A Day at the London Marathon

I can say with all honesty that I've lived in London for most of my life but until yesterday, I had never watched the marathon. Why? Well I guess I had always figured if I could be bothered to get out of bed that early on a Sunday morning, I could just watch it on telly. 

Stoopid.

I got up early yesterday to perform at the 11 mile with the South London Jazz Orchestra because I had been invited so often, it seemed a little insulting not to make an effort and am I ever glad I did! It was a warm day so I expected the sunshine to life my spirits. I didn't expect my spirits to be lifted for other reasons.  Not only did I have a chance to exercise the chops and catch up with fellow musicians, I got to talk to a few runners.

The first one I spoke to was one I met on the tube. He seemed a little nervous about running the marathon and confided to me that he hadn't had a pint of Guinness in twelve weeks. He was looking forward to the finishing line so he could quench his thirst. I jokingly asked if he had pasta for breakfast but he said he had a big pasta dinner Saturday evening and had eaten porridge for breakfast. I told him I admired his determination and self discipline and said I would be playing in the jazz band at the eleventh mile. He told me the entertainment on the side lines was what experiened runners talked about afterwards (it was his first marathon). It was a distraction from the pain and monatony of the run. We chatted for a bit longer about little things until his stop at King's Cross. Suddenly, I needed to know his name.

"Martin," he said.

"Good luck Martin," I said being a bad commuter and holding the door open, "I'll watch out for you!"

"I'll look forward to the eleventh mile," he said.

Suddenly, he leaned forward and kissed me.

OK, that last sentence I made up.* Martin did not kiss me (I wouldn't have minded if he did!) but he did ask my name and really did say he'd look out for me at the eleventh mile.

As it happened, there were so many runners and we were so busy playing (my chops are still swollen) that I didn't see him. But I did notice that the runners applauded for us as they passed by. They waved and shouted their thanks. And I played a little better because I remembered what Martin said about the distractions along a difficult journey.

 

I hope Martin made it. He was such a nice man.

There were other really emotionally touching things in the marathon that I never knew before. There were lots of wheelchair runners who were the first past us. Running a marathon on two healthy legs would be challenging enough but hand pedalling must be far more difficult. There were also blind runners who ran with guides. Again, such bravery for these runners and the sacrifice their guides were making made my eyes water.

The elite men runners came next. Of course we were playing when Mo Farah ran past and we completely missed him. I hope he remembers us when he talks about his efforts.

The elite women runners were next.

And then we started seeing alll sorts. The first costumed runner I saw was a Thunderbird--I read in the Metro that he had broken a record for being the fastest runner dressed as a TV character (David Stone 2:49:51). I also saw the guy carrying a refrigerator (Tony Phoenix-Morrison) and the fastest man in a wedding dress (Lee Goodwin 3:00:54). I'm pretty sure I saw a very fast man dressed as a tiger (Alex Collins 2:48:29) and if the man dressed up as lungs was Adam Giangreco (3:36:42) then I also saw the fastest runner dressed as an internal organ.

I was delighted that a few of the photos I managed to get on my i-phone were also taken by professional photographers. I got the telephone. . .

The man carrying a tiger

and a few notable others. . .The shark man

 A horse being carried by 4 runners. . .

By far, my favourite was the Janis Joplin look-a-like carrying a small red plastic trumpet. I don't know how she did but I hope she finished.

Oh and hats off to the Huddersfieldd marching band who played and marched and finished at 6:56:44. Give me a call next yesr, eh?

*I've been writing a lot of fiction during Easter break so sometimes my imagination gets a bit carried away. . .

 

Oscar Pistorius, Peaches Geldolf and Mickey Rooney

In a previous blog, I summed up my astrological feelings for the fate of Oscar Pistorius. Now that his trial has started, I can't help but feel a bit of compassion for a man who is basically suffering a trial by the mass media (Uranus transiting the Moon of the crime). Worse, it seems to me, is his progressed Moon conjunct his Natal Moon in Leo--and transiting Moon in Leo over the past days. Drama Queen anyone? All this square to his Natal Venus: a crime (he DID kill Reeva after all) of passion. It all seems moot whether or not it was accidental. It is painful to hear and watch the fates of two families devasted by this.

 

Inexplicably, I'm having trouble uploading the quadri wheel with the Progressions. I'll try a bit later. Above is the tri wheel.

I've been endeavouring to update my blog three times per week to get more traffic to my website as a means to promote my book Growing Pains. Self promotion is an interesting notion. Interesting mostly because by star sign I am a Cancer (shy and home loving) but by Moon sign I am a Leo (an outgoing show off). My Sun and Moon are in mutual reception which kind of means there should be some sort of balance. Unfortunately for me this means I am torn between shouting from the rooftops: "Whoohoo! I am a published author!! Look at me!!" and "Go away and leave me alone so I can eat my cheese sandwich in peace".

Anyhoo. . .Peaches Geldolf. RIP. I am debating whether or not I should offer an astrological take. I have had a look of course but it just seems too much of an invasion of privacy--and mainly because she was so young, so tragic and the mother of two children who will have this terrible void in the lives for eternity. No matter how one tries to make up for this loss, it just won't happen. So any comments or encouragement either way would be welcome.

I don't have such trepidation with Mickey Rooney who spent all his 93 years in the spotlight. If anyone seems fair game, it's him. An astrological take on his life, work and financial disasters will be up in the next few days.

On a different note, I'm on holiday from school. I've been telling people I'm practicing for retirement. I like it lots, haha. I'm working on some fiction, re-doing the five year plan and applying to the council to do a loft entension. Exciting stuff, I know.

