Biden and Boehner, Sitting in a Tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G

Posted on September 13, 2011 by ohioastrology

Last week before the President’s address to Congress, Vice President Joe Biden and Speaker of the House John Boehner could be seen in a very enthusiastic greeting, the stuff of Hollywood. Shaking hands Biden and Boehner got as close, almost, as Madonna and Brittany at the 2003 VMA awards.

Biden and Boehner should have gone for the big kiss, made news and dispensed with partisan politics forever. Or they could have simply done some cheek-pecking as the French and other cultures do. If we can drink wine at lunch because “the French do it,” why not some male kisses on the cheek?

Biden and Boehner have some astrological placements in common – both have the sun in the passionate, fixed, water sign Scorpio. And both have moons in pleasure-loving signs (Biden’s is in Taurus, Boehner’s is in Libra). Maybe they don’t like to kiss each other, but they probably like kissing in general.

Biden has more Scorpio than Boehner with Mars, Mercury, sun and Venus in this sign. Boehner has only sun and Mercury in Scorpio.

Biden’s moon is in Taurus, the sign opposite Scorpio, also a fixed sign, but in the element of earth. Boehner’s moon is in airy, find-me-a-mate Libra.

In other words, Biden’s smile probably meant, “I’ll squash you eventually.” Scorpio doesn’t forget and both Scorpio and Taurus are fixed which means “I have all the time in the world to obsess about this.” Everything else can wait. He may dream about Boehner, but not in the way one wants to be dreamt about.

Biden is not social in the way Boehner is social. Biden may like his pleasures, but those pleasures don’t involve a bunch of people he barely knows. Boehner appreciates any adoring fan; the Scorpio in him can see through a fake but the moon/Neptune conjunction in Libra soaks up praise like a loofah soaks up designer bubble bath in a marble tub.

Biden and Boehner can definitely understand each other. The major difference in their personalities is Biden’s Uranus/Saturn in Gemini and Boehner’s Mars/Saturn in Virgo.

Gemini and Virgo are both ruled by Mercury. Gemini represents interest in the environment, learning, talking and constant stimulation. You know how you put up a mobile above the crib for your infant to watch? That’s Gemini at work, fascinated by the world as it is.

Virgo, on the other hand, is about discrimination. This hamburger is better than that hamburger. Cabernet Sauvignon is better than zinfandel. The office temperature should be set at 71.5 degrees because that is the optimal temperate to keep people alert but not distracted.

For Boehner, Saturn in Virgo says he’s never perfect enough. For Biden, Saturn in Gemini says he’s never smart enough. These two insecurities together mean long, long debates with lots and lots of facts meant to impress. If I just learn everything there is to know about this subject, I’ll be smart and people will listen to me.

We all have insecurities, represented by our Saturn. Biden’s and Boehner’s Saturn placements are both ruled by Mercury, which rules communication. They both have insecurities with regard to communicating and intellectual ability.

In the political arena, Biden has one astrological advantage over Boehner – he has more ability to be disliked. Biden’s Taurus moon can handle just about anything with equanimity. Boehner’s Libra moon wants to be liked. In the real world, this is no big deal. But in the political world, Biden can shield better against animosity which is critical to survival.

These two really have a lot in common astrologically. If I were a dating service and someone slipped me these two charts, I’d say give it a go.

The more I look at their charts, the more I think Biden and Boehner really were happy to see each other last week. It’s too bad American culture allows men nothing more than a handshake.

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Ashton Kutcher – One of Two and a Half Men

Posted on September 10, 2011 by ohioastrology

Like many others, I am trying to understand how Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper will be removed from Two and a Half Men to be replaced by Ashton Kutcher. What will be the character Kutcher plays?

If like Sheen Kutcher were to play himself, this is what he would play – a zany brilliant eccentric airhead. The old “absent-minded professor” type.

Kutcher has Mercury sun, moon and Venus in Aquarius. This is the third chart I’ve looked at this week with TMA (Too Much Aquarius). Maybe I have a zany Aquarius experience in my future.

In addition to the fixed air sign of Aquarius, Kutcher has planets in the other two air signs of Gemini (Jupiter) and Libra (Pluto). This is one friendly guy.

