When Mars Attacks...

Mars: DUDE! Like where have you BEEN? I heard rumors a few months back you might be coming back, and I haven’t seen much from you! You doing alright? 

John: Hi, Mars! Thanks for checking in on me. Yeah, I’m good…just chilling these days. 

Mars: Yeah, that’s what I heard. When are you planning to grab life by the balls again, man? 

John: At the moment I’m sort of on the sidelines, Mars, but I’m sure I’ll be back in the game anytime now. [pause] Compassion is not your strong suit, so I don’t mean to sound disrespectful or ungrateful for your inquiry but… 

Mars: How many fuckin’ times do I have to tell you I’m not Mercury?!? 

John: [holds up hand] I apologize. Let me try again: What the fuck, dude? You writin’ a book or something?? 

Mars: [smiles] That’s more like it! And no…I don’t do that literary bullshit, but Venus tells me you might be! That true? 

John: [sigh] I knew it would get out eventually. What did you hear? 

Mars: [chuckles] Don’t be too upset man…sometimes things come out in the heat of the moment, or after, if you get my drift [winks]! 

John: I do not need details of your personal life, Mars… 

Mars: So we were like really going at it a while back… 

John: Let me try again…”could you open your fucking ears and close your fuckin’ mouth about that shit?” 

Mars: Well we WERE…we do it all the time… 

John: Mars, how did SHE hear about it? 

Mars: Venus? Not sure. Probably from Lady Moon. They have these conversations like females do, you know, that I’m definitely not a part of! 

John: I can’t imagine why. [eyeroll] Don’t you planets have enough shit to do without gossiping? 

Mars: Hey at least we do it in person…these days most people do it on their phones! 

John: You mean gossip, right? 

Mars: Yeah, gossip. But they do sexy shit on their phones too, I bet! That can be FUN! 

John: [facepalm] I suspect you’re missing the point, Mars. I’ll ignore the context of the conversation; everyone knows how you feel about that sort of thing. 

Mars: DAMN STRAIGHT! It’s amazing but I get distracted by it. What the fuck was I saying? 

John: Venus telling Lady Moon about my book? 

Mars: OH YEAH! That’s it. What’s it about? 

John: Well, I’ve started writing a book on presentation skills. 

Mars: And how much a day are you working on it, dude? 

John: Well, that’s kind of a complicated answer… 

Mars: Come on, Scorpio sun! I’m not that smart but I know bullshit when I hear it! 

John: [holds up hands in mock surrender] I’m working on it, I promise! 

Mars: Get it done, man! That and your workouts. That Peloton isn’t going to ride itself, you know! 

John: Yes, I’m aware. And I’m doing that, too. Anything else you want to bug me about? 

Mars: [frown] Dude, we’re buds, right? Simpatico? It’s my job to push you so fucking deal with it! 

John: Fair enough. I’m feeling inspired to go write right now, actually, so why don’t I hit you up later? 

Mars: [nods] You know the rules, man. Kick ass. Take names. Repeat! 

John: I think I can remember that. 

Mars: LATER! MARS OUT! ALL I DO IS WIN WIN WIN NO MATTER WHAT...

 

The Scorpio in Pop Culture: Isa Briones as Dr. Trinity Santos of "The Pitt"

Warning: Spoiler alert! 

It’s easy to stereotype any astrological sign. But if you look at astrology online in any of its forms, you’ll see that one sign receives the brunt of the fear and criticism, and that sign is Scorpio. [OK, Gemini comes a close second but for different reasons!] 

People fear sun sign Scorpios quite a bit because of who we are. To be fair, they’re not wrong; the negative traits of Scorpio can scare quite easily. The raw power of Scorpio can be very dangerous when used negatively; when combined with the desire for control and a serious amount of will, a determined, angry Scorpio can do a lot of damage. Straying into the dark side of Scorpio is something we must learn early and often, or we end up learning it the hard way as adults through failed relationships and petty revenge as we try to control everything when we should be letting go. 

I was minding my own business watching “The Pitt” on Max and heard Dr. Yolanda Garcia (Alexandra Metz) ask Dr. Trinity Santos (Isa Briones) what her sign is while assessing a patient. “Scorpio!” responded Santos, without missing a beat. “Spicy!” came the reply from Garcia. Sadly, Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle of “ER” fame) silenced the exchange and there was no more about it. 

As I studied the rest of the episodes, I looked for that conversation to continue or to hear more about astrology in passing, but sadly nothing else appeared, at least in season 1. Santos dropped a scalpel into Garcia’s foot by accident in another episode so I can see how there wasn’t a return to the potentially flirty conversation. But with the writers taking the time to establish Dr. Santos’ astrological sign in such a specific way, I had to wonder if they really wrote Briones’ character as a true Scorpio or if it was just something to make things seem more sensual or mysterious in the moment. 

Isa Briones as Dr. Trinity Santos

Dr. Santos epitomizes Scorpio in many ways during the show. She is incredibly sarcastic and arrogant, swears a lot, and is bold and determined. She gives her colleague a cutting nickname (“Huckleberry”) even though he doesn’t like it; later, she offers him a place to live since he’s been crashing at the hospital. While alone with a child-abusing father, she takes the opportunity to threaten him with harm if he ever touches his daughter again. Her ambition is obvious—causing her to lose focus and drop the aforementioned scalpel into Garcia’s foot—and she is fearless, not shying away from the gorier aspects of emergency room medicine; on the contrary, she relishes the chance to see medical anomalies up close and personal. 