 

 



 

Glastonbury!!

I've just seen tickets on sale for Glastonbury. I haven't been to the world famous festival since I became a teacher (as it falls during term time and I can't get the time off) but I do have fond memories of meeting really fantastic people like Nicky Big Top (who played the trumpet a 3am), seeing completely awesome performers (I will never forget the Medusa wannabes) and doing things I never would have done had I not been in a field (a-hem). Yes the toilets were pretty bad but not too awful considering how many people were using them (and the topic of going to the toilet had a curious way of levelling everyone). Yes the rain poured and the music never stopped (neither bothered me) but the food was great (if a little on the pricey side) and it was so cool to bump into friends in the midst of so many people. My children were young when were into the festivals but it was such a liberating thing to be away from cars and city noise and to be able to appreciate the stars in a way you just can't in the city.
Speaking of stars, I became friends with Jonathan Cainer at a festival (not Glastonbury but similar only much smaller). Regular readers of this blog and my website will know I am no fan of star sign columns but I really admired what Jon was doing--he was using astrology at its most basic form to reach out to and even teach non astrologers. Of course, he takes a lot of flak (and much of it he brings down on his own head) but he is such a great man. Watching him with his family, his huge circle of friends, fans, clingers on and other astrologers reminded me of how the planet Jupiter manages all its moons, captured asteroids and other objects. True aplomb and confidence!
As for the other astrologers at Glastonbury. . .I think we were just happy basking in Jon's light as opposed to sizzling in the direct glare as he had to do. We did sterling barefoot astrology furiously thumbing through our well worn ephemerides hunched in our rather groovy astro pods. There was even an astrologer who claimed to do "professional" readings completely naked (don't get too excited--there are people who have claimed to be traumatised by the sight of 70+ year old woman stalking across the field in her birthday suit) and with spliff in hand. Needless to say, it was very early days in my teaching career and I was ever conscious of my flegling career and pretended to be normal.
I suppose the most eye opening thing about the big festivals is the mess that gets left behind. We humans are, after all, just big animals who eat and shit a lot--no matter how hygienic we think we are. Seeing the massive amounts of rubbish, abandoned tents and debris left behind was heart breaking. But there was great comraderie amongst the clean up crew and although it took a good few weeks, the earth had pretty much recovered from the trauma of thoughtless humans, ready for the next year!
Festivals like Glastonbury gave me hope for humanity and even though my festival days are on hold, I know I will have to return to see how things are going. If you're going to Glastonbury, drop me a line and let me know what you got up to. . .If it's your first time, be prepared for a life changing experience!

Let them eat (space) cake

So I found this groovy recipe for making Jupiter (and other planets) cakes. I think I'm going to have to give it a try when I do my next talk at the Astrological Lodge of London as it coincides with the final Jupiter conjunction of my return!
Yummy!

My Groovy Jupiter Return

Before you read any further, this blog has been seriously pimped: it's been primed, pinged, pinned and linked. In fact it feels a bit like this:

It's taken a lot of effort to get this far and I have to say, I'm rather pleased with myself. Following my computer crash last summer, a lot of things have been on the back burner--including this blog. But now it's all good. My website is also updated to include my music interludes and flights of fiction. On top of all this, I've been very busy lecturing all over this lovely fair isle of Avalon to promote my book, "Growing Pains". I even got a lecturing spot at both the Astrological Association's conference and the International Society for Astrological Research in Phoenix. So I'm busy but happy.

To top it all off, it's my Jupiter return. For the first time in my life, I get a series of three Jupiter returns. The first one was just after my book launch, the second one was the day I left for Tunisia and the last one will be in May when I'm lecturing at the Astrological Lodge of London. I've also decided it was time to get my fiction out there so I envisage an Easter break hunched over my computer.

I am going to be updating a lot more frequently. And in case you haven't noticed, I have found a latent talent in backlinking (I'm not sure it that's one word or two or if indeed it is a word but it just means I'm linking to other sites a lot more than I used to--I have a book to promote!).

 

So if you'd like to keep in touch, please subscribe to either this blog or my main website. There will be some goodies and giveaways. If you are a writer too and would like to do some reciprocating links, reviews or advertisements, drop me a line.

Growing Pains in Action

How interesting, with the Moon conjunct Mars in Leo, Jupiter in Cancer and Saturn in Scorpio that today’s headlines are about Britain’s hungry school children. The poor little mites are coming to school hungry and are resorting to stealing sandwiches from the canteen to feed their starving families later. The teachers are even feeding them biscuits to stave off hunger pains!!

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/jun/19/breadline-britain-hungry-schoolchildren-breakfast

This term I had a bit (an understatement) of a to-do with my school over designer school bags. I mean if Adidas or Nike want our school to promote their products, I think they should:

a)            Pay us for doing so or,

b)            Give us some of their products for free

But neither of these things has happened.

Anyhoooo, after a standoff that I eventually lost (*snork snork*), our pupils are once again parading around with £40-50 Nike or Adidas bags.

Really Alex, I hear you ask, don’t you have something better to do than to deprive our future generation of their much loved and needed toys?

Well no. I reckon nearly £400,000 (that would be the total sum forked out for school bags for each pupil in a school of 1,000 children) of someone’s hard earned money ends up paying for some CEO’s weekend in Monte Carlo. My idea was that our pupils utilise our local market so parents can buy decent bags at a fraction of the price and the profits from said bags go into the pockets of our local business men and women rather than into the coffers of an international corporation. That way the hungry men and women of Walthamstow benefit by having a bit more jingle in their pockets so the whole community can benefit. That way some child not on free school meals does not have the opportunity to flash his/her affluence in the face of our many, many pupils who are on free school meals. You know, exercise a little equality.

