The nature of each sign is can be determined by looking at the essential characteristics of the sign and the characteristics of it’s ruling planet.

*Look also at the nature of Saturn

**Look also at the nature of Jupiter

***Look also at the nature of Mars. The nature of Pluto is why Scorpio is often mistaken for being a fire sign.

Sydneys’ Queen Victoria Building gets the Vintique treatment

It’s just after 8am here on a sunny Sydney Saturday, and those of you in the Northern Hemisphere will be gearing up for your Friday nights.

The Moon is in Aries. Just. This go get ‘em energy will be with us all weekend. It’s a real use it or lose it energy. The type of energy that if you don’t burn productively might just lead you to pick an argument with your nearest and dearest- just because you’re bored, or restless, or …just because.

Mars and Jupiter are gearing up for a face-off that has a bit of the attack of the blabber mouths element to it, and the Moon is within texting distance of Uranus and using business cards to pelt across to Pluto. Energies and tempers have the potential to run a little high, so take a deep breath and step back if things feel like they’re getting out of hand.

If you’re interested in what’s happening in my non astro life, I’ve a few posts up over at and anyways…

This week I’ve discovered the photo app Vintique, and nothing has been safe from the Vintique treatment- the eyes of my poor suffering pooch say it all. Check her (my pooch) out on yesterdays friday five post.

I’ve also just started a new part time role. It’s a Business Manager/ Change Manager role in an established business but new retail. I wrote a bit about what I’m doing and how it fits in my chart in yesterdays Your Career & the Cosmos. Check it out here.

Also, don’t forget to check out the Facebook page if you’re a Facebook user. I update bits and pieces at least once each day, so if you want to stay up to date with what’s happening in the skies, follow the links in the sidebar to Facebook and Twitter.

Whatever you’re up to, have a great weekend.

My Mum always had rules- you know, those irrefutable can’t be argued with truths.

Stuff like “if you knit a jumper for a man you’ll never marry him.”

Hmmm. I never tested that one- partly because I couldn’t be faffed knitting for anyone other than myself and partly because I was interested in cohabitation not matrimony. In those days. And, for the record, I’ve never knitted my husband a jumper, nor is there much likelihood of me doing so. Incidentally, knitting is a very Gemini activity- it’s about the hands you see…

Most of Mums sayings were in a similar vein. I never really paid a lot of attention. She doesn’t have the internet so she’ll never read this. I’m safe.

My Dads sayings have always had more practicality.

Things like “never get into business with friends or family”, or “never lend money to friends or family.” Dad’s an old bankie (Scorpio Sun and Capricorn Moon) so most of his wisdom revolves around money. Except for this one: the team that scores first after half time always wins.

I’ve been using this ever since the Canterbury vs Manly game many years ago when he told me. Canterbury were leading 20-nil at half time, and when Manly went over the line soon after, Dad said “we’re in trouble Joey, they scored first after half time.” (I was a Canterbury supporter back then- it was before SuperLeague & before the Coffs Harbour rape allegations).

Today, though, my team, the Raiders won after their opponents scored first after half time. What does this mean? Is this the end of civilisation as I know it? Maybe this was what the Mayans predicted…

Or maybe it’s a last burst of Gemini Moon energy- like how I started playing SongPop this afternoon or Gems with friends. Maybe it actually means nothing other than I need something to write about.

In any case, the Moon is applying to Saturn, so some sensibility will come into the discussion…like how the Moon will be in Cancer for the next couple of days- another red flag for potential diet disasters and road rage incidences.

But to tell you all of that would mean that I would need to concentrate on the bigger picture and for now, the little stuff is calling… like gems with friends- my newest addiction

Until next time…

This morning my Progressed Moon moved out of Scorpio and into Sagittarius. As it did my Nan passed away.

She was 94 and, up until 2 months ago, was a fit and healthy 94. That was before cancer.

I remember when I talked to her a couple of days before the diagnosis. We finished the call with usual “I love you Nan,” yet when I hung up I felt that it was the last time I had talked to Nan as Nan. And it was.

My Nan believed in all of us. Completely, without judgement. She used to tell me all the time how beautiful and clever I am. No one else told me that when I was young- just my Nan.  She didn’t care about the labels- you know I was the “smart one”, my sister was the “sporty one”, my other sister was the “popular one”. She didn’t care about that- each of us were special and unique in our own way.

When I had my heart broken, Nan was the one that I rang- I knew she’d understand. I knew that she wouldn’t judge. She did understand and she never judged. She just listened. She let me swear, she let me cry.

To Nan, her family was everything. Anyone who married into it was automatically part of it. And anyone who was part of the family would be loved and defended. She was the typical Cancer Matriarch. The guy who broke my heart? She never forgave him, but she loved my husband as if her were one of her own.

At my Nan’s 90^th birthday, she wore her favourite strappy silver sandals (“my legs have always been my best feature, darling…”, a tiara and a silver lame jacket. She stood in the door at Ingleburn RSL and announced to everyone gathered- all her family, 5 kids, 13 grandkids, umpteen great grand kids, nieces, nephews, twice, three times removed- that she was there and the party could get started. Darlings.

That was Nan- she loved a party, she loved to dress up, she loved a dance, she loved her heels, she loved bling and feather boas and fake sparkles. She wasn’t your typical Cancer Sun- she was something so much more.

In her 80s she started she started a new career- volunteering. This coincided with her Uranus return. It was as if now that the kids had all grown, Nan was being herself.