The evidence is clear from season 1. To me, it seems like the writers did their homework and portray Dr. Santos with the extremes of the Scorpio nature. Of course, Scorpio that I am, I had to ask the next question: What does the actress’ chart look like? Is she a Scorpio? Does she have Scorpio placements? We will often see connections between a particular actor and their character. 

Here is Ms. Briones’ chart, set for noon since we have no known birth time: 

Isa Brione's Natal Chart, January 17. 1999, London, UK, 12:00noon (no time available)

In this case, we have…absolutely nothing. Not one Scorpio placement. Capricorn sun we know for sure. Likely Capricorn moon unless it’s after 9:12pm GMT, which would make for an Aquarius moon, so a Scorpio moon is impossible. Our only Libra planet, Mars, will not go the nearly four degrees in a day to give her the opportunity at Mars in Scorpio, although considering Mars’ connection to surgery, that would have been cool to see. 

Now I know what you’re thinking…we don’t have a birth time. Is it possible that Ms. Briones’ birth time is somewhere 1:10 and 3:55am GMT? If so, that would make her a Scorpio rising. Unless we find her true birth time out there someplace—possible but unlikely!—we will never know. 

Even though Ms. Briones’ chart is not that of a Scorpio, I give her a huge #stingersalute for playing a Scorpio character exceptionally well. I look forward to seeing what she will get up to during season 2 and really hope she sticks around for a while!

Cloak and Dagger, Part 1

[Moon knocks and enters the Sun’s office] 

Moon: Sol, we’re supposed to meet before your next meeting in a few minutes… 

Sun: Yes, Luna. Please sit down. 

[Moon sits opposite the Sun, at his desk] 

Sun: [points to door] Are they outside? 

Moon: Yes, they’re in the waiting room. 

Sun: Good. [pause] [low voice] Do you know why these two are here? 

Moon: The invitation you sent was sufficiently vague. [smiles] I have an idea, Sol, but no specifics. 

Sun: [smiles] You want to tell me what you think? 

Moon: Normally, Sol, I’d disclose my thoughts to you, but in this case I think I’ll remain silent. 

Sun: Curioser and curioser! [chuckles] Allrighty then. Send Mercury and Saturn in, please, and shut the door behind us. Make sure no one else is in the waiting room until they both leave, please. 

Moon: Of course, Sol. [opens the door and motions for entry] The Sun is ready for you, gentlemen. 

 

[Mercury and Saturn enter] 

Sun: Lady Moon, would you be so kind as to store Mercury’s cell phone until we’re finished, please? 

[The Moon reaches toward Mercury] 

Mercury: [groans and hands cell phone over to the Moon] 

Sun: Thank you kindly, Mercury. You may now close us in, Lady Moon, and please hold all my calls.  

Moon: Of course, sir. [leaves and closes door] 

Sun: Hi there, gentlemen. Thanks for coming in. 

Saturn: Sir, I’m a little confused about why I’m here; your meeting request was rather unhelpful in that regard. 

Sun: There’s a reason for that, Old Man. Mercury, could you please repeat to Saturn what you told me earlier? 

Mercury: Yes, sir. Word has reached me that our favorite blogged has started writing again, and… 

Saturn: We’re aware, Mercury. I’ve spoken with him myself about resuming his interview series. So why is there all this secrecy? 

Mercury: You didn’t let me finish, Saturn. 

Saturn: Wait…there’s more? 

Mercury: Yes. May I finish now? 

Saturn: [SIGH] Of course, Mercury. Please go ahead. 

Mercury: According to a reliable source, our favorite blogger is writing another book. 

Saturn: Whoa! That IS a big deal. [looks around furtively] Who else knows about this? 

Sun: This is why you’re here, Saturn. This information is close hold; only the three of us know, for now. 

Saturn: Lady Moon doesn’t even know? 

Sun: I have not informed her, but her instincts are excellent, as you both know. Before we began, I asked for her impressions to find out what she knew, but she declined to say anything. I suspect she did not want to bias me. So it’s just us, and we need to keep it that way. That’s a direct order, Mercury. 

Mercury: Yes, sir. I’ll send anything else I get your way. 

Sun: Thank you very much. You’re excused. Make sure you ask Lady Moon to return your cell phone. 

Mercury: You’ve got it, boss. [leaves the office and closes the door behind him] 

Saturn: We don’t know anything else? It’s not a lot to go on.And while I’ll agree this is a fantastic development, sir, I’m still not sure why I’m involved. 

Sun: You know him better than any of us, and I’m asking you to see what you can do to help him out. 

Saturn: I tend to stifle his creativity, sir, so I’m not sure how helpful I can be. 

Sun: I disagree. I think you will be a great help to him. I need two main things from you. 

Saturn: And they would be…? 

Sun: First is to keep him on track. He’s busy but this is important. His first book published nearly 9 years ago. Give him some flexible Saturn in Gemini boundaries so he does a little each day and doesn’t burn out. 

Saturn: That I can do. And the second task? 

Sun: Let me know immediately if word gets out about this among the team. I don’t want anyone to know, especially Jupiter. 

Saturn: [nods] Sounds simple enough. 

Sun: As you interact with him, keep your ears open and report anything you think I need to know directly to me. Contact Lady Moon and ask her to set up a meeting on my calendar. Entitle it “Boundary Violations” and don’t say anything to her about what you’ve found. That meeting title is generic enough that anyone who looks at our shared calendar won’t suspect anything. 

Saturn: I hear you, sir, and I’ll follow all the protocols. [stands up] Is there anything else? 

Sun: Thank you, Saturn. Nothing else at this time. [Saturn turns to leave]  This is a big deal, Saturn. Do what you can to help him out. I don’t want him giving up again; too much time has already elapsed. 