But oh no, that’s not how capitalism works.

It has to be that the large multinational corporations exploit child slaves in third world countries and we in the first world are so brain washed that we can’t even think about telling our parents to put two fingers up these corporations and buy local. After all, school children NEED their bags with logos!!

As my Australian friend said: “Are you serious? A family can’t afford to make a sandwich for their child’s lunch but can afford to buy an Adidas bag or two?”

I know poverty exists in a first world country but for crying out loud, let’s get our priorities straight! Get parents to feed their children first and then worry about the damn bags!! And don’t even get me started on mobile phones!!

I would really welcome some much needed dialogue on how we can support parents in making a decision between a necessity and a luxury. Such is the lesson of Saturn in Scorpio and Jupiter in Cancer. . .spare a thought for the adolescents who are experiencing their first Jupiter returns or Saturn oppositions and have a big lesson to learn.

 

 

Growing Pains: Out now!

Well, it's been a long journey. . .but I am finally a published author! "Growing Pains" is now out and can only say the title rather reflects the process of getting a book into print. There are still some adjustments that need to be made for the next edition but the first 100 copies are sold or in shops waiting to be sold.
I also feel the book launch at Treadwell's was a great success (even though we were melting in the heat and humidity) with an unheard of 14 copies sold on the night! Here is the video of the launch with not only an endorsement from but an interview with Roy Gillett.
Here is the video:

 

So what now? I hear you ask. Well, I'll be busy promoting the book in local astrology groups, starting with a small group in Pitsea later this month. Then Bury St Edmonds, Southend, Exeter, Bath, Brighton, Cheltenham, Wessex and a few others. I do have a few more books in the pipeline and hopefully those will see the light of day in the near future. But for now, I feel my cup runneth over and I am taking a short break at my favourite place in Glastonbury next week then heading over to Oxford University for the Faculty of Astrological Summer School for a day visit and of course later, the Astrological Association of Great Britain's conference from 27-29 September. In a few weeks, I will be back to the previously scheduled programme with my job as a History teacher.
So life is hectic but when you have a book to promote, that's a good thing.
I do need to enlist in the help of my friends from all walks of life!
Please like and share the video on youtube, retweet the video on twitter, add the book to your wishlist on Amazon. . .and keep telling your friends!
Thanks so much!
 

Dear Brain

Dear Brain,

It's OK now, school's out. You don't have to think about finding a skirt to wear, putting on mascara, wearing shoes, getting change for lunch money, feeling guilty and over indulgent for calling a cab because Alex overslept again, getting to staff briefings on time, red reports, subject reports, checking on all the tutor groups and/or planning trips and/or checking on the happiness and safety of 180 pupils plus 12 members of Alex's team (but Alex having a stellium in Cancer means you worry about everyone!), break and lunch duties, planning lessons and giving out homework, marking 390 books, pretending to be afraid of ofsted, answering 100 emails every day, remembering to do late detentions, attending staff/departmental meetings (and acting enthusiastic and interested), sneaking onto facebook hoping Big Brother doesn't notice, nudging Alex to remember to run to the loo at 11:08, reminding Alex to fill the kettle to make tea in the middle of lessons (as well as reminding her to grab enough milk, tea and sugar to last until 3:00pm), no need for another reminder to Alex to run to the loo at 2:08 as her bladder can cope, turning off maternal instincts and pretending not to be a mother (my my my that's hard work), making loads of phone calls and being overly polite when the person on the other end only has to read their child's homework diary once in a while, sparkly earrings, pink socks, trainers, baseball caps and bags with logos are now absolutely fine so you don't have to fill in yet another confiscation form, chewing gum is also OK so no community service is necessary, it's also perfectly legal for people to run down the corridor like maniacs because if someone gets hurt you don't have to do a thing about it, if you see a fight look the other way and carry on walking, you do not have to respond immediately to anyone calling out "Miss!!!!", you can now turn off the alarm and let Alex sleep in until way past 7:30am, you can now let Alex write what she wants, use the phone at will, let her eat breakfast at 4pm and drink as much tea as she likes until then.

So. . .lots of empty spaces in the timetable. Relax. It's the summer hols!!

And thanks for all your hard work this academic year.

Love,

Alex

Algol Strikes Again

OK, maybe this time next year, I'll stay indoors!!

Algol on Mars/Sun midpoint (27 Taurus)!!!

Breast Ripper

So there I was, teaching the finer points of medieval torture to overly interested year 7s, when the subject of "breast ripping" came up. Now I've been watching the asteroid Vesta very carefully and was wondering what might happen as Vesta entered Cancer. So I took it as a sign of the times: breast ripping, when German MEN thought it a suitable punishment for women accused of adultery, inducing a miscarriage, heresy, blasphemy and/or witchcraft should have a nasty, claw-like torture device used to effectively shred their breast tissue. Yes well, Vesta in Cancer might very well relate to breasts and their symbols of womanhood. I made a mental note to look into women for whom "breasts" was an issue. I thought of women who might be strong advocates of breast feeding or central figures in the formula milk debates or women who might be over or under endowed in the breast department. . .

But back to breast ripping. . .

"Gosh," I thought, "I sure am glad I don't live in those times." And so I moved on to more pleasant subjects  . . .  like crocodile shears, for example (by the way, I'm only being facetious).

So as my enthusastic pupils hit their assessments, I had a rummage on the internet for the latest news.

And, lo and behold, Angelina Jolie had an elective double mastectomy as she carries a faulty gene and might develop breast cancer.