Friendly, absentminded, zany, unusual, unique, idealistic, argumentative, rebellious and stubborn in eccentric habit – if Kutcher were to play himself, these are some of the traits he would have.

Kutcher’s Uranus in Scorpio is squaring those planets in zany Aquarius which makes him seek intense emotional and/or sexual encounters. He seeks them, but probably has trouble with the reality of intense emotions. Like much that we churn in our imagination, it’s much more satisfying in our heads than in reality.

Saturn in Leo opposes the planets in Aquarius and acts as the Achilles’s heel in Kutcher’s personality. Leo is about confidence; Kutcher’s confidence comes from working with others. While he might seek solitude to support his eccentric habits and unusual personality, he mostly enjoys being amongst many people most of the time. He may disappear, but he’s with someone.

He’s really not one to take center stage. No tiger blood here.

The element lacking in Kutcher’s chart is earth. Earth grounds so Kutcher is the type who has to be reminded to eat, shower and mow the lawn (if the famous mow lawns). He probably does regularly what we all do at some time – say we have to pee only to get distracted and forget. He forgets to pee a lot.

Those without earth need to remember that it’s the body that makes us present here in 3D and if we neglect it, those interesting conversations might cease or get delayed.

Saturn is currently transiting Libra conjunct Kutcher’s Pluto. Like many of us these days, there are challenges in partnerships. Kutcher’s character could have issues with others in an academic or social setting where ideas are in dispute.

Kutcher could be the zany character who invents a car powered by text messages (which then allows people to text and drive) only to have the idea stolen by app developers and sold to Japanese car manufacturers.

If Kutcher is to play himself, as Sheen was given the luxury to do for $1 million an episode, then he needs to be weird. Or maybe, unlike Sheen, he will act and create a unique character, one that he can leave on the set at the end of the day.

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Cristina Fernandez Cries for Argentina

Posted on September 9, 2011 by ohioastrology

Feedback on the blog provided a time of birth for Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez. I have no way to verify the time is accurate, but I will go with it because having the time of birth makes astrology much, much more fun.

Natal Horoscope

Fernandez is a very, very early Pisces (not Aquarius as I first wrote) with moon in Taurus.

Fernandez has a Taurus ascendant (aka rising sign) in Taurus with both Jupiter and the moon in the first house. For starters, Fernandez must watch her weight. Argentina is known for its love of meat and Taurus rules the bull. I’m guessing Fernandez is a voracious meat eater.

Taurus likes “real” food, not fancy art food that looks pretty but doesn’t “stick to your ribs.” Jupiter is transiting Taurus so this is a time when food and other physical luxuries are available. Fernandez must work hard to keep the body in shape.

Taurus on the ascendant also shows a love of physical delights from money, to massages to a big home. I think of Taurus as materialistic in a positive sense – it truly enjoys physical reality. Buying a big house can have many motivations – to store a big family, a statement of prestige or the sheer physical enjoyment of walking through a house and calling it one’s own. Fernandez buys the big house for the last reason.

Pisces is a sharer so if Fernandez has a big house, she probably offers it up not only to family but to others in need. Her home is a place of physical and spiritual refuge.

Pisces is sensitive and Taurus has very thick skin. Fernandez’ moon will shield her from the onslaughts of life in politics.

That’s the home-body, loving side of Fernandez. She also has an interesting pattern of relationships. Mars and Venus are conjunct in Aries so she loves to “fight with the one she loves,” as my Meetup astrologer says of this aspect. And in Aries, fighting is definitely part of love.

Mars and Venus in Aries are opposed (loosely) to Neptune and Saturn conjunct in Libra. Libra is about partnership.

Here’s the story that comes to mind: Pisces sun and Taurus moon go out to play in the world. They play nice, say the right things and try to keep everyone happy. They go home to meet the partner. Pisces and Taurus turn over to Mars and Venus and release the frustrations of everything they didn’t say or do during the day onto the partner. The partner is the filter to help Fernandez process aggression.

That Neptune and Saturn conjunction in Libra suggests disappointment in partnerships. People always seem more idealistic than they truly are.  It may be that partners see the Pisces/Taurus in Fernandez and don’t realize that their role is to help her express her more aggressive desires.

