sweetly starred for downtime, especially since with Mercury in retrograde, you’ll be away from the petty bureaucratic torments that accompany it.
There is no dodging your ruling planet, however, which is on an inexorable march across the roof of our ‘scope right up until new year, a period when your formidable executive powers will be put to the test. As much might already be apparent, since Saturn is already squaring up to other planets, emphasising your split loyalties between work and home/family. It is, of course, a balancing act, though in August you might have to give your work more of your time and energy than you care for. With both Venus and Mars dominating your professional profile, you can, at least, present yourself as the noble public servant and ultimate safe pair of hands. Any family turmoil promises to calm down this autumn.
Love and marriage? It looks hard to fit such matters into the schedule. Partnerships are where you can find an outlet for all the pent-up energy you can’t express at work; warn them that you may have to vent. Single? Anyone attractive at work? For all, the weekend of the 20th/21st has a lustrous quality.
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Your August Monthly Forecast: Some things happen too quickly. We just don't have enough time to enjoy them. Other situations seem to drag on interminably. We feel we can't wait for them to be over... but we HAVE to wait! You're now tired of living with a particular difficulty. The good news is you no longer have to. Change is coming at a surprising speed. Suddenly, instead of wanting a process to speed up, you're more concerned about slowing it down. What's happening, though, is right. August is potentially one of the most important months of your life. It brings the culmination of a process that has been building up for months. You have nothing to fear and everything to gain from all that lies ahead.
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Your Week Ahead starting Saturday 31 July 2010 - Love Focus: Must everything always involve an uphill struggle? You're starting to wonder how long your patience will last. You can't quite believe how many setbacks you have encountered lately. Don't dwell too long on any of these this week. A conjunction of Venus and Saturn is coming up. Either you're about to get a brief respite from some raging storm - or you're about to discover lasting relief from a source of stress that has become all too familiar. Which it turns out to be depends on how positive and optimistic you can now bring yourself to be. Forget what's worrying you. Focus, this week, on what truly inspires you the most.
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You’re a problem-solver, pure and simple. But why do you sometimes find it so hard to unravel your own personal issues? You’re a master at fixing what’s broken at the office, or even helping your friends get through various crises. This time, think about what’s going on in your own most intimate life, and apply a bit of that elbow grease there.
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