Saturn: [turns around] Yes, sir. Maybe the timing was not right before, but it is now. I’ll do what I can. [opens the door and leaves]

Meeting of the Planetary Minds: Back to Business

Sun: Good morning, all! Welcome to our first meeting of 2025! 

Venus: Good morning, sir! 

Neptune: [SIGH] 

Pluto: Chin up, Nep…we talked about this! 

Neptune: I know, but [starts to cry]…I hate leaving my favorite sign for such a long time! 

Pluto: Change is inevitable, Nep, even for us. And you’ve still got a little while before you’re out of Pisces. Then it’s Aries, a whole new world you haven’t seen in several hundred years. Evolution, baby! 

Venus: He’s much more sensitive than you are, Pluto! 

Moon: Quite true, Lady Venus. The idea of being in a sign for so long is a lot. I can’t even imagine! 

Pluto: Been there, done that and I’ll agree. I went through it a number of years back when I left Scorpio, but I didn’t go all blubbering in a damn meeting. 

Saturn: This is definitely not the time or place for it. 

Sun: Neptune, I’m really sorry. Do you need to be excused? 

Neptune: [dabs at eyes] No, sir. I think I can make it. [takes a pull from his flask] 

[Pluto rolls his eyes] 

Sun: Allrighty then. Lady Moon, remind me who’s out on retrograde leave right now. 

Moon: At the moment, sir, we’ve got three planets out on business: Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus. Everyone else is here. 

Mercury: I concur with Lady Moon’s assessment. Her information is correct. 

Sun: Excellent. Thank you both for the update. 

Pluto: With Mr. “If you can’t be an athlete, be an athletic supporter” out of the way for at least another month our meetings will be free of bawdy jokes, which is a little disappointing. Not much, but a little. 

Venus: I’d agree with you, Pluto, but I still miss him from time to time. 

Pluto: [scoffs] You’ll get over it. 

Saturn: He’s not wrong, Lady Venus. 

Venus: Come on, you two. I’ve been working on him about his…how to say this in a nice way…ummm…his oversharing during meetings. Cut him some slack, please! 

Sun: That’s enough, Pluto. And you’re not helping either, Old Man. You both know better. Even though it’s only our first meeting of the year I’d like to make it through the entire agenda once without us falling apart like usual. [Saturn glowers] There are tons of transitions involving the outer planets this year, although one has already begun. Pluto, why don’t we start with you. 

Pluto: I mean, no big secret, boss. I moved into Aquarius on November 20, and I’m still adjusting. Another long period under the Old Man’s influence, although Urnie being involved will certainly make it interesting. 

Sun: I can imagine that’s true, Pluto. You’ll need some time to readjust to Aquarius, but you’ll get there. Neptune, I’d like you go next. I know it’s not easy…do you need us to table your update for next time? 

Saturn: With all due respect, sir… 

Pluto: Oh, here we go with Doug Downer! 

Saturn: [shoots daggers at Pluto] As I was saying, sir, before the grossly inappropriate and downright egregious boundary violation, I think Nep should brief out what he has. 

Sun: As insensitive as this may seem, Nep, I would like to hear from you today. You’re here and you say you’re OK, so… 

Neptune: I guess, sir. I move into Aries on March 30 beginning my shift out of Pisces. As you can see, I’m a little overwhelmed by it. I was enjoying my long sojourn in Pisces more than I can ever say and I lost track of how late it was. But I’ll be ready. 

Saturn: I’m also moving into Aries this year, sir, and no offense to Mars when I say it, but I am NOT looking forward to the next two and a half years in that sign. Just awful. 

Sun: I get that, Saturn. It may well be a challenging time for both of you. 

Saturn: I’ll hunker down and manage it, sir. 

Sun: I expect nothing less of you, Old Man. [to the Moon] Urnie’s also changing signs, right? 

Moon: Yes, sir. I’ll have him brief when he’s back. 

Sun: Very good, Luna. What’s left? 

Moon: For today, the only thing left is the upcoming Venus retrograde. 

Sun: Oh yes! That’s a big one. Lady Venus, are you prepared to brief us today? 

Venus: Well, I...I...

Moon: [holds up hand] Sir, as I think about it, we may need a larger meeting to focus on Venus’ upcoming trip. 

Mercury: I didn’t see any documentation on your upcoming retrograde on the network, Venus. There was nothing in the shared folder. Are you sure you’re prepared? 

Venus: [ignores Mercury and turns toward the Sun] To answer your question, sir, I am prepared to brief today but happy to wait. 

Mercury: Sir, there’s been no reporting on this at all. 

Venus: [blushing a little] Maybe I could use a little more time, sir, if it’s not too much trouble. [smiling] 

Sun: OK, Venus. Done and done. Lady Moon, please take this item: Once I receive Venus’ written report in the shared file, we’ll put it on the agenda. I expect to see it no later than 2/28. Is that clear? 

Moon: Crystal, sir. 

Venus: Yes, sir. You'll have it by then. 

Sun: Duly noted. In that case, that’s all for today. Are there any alibis? [pause] Hearing none, let’s adjourn. Thanks everyone! Let’s start this new year strong and have a great 2025. 

Venus: [leans over and whispers to Mercury] I did not appreciate that, Mercury. 

Mercury: [aloud] At least I don’t have to impress anyone. And the way to avoid the situation is simple: Just tell the damn truth and you won’t have to worry about what you said to people. [picks up his cell phone and walks off]. 

Venus: [puts hands on hips, mouth open] Well I never! [storms off]

Are You There, Saturn? It's Me, John...

[John picks up the phone and dials Saturn’s number. A recorded message picks up.] 