My first thought, as Ang features in my soon to be released book Growing Pains, was "hold on, she was a self harmer" followed by "she used to want to be an undertaker." Already familiar with her chart, particularly her Mars-Moon-Jupiter in Aries square to Saturn and opposite to Pluto, I waited for details for the date of her surgery so I could see just where Uranus was. And I wasn't disappointed: Uranus was exactly opposite her natal Pluto and both planets were in square aspect on the day (as they will be for the next few months). This triple conjunction was previously activated by transiting Jupiter during her self harming days. . .and all squared by Vesta on the day the mastectomy became public knowledge.

And now, with Vesta in Cancer, the shock of one of the most beautiful women in the world effectively deciding to eliminate the most prominent symbol of her femininity is attracting praise for her bravery. And she's announced she's bounced back (oh the irony) from such a radical surgery, is filming a new movie and has the utmost respect from the delectable Brad Pitt.

Whoa. . .head spin!

A perfectly healthy woman with the money to have the best possible preventative health care has chosen to have the best possible health care to remove perfectly healthy tissue and replace it with some sort of artifical enhancement because some day she might develop cancer. Well good luck to her but today I'm thinking of all the substantially poorer women who are going to take a shower one morning and find a lump, those who will become depressed because life has dealt them a shitty hand because they don't have the money for reconstruction and their idiot husbands walk out on them because the next door neighbour still has her tits. . .and then have some insenstive bastard in Parliament vote to refuse quality post operative care on the NHS because the most beautiful woman in the world bounced back without a tear after her double mastectomy.

I won't be so cynical to accuse Ang of attention seeking but I will say there seems to be a self destructive pattern in the behaviour (such as the tacky tattoos) that have a potent astrological connection.

So how about a few female names with Vesta in Cancer I hear you ask?

How about:

Marilyn Monroe

Madonna

Shakira

Jennifer Lopez

Rihanna

Helena Blavatsky

Bjork

Here's a bi wheel of Angelina and the day she had the surgery:

Oscar Pistorius

He amazed us with his determination to overcome severe physical disabilities. We couldn't take our eyes off of him during the Paralympics. If we were shaking our heads in wonder at his athleticism, we now we can't stop shaking our heads in disbelief.

Oscar Pistorius, aspiration for anyone who has ever been told they can't do something because they have a disability and all around inspiration for everyone has reportedly "descended into hell" and is on suicide watch after being charged with the murder of his lover. It sounded about as plausible to me as Bruce Jenner marrying the ex wife of OJ Simpson's lawyer. . .

I don't think astrology should ever or will ever be used to decide if anyone is a murderer (because we all have the potential to do horrible things) but as I am a creature of habit, I had to see his birth chart.

And my jaw dropped.

By star sign, Oscar is a Scorpio with his natal Moon in Leo. He needs secrecy and yet he craves attention. He needs control and yet he wants to be admired. Aquarius rises, with the traditional ruler, Saturn, in Sagittarius in the 10th and the modern ruler, Uranus also in Sagittarius but in the 11th. This is all about wanted to build a serious reputation but at the same time an I-will-do-it-my-way attitude. But what really grabbed my attention was Venus in Scorpio conjunct Pluto bang on the midheaven. Control freak extraordinaire! No wonder he lived in a gated community. Tangled up in this is also the ruler of the 5th, Mercury, also in Scorpio.

Now in astrology over the past few years, some of us astrologers have tried to view Saturn a little more sympathetically but I will say when the god of time who ate his children is transiting a stellium in Scorpio, it doesn’t look good. A descent into hell indeed! We are looking at a man whose soul is going to trouble him for eternity.

Although I am not going to be drawn into a did-he or didn’t-he debate, I wouldn’t want my Moon’s ruler (the Sun) conjunct my natal Mars (co ruler of the MC) in the 1st house on the morning of my hearing for premeditated murder.

Of course, I wish for a fair trial and if he is found guilty may he be punished soundly but I have a horrible feeling a spell in jail will be no match for what he will put himself through.

Where I've been. . .

Well, I've been a little busy. I know, I know. . .no excuse for neglecting my blog.

So these are my excuses. . .

Firstly--and this is more a boast than an excuse--my book "Growing Pains" will be out soon and it even has a front cover.
Just have a look to the left.

Yup, that's my baby with only a few more edits (I keep finding mistakes and adding things) to go. But it has a front cover I love and it sort of merges my career as a teacher and astrologer in 70,000 words.

Way back in September, just a few days before we were due to return to the classroom, my beloved turned to me and said: "Let's go check out this guy who thinks he has found an ancient alien skull!"

Oh boy, I thought, I can think of more useful things to do during the last few days of summer hols. but Nonetheless, I tagged along and was treated to a presentation by the really lovely Lloyd Pye and his Starchild presentation. What an eye-opening experience!

Next, over the summer I had my beloved trumpet, Wynton, fixed up and shined up so I could start playing in the South London Jazz Orchestra again. Well he shined up like, uh, a new penny. He looked so good that I just had to take him on a tour to Liverpool for a gig. And what a blast (geddit?) was had. We played at a beer festival on the Saturday and in a giant greenhouse on the Sunday.

It was such fun and the really cool thing is that we have been invited back again.

And there's more gigs to come.

Just before Christmas, the very same beloved who dragged me off to see Lloyd Pye, turned to me and said: "Let's go see the Nutcracker!"

This time I balked a bit more strenuously.

"Ballet!!" I scoffed. "Yuk!"

I save the details of my protestations but am I ever glad he persuaded me to go.

The music, the costumes, the dancing!! Halfway through the show, my face itched so I gave a quick scratch and realised the tickle were my tears. Yes I was moved!

