Big Sky AstroBlog

Jun

23

In honor of yesterday’s New Moon in Cancer (12:35 p.m. PDT), I’ve posted a new essay:

When you decide at this New Moon to spend quality time with your heart (and with the Sun and Moon opposed Pluto, you probably will)… it will be the unpleasant stockpile of emotional refuse that you feel compelled to tackle. The old grudges, the ancient hurts and embarrassments, the terrifying vulnerabilities that you’ve lived with for years because you just couldn’t face them, because they are heartbreaking, demoralizing - or in some strange way, giving your life purpose. So what will you let go of, this New Moon season? Whom should you forgive, and what are the lessons you should choose never to forget? ….. (read the full article)

June 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Jun

20

I discovered his music in 1982. I was working for a local newspaper group in Orange County, and one day on my lunch hour I wandered into a record store (remember those?) and this delicious pop music was playing. I immediately asked the clerk what it was, bought the album, and fell deeply in love. For the next several years of my life - the pivotal, heartbreaking, occasionally thrilling years of my early twenties - that album was in constant rotation on the soundtrack of my life.

I last saw him play live in 1985. I have an indelible memory of my sister driving us to the show and of the precise place on the northbound 5 where she told me she was getting married. She and her husband have just celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary and have two sons who are taller than I am; it’s been awhile.

When I heard he’d be playing a solo gig just a few blocks from our house, I naturally bought tickets. I didn’t expect much; maybe just to hear a few old favorites. The place was packed with middle-aged ex-hipsters in funny hats. “God, look how old everyone is!” I remarked to my husband before remembering that I’m not so young myself, though of course whenever I hear this man’s music my mind tricks me into thinking I’m about 27 years younger. I’ve remained a fan over the years, but I haven’t followed his career closely. His music remained fossilized in the amber of my early 20s along with my weird 1980s haircuts and shoes.

So I was surprised, when he stepped out onto the stage, at how my heart leaped awake and gave a little cry of joy - it was like seeing an old boyfriend after many, many years and being happy that you’ve both moved on and done so well. And I was excited to find that I loved his new music as much as the old, that it was like getting a gift of new old favorites.

After the show my friend and I stopped by to have a CD autographed. Our old hero looked up at us and paused for a moment, Sharpie suspended in midair, and cocked his head. “Do I know you? You look familiar.” And of course when you’ve listened to someone’s music for more than half your life, part of you would not be at all surprised to find that they do know you, that somehow you’ve been humming along in the background of their life for years, just as they have been in yours. In fact, it’s always a bit of a shock when you meet famous people and they don’t know you.

The current conjunction of transiting Jupiter and Neptune in Aquarius - the sign that’s naturally connected with the 11th house, which my friend Neeti recently referred to as the house of tribe - is just inches from my natal South Node. Many astrologers identify the South Node as the repository of past life connections and memories. I don’t know whether I believe in past lives, but I believe in tribes, and that we know the members of our own the moment we set eyes on them; we hardly have to be introduced. I like to think that’s why Marshall Crenshaw recognized us - we’re from the same tribe of singers, guitar players, and word-mad songsmiths in jaunty hats.

June 20, 2009 | 2 Comments

Jun

16

Most professional astrologers have run across people who are not just skeptical of astrology, but who have a real axe to grind against astrologers. Apparently, we are money-hungry grifters who amass huge piles of dough from the gullible saps who seek our useless guidance.

Yep, they’re on to us - we’re only in it for the money:

Follow linky for more.

June 16, 2009 | 5 Comments

Jun

12

When my friend, astrologer Fern Feto Spring (calm, wise, and soulful voice of Wisestars.net) told me she’d nominated me for a Lemmy award, I didn’t know what the heck she was talking about. Then my stats log turned up a nomination from the awesome Joyce Mason (I had no idea she even knew I existed), and then Urania of Urania’s 9th House, one of my earliest astroblogging buddies, honored me with a nod. And now Jessica of Moonkissd (whose ebullient style clicked with me from the first moment I found her blog) has included me on her list!

Well, goodness. Everyone likes an award, and as a Leo I probably like them better than most - so thank you, ladies, for the kind recognition. I don’t exactly know how all this Lemmy business got started, but apparently the idea is to honor blogs with a good attitude (mine? REALLY?) - as in, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Here are the rules:

Put the logo on your blog or post.
Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude.
Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
Nominate your favorites and link to this post.