Machine: Greetings. You have reached my private number. Out of respect for my time and your own, please take no more than twenty seconds to provide information on how I may contact you. [long beep]  

John: Are you there, Saturn? It’s me, John. I don’t know if you’re up for talking to me but if you are, you can call me at… 

[handset picks up] Saturn: Rumors of your return are swirling in the office, John. I’m surprised you reached out directly. You have been well, I trust? 

John: Yes, sir. I mean…I’ve had my share of challenges over the last few years, but I’m still around, if that’s what you mean. 

Saturn: [pause] Your resilience has brought you back to me, I see. That’s one of your best qualities. 

John: Over the past few years, I’ve needed it, although I’d have preferred not to. 

Saturn: That’s the way it always goes. You know this better than most. [pause] So you’re not here for nothing; tell me the reason for our conversation today. I suspect you are not calling me to wish me a belated Saturnalia?

John: Correct. I’m here to ask you if you’d still consent to do an interview with me. We were supposed to do it a while ago and it got lost in the…well, in the…flotsam and jetsam of my mundane life. 

Saturn: Don’t minimize things. I wouldn’t call Stage 4 cancer mundane by any stretch, John. That alone would have been enough, but you’ve also had other challenges. It’s obvious my energy resonates with you heavily. As much as it pains me to say it, being too much like me is not necessarily good all the time.

John: Yes, so I've noticed. 

Saturn: While I’m not known for providing what most would consider “positive reinforcement” I’m proud of what you’ve accomplished, for certain. At the same time, knowing when to “cut yourself some slack” as people say is also an important boundary to understand forming the underpinning of your future success. 

John: That’s one of the more difficult lessons for me to learn. I am fairly merciless with myself when it comes to making mistakes, and I treat myself a lot more harshly than I ever would anyone else. 

Saturn: [small smile] You have time now to learn this lesson, one which I suspect you have never fully grasped. And my lessons are not easy, as you know, but they are important. At your age, you also have been dealing with the closing square to your natal Saturn over this past year. Not an easy time. 

John: Not by any stretch. [pause] So could I schedule some time with you in the near future for a sit-down interview? 

Saturn: Certainly. I really want to make sure you understand that it will likely be the longest one you’ve done so far. There’s a lot of material to cover, and with my move into Aries this November, I’d like to get everything on the record before then. I’m sure you understand. 

John: Certainly. Let me look at my calendar and see what I can come up with. I'm hoping to do it sooner rather than later. We both know this winter and spring have their astrological challenges, but despite those...

Saturn: Indeed. Very well. I'll speak to you again soon. [pause] I look forward to our future collaboration. [hangs up]

The Return of John?

John: Hello, Lady Moon! It’s been a minute. 

Moon: Dear John! It’s so nice to see you again…and you’re right, it has been a while, but I’m really pleased to see you! 

John: [blushes] Thank you, dear lady. I’m very pleased to see you too. How have things been here? 

Moon: Oh, the usual…you know! As the old song goes, “This fine old world, it keeps spinning around.” We’ve been keeping up with you as much as we can, but we’ve missed working with you. Did you stop by for a little Auld Lang Syne? 

John: I can’t hide anything from you, can I? 

Moon: [beams] No, sir. Nostalgia is a real thing! Let me let…himself know you’re here. He told the other planets to knock off early today but since he stuck around, so did I. Old habits and all. [presses intercom] Sol, we have an unexpected visitor. 

Sun: [through the intercom] Today? Now? 

 Moon: Yes, on both counts. And you told everyone to go home two hours ago so it’s time to finish up. [releases intercom and turns to John] You see? Some things never change! 

[The Sun’s office door opens] 

 Sun: OK, Luna, I’m done. [sees John] Well, well, well…what a pleasant surprise. When Luna suggested you might come for a visit I must admit I wasn’t sure she was right this time! [comes over and embraces John] It’s good to see you, old friend! I was just putting 2024 to bed, so to speak. 

John: Good afternoon, sir. I’m pleased to be in your warm presence again. 

Sun: Your jokes are as terrible as ever but gods I’m pleased you decided to come visit. How are things? You went through a very challenging period and then you…went all over the place? Geographically I mean!

John: Yes, sir…that’s a fairly accurate representation of my life since we last talked. A lot has changed and some days I’m not sure who I am anymore, but I’m hanging in there to figure it out. 

Sun: Every human goes through periods like that, and considering Pluto is making a nearly exact square to your sun at 1 Scorpio I’m not surprised. He’s a powerful little bastard, isn’t he? 

John: Yes, that’s for certain. I did a presentation on him a few months back…he’s been on my mind for a while now. Slowly but surely the transformation he promises is happening, but it has not been, shall we say, easy. 

Sun: [frowns] I understand completely. What can I do to help? 

John: [smiles] You’re helping just by listening, and I’m grateful to have so many amazing people in my life who do the same, because I'm still learning how to ask for help without feeling guilty about it. 

Moon: That’s very true, John. [pauses] So…are you planning to come back to us? 

John: I go back and forth on that, Lady Moon. I don’t want to make promises, because it’s an awfully weird time in my life, but yes, I’d like to start making my way back. I feel like I finally can do that. 

Sun: Good! Well, there are no expectations here…we’d just love to hear from you again from time to time, that’s all. 

John: That’s fair and I hope to be able to manage that in 2025. 

Moon: John, I know how you feel about being told what to do, but can I suggest an emotional course of action? 

John: Sure, Lady Moon. What is it? 

Moon: If you’re feeling it, I’d suggest talking to the Old Man. I know he’d love to hear from you… 

John: I considered that, but I wasn’t sure if he’d want to see me after all this time. I feel like I’ve disappointed him. 

