I have no idea where to give credit for this, but whoever you are- thanks!

Not a lot new up there today.

The Moon is still in Capricorn, and we should still be plodding away. The emphasis being on “should”. I haven’t- and as a result am behind on my word count for the day. I blame the head cold. I think it’s man flu.

Shortly La Luna will square off against Mars. Capricorn is quite cut and dried, while Libra wants to faff around and find the point of balance. Both are right, and both are wrong. The upshot, if you’re not careful, can be needless disputes and irrationality where a small stepping back can bring agreement. Interestingly, this aspect will be exact as I sit down later this afternoon with Miss 14s teachers at Parent-Teacher interviews. I am particularly interested to hear what Mr Science has to say, but will play nice- even though he was very vocal on the whole Pluto question earlier this year.

Parent-Teacher interviews are always interesting. The teachers are all sat down in the auditorium. We get 5 minutes with each (so pre-preparation is vital) and when the siren goes you quickly move to the next. Sort of like speed dating. At least with the Moon in Capricorn things should move according to the rules and procedures.

Anyways, we have a Full Moon approaching, so more on that one tomorrow…

Oh, just quickly, I forgot all about Venus and Saturn doing the trine thing. I feel like I should be more excited about it, but, well, it sort of feels a little like stability and contentment…to me. Given that air signs are involved (Gemini and Libra), concepts, ideas and discussions are important…so toss a few around.

I have no idea where credit belongs to for this- but whoever you are, thankyou!

If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere (and my stats tell me that most of you are), you’ll be waking up to a Monday dominated by Capricorn.

The Moon will be in Capricorn in just a few minutes time. Given that Venus and Saturn have been exchanging pleasantries and business cards, this makes Monday a very good day to Get Things Done. Business things. Practical things. Things that need to be planned and goaled to within an inch of their existence. Things that need structures, rules and strategy to work. Things that aren’t helped by the distractions that usually mean things don’t get done.

There’s another aspect that’s coming up that will reinforce the Capricorn-ness of the Capricorn Moon and the Pluto-ness of the monthly Moon-Pluto conjunction…and that’s an inconjunct between Pluto and the Sun.

What’s that, I hear you ask? An inconjunct? I don’t talk about these a lot, but after experimenting somewhat with my own chart of late, I have new respect for this “minor” aspect (when two planets are 150 degrees- 5 signs- apart) that has the potential to cause some major disruption.

An Astro pal, Marc from Sydney Astrology School, likens the inconjunct (or quincunx- try saying that 3 times whilst under the influence!) to one of those plunger things or electric eels that plumbers use to clear blocked drains and pipes. It’s a separation, a letting go, a release- whether you are ready or not. Given that most of us are generally a tad unwilling to accept change when it comes our way, we usually are not ready for the clearance. But there it is.

This doesn’t mean that the release has to be stressful or unwelcome- how much of a relief is it when that manky drain is finally cleared? It just means that we may not consider ourselves ready for it.

As Saffy said to Edina in last weeks Absolutely Fabulous Olympic Special, “Mum, there are so many doors opening and you can only see the ones that are closed…” or something to that effect. You get the idea.

seriously…could I possibly resist?

The Moon often acts as a trigger, and I daresay that is exactly what will happen when La Luna hits 7ish degrees of Capricorn. Trigger that inconjunct, trigger the continuing square between Pluto and Uranus. Keep an eye out if you have planets or chart points at 7 degrees of the cardinal signs.

I was saying on the Facebook page this morning just how much trouble I have each month with the Capricorn Moon. Some other readers waded in with their views and the Moons that make their lives difficult.

With most planets in my chart aspecting the Moon natally, I guess I am fairly attuned to all things lunar- and the Moon is absolutely not comfortable within the dry environment of Saturn ruled Capricorn. Also, I’m not comfortable with Saturn- it isn’t an energy that is integrated well into my chart.

As a result, for these couple of days each month I find myself almost melancholic, definitely down and more inclined to see that glass as half empty rather than half full. And, given that I’m in head cold hell again, the danger is that I’ll stop looking for those little fist pump moments.