Current Transiting Grand Cross

The current transiting grand cross (soon to be T square) of Pluto (in Capricorn), Uranus (in Aries), Saturn (in Libra) and Mars (in Cancer) is firing up that Aries/Libra opposition in Fernandez’ chart. She is not getting along well with schoolmates right now. Others are not cooperating.

Fernandez has planets in three of the cardinal signs – Aries, Cancer and Libra. Capricorn is the sign that is demanding attention. Capricorn rules authority, the role Fernandez is in now.

If Fernandez picks up an astrology book, I suggest she read about Capricorn, a sign not represented in her chart. She’s being asked to be Capricorn and needs to see how her fundamental cardinal and earthy nature can join to be more Authoritative (capital A). In other words, regardless of what is going on, act like you have your shit together. Act the part. Straighten your back and keep your head high and act like you are in charge.

The Neptune transit of Pisces will bring a new kind of spirituality. The Pisces among us will be leading the charge. It’s important to remember that the added charisma of this aspect is not enough to enable positive change. The challenge is using that energy to shift conscious rather than using it to form a cult of personality.

Horoscope for week of September 11, 2011

With time of birth, we can also do a weekly horoscope. How much fun it is to have time of birth!

Week of September 11

Sunday  –  Monday

A very spiritual, emotional  couple of days as the moon is in Pisces. These feelings will be expressed in public and may provide spiritual guidance for the public. On Monday there may be additional communication regarding the feelings/events. Be careful that the emotions of the speech are not construed as distortion of facts. It may be important to explain that how people feel is not equivalent to the exact nature of the event.

Tuesday – Thursday

Moon moves into Aries so the next couple of days are a little more fun as you spend time with friends. Feelings of aggression arise which will be directed toward loved ones. Find that family member or friend who likes to spar with you and understands that the fight is not personal. The fight is your way of processing the events of the last few days.

Friday – Saturday

As Venus moves into Libra and the moon moves into Taurus, you are more willing to make peace with those you argued with earlier in the week. By this time, you will have calmed down and will feel more willing to negotiate and compromise. Mars will be on your part of fortune in Cancer in the 3rd house. Your family can help you learn something important about cooperation.

The best day to go to the spa and forget about daily troubles – Thursday. On Thursday, no one is willing to fight with you.

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Moon Conjunct Pluto: Caught in a Bad Romance

Posted on September 9, 2011 by ohioastrology

“I want your ugly, I want your disease . . . “

These are the first lines of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.” Who wants that when they meet someone?

As I get older, I get suspicious of the young ‘uns blowing smoke with their tough talk. Sure, you’re that jaded at the age of 25. Now taking a look at Lady Gaga’s chart, I’ve changed my mind. She truly has been caught in a bad romance. 

Lady Gaga is an Aries sun, that first and fiery sign of the zodiac that says “me first.” It’s the most self-aggrandizing of the signs and, I personally believe, has a naiveté that matches Pisces. There’s a kind of newborn innocence to Aries. It’s a headstrong and impulsive sign.

It’s the Aries energy (both sun and Venus) that pushes Lady Gaga on the stage. And I’m glad it did. The rest of her chart wants to stay at home and BROOD.

Gaga’s moon is in the intense, fixed water sign of Scorpio. Scorpio rules death, regeneration and sex. Scorpio forgives but doesn’t forget and is known to seek revenge. Plotting revenge takes an obsessive nature.

“I want your love and I want your revenge . . .”

Pluto conjunct this moon in Scorpio adds to the intense emotional energy as Pluto rules Scorpio. Regardless of the sign placement, Pluto on the moon is about emotional and/or sexual invasion. Pluto destroys. The moon is the emotional or reactive nature.

This is tough stuff. I suspect that Miss Gaga had an unpleasant sexual awakening. Her creative outpouring of that experience is one way to understand and transform it. Because Gaga’s Venus in in Aries, she desires a passionate relationship. What gets tricky is determining where passion ends and cruelty begins. Merging is goal of sexual union, but separating again is necessary to maintain individuality.

Scorpio’s highest realm, to my observation, is a raw, unfiltered emotional honesty. When you meet one of these Scorpios you may notice how much you pretend and alter your emotional responses to the reactions of others. With these Scorpios, I feel like a giant fake.