Sun: Nonsense! If there’s anybody who’s got time, John, it’s…Father Time himself. You may have to endure some criticism…I mean, he is who he is…but I’m sure he’d be happy to hear from you again. 

John: I never got the chance to interview him, and it seems like a good time for that. 

Sun: I don’t see him saying no to that…Lady Moon, can we set up a meeting for the first full week in January for John, Saturn, and I? 

John: That’s very kind of you, sir, but I’d like to speak with him privately first, if that’s OK. 

Sun: Sure, of course! 

Moon: Try not to worry, John. He’ll be happy to hear from you, I’m sure of it! 

John: Thank you kindly, both of you. I’m very grateful. Now I should let you go enjoy your New Year’s Eve; I need to say goodbye to 2024 and prepare for the upcoming year. I suspect it’s going to be a doozy. 

Sun: Yes, the first part of the year looks fairly turbulent by all accounts, but hopefully by the time I move into Gemini, things will smooth out. But enough shop talk! Tonight, we celebrate. 

Moon: Good-bye, John. Don’t be a stranger this coming year. 

John: I’ll do my best, Lady Moon.

A New Venue for Metaphysical Practitioners: Spiritual Classifieds

Hi everyone! I wanted to let you know about a new place where you can find my information. It's called spiritualclassifieds.org.

Honestly, I've always said I don't advertise much, but I really like this site. One of the things I like most about it is how it's set up. It's very easy to find the spiritual or metaphysical specialty you're looking for, anywhere in the States.

On the back end, they ask you questions to stimulate interest in your practice. I had to really think about answering these questions, but I can see how it would drive people to me who are looking for exactly what I offer.

I'd love it if you would take a look and tell me what you think. Click here to take a look!

If you are a practitioner of the metaphysical yourself and want to advertise with them, their rates are extremely reasonable. Please let me know and I will give you my referral code!

Of course, feel free to give out the link to anyone interested in my services!

Thanks in advance for taking a gander. I look forward to seeing you soon! 

The Astrology Chart of Vladimir Putin

Hi everyone! This article first appeared on the Soldier of Fortune Web site, but it was edited for an audience with no astrology background. I'm going to annotate it with the astrology for Vladimir Putin's chart in the notes and include the chart below as well.

Born in St. Petersburg in the opening days of the Cold War, Vladimir Putin is a man who believes he’s been through a lot in his life, a man under pressure since birth. (1) In this chart, however, lies a burning desire to publicly exercise power, both in political and military spectrums. (2)

Emotionally, Putin can distance himself from feeling much of anything. It may be very easy for him to “outthink” his emotions by choosing not to feel them, or at least believe it’s possible. Likely it’s a defense mechanism; information of all kinds makes him comfortable. From this angle, you can see he’s good at information and networking with others, making the right connections. (3)

Now I know what you’re thinking. Putin was part of his country’s intelligence services since 1975. The previous paragraph is not much of a stretch for even the most casual observer of the daily news, right? Sure. But it goes a lot further than that. There’s very little emotional sensitivity here; it’s not who he is at all, even under the surface. This is not a man easily moved to tears, either of joy or sorrow. Logic-based decision making will usually win out over feelings for him. (3)

That’s not to say that Putin lacks intuitive ability, because he doesn’t. My view is everyone is naturally intuitive, but some of us are encouraged to hone and appreciate that skill while many of us are not. Most people ignore it. As such, I’m guessing it was unlikely anyone would have supported a young Vladimir to trust it, considering the Soviet Union’s secular perspective on spiritual/metaphysical matters. Rather, when he does access it, he probably couches it as “logic” or “deduction” instead of assigning it any spiritual ability, but it’s likely he struggles often to choose between logic and intuition. (4)

He’s much savvier about the big picture than the small one. The shows of force—the parades, the holidays, the fanfare—are the easy part for him because they can be tied to culture writ large. When the losses start to mount, he isn’t concerned because he feels he has a huge supply of war resources. (5)

So where do we go from here?

Prosecuting a full-scale war will not be an easy task for him. Shorter conflicts to achieve long-desired goals are more his style. (6) Even his choice of words indicates this: The “special operation” can indicate something a lot shorter than a “war,” which can go on for years.

Despite his recent invasion of Ukraine, he’s much more comfortable responding to what his adversaries do than going on the offensive. He trusts only a select group of people to give him information, and when they told him Ukraine would be easy pickings, he chose to invade. (7) But his birth chart tells the tale of a man who might know the way to start, but not how to finish, a war. (8)

Over the course of the next year, here’s what I would generally expect from him in this campaign:

• Changing goals and objectives quickly, especially between the end of June and the end of October 2022. (9)
• Continued struggles to achieve military objectives and project power in Ukraine, especially through mid-January of 2023. (10)
• If the war still is in progress in April-May of 2023, you’ll see more of the same, with a gradual but visible detachment between Putin and the reality of this conflict. (11)

1. Sun conjunct Saturn
2. Pluto at the Midheaven
3. Moon in Gemini in the 8th with ruling Mercury in the 12th
4. Mercury conjunct Neptune in the 12th
5. Jupiter in Taurus angular ruling Mars in Sagittarius in the 2nd
6. Mars in Sagittarius
7. Jupiter in Taurus in the 7th and heavy Libra, including Mercury, in the 12th
8. Mars in Sagittarius wants to do more but may bite off too much at once
9. Transiting Uranus squaring his natal North Node in late July through almost the end of October 2022
10. Transiting Mars retrograde beginning on October 20, 2022, through January 12, 2023, nearly opposing Putin's natal Mars
11. Transiting Neptune squaring Putin's natal mars both in spring, and late summer/early fall 2023.

