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.