Finding that kind of Scorpio can be difficult as we are all learning about the sign we were born into. For Scorpio to reach the golden city of emotional honesty and openness, they travel the thorny path of hurt feelings as a result of taking the world and the fumbles of others too seriously.

This moon in Scorpio with Pluto towering over it is what I believe astrologer Liz Greene calls “the devouring mother.” Think of the animated film Coraline.

Coraline has just moved to an old house with her very distracted parents. She’s lonely and bored and the parents can’t attend to her needs because they appear to be struggling just to survive.

Coraline finds a tunnel into the other side of the house where she meets her “other” mother, a perfect mother who attends to her every need, makes traditional omelet and bacon breakfasts, buys her presents, provides entertainment and even coerces dad to sing Coraline lovely songs in her behalf.

Coraline loves her perfect mother and her perfect mother loves her. There’s just one catch – Coraline can stay forever only if she sews buttons into her eyes.

“I want your love

Love, love, love I want your love . . .”

That’s quite a high price for love so, of course, Coraline says no. Now the perfect, loving mother shows her true emotional need to devour those she loves (including, we learn, Dad). The spider metaphors then start to roll in. The author of this horror novella, Neil Gaiman, is a Scorpio sun. I wonder what his mother was like . . .

Lady Gaga wants to devour you but also wants her Arian independence. With Uranus transiting Aries, Gaga may start to make sudden breaks from old habits.

In the Vanity Fair interview with Lady Gaga, she expresses her gratitude toward her fans. She seems a genuine and honest person. Maybe Gaga has already reached those Scorpio heights at a young age. Because she is loved by the masses, she is probably speaking to emotional wounds in them as well.

“I want your love and your love is revenge . . .”

Is love revenge?

Posted in Authors / Filmmakers, Musicians | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Duality and Polarity Astrological Style

Posted on September 8, 2011 by ohioastrology

When I was teaching English in Taiwan in my early 20s, I thought the best way to help my students learn English was to organize a debate. Just pick an issue, I thought, and let them go at each other. The urge to debate will force them to learn English.

Much to my surprise, this didn’t work. There were few hot-button issues that set the students against each other the way it happens in the United States. All you had to do at that time in the United States was yell “abortion” in a crowded room and people divided to yell at each other.

As foreign experiences often do, I learned something about my own culture. Something I took for granted, that people take hostile sides on issues, is actually a cultural trait. When I realized that my students were willing to discuss peacefully subjects that in the United States are touchy, such as religion, I relished in the harmony of peaceful conversations about delicate topics. It was a freedom that I didn’t feel in my own country.

Over the years I discussed this with many people, including those interested in astrology. They explained to me the difference between duality and polarity. It’s relevant for astrology and, I believe, relevant and important for American culture.

An astrological horoscope has 12 “houses” which is the sky mapped into a circle. Although there are 12 houses, there are truly 6 polarities. I’m going to use Barbara Hand Clow’s description of the polarities because her descriptions are succinct and capture the abstract essence of the polarities:

1st / 7th Self – Other

2nd / 8th Grounding – Letting Go

3rd / 9th Integrating in 3D – Integrating with spirit

4th / 10th Feeling – Power

5th / 11th Creating – Giving

6th / 12th Be here now – Bliss

Polarities are opposite points on the same continuum. In the middle is balance. Imbalance is teetering to the extreme side of the continuum.

Duality, on the other hand, represents separate, mutually-exclusive elements. If you loved me, then you would pick up your socks. If I see those socks on the floor, you hate me.

I found this site on polarity and duality to be highly informative.

My political belief is that duality is encouraged by our political party system for the gain of those wanting power. Duality says that there are two mutually-exclusive sides and you must pick one. That politically-motivated duality has created a culture that forces thinking into rigid categories or forces us to label ourselves with terms that don’t describe our true beliefs.

While duality might be useful to politicians, I believe it is unkind to the people as a whole. Polarity encourages balance and duality encourages discord. Duality is the old “divide and conquer” mentality.

It’s interesting to watch the play for duality during Presidential elections. At the Republican debate last night, Gemini  “the twins” Newt Gingrich threw out a question aimed at showing differences amongst the candidates where no differences exist.

Good for Gingrich! It takes guts to say I’m running against a bunch of people who agree with me and let’s find another reason you should vote for me, a deeper, more meaningful reason than “I’m the opposite of the other candidates.”