2022: Only For Now

50th Birthday in New Orleans!

One of my favorite musicals is Avenue Q. Over these past 18 months, there is one song in particular that goes through my head over and over, and it’s called “For Now.” If you’re not familiar with the show, I’ve included a link to a special version they made in 2020. 

Now to be fair, we all hoped that this whole COVID thing would blow over quickly, that we’d be back to our normal lives by like July of last year. Spoiler alert if you’ve been out of the loop: That didn’t happen, not at all. In some ways, the pandemic is worse, and we do what we have to, “for now.” 

With that said, hopefully 2022 will be better for all of us. And I would be remiss if I did not thank all of you for helping me stay on an even keel in the past nearly two years. I’m an incredibly blessed person and I could not have made it through without you. 

I started off this past year away from home for three months for work. It was an amazing experience. I had the opportunity to meet some fantastic people, and as an outsider, they could have made the whole thing a lot more difficult. Yet they embraced me as one of their own and together we made shit happen. I missed home, but by the end, those people were home to me, and I hated leaving. I’m incredibly grateful to them for allowing a stranger to lead them and supporting my efforts the way they did. 

In my metaphysical life, I have the opportunity to work one on one with a number of talented students and mentees. This year, a few of them finished their time with me and practice on their own. I’m honored to have worked with them and cherish the time we had; hopefully they won’t be strangers, because as I have learned, if you are a mentor who takes the job seriously, your former students always come back into your life. Congratulations and best wishes to you as you move forward! 

My clients mean the world to me. I’m honored you trust me with your questions and concerns, and thank you sincerely for your continued trust and confidence. While I see many of you via Zoom, I’m grateful for all of the new clients I have met working at my second home, Sticks and Stones. 

Speaking of Sticks and Stones, I’ll continue my beginner astrology class series in the new year on January 2 with my first of two classes on Venus. Please feel free to drop in for a class anytime…no need to wait until I start again! And who knows what other classes I might be teaching there this year? Stay tuned and find out! 

Travel? Well, if you know me you have figured out I can’t stay still for long. While I don’t have anything on the books this year, you never know where I might end up. Even in these pandemic times and the weirdness that surrounded the entire experience, I still got around: Philadelphia, New Orleans, and even New York City. 

And more blogs? Yes, more are planned. I’ve got a few new tarot decks here that are begging for a review: The Philly Tarot—one of the suits is “cheesesteaks”—and the Disney Villains Tarot, to name only two. 

Another book? Yes, a serial killer astrology book is in the works, good people. More to come, but at the moment, “That’s all I have to say about that.” 

Also, I have not forgotten I owe you the continuation of the astrology interview series. As you can imagine, Saturn is particularly insistent, since he is next on my list. Over this past year or so I’m not really sure if he wants me to write to set some boundaries for me or so I can publish his interview. I’m not sure which it is, and I’m not sure it matters. 

Finally, I will thank those closest to me: My wife, family and friends. It’s fair to say that I have been challenged in a much greater way than I expected, and I’m truly grateful they were there for me. There are too many of you to list individually; however, simply put, if I reached out to you and you answered, THANK YOU. 

I’m a Saturn guy, and unfortunately, disappointments have a tendency to hit me hard; like many other people, there have been more than a few in my world over the past 18 months. But I’m hopeful 2022 will bring more success, joy, health, and prosperity to you and yours.

As the song says, “Everything in life is only for now.” Blessings to you and yours as you navigate the “now” and the year to come.

Interview with Jupiter, Part 8

John: Thanks so much for all your time educating us, Jupiter. I know my readers appreciate it! 

Jupiter: You’re welcome! I’m always prepared to hold forth on pretty much any topic. 

John: I sort of figured that one, Jupiter. [consults iPad] So there are some people who consider you the “Good Time Charlie” of the astrological planets. 

Jupiter: Sure, a lot of people see me that way! People look forward to seeing me. I tend to bring lots of luck and personal freedom. Every 12 years I come around and help people to expand and move forward. Those 12 years intervals tend to bring good fortune! 

John: Yes, that’s absolutely true. We know that every 12 years, you return to the place in our charts where you were at our birth. We know it as a “Jupiter return”. And I have a great personal example of that. 

Jupiter: Oh I love these stories! Do tell! 

John: And I can speak to your blessings for certain. When I had my Jupiter return near my 24th birthday, you brought my wife to me. We were married within one month of that return in my personal chart! 

Jupiter: [beams] Wow, that’s excellent! She was definitely a blessing. 

John: Best thing that ever happened to me, for certain! But it doesn’t always work out that well for everyone, in spite of your influence. 

Jupiter: [pause] I suspect it’s the return of Negative Ned… 

John: [holds a hand up] Your influence can be positive, and it would be great if that happened all the time, but maybe we can talk about how you manifested in someone’s life and it wasn’t the way you’d hoped? 

Jupiter: Well, I mean…nobody’s perfect but I’d love an example, because nothing jumps immediately to mind...

John: How about Marilyn Monroe?

Jupiter: Damn it all. You have to bring HER up? [sigh]

John: At her 3rd Jupiter return, your influence brought her a huge blessing: A starring role in a big movie. But there was something else that you didn’t intend: In addition to blessing Marilyn with this amazing opportunity, you also expanded her ego. She became a diva, and eventually, the studio fired her because she was impossible to work with. 

Jupiter: [sigh] I guess you’re right. But I give it my best. 

John: Clearly you did in Marilyn’s case. 

Jupiter: [pause] Come on…that is beneath you, John. 