I certainly don’t want to be a poor sport, but this assignment poses certain perplexing quandaries. For one, many of the blogs I like best have a bad attitude (though I suppose it’s the tartness of lemonade that makes it so refreshing). And also, this kind of thing can quickly devolve into the sort of popularity contest we all loathed in high school, leading inevitably to a miasma of bruised feelings, the gnashing of teeth, rending of garments, etc.

Then, too, I have a confession to make: I don’t read a lot of astrology blogs these days. This has nothing to do with a dearth of great blogs; quite the contrary. It’s just that I found in reading everyone else’s take on things, I no longer knew what I thought, and I was paralyzed trying to come up with something that hadn’t been covered - usually better - by a dozen other bloggers by the time I got around to it.

But I do sneak in a few (and have found at least one new favorite, Lucy Looking Upward, from Jessica’s list), so I will take this opportunity to honor the last ten astrology blogs in my browser history (the sincerest - and most diplomatic - form of flattery?). Please note that I’ve omitted the bloggers who’ve nominated me from this list, in favor of pimping them in my opening paragraph. They really are among my favorites, and I notice some folks are nominating those who nominated them; but I wanted this post to include as many blogs as possible! Nevertheless, consider yourselves hugged, thanked, and sneakily nominated in return, ladies. (For a more comprehensive list of blogs I enjoy, see my blogroll and visit every dang one. I don’t add just anyone, ya know!)

Sasstrology - Jeff Kishner is my cranky astroblog soul brother and I’m sad that he no longer has the time to blog as often as he used to. But then, who am I to talk? Still, he fills his clever Sasstrology site with so many kick-ass writers - Matthew, Fern - that it’s still one of my favorite bookmarks.

Astrological Musings at Beliefnet - Lynn Hayes is a treasure. I don’t know of anyone who has a bad word to say about her. She’s generous, she’s prolific, she covers all the big stories immediately and with a solid astrological angle. Much love for Lynn.

Dana’s MoonBlog at Mooncircles - Dana Gerhardt is my home girl, my sometime collaborator, and my perennial inspiration. After years of writing articles for TMA and extended essays for Mooncircles, she’s recently taken to blogging like the proverbial fish to water. Her posts are pitch-perfect little gems about motherhood, womanhood, and the baffling times in which we live.

New Moon Journal - Michele Lessirard’s blog is a richly creative stew of astrology, shamanism, personal anecdotes, and beautiful artwork. So many of us write about the New and Full Moons that it’s hard to come up with a fresh angle, but Michelle gives me something new about these lunations every single time.

Gryphon Astrology Blog - Nina Gryphon writes mostly about horary astrology, which I find fascinating although personally I can’t get the hang of it. Nina sets forth her process in a sensible, logical fashion that makes it all seem deceptively simple. Plus, she gets bonus points for the sheer prettiness of her blog.

Elsa, dear Elsa - There’s a good reason Elsa is on everyone’s blogroll and is one of our most beloved bloggers - she has a distinctive voice, a rapier wit, and a big heart. Plus, she’s been known to get scratchy when idiots start giving her grief - and that’s one of the things I like best about her.

Molly’s Blog at About.com - After the departure from About.com of Dr. Z, the unenviable task of filling his estimable shoes as astrologer-on-call fell to Molly Hall. And while we still miss the Zodiac Master, Molly has done a really fabulous job in her own right, covering astrology from every angle for a site with a broad and complex readership.

Matthew the Astrologer - No one in astrology (and not many outside of it) is as funny as Matthew. No one. He is zany and irreverent and can really write. Give it up for our astroblogger cousin from the frozen Canadian tundra.

Astro-Pol - My fellow San Diego astrologer Terry Lamb has one of the sharpest astrological minds around and is a damn fine political analyst as well. Her political blog is among my favorites.

Living Constellation - Dave Mockaitis is a collage artist and astrologer who offers solid astrology and some really intriguing pictorial interpretations of the Sabian Symbols. I forget how I even stumbled across his blog, but these days it’s one of my favorites.

June 12, 2009 | 3 Comments

Sign of Sagittarius

Moon squares Saturn at
4:44 pm on Jul.4, 2009

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