Duality divides. Polarity unites at the balance point.

I vote for polarity.

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The Clumsiest Sign of the Zodiac is . . .

Posted on September 8, 2011 by ohioastrology

Back in the late 1970s, Chevy Chase of Saturday Night Live was the “not ready for prime-time player” who played then-president Gerald Ford. Ford was known to be clumsy so the cute and charming Chase fell all over himself in skit exaggerating that clumsiness.

Clumsy seems to have gone out of style. I haven’t heard anyone called clumsy in a long time.

Maybe today it’s called “balance challenged” or maybe it’s even something the pharmaceuticals are curing with a new pill. I haven’t watched the evening news lately where all the drug commercials seem to reside. Those watching the news must be an ill lot.

“Are you clumsy? Does it interfere with your happiness? Try ‘Pay-attention-ipitor’ which is scientifically proven to reduce accidents in those taking the pill. Do not use while skydiving.”

There is one sign that’s known for forgetfulness of the kind where “you’d forget your head if it wasn’t attached.” That sign seems also to be accident prone. And that sign is?

Sagittarius.

Sagittarius is the archer. It’s the half-man, half-horse archer indicating its wild nature. The archer looks up at the sky, not down on the ground and therefore sometimes trips. The astrological Sagittarius has four legs where the human Sagittarius only has two. Maybe our Sagittarian friends just need two additional legs for balance.

Late President Ford was a sun in Cancer and moon in Sagittarius. Ford also had Neptune conjunct his Cancer sun. This is a man who “wasn’t there.” I bet he was always, and I mean always, daydreaming.

Daydreaming is a big reason for accidents. You’re off in a faraway land not paying attention to the distance in front of your car. That, I believe, is the reason Sagittarius is accident prone and clumsy. They are looking up at the sky in the off chance of catching glimpse of a shooting star.

Sagittarius is concerned with meaning. Its opposite sign, Gemini, is about facts and details. When leaving the house in the morning, Gemini notices the traffic lights have changed pattern, there’s small nick in the car that wasn’t there yesterday and Mrs. Jones has had a visiting car in her driveway three days in a row right after the time Mr. Jones has left for work.

When Sagittarius leaves for work it is thinking about plans later this evening, that cool new Broadway show and that long trip abroad. Oh, the sites to be seen, the airplane trip and the exotic food that await. Food! Oh, I forgot my lunch. Turn around quick. Oops! I didn’t see that tree.

Travel, especially long-distance travel, is in the realm of Sagittarius. It’s certainly possible that Sagittarius encounters more accidents simply because it travels more. One day when I have an astrological database I will measure my blog against the facts. But until then, I can’t confirm.

I brand Sagittarius the clumsiest sign of the zodiac. If you see a Sagittarius behind you on the highway, move over and let them pass. Some part of their wandering mind has seen you. But most likely they are not on the freeway, but on a trip in an exotic land or maybe watching that hawk flying overhead or writing a philosophical treatise. The body is in the car, the mind is in the clouds.

Posted in The most . . . sign of the zodiac | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Mitt Romney Needs to Believe in Himself

Posted on September 7, 2011 by ohioastrology

As Neptune transits Pisces, the two Republican Party front-runners for the presidential candidate have sun in Pisces – Mitt Romney and Rick Perry.

I’m sure no one in politics believes is this silly stuff called astrology, especially in the Republican Party. They are way, way too rational for such illogical nonsense.

If they were interested in this astrological nonsense, maybe they would find Neptune transiting the sun to be the needed extra dose of charisma that boosts their finely-coiffed, beautifully-chiseled candidates. Neptune is about spirituality and merging, losing boundaries with others and dissolving into the whole. Its effect is one of otherworldliness and mystique.

Dissolving into the whole can be a wonderful feeling, if you don’t care for your separate identity and the “whole” isn’t doing something stupid like hunting and killing Jews. That’s the problem Neptune faces – is this merging contributing to something so worthwhile that I should sacrifice myself or is my spiritual side being exploited for someone else’s gain?

Those with guru complexes are often ruled by Neptune. Neptune can sacrifice or it can ask others to sacrifice in its behalf. This is fuzzy stuff which is why Neptune and Pisces are associated with fog.