Next, I went to Venice (yes Venice) for Christmas. It was spectacular and it was perfect: very few tourists, nice people and the weather wasn't too bad.

So, you see, I have been living out my Venus in Gemini and have kept busy doing the things I love to do.

Now can someone just tell me to get cracking on the FAS exam?

Please?

The Problem With Algol

I've been fascinated with the fixed star Algol for years (with thanks to the late, great Diana Rosenberg, RIP). But the problem with being so attracted to the symbol of such intense female energy is that it can be a little hard to ignore. And so I see its influences everywhere.

Now I do regard myself as being a person who does not want to be exclusively associated with any group. And this is pretty true on a political score too. The times I have felt I've stuck my neck out and committed myself to a cause or to support a particular person or to declare my beliefs have resulted in feeling very let down.

This has never been the case with Algol. The severed head of the Gorgon always has a story to tell. Nonetheless, lest I be tagged with the label of "Algol Alex" forever, I try to keep my big mouth quiet.

And so, when I wrote the previous post about Harry Arsehole, I did notice that the South Node was in retrograde motion at 0 Gemini and would very shortly pass over Algol. I knew there would be a better story.

Lo and behold on the 14th September 2012 as the South Node is bang on Algol. the whole world discovers that Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, has breasts. Shock! Horror! We speculate all we like about when and if she gets pregnant but we're not supposed to think she has breasts. Not to mention Britain is completely over-exposed to naked breasts--but offended by the sight of a mother breast feeding her baby--and women who get paid well to get them out (but of course these aren't "royal" breasts. . .)!

And right on cue, with "a face like thunder" Prince William is suing the socks off of the French magazine that published the photos of his wife's breasts. Meanwhile, most of the rest of the country has split into two camps

1) Those who were offended that the same country in which Diana died would also publish photos of a member of the Royal family unclothed

2) Those who scratched their heads and thought how on earth could such a famous person actually believe anywhere in the world is private enough to run around naked

Way back in May 2011, I pointed out that Prince William, like his mother Diana, was born with Venus conjunct Algol. William has the added bonus of having Chiron conjunct this point as well. Here's the bi-wheel to prove it:

When William came of age and was ready to marry, he placed his dead mother's engagement ring on the finger of his beloved and promised her she would not suffer the indignities his mother had suffered at the hands of the paparazzi. I thought this was rather creepy.

Well unfortunately, Wills and Kate seemed to have been lulled into a false sense of privacy, perhaps not to the same stupidity level as Harry but one has to wonder why the government won't send Harry to fight in Afghanistan but Wills would think it's OK to allow his wife to walk around in the buff on holiday. I would have thought there would be some understanding that tracking devices of a 3rd world military would be somewhat second rate to the high tech gadgets the paparazzi have access to in a 1st world country.

But I digress. . .here are the transits for the day. Note the South Node on Algol (27 Taurus):

Of the event a BBC correspondent reported:

"The prince had a "look of absolute thunder" on his face as they left Kuala Lumpur - a stop on their nine-day tour - to travel to Sabah in north Borneo. Kate, meanwhile, "looked composed and was smiling"."

To me this comment says it all.

William, it would seem to some, has completely gotten it all wrong. He seemed to have flubbed it when he OK'd it for Kate to flick off her bikini top so she wouldn't have ugly tan lines on her creamy shoulders. He totally misunderstood the skills of the paparazzi and the efficiency of the world wide web. To top it off, Kate doesn't really seem that bothered about it. That's a big ouch from Chiron conjunct Algol.

Here's my advice to the Royals:

Stay indoors with the curtains drawn. All the time. Only come out when you're needed for pomp and circumstance. If you choose to come out and play with the rest of us commoners then it only gives us the chance to find more and more reasons why, big fat pay packet aside (courtesy of the very same commoners), you're no different to us.

A petrifying thought, eh Wills?

Harry Arsehole

Well, when Mars enters Scorpio, we always expect some sort of sexual innuendo. We've had Pussy Riot and now we have a Royal's hairy arsehole and barely covered crown jewels on the front page of the Sun. Turn the front page over and some desperate girl's tits will be poking your eye out. And guess what else? Today the Sun and Neptune are in opposition! Such a scandal! Happy Hangover Harry (or is that Henry?)!!

To celebrate scandals, here's a very special Mars' Ingress into Scorpio with a touch of Neptune joke for cheeky (geddit?) chappies everywhere:
It's the spring of 1957 and Bobby goes to pick up his date.

He's a pretty hip guy with his own car. When he goes to the front door, the girl father answers and invites him in.
"Carrie's not ready yet, so sit down for a mo?" he says. "That's really cool,” says Bobby.
Carrie's father asks Bobby what they are planning to do. Bobby replies politely that they may go to the soda shop or a movie.
Carrie's father responds, "Why don't you two go out and screw? I hear all the kids are doing it." Naturally this comes as quite a surprise to Bobby, so he asks Carrie's Dad to repeat it.
"Yeah," says Carrie's father, "Carrie really likes to screw, she'll screw all night if she gets a chance!"
Well this made Bobby's eyes light up, and he immediately revised his plans for the evening. A few minutes later, Carrie comes downstairs in her little poodle skirt and announces that she's ready to go. Almost breathless with anticipation, Bobby escorts his date out of the front door.
About 20 minutes later, a thoroughly disheveled Carrie rushes back into the house, slams the door behind her, and screams at her father,"DAMMIT DADDY! THE TWIST!! IT'S CALLED THE TWIST!!!!"

Free Pussy Riot!!

