Imagine someone planting a flower seed, patiently waiting for it to grow, watering and weeding the damp dirt daily.  This person is not Mark Mallory, the mayor of Cincinnati.  Remember there are four elements in Western astrology – earth, air, fire & water.  Mark Mallory has only distant Pluto in an earth sign (Virgo).  This lack of earth indicates a lack of connection to the physical world, an impractical nature, a lack of rugged patience and a desire to avoid getting one’s hands dirty.

Mark Mallory is a blend of fire (Sun and Venus in Aries, Uranus in Leo) and water (Moon, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury in Pisces and Neptune in Scorpio).  Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and is known as the “me first” sign.  Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac, the psychic and, if not well developed, the victim.  The bumper sticker for this combination could read, “Please notice me and take care of me first because of these situations that have happened to me.”

Let’s go through some other Aries-Pisces opposites.  Aries is a fire sign – enthusiastic, outgoing, impulsive, and optimistic.  Pisces is a water sign – receptive, sensitive, imaginative, impressionable and self-pitying.  Both signs share a certain sort of naivety – combined there is an aggressive desire to believe that situations are how Mallory wants them to be rather than how they are.  Lack of earth adds to this naivety as no matter how much feedback is provided by others, Mallory will believe in the story he has created about the situation.  It’s not out of stubbornness – it is because he is seeing the potential of the situation, not the current reality.   He believes you, not what others say about you.

Another opposition is that Aries rules the head and Pisces rules the feet.  The head is the top of us, the feet the bottom.  We associate our “self” through the head and brain.  Our feet are a long way away from our head, those stinky things that spend most of their time in our shoes.  Who associates themselves with their feet? 

Aries represents emerging as an individual.  Pisces represents losing that self and merging with the universe, with God.  Imagine juggling those two needs.  Most likely there are times when Mallory withdraws – if not physically, then emotionally to re-charge his super-sensitive wires.  Connecting to a religious or spiritual source is part of that re-charging for Mallory.  Other times, he’s burning off excessive fire energy with activity and sports.

Aries and Pisces together create a neurotic, high-strung personality, constantly picking up the vibes in the room and responding with nervous activity.  The combination means Mallory does not understand boundaries well.   Aries, the first fire sign, harbors a childlike innocence and assumes you will stop whatever you are doing to pay attention.  Pisces, that mutable water sign, fairly represents merging.  Emotional connection simply dissolves boundaries.   Mallory is not necessarily nosey; he just doesn’t get the hint that you and a friend went to the dark corner to have a conversation that could not be overheard.  Mallory invades that corner because he sees two friends and wants to say hello, and maybe know what you’re talking about too.

Mallory emerges as a politician who definitely understands the feelings of other people, of the masses.  He sympathizes with the problems of others (Pisces moon) and can use his Sun in Aries energy to right the wrongs that have occurred.  Mallory is a fighter for those who can’t do the fighting.  Mallory believes your story about falling twelve stories and breaking all your bones – he won’t go the hospital and check the records.  He can see you are in pain.  Your tears have affected him.

Amongst Mallory’s mix of fire and water stands a lone wolf planet in an air sign – Saturn in Aquarius.  While Mallory is very tuned in to the feelings around him, he is not able to help others in a non-emotional, impersonal, legalistic way.  He’s a crusader for those he cares about and the paperwork and research involved with turning wrongs into rights is simply too tedious for him.   He feels your pain, is fighting for it, so don’t get angry that he didn’t file the paper in enough time for you to get the check.  Mallory is often misunderstood because of his inability to help within the rules or parameters needed.  He’s devoting a lot of energy to helping you so doesn’t understand why you are angry.  You’ll get the check soon enough . . .  He’ll even lend you a few bucks until the check arrives.

Of the Three C mayors (Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati), Mallory is the least compatible with our new governor John Kasich.  Kasich is very earthy and practical (Sun in Taurus, moon in Capricorn) and Mallory is all about how it feels.  Mallory talks to Kasich about your fall from a twelve-story building, how unfair it was that no one posted a warning sign and how sad it is to see you in pain.  Kasich responds that any reasonable person knows to watch their step on the twelfth floor and he knows ten people who recovered from high-story falls and became contributing members of society without anyone’s help.

Connect to Mark Mallory by sharing your story with all the color and emotion you can muster.  If you need his help, make sure you remind him again and again (and again) when the paperwork is due.