Perry is clearly evidencing signs of Neptune on the sun with prayer-like activities and religious events. I expect those events to increase and, if he is the Republican candidate, to bring those activities into the campaign.

How is Romney handling this Neptune transit?

From my quick Google search, Romney appears not to have brought religion into the debate. I suspect if he and Perry go head-to-head that religion will find itself part of the dialogue and the mud-slinging that occurs during the nomination and election process. Frankly, I’d like if we brought religious issues into the spotlight and had a great, big national argument about it. It’s important to understand if our head of state believes something that will find its way into policy. If it’s not in the spotlight, it will just be implemented in secret.

Neptune makes one feel special, chosen. The sign of Pisces is ruled by Neptune so it’s Neptune saying, “Be the Pisces you were meant to be.” Both Romney and Perry are getting this message.

For Romney, Neptune will be creating a trine aspect to his Jupiter and moon in Scorpio. That’s good news that says, “You can express that intense, charismatic, passionate moon too.”

Pisces expresses emotions freely but Scorpio does not for fear of losing control. Neptune will allow Romney to express those Scorpionic loves and hates by protecting him under the idea that it is truly a sacrifice for the public good.

Romney has Saturn and Pluto in Leo which suggests that this sensitive man has a very insecure core. He lacks confidence. He has confidence in his beliefs and feelings but no confidence that just showing up on this earth is ticket enough to be alive. He may have trouble with the responsibility of being the man in charge.

Uranus (in Gemini), Venus (in Aquarius) and Neptune (in Libra) form a loose grand trine. This creates for Romney a social ease, a sheer enjoyment of sharing a nice meal with interesting people and having a cigar afterward.

Romney has a balanced chart with enough pleasant aspects (sextiles and trines) to make life enjoyable and just enough unpleasant aspects (squares and oppositions) to provide the friction that is needed in our lives to make us grow.

From an astrological perspective, I believe Romney’s challenge in this process is believing that he can truly be the leader of a nation of people. He has firm religious and emotional beliefs. But does he have a firm belief that he is worthy to be president? Maybe he needs to believe in himself more than in a god. If he can believe in himself, others may as well.

Posted in 2012 Presidential Election | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Sarah Palin and Axl Rose Have the Same Problem

Posted on September 6, 2011 by ohioastrology

Sarah Palin and Axl Rose have the same problem – too many planets in one sign (Aquarius) squared by Neptune in Scorpio.

Palin has Mercury, sun, Mars and Saturn in Aquarius. Her moon is either late Capricorn or early Aquarius. Rose has Mars, Saturn, Mercury, Sun, Jupiter and Venus all in Aquarius.

For starters, having too many planets in one sign gives you a tunnel vision of that sign. Both the positive and negative traits of that sign are enhanced so that there are no nuances to the personality. It’s the characteristics of the sign gone pathological.

Aquarius is the hyper-rational fixed air sign, genius scientist of the zodiac. It’s also the humanitarian and participant in social causes promoting idealism in whatever sphere of life it finds interest. Although Aquarius is the Water Bearer, it is not a water sign and not emotional. Just because I stand in the rain picketing for your cause does not mean I want to hug you.

Aquarius is the oddball of the zodiac, Kramer on Seinfeld who marches to the beat of a different drummer with wild energy and electrified hair.

Neptune is the planet that rules spiritual and emotional merging. In Scorpio, it relates to merging through sex. The generation born with this placement is the generation that dealt with the advent of AIDS. AIDS was recognized in 1981 as Pluto was at the end of Libra. AIDS awareness began when Pluto was in Scorpio. Sex is not recreation – it’s a dangerous sport.

An emotional, sexual Neptune squaring a rigidly idealistic Aquarius creates what I consider a very funky view of reality. Of course talking reality is difficult because everyone believes his/her view of the world to be correct. However, Neptune square Aquarius is definitely going to view the world from glasses colored very differently from the prevailing glass color.

In simpler terms, both Palin and Rose are weird.

Rose’s chart scares me a bit. It’s so intensely Aquarius with moon in Pisces (which is ruled by Neptune) and Neptune squaring all those planets in Aquarius. Reality, for Rose, must be like staring at the sun, like a strobe light when you’re drunk, like a laser pointed into the eyes. It must feel harsh because Aquarius is all nerve and Pisces has no boundaries so it’s like living with your nerves on the outside of your skin rather than on the inside. Every puff of wind must hit Rose like a windstorm.