At 82 she was the oldest volunteer at the Sydney Olympics. They all knew Mavis. She continued to volunteer at Sydney events all the way through until the Easter Show this year. To get there she had to catch two trains and walk for ages. But she did it.

She volunteered each year for the tennis, for City to Surf, she dressed up in pink for Breast Cancer Day and rallied for diabetes and any other cause that needed a volunteer.

This was perfectly in tune with her Moon conjunct Uranus in Aquarius, trining Jupiter in Gemini. It made her happy- she was spreading the light.

We always said that she was a modern medical marvel. A heavy smoker for most of her life (she gave it up at 82 when she found out it could kill her), Nan’s breakfast for many years was a cigarette and an aspirin powder.

The Sun in Cancer is usually associated with food- feeding people. Nan always made sure no one was hungry, but rarely allowed herself nourishment. With her Moon in Aquarius, she really didn’t worry that much about sustaining herself- food wasn’t that important to her.

Now she’s gone and I miss her already. We’ll all miss her- her sparkles, her heels her life of the party. Mostly we’ll miss her love.

Bless you Nan. Thank you for being part of my life. Tell St Peter (or whoever is in charge up there) to clear the dancefloors in heaven, cos Nan’s on her way.

birthtime unknown

Snowy River October 2008

I’m going camping this weekend.

Ok, It’s not strictly camping per se- there are no tents or toilet rolls on a spade. There is, however, outdoor fires, a cabin in the middle of not a lot, wild animals (sure kangaroos and wombats), sleeping bags and an outside toilet involved. As such, it qualifies as camping.

There will be marshmallows at 10 paces and the rule is unless it can be cooked outside on the fire, we won’t be eating it. Should be interesting. Oh, did I mention that all of this is taking place above the snowline in forecast maximum temperatures of minus 2 degrees C?

So in the tradition of the Pisces Moon I will pretend that I’m really roughing it. I’ll take it one step further, I’m also taking all my camera kit so I’ll pretend that I’m a wildlife photographer waiting around for the perfect shot of the wombat stealing the potatoes…or something like that.

last time we didn’t “camp”…Lake Crackenback October 2008

After all, anything is possible under a Pisces Moon.

Anyways, I am pressed for time & have to pack what looks like the whole pantry, so here is one I prepared earlier on Neptunitis…

Moon and Neptune sitting in a tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G (I’m keeping it g rated).

Feeling unusually prepared to touch nothing that may be remotely work related? Feeling unusually drawn to the open bottle of vino on the kitchen cabinet even though this week absolutely you are not touching the stuff between Monday & Friday? Already constructing highly plausible and justifiable excuses as to how you can blow off Monday night training and still lose your targeted 5kgs this week? Actually believe you can lose 5kgs this week and keep all your limbs and not change your training or eating patterns?

If that is you, you are under the spell of Neptunitis.

Neptunitis (or Lunas Pisces as it is becoming known) is an affliction that attacks the central emotional systems of anyone with the underlying condition of a Moon-Neptune contact or a water Moon. People most at risk of this debilitating condition are those with Pisces Moons or those with their Moon in the 12^th house. Some unlucky individuals may have a combination of all risk factors, making them particularly likely to be infected.

Not to be confused with cyber-chondria (the condition which has you typing medical symptoms into google or previous episodes of House or Greys Anatomy and them all resulting in a diagnosis of cancer- commonly borne by those prone to Lunas Virgoas), Neptunitis has some worrying, but thankfully short lived symptoms. These include, but are not limited to:

• The tendency to find anything and everything distracting
• The ability to construct creative excuses and have them seem plausible
• An increased tendency towards procrastination
• An increased tendency towards daydreaming
• The ability to believe that fantasy actually is reality
• An increased tendency to trust the world
• Complete failure of all internal warning and radar systems
• A feeling of compassion for the person who last knifed you in the back because they must have been having a bad day
• A feeling of compassion towards the last person who broke your heart because he really didn’t mean it
• The need to cry at cute puppies in toilet paper ads
• The increased ability to actually forget that you are supposed to be dieting
• The increased ability to believe that wine really does contain no calories at all when consumed under a Pisces Moon

If you or someone you love is experiencing any of these symptoms, administer tissues, but do not allow the afflicted person to consume copious amounts of anything as persons prone to Neptunitis do not process alcohol or prescription medicines well under the best of circumstances.

Time and hard exercise may be the only cure.

Also, while under the influence of Neptunitis, take care not to gaze into the eyes of anyone you slightly fancy as you may fall under their spell even more. I can’t stress this one enough.  And if it does happen, take care not to weave the entire relationship into the fantasy land that is your head if at all possible.

Try hard to avoid movies with a sad ending, a happy ending, anything where the dog is lost or harmed and where people get together or split up. Likewise stay clear of books where any of these events may result in copious amounts of tears. Keep songs which you know will trigger memories and tears off your playlist and if, like me, you tear up at particular scenes in particular movies don’t watch them.

Do not commit to anything you may regret in 2 days time or make declarations without substance. If possible stay clear of anyone who will not understand the depth and breadth of the emotional impact you are under for these 2 ½ days each month- namely anyone with heaps of Saturn or Earth. Aries and Sagittarians should also be avoided if possible- the former will tell you to just flipping do it and the latter will make you cry with some off hand remark that they have already forgotten but which you will remember for ever. Accept that your flight control tower is faulty and simply do not take the risk.

As for me? With a Pisces Moon aspecting Neptune natally, I have already forgotten and ignored my own advice… be careful out there!

taken last time I was in the Snowy Mountains October 2008