So this month I’m fighting back. No black (even though it is slimming), red lipstick, and determinedly uplifting music while I’m working. I’m gonna kick that grey mood back where it belongs.

What about you? Do you have a particular Moon phase that you feel really down during? What about one that you feel great for those few days each month?

a photo of a photo of some of the crowd heading to Olympic Park. Sydney 2000.

I hereby declare today Fist Pump Friday.

You know fist pumps- those tiny victories that in the scheme of things mean very little, but even so you can’t help but raise your fist in the air, pump it and wait for the music to start- Karate Kids “You’re the best around, nothings ever gonna keep you down…” Or something like that.

And today was full of them:

• It started when I pulled up at a red traffic light just at the moment when I had to do the solo in One Directions’ “You Don’t Know You’re Beautiful”. No judgement please, it’s a bit of a standing joke between me and Miss 14. Fist pump.
• Then I knocked off 3 minutes from my previous best time for 8kms of the Knackery Run*. Fist pump.
• Then I came within a whisker of getting 3 games up in a row against Mr Completely Unbeatable in Words With Friends. He never gets beaten. Not quite as high fist pump.
• Then I received an effusive apology email that proved I was right all along (as if there was ever any doubt) in my battle of the phone bills (see yesterdays post). Fist pump.
• Then I drove straight into a prime car spot at the local mall (where I can never get a spot). Fist pump. It was a drive through. Double fist pump.
• I had bought a cookbook to give to a friend for her birthday and accidentally found myself cooking from it (no judgement) and (largely because I got lime juice and palm sugar on it…and some squashed chilli on page 105) I figured I better not attempt to give her a used book. Not only was it in stock, but it was the last one. Fist pump.
• I went to the mall without a face on and in my skungies. I saw no one I knew. Fist pump.
• I got the last table at the local club for dinner tonight. Fist pump.

The last month has been hard. Saturn has been inconjunct my Sun & Chiron…and shortly my Moon. I’ve been worried about my Nan and worried about my parents. I think that’s why I’ve had asthma and been worried about breathing…or rather, not breathing. I’ve been worried about rejections, money and my passport in the top drawer. Oh, and did I say I’ve been worried about my Nan?

But this morning when Miss 14 and I looked at each other and raised our fists in the air, I also decided to actively look for more of them. More things to be grateful for, more things to be mindful of, more of those little wins. Sure I’m still waiting for the big wins- a publishing deal springs to mind- but in the meantime I’m sort of hoping that if I celebrate the little stuff, the things I worry about may not come to pass- and I’ll have a better time in the meantime. That’s my theory.

This week I’ve achieved my self imposed word count for the Astro manuscript every day. I’ve run the errands that needed to be run, I’ve cooked my family a healthy (ish) meal every night and there’s muffins in the Tupperware. Mum and Dad made it back ok and more importantly, made it back in time for Nan- who is still with us.

Here in Oz today was National Stress Down Day. I’ve had a few people comment that their days have been just a tad incompatible with this declaration- something that isn’t really that surprising under a Scorpio Moon. Especially when that Scorpio Moon is now only mid way through the sign she is most unhappy in and will free-wheel through the rest of Scorpio without any other planet connecting to make life easier.

In just 12 hours or so the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympics will kick off. I imagine that the organising committee won’t be concentrating on either stressing down or looking at little wins. They will be using all the focused intensity a Scorpio Moon can give them (although I probably wouldn’t have advised holding a Games during a Mercury retrograde, but I guess the IOC are another group who don’t employ and astrologer on retainer). I’m excited, so I can’t begin to imagine the buzz in London today.