Palin has a little more balance with Venus and Jupiter in Aries and Uranus and Pluto in Virgo. The aspects of her Pluto (in Virgo), Neptune (in Scorpio) and Jupiter (in Aries) create the “Finger of God,” or Yod. Jupiter in Aries is where the finger points.

Aries is about self-determination and self-aggrandizement. The finger seems to be saying, when the collective needs get too strong, think of yourself and think for yourself.

Aquarius can think for itself mighty well, but the Neptune square keeps saying, “What about everyone else? You are being selfish.”

Rose has Uranus in Leo opposing all of his Aquarian planets and Uranus in Virgo opposing moon in Pisces. This poor guy has no avenue of relief in his personality. Everywhere he turns there is a conflict or opposition.

Long ago I read a story where Rose said he’s nocturnal. I bet he chooses to avoid daylight because the stimulation of light and people is too great. Maybe he should move to Alaska during the winter when light is rare to non-existent.

Palin and Rose, should they ever meet, may feel like kin. To be a very, very round peg in a world of very, very square holes must generate some loneliness. Others may try to understand the quirks of our personalities, but to see the world in the same way we must share the same glasses.

Posted in Musicians, Politicians - Republican Presidential Candidates | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Venus in Virgo: Love Me Perfect

Posted on September 3, 2011 by ohioastrology

When blogging about New York Times critic Michikio Kakutani’s chart, I discovered that The Corrections author Jonathan Franzen called her, according to New York Magazine, “the stupidest person in New York.”

Franzen, if you recall, is the man who snubbed Oprah Winfrey’s book club and his own nomination to it. He later retracted and sat with Oprah calling the visit “an honor.”

I had to take a look at the chart of this man who both hates his critics and his fans. If you criticize him, you are stupid. If you like him but are not a worthy person in his eyes, you are stupid as well.

Franzen has sun in Leo and moon in Leo’s opposite sign of Aquarius. Leo, now that’s a sign that loves attention and lots of it. Franzen’s memoirs, in fact, attest to his love of attention.

Leo rules the heart and while Leo loves attention to the point of pushing others off the stage, the open heart and loving nature of Leo usually makes up for this need for full, center stage. A big, sincere hug and a dozen roses wash away resentments caused by Leo’s need to shine.

Juanes, Colombian rock star, has both sun and moon in Leo. While he may be insufferable to those near him, he can be seen in Internet images hugging his adoring female fans. Leo Juanes loves his fans. Leo Franzen does not.

Why doesn’t Franzen open his hairy Leo paws to his adoring fans? What’s gone wrong?

While Franzen’s sun is in Leo, the moon is in the opposite sign of Aquarius. Leo is about self-expression and Aquarius is about shared, community goals. That’s the natural polarity and natural conflict.

But I don’t think that’s the problem here. Aquarius loves groups as much as Leo, just differently. Aquarius is the friend who calls 100 people every time he/she goes out the door. Aquarius is friend to everyone, best friend to no one.

I think Franzen’s disdain of critics and fans is due to  a conjunction of Mars and Venus in Virgo with Pluto shadowing in the early degrees of Virgo.

Virgo is about perfection, nit-picky perfection. Virgo is also concerned with work and health.

Venus is about pleasure. Mars is about action. Franzen is actively seeking the perfect pleasure – the perfect dinner, the perfect wine, the perfect book, the perfect companion, the perfect date, the perfect pen and, it seems, the perfect fan.

This is a man who sends the steak back with specific instructions on medium rare. This is a man who changes seats ten times in the theater to find the perfect spot. This is a man who insults you loudly if you sit in front of him after he’s found the best spot in the theater.

Mars conjunct Venus, according to my meetup astrologer, indicates that “you want to fight with the one you love.” In Virgo it should be called “nit picking with the one you love.”

Franzen says in his memoirs that he and his ex-wife did just that. He says, “Deploring other people — their lack of perfection — had always been our sport.”

Wow! That’s Venus and Mars in Virgo talking. I don’t have Franzen’s time of birth but for this Venus and Mars conjunction in Virgo to override his Leo nature, it probably is on his ascendant.