John: No, it isn’t. It’s a fair and balanced assessment of your influence, Jupiter. Nothing more and nothing else. But there’s no doubt that you can have a very positive, liberating influence on us as well. 

Jupiter: I’m glad for that at least. Do I have time for one last moment to provide a takeaway for the audience? 

John: I don’t know that I could stop you, Jupiter, but you have my permission to proceed. 

Jupiter: [gets up from his chair and bows to John] Good people, I’m a lot of fun to be around. Travel the world, learn new things, study and teach, and share your opinions widely. And remember…you only live once, so who cares about the consequences? YOLO, good people…which is a shortened form of one of my favorite sayings: You only live once! And hopefully soon you will be traveling again!

Interview with Jupiter, Part 7

Jupiter: So go ahead…ask me about the other signs. Anyone who has read this series knows what will happen next!

John: Very true. So what signs cause you difficulty? 

Jupiter: Capricorn is a tough one for me, I don’t mind telling you. 

John: Well, why would you say that is? 

Jupiter: Capricorn is ruled by Saturn and it’s tremendously limiting. As you have pointed out earlier, I don’t do well with limits. Anything dealing with the Old Man is a pain in the ass. 

John: No, you’re a planet who sees every option and yet wants the freedom to take them all. 

Jupiter: Just like the Old Man. Why see limits when you can see possibilities? I’ve never really understood that. 

John: He’s next on my list of interview subjects, so I’ll have to ask him that. [writes note on iPad] What else makes Capricorn a challenging sign for you to inhabit? 

Jupiter: Capricorn is a very strategic sign and I’m definitely more of a “you only live once so why the fuck not?” kind of planet. I know I’m going to make mistakes and they’ll get me toward my eventual destination. Saturn’s influence over a sign confers a…wariness, and as such I struggle with these two competing influences. 

John: That makes sense to me. So Capricorn is your “Fall” sign, but where are you in detriment? 

Jupiter: Gemini. I mean, EW. I am NOT a fan. 

John: Because of Mercury’s influence, no doubt? 

Jupiter: Yes, absolutely. Too many details for me. I get pulled in too many different directions when I have to pay attention to that many balls in the air. Frankly, I have no idea how that brainiac keeps all that information straight in his brain, because I sure can’t. 

John: So Gemini is not a preferred sign for you. 

Jupiter: Not at all! John: What would you say about Virgo? Do you struggle there, too? 

Jupiter: Yes, I do, because in the ancient world I used to rule Pisces, and the opposite sign is Virgo. Basically, Mercury do two different jobs and when his influence enters the mix, my job tends to get harder. 

John: I understand now, and I think my readers will have a better idea of your role in the astrological planetary system. 

Jupiter: I certainly hope so! I’m a pretty important planet overall. 

John: There are only ten of you, so as far as I’m concerned, you're all pretty influential. 

Jupiter: I can get behind that idea.

Interview with Jupiter, Part 6

 

John: Well, let’s move on to another topic. Could you tell me about what signs you work best in? 

Jupiter: Absolutely. Sagittarius is my favorite sign of the zodiac! Send those arrows flight straight and sharp toward whatever truth I need to expose. You know it because you have it yourself. You live it! 

 John: Absolutely. I’m passionate about teaching, and there’s nothing that doesn’t deserve a good parody. Though I do try not to be too thoughtless…you can’t take one of those arrows back once you shoot it, right? 

Jupiter: I agree, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have sent it out in the first place. I mean, if they can’t take a joke… 

John: Remember how we were discussing the idea that everything is relative? Well, “joke” is one of those things. If you’re the target of one of the Sagittarius arrows, you might not find it so humorous. 

Jupiter: You’re going into downer territory again, man. I don’t do it to be deliberately malicious. Who do you think I am? Mars or Pluto? And I’m not responsible for the emotions. Only the arrows. I don’t tread on Lady Moon’s territory. 

John: Right, I remember. As I recall you had two signs, right? 

Jupiter: Yeah. Pisces used to be mine back in the day. They gave it over to Neptune, which definitely pissed me off when it first happened, but I came to the conclusion that it’s all about how you look at things. 

John: Very true. [consults iPad] So we already mentioned your ability to teach and learn, especially those areas that develop the higher mind. When you’re in Sagittarius those abilities are highlighted, but also you tend to be opinionated. 

 Jupiter: Fair. And other planets in Sagittarius do tend to have that “opinionation”, to quote famous astrologer Noel Tyl. 

John: So your next best sign is when you’re sitting in Cancer, right? 

Jupiter: Yes, that’s right. It’s more understated than when I’m in Sagittarius but I tend to bring the messages across a little more…smoothly. 

John: Could you explain that for me, please? 

Jupiter: Sagittarius is a sign that thrives on activity. So when I’m there I want to be talking, learning, teaching, listening and generally staying very active and engaged. By contrast, in Cancer, I can deliver messages in a more calm, understated way; there’s less running around and more background stability. Cancer also has an emotional overtone that Sagittarius lacks. No doubt, that’s the influence of Lady Moon. But make no mistake: I love the sign of Cancer, and I’m extremely comfortable and powerful there, too. 

John: In short, Cancer it takes out some of the more annoying parts of your overall influence. 

Jupiter: [scoffs] There you go again, Negative Ned! 

John: Jupiter, this blog is my truth. And you’re the one who said everyone’s is different, right? So suck it up…please. [smiles] 

Jupiter: I did tell you that I told the Sun I questioned the entire philosophy of doing these interviews, right? 

John: He agreed it was a good idea but heard your dissenting opinion regardless, one of the hallmarks of a great leader. So what I feel or don’t feel about your conversation with him is irrelevant. 