I remember just how it was for Sydney 2000. Despite all the naysayers and whining before hand (apparently when the Olympics come to your town it’s more fashionable to talk it down than get wrapped up in it) once they started, everyone seemed to get into the party spirit. Sort of like bad pop music that you say you can’t stand but always just have to dance to when it comes on. Most of those people who said they were going overseas for the duration stayed and had a ball. We were lucky enough to get tickets (in the ballot) to the dress rehearsal for the Opening Ceremony, a gold medal night at the cycling and the gold medal game for football. They cost a fortune, but hey, it’s not everyday the Olympics come to your home town- is it?

Oxford Astrologer wrote a great post on the London games here. It’s interesting that with a Capricorn Midheaven on the chart she has used, a lot of the media has been around money, rules, sponsorship and boundaries.

The Sydney games (chart on astrodienst if you want a looksee) had a Pisces Ascendant (it was a dream come true and all came together when it needed to- even the trains ran on time…), Midheaven in Sag, Venus and Mercury joined in Libra and Mars in Leo…and by goodness was there a party atmosphere. There are probably charts out there cast for other times, but I happen to like this one!

I sincerely hope the same applies to London…and that I wear myself out standing to attention with tears in my eyes as the Aussie flag goes up yet again on the pool-deck… Just saying. Hashtag.

Aussie Aussie Aussie. Oi Oi Oi!

*More of a run/walk still, but the intent is there.

no idea who I should give credit for re this, but it describes my mood perfectly!

I don’t think Kristen Stewart has an astrologer on retainer. If she did, she probably would have not chosen to make the statement she did today about cheating on RPatz. Not that I particularly care. Just saying. Hashtag. Although as always, I feel sorry for anyone who is so publicly hurt. Whatever.

On Twitter today I also noticed that not one, but four people I follow semi-regularly are launching new forum style multi contributor websites over the next week. Whilst I’m not particularly into mummy blogging (for no other reason than that my bundle of joy is a teenager now), all four have a lot to offer and I hope they all do well for their owners. Whilst I don’t know any of them personally, there are some really talented people involved and the concept in each case is an excellent one.

I don’t think any of them have an astrologer on retainer either. Nor do they read my posts…obviously…. With Jupiter in Gemini there are great opportunities out there to make the conversations bigger and more expansive, to broadcast the message…just probably best not to launch while Mercury is retrograde. Wait, just a week or so. Mercury in Leo when direct can’t be ignored!

As you know by now, I’m a big believer in life goes on- even when the Trickster is back-pedalling. I still book travel, I still do what needs to be done- I just take a little more time with it. But even I probably wouldn’t launch a conversation style site while Mercury is quick stepping in the wrong direction. The risk is that the conversation will, so to speak, take the wrong direction…or even a different direction…although that could be exciting. If I had been asked my opinion, I probably wouldn’t tell them to delay the launch, just to test, re-test, test again. I would also advise them to keep the scope flexible in case the original intent is taken in a completely different direction.

Having said that, I sincerely hope the ventures pan out with minimal problems. In any case, I’m sure that those involved have sufficient flexibility to roll with whatever direction the engagement takes them.

Speaking of problems, I spent all of today again in “conversation” with my ex employer and the old corporate phone plan. I wrote about it here a month ago.

Back in November I closed off the corporate plan, printed off all the zero balances (I couldn’t get my retrenchment payment without it) and moved everything into my own name. Yes, Mercury was retrograde at the time.

Despite thinking it was resolved last month (only after I spent considerable time and effort to produce all evidentiary statements and after receiving advices in writing from the corporate provider to confirm my rightness…which was never in question) it appears that it isn’t. So today I produce the same evidentiary statements, plus the confirmation I received last month, and provide it to yet another part of the old MotherShip. Seriously? Yes. Seriously.

One thing it proves to me is that when you commence transactions such as these under a Mercury retrograde, any problems that do arise will not be sorted out until they again come up under a Mercury retrograde. The Law According to Jo…don’t write to me….

In any case, with the Moon in Scorpio my 8^th house Scorpio Mars is in the mood for a pretty decent stoush. I’m so angry I’m flat-lining…as my husband said “they will be sorry…”

in numbers too big to ignore…sorry, wrong song. Anyways, here is my latest post for Your Career & the Cosmos…