Just as Jupiter is conjunct Vesta in Gemini, three members of the punk band "Pussy Riot" have been  found guilty of "hooliganism". Back in February, they had been accused of being motivated by religious hatred for imploring the Virgin Mary to get rid of President Vladamir Putin in a Russion church.

A few months ago, I had written about the newly reclassified planet, Vesta here. I had associated Vesta with female power and in particular virginity. We are only just starting to comprehend how Vesta can manifest in our charts so incidents like the Pussy Riot case can aid our understanding.

Jupiter, of course, describes our religious views, our quest for freedom and our political stance. Along with the loaded sexual innuendo of their band name, Vesta brings an element of "girl power" to the cosmic mix. The women of the group have been campaigning for women's rights, political freedom and reformation of the political system.

At the announcement of their guilt, Saturn and Mars in Libra make an uncomfortable sesquiquadrate aspect to Jupiter and Vesta. In her book, "The Eagle and the Lark," Bernadette Brady describes the sesquiquadrate aspect as "frustration of action that eventually leads to a delayed achievement". Pussy Riot have had support from several big names in the music world and I think I can safely predict we have not heard the last of these strong young women! 

Today I also found out my Australian astro buddy Jessica Adams will feature my article on Vesta on The Astrology Show! And just when I was about to re-adjust my Solar Fire settings so Vesta was no longer in the charts I was calculating. I think I'll leave things alone for awhile. . .

Go Vesta!

Perceptions

Heart of the Ocean

People often ask me what I do with astrology if I refuse to write star sign columns (as if there wasn’t anything else to do with astrology!). I usually tell them I write articles, I edit the Quarterly, I see clients, I educate. But I often forget to say that I love to look for patterns between people and events. In particular, I like to see how an actor can tap into the personality of a real life character or to see the synastry between actors.

Inspired by a spontaneous visit to Westfield shopping centre and impulsively buying a ticket to see Titanic in 3D, I can indulge in my passion.

Of course, it has been noted long ago that the movie was made a full Uranus cycle following the real tragedy of the Titanic. The re-release of the film in 3D was a Uranus sextile following the original release. Clever stuff, Uranus.

We hear so much about Kate and Leonardo in Titanic that the real star of the show, Gloria Stuart is overlooked.

In case the name isn’t familiar, Gloria played Rose as an old woman. It is her story, her romantic liaison with a poor boy from a different social class to hers that we are listening to when we watch the film. Gloria was a classic actress of the silver screen. Born 4 July 1910, she was of the right age and physical beauty to be involved in the so called Golden age of Hollywood. From 1932-1946, she acted in some 46 films before retiring from the acting. Between 1946 and 1982, she pursued other interests including screen printing and bonsai art. Yes, bonsai art! Titanic came along in 1996 (released at the end of 1997) when Gloria was 87 years old, an age when a lot of folks tend to believe their best days are behind them. Jupiter was transiting her natal Uranus as Titanic was being filmed so she was quite in the mood to turn convention on its ear.

Gloria took the part of Rose with relish. Her eyes sparkle when she talks about her life as a young woman in love with Jack Dawson. When we see Kate Winslet portraying Rose as a young woman, there is no trouble believing they are the same character at different stages in their lives.

So let’s look at the charts.

Gloria’s chart shows a stellium in Gemini, a pretty good significator for someone who has been an actress, artists and bonsai aficionado. This stellium also makes a good story teller and with Mercury conjunct Pluto, there is something mesmerising about her delivery. Indeed, in the film, everyone listens to every word she says.

Remarkably, Kate (5 Oct 1974, 7:17, reading UK) has her Mars conjunct Gloria’s Pluto/Mercury. Remember, Gloria talks and Kate acts. Poor Kate was the one who had to stand in ice cold water up to her neck for days at a time. But she did get to snog Leonardo (so I guess it also balances itself out). Kate acts the sexual elements of Rose’s memories. Gloria’s Sun is also on Kate’s MC: both woman are like binary stars of the show. It’s also apt that they have a nodal connection with Kate’s North Node on Gloria’s South Node and vice versa. Destiny anyone?

The other character that fascinated me was the “Unsinkable Molly Brown” played by the divine Kathy Bates (28 June 1948, 11:12, Memphis Tennessee). Kathy defies convention. In the right makeup and with the right lighting, she is a passably attractive woman. But one can’t get away from the fact that she is just not the Barbie doll type. She’s a real woman—and thank the great goddess for her all natural Virgo rising with Mars in conjunction to her ascendant. Mars forms part of grand cross with Uranus conjunct her MC, the Moon in Pisces conjunct her descendant and Jupiter in Sagittarius conjunct her IC. This is sheer determination to overcome obstacles in her path.

We don’t have Molly Brown’s time of birth but from the noon chart, we can see that she too has a grand cross but in fixed signs. It was this character that stood up in the lifeboat as the screams of the dying could be heard and said: “I don’t know what’s wrong with any of you! That’s your men out there!” In real life, Molly did persuade her lifeboat to go back to help. (Below is a photo of her receiving an award for her bravery from the captain of the ship that rescued the survivors from their lifeboats).

Molly’s Chiron in Pisces is exactly conjunct Kathy’s Moon. Kathy has an understanding of Molly’s pain and she taps into the emotions of her real life character. Kathy’s Chiron is conjunct Molly’s Saturn in Scorpio which in turns triggers the grand cross in fixed signs. There is an understanding between these two that life is not going to be easy or uncomplicated. In the movie, Molly was disregarded as “new money” but re-watching the film, I think one is never convinced the character is particularly bothered about this.