If this conjunction is on the ascendant, then the Leo sun is in the 12th house, the “hidden house,” the house of secrets. When your sun is in this house, you rarely show your true personality.

This assumption would put Neptune and Jupiter, both in Scorpio, in the 3rd house of communications. Hmm. I like this. Franzen’s writing involves lots of sex and masturbation, very Scorpio.

Trying to determine time of birth from events in one’s life is called rectification. My rectification would put moon in Aquarius in the 6th suggesting health problems involving nerves, breathing and circulation. Aquarius is a unique, unusual sign so there may be a health problem that is just odd. Like the third finger on the left hand having no sensation. Or some perceptual oddity.

Franzen’s public image appears to be ruled by three planets in Virgo – Venus, Mars and Pluto. Yet there is so much more in his chart than this schoolmarm of a sign.

Maybe if Franzen showed more of that loving Leo nature the world would love him in return in the way he wants to be loved, naturally. Instead his Virgo is saying “love me perfect or I don’t want your love.”

What’s so vulnerable about being a Leo, the king of the jungle? Franzen is botching the energy of this wonderful sign. People love Leo, naturally. The Virgo in him needs to stop analyzing why.

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Michiko Kakutani – the Emily Dickinson of Criticism

Posted on August 31, 2011 by ohioastrology

Michiko Kakutani, famous New York Times book critic, is a feared authority on literature. Because of that power, some very famous authors have said some very nasty things about her. I haven’t seen any rebuttal.

Kakutani’s sun is in Capricorn, the very sign of authority. Her moon is either in late Cancer or early Leo. From my research last night, I’m guessing Cancer. Here’s why:

  • Leo moon would be out in public promoting itself and seeking attention.
  • Kakutani has been called reclusive, which is a Cancer trait.
  • Kakutani appears to truly read in their entirety the books she reviews and possibly other writings of those authors. That just takes a lot of time and a Cancer moon is more willing to sit under a blanket with a book than a Leo moon. Reading is a habit of the introverted.

Capricorn and Cancer are opposite signs, indicating Kakutani was born right after a full moon. Capricorn is about external authority and Cancer is about internal feelings.

Kakutani’s natal Jupiter and Uranus are also in Cancer indicating a very sensitive person who reacts unexpectedly and extremely to others’ actions. Mars in Pisces and Saturn in Scorpio form with the Cancer planets a grand water trine. This indicates extreme emotional sensitivity. The grand water trine has been called “the whine trine.”

Kakutani seems the Emily Dickinson of criticism. It wouldn’t surprise me if Kakutani is a closet poet or author, too shy to put her books in public light for fear of the criticism she knows will arrive, regardless of the quality of her work.

I imagine a cedar chest full of writings, on old-fashioned parchment paper sprinkled with rose water.

Kakutani’s sun and Mercury are in Capricorn which is critical by nature. Really, I don’t see how book or movie reviewers can like anything after a few years. Who can read or see the same themes over and over without getting a little critical (or bored)?

Mercury in Capricorn is serious, practical and critical in communication. I saw one criticism of Kakutani’s critical writing style that accused her of hating or loving everything and not explaining why.

I wonder if more than hating or loving everything, Kakutani isn’t simply Capricorn practical and logical. In statistics the bell curve states that most things are within a certain range (aka “average”) with only a few outliers on the good and bad side of that curve. Maybe rather than hating or loving everything, Kakutani is probably ranking most works a solid C and only the truly exceptional get an A.

It makes sense.

The current planetary cardinal grand cross configuration (Pluto in Capricorn, Uranus in Aries, Saturn in Libra and Mars in Cancer) will be hitting Kakutani’s chart like hurricane Irene. Both her internal and external lives will go through intense changes. I see some work and family changes coming.

With Pluto transiting her natal sun, Kakutani will be going through some career changes. Her voice of authority will transform. How? I have no idea. Maybe she will get bored with reviewing books and try something new, like starting her own business or taking a government role.

Or maybe she will decide that a focus on her own works (Cancer) is more important. Maybe we’ll see a volume of love poetry with her name written in bold calligraphy.

Jimmy Carter wasn’t too embarrassed to publish poetry. Maybe Kakutani can take inspiration from Carter, come out of the cave and show us some exceptional writing.

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