Jupiter: But if you think about it… 

John: I did not request your opinion, Jupiter. Thank you.

Interview with Jupiter, Part 5

John: [checks iPad] Would you say that spirituality and religion are foreign? Is that way you’re involved in them? 

Jupiter: No…that’s a different concept entirely. I deal with abstract concepts and the “higher mind”. 

John: Could you explain what you mean by that term, “higher mind”? 

Jupiter: Absolutely. I’m the guy who helps you grow to understand things in life that are not particularly obvious. Let’s use an example. If I ask you what an apple is, you can put an image in your head of an apple, right? 

John: [pause] Yeah, I can do that pretty simply. 

Jupiter: Now, put an image in your head of truth. 

John: Hmmmmmmmm. [thinks] That one is tougher. 

Jupiter: Right. Here’s another question. Do you think your image of truth will be the same as other people? 

John: I don’t see how it could be. 

Jupiter: Right on. My job is to help you understand those more abstract concepts. Truth means something different to you than other people. And a part of what I do involves you seeking the truth—what you believe to be the truth, at any rate. 

John: If you do that with truth, what do you with right and wrong? 

Jupiter: You’re joking, right? [laughs] We’d be here all day with those two terms. That totally depends on who you ask. 

John: So to you just about anything is relative? 

Jupiter: In a manner of speaking, yes. You remember one of the most important conversations of our times? Between Luke and Obi-Wan? 

John: Which one? 

Jupiter: Luke accused Obi-Wan of lying to him. “You said Vader betrayed and murdered my father!” And Obi-Wan had a long statement that ended with “So what I told you is true…from a certain point of view.” Greetings. I am that certain point of view! It can come in very handy! 

John: Right…we all have different perspectives. But what do you do with facts? 

Jupiter: Not my department. That’s Merc again. He’s too exact for me. What’s the point anyway? 

John: Precision does have its advantages. 

Jupiter: Honestly, the problem these days is that everyone thinks that their point of view or opinion is a fact. And even I, the King of Personal Opinion, know they are not one and the same. There are some things that are facts, but as I said, I’m not the guy to ask about it. That would be Mercury.

John: So what is your relationship to facts, if Mercury is the one who provides the information?

Jupiter: Well, if you haven't figured that out yet, I'll state it plainly: I take them and give my interpretation. 

John: Almost like someone telling you what was said in a foreign language that you don't understand?

Jupiter: Yes! Exactly like that. My interpretation of the facts can change, but the facts themselves do not!

John: So you are the guy who helps people determine the message that others were trying to convey, even it was written hundreds or thousands of years ago?

Jupiter: Whoa...that's a "gotcha" question if I ever heard it! You're not going to make me comment on any ancient texts today, right? That could get us BOTH into trouble. 

John: [hands up] No way! And no one needs to hear my personal interpretation of anything like that! But it does beg the question...

Jupiter: Come on...out with it!

John: Given what you just told us, wouldn’t that make you the zodiac’s propaganda minister? 

Jupiter: [hands on hips] COME THE FUCK ON! You REALLY went there? 

John: Dude, I like you, but you should know by now I’m not playing. 

Jupiter: Well, if you want to get technical about it, I guess I could see that. But that word makes me sound way too negative. 

John: If everything is an opinion, no one knows what’s real. And in an environment like that, people can lose their way. We can create cults of personality and we can each sit in our own little bubble, right, not caring about what is real and what isn’t? 

Jupiter: Dude, you're starting to scare me a little! I don’t know if you realize it, but people actually LIKE me. You’re not doing my image any favors, you know!

Interview with Jupiter, Part 4

John: I’d like to dive into that a little deeper. You said that once something foreign becomes normal, you lose your influence over it. 

Jupiter: Yes, absolutely. 

John: Why is that? 

Jupiter: I rule things that are foreign—cultures, people, customs, languages, et cetera—and once you are comfortable with them, that’s where my job stops. 

John: I understand the words, but I’m not sure what that means. 

Jupiter: You said earlier my job is expansion, and you’re right. People with strong Jupiter influences often are good at expansion. 

John: Yes, and I need you to stop expanding my waistline. Could you do that? 

Jupiter: Who doesn’t like a good meal? 

John: I am NOT one of those people, sadly. I like a good meal too often. 

Jupiter: Good for you! This is not a problem! 

John: Until I go to the doctor’s office, right? 

Jupiter: I avoid them like the plague. 

John: Speaking of doctors, perhaps that's not the best expression to use right now?

Jupiter: Oh shit...I guess you guys are NOT as good at avoiding the plague as one might hope!

John: [frowns] Moving on...

Jupiter: Yes, of course...doctors! They always tell people to stop doing this, stop doing that. What’s the point? I don’t think you need that kind of negativity in your life! 

John: [pause] Well, let’s agree to disagree about medical professionals, who have been working for nearly a year nonstop. But you were saying…? 

Jupiter: Ah yes. I’m good at expansion. When you are learning new principles, cultures, languages and the like, you are expanding. Once you learn them, they are no longer “new and different” because you have assimilated them. So then they just become ordinary, routine things you’ve learned. That’s where Mercury takes over; it’s no longer exciting, but ordinary. 

John: Would it be safe to say, then, that Mercury deals with local and repeated trips, and you deal with longer journeys away from home to new places? 

Jupiter: Yes! If it’s exciting and adventurous, that’s all me. Boring? That’s someone else!

John: So if I could summarize, even if a country is not your own--a "foreign" nation--it may not be in your purview after all if you're from there or have extensive experience with its people or culture. Is that fair?

Jupiter: [nods] Indeed.