The real Molly Brown always wanted to marry rich. However, she married JJ Brown for love. He became a rich man due to his engineering efforts and so, in the end she got her rich man. Although the couple separated, Molly used her fame as a Titanic survivor to promote the causes close to heart: the rights of workers and women, education and literacy for children, historic preservation, and commemoration of the bravery and chivalry displayed by the men aboard the Titanic. Kathy’s Pluto/Saturn conjunction on Molly’s Mercury gives Molly Brown a voice so many years after his death.

But I suppose the big story is Kate and Leo. The best way to get the details out is to use a tri wheel with Kate and Leonardo (11 November 1974, 2:47 Los Angeles CA) and the sinking of the Titanic. After all, that is the real story and, as they were both going through a Uranus square during filming, the movie changed their lives.

The movie starts off with the ship leaving Southampton. In real life, this was on 10 April 1912 at about 12:15. Aries and the North Node are in the 9th house and so describe the voyage of the Titanic itself. Aries is impulsive and in a hurry. Translated to Titanic speak and it’s “full speed ahead” and straight into an iceberg a few nights later. Both Kate and Leo have Chiron conjunct the Sun of the voyage. They are re-enacting the terrible pain of this tragedy. Additionally both actors have Mercury/Uranus contacts to the Mercury of the voyage. They are the means for telling the story to an audience that may be unfamiliar with the human suffering of the event. Interestingly, Celine “My Heart Goes On” Dion has her North Node at 19 degrees Aries, conjunct the Sun of the voyage.

The Venus of the voyage is square to Gloria’s Pluto/Mercury conjunction and, as she was born just under two years before the Titanic set off, her Neptune and Pluto are the same as the Titanic’s. Although Kate and Leonardo were the best known actors of the film, I think the Heart of the Ocean belongs to Gloria Stuart.



Whitney

Whitney Houston’s slow slide into oblivion was hardly a shock despite the media hype surrounding her death. The actress/singer had been a known hard drug user for over a decade and her gaunt, spaced-out appearance regularly made the evening news.

Whitney began her brilliant career at around the time transit Jupiter crossed over her ascendant at the age of 11 when she sang in her local gospel choir with her mother Cissy. Her first solo performance was entitled “Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah,” a suitable choice for Jupiter in Pisces. Whitney’s mother, like her cousin Dianne Warwick and godmother Aretha Franklin, had already made her name in the Music industry. Whitney was pure music pedigree and it wasn’t long before her crystal clear voice attracted attention.

Towards the end of 1976, transit Saturn made a series of three contacts by conjunction to her natal Sun in Leo in the 6th house. Saturn demands hard work and this contact heralded Whitney’s first taste of the discipline required in the music industry. Her skills as a back-up singer eventually led to an offer of a recording contract. At 14, Cissy felt her daughter should finish her education and declined the offer. A year later, at 15, Whitney was backing up the well established Chaka Khan on the track, “I’m Every Woman,” a song she would make her own in 1992 a half Saturn cycle later.

Between 1978 and 1983, Whitney worked as a fashion model and became the first Black woman to appear on the front cover of Seventeen magazine. In 1983, she was signed to Arista records and released her debut album, Whitney Houston, in February 1985 just before Jupiter transited her natal Sun by conjunction. Although other singles from the album were released before it, the track “How Will I know?” shattered the MTV video scene and catapulted Whitney into what had been an all white market. In January 1986, transit Jupiter was conjunct her natal Saturn. After a slow start, Whitney’s debut album had secured its place in music history. The album topped the Billboard 200 chart and stayed at the top for 14 weeks. “The Greatest Love of All” was the final tracked released. As they say, the best is kept for last. This track made her the first female to have 3 number 1 hits. The video was released in April 1986 and featured Whitney’s mother Cissy a complete Jupiter return after Whitney’s solo debut, “Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah,” again a fitting tribute to Jupiter in Pisces transiting her ascendant. Later that year, she won her first Grammy for “Saving All My Love For You,” which she performed at the awards show. She would eventually win 7 American Music Awards.

From the beginning of 1987, transiting Saturn made a series of three conjunctions to Whitney’s MC. It is often difficult to replicate such high success and indeed Whitney’s follow up album endured criticism for being too much like her debut. Still, she won a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and several other awards.

In the late 1980s, Whitney was involved with several charitable campaigns and joined with other celebrities to wish Nelson Mandela a happy 70th birthday. But the support from the Black community that had helped her reach the top of her game had started to wane. In April 1989, as Jupiter squared her ascendant, then later Mercury, Pluto and Chiron, she was jeered at an awards show for “selling out” as a Black performer. We can hear the echo of Saturn’s influences when she said: “If you're gonna have a long career, there's a certain way to do it, and I did it that way. I'm not ashamed of it.” This show was also where she met fellow singer, Bobby Brown, the bad boy of the pop world who had been kicked out of his band “New Edition” for poor behaviour.

Whitney’s 3rd album was released in November 1990, just after Saturn had made a series of three conjunctions to her South Node in Capricorn. The album was credited for having a more urban feel though this was equally criticised for being superficial. Later this year, as Jupiter was in the middle of a series of 3 hits to her natal Venus and as her romance with Bobby Brown was heating up, she sang the Star Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl XXV. Whitney became the first person in history to turn a patriotic anthem into a pop hit.

Whitney’s descendant is in Virgo with Uranus, Mercury and Pluto in conjunction to it. As she recited her marriage vows with Bobby on 18 July 1992, Jupiter had made its final conjunction to her descendant and the planets conjunct to it. Although it is unfair to blame Bobby for Whitney’s downfall, the astrological significance of the opportunism associated with Jupiter’s transits is hard to look at. Bobby’s Saturn is conjunct Whitney’s Jupiter/Moon in Aries. For the rest of her life, his short comings would taint her successes.

Transit Saturn was also in the middle of 3 oppositions to her natal Sun. Arguably, this was the biggest year of her life. In November 1992, a Jupiter was conjunct her Mars in Libra, the film, The Bodyguard, was released to much commercial success. Whilst Whitney was singing “Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah” in 1974, Dolly Parton had released “I Will Always Love You” in the country/western scene. Dolly’s Neptune in Libra is conjunct Whitney’s Mars in Libra and so with Jupiter transiting this point, it is no surprise Whitney’s rendition of the song put both women into the spotlight.

In 2000, as Jupiter and Saturn were both in conjunction in Taurus, the two planets made a series of squares to Whitney’s natal Saturn. During this time, she and Bobby were caught with cannabis in their luggage and shortly after, Whitney was fired from her performance spot at the Academy Awards. Her erratic behaviour was a sad giveaway of her addiction and not even her protests that “Crack is whack” could persuade her fans that all was well.

Data

Whitney Houston: 9 August 1963, 20:55, Newark NK

Death: 11 February 2012, 15:55, LA

Bobby Brown: 5 Feb 1969, 5:21, Boston, Mass

Dolly Parton: 19 Jan 1946, 20:25, Locust Ridge, KT

Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Virgins. . .

In Honour of Mars in Virgo. . .

The NASA spacecraft Dawn entered the asteroid Vesta’s orbit on 16 July 2011. The brightest asteroid visible from earth, Vesta is the second largest object in the asteroid belt although once her neighbour Pallas is explored, this ranking may change.

Vesta was discovered by Heinrich Willhelm Olbers on 29 March 1807. Just a few years earlier, Olbers had also discovered Pallas. “Coincidentally,” as astronomers like to say, Pallas, Ceres and Vesta were discovered in the constellation of Virgo and along with Juno, were all discovered within a decade. As the word “asteroid” had not yet been invented, these celestial objects were referred to as planets in their own right in the literature of that time.

Because Olbers had already named Pallas, he bequeathed the honour of naming the newly discovered object to Carl Freidrich Gauss who promptly named the planet after the Roman goddess of hearth and home. For several years, she was known as 4 Vesta because she was the fourth object discovered in what we now know as the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Mythologically, Vesta was the daughter of Cronus and Rhea, the last child born before her brother Zeus embarked on his rebellious streak and disembowelled his father in order to free his siblings from his father’s stomach. Vesta refused to marry and chose instead to remain a virgin.

Vesta’s importance was so great that she was seen as a symbol of earth, the place that made life possible. According to the poet Ovid: "Vesta is the Earth itself, both have the perennial fire, the Earth and the sacred Fire show their see."

To the Greeks, fire was sacred and every city had a hearth dedicated to the goddess Vesta. If a Greek was to visit a foreign land, he or she would bring some of the embers of their home fire with them. When women married, they took some of the embers of their mother’s fire to their new home.

Although the Greeks called the women who kept the fires “virgins” it is clear they participated in sexual rituals and so were not virgins in our sense of the word. They were unmarried and belonged to no man and so were free to spread the fire of passion.

To an extent, the Romans had a similar view—with a crucial difference. They too kept a sacred fire and appointed six beautiful and noble maidens to serve as vestal virgins whose duties were simply to remain virgins—in our sense of the word—until they had served thirty years of keeping the home fires burning. If the fire went out, they were whipped. If they lost their virginity, they were entombed alive. After they served their thirty years, they were free to marry but many simply chose to enjoy the luxury of being one the most respected women in the city—and one of the few women who could actually own property.

Marie Stopes, one of Britiain’s greatest campaigners for women’s rights and a pioneer in the field of birth control was born with Vesta conjunct her North Node in Capricorn. She had written a sex manual entitled “Married Love” which she claimed to have written when she was still a virgin. She opened the UK’s first family planning clinic on 17 March 1921 in London, just as Vesta in Pisces was in opposition to Saturn in Virgo. Stopes, in her book, Radiant Motherhood, argued in favour of the eugenics programme which called for the sterilisation of anyone unfit for parenthood.

Queen Elizabeth I, known as “The Virgin Queen” had no children and although it might be disputed that she was an actual virgin, used her status as a virgin to her political advantageHer reputation as a virgin inspired a cult of virginity and exalted her to a goddess-like status. She was born with Vesta in Gemini opposing Jupiter in Sagittarius.

Britney Spears was a pop star who capitalised on her status as a virgin early in her career. She was born with Vesta conjunct her natal Uranus in Sagittarius.

Whilst it’s always nice to find astrology signatures that match the Vesta theme, it is even more satisfying when the scientists sing from the same cosmic hymnbook. NASA scientists have recently discovered that Vesta shares crucial similarities to earth.

Dawn’s data shows that roughly half of Vesta is expected to be so cold and to receive so little sunlight that water ice could have survived there for billions of years. The data collected from Dawn is seen as crucial to understanding how our solar system was formed. Scientists have now surmised that due to the tilt of the asteroid on its axis—similar to the earth’s— Vesta has variable seasons just like the earth.

"On average, it's colder at Vesta's poles than near its equator, so in that sense, they are good places to sustain water ice," says Timothy Stubbs of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. "But they also see sunlight for long periods of time during the summer seasons, which isn't so good for sustaining ice. So if water ice exists in those regions, it may be buried beneath a relatively deep layer of dry regolith."

Although the asteroid Vesta is extremely unlikely to be able to sustain life, it is amazing that it has patterns on its surface that are so familiar to us earth dwellers. The Dawn cameras have captured what appears to be the shape of a snowman on its surface: