2008 January : Big Sky AstroBlog

Jan

29

Join me for a Virtual Book Launch Party
to celebrate the release of my book
“Star Guide to Weddings!”

On Friday, February 1, between 10:15 am and 12:15 pm PST (that’s 1:15 pm - 3:15 pm EST) drop by for a slice of virtual cake (breakfast of champions) and leave your festive comments on the Virtual Book Party entry that I’ll post that morning. The first five folks to leave comments on that entry (comments will be moderated, ‘cuz I ain’t giving books to people who insult me) will win a free copy of le book, signed by moi and everything. Très bon, oui?

# # #

As you may have gathered from my relentless allusions to the same, my book Star Guide to Weddings is coming out on Friday. It’s been a long, weird road to reach this point (I submitted the initial proposal in August 2006), and it’s a bit unreal to finally be so close to publishing my first book.

Especially this book. I never planned to write a book at all, but if I had, I’d probably have aimed for a Serious Astrology Book with graphs and charts and a foot-long bibliography and all that. But somehow, I ended up writing this sweet little cupcake of a book instead. As my friend Pete (who is putting the finishing touches on his Serious Astrology Book about the Beatles, which based on what I’ve seen is going to kick major ass) commented, “How can a book possibly look like a cupcake? I am intrigued and slightly concerned.”

But it is just that… a confection. It’s cute and sort of small and sweet; Steven Forrest characterized it as “a gentle book,” and then we both laughed at the disparity between the writer in my chart (blunt, feisty, and a little caustic) and the one that shows up in the pages of this kindly little book.

The title notwithstanding, I actually wrote it for everyone who is, has been, or wants to be married. I think it will appeal to folks who have been married for thirty years as much as to newlyweds or couples planning their wedding. It may even appeal to me, when I get the chance to sit and read it without stressing about finding the goofs and gaffs.

# # #

Interested in reviewing the book for print or online
publication, and/or interviewing fascinating moi?
Drop a line and I’ll hook you up.

January 29, 2008 | 6 Comments

Jan

20

Help astrologer Bill Herbst Just found out today, via the ISAR e-newsletter, that astrologer, writer, and all around great guy Bill Herbst has suffered a debilitating stroke. According to his website, things have been damn rough. Bill has set up a recovery fund to help defray the nightmarish medical expenses while he gets back on his feet; I hope those of you who have appreciated Bill’s contribution to astrology over the years can kick some help his way, if you’ve got a little extra cash.

Don’t get me started on the sorry state of health care in this country. If like Bill (and many, many other astrologers) you dare to pursue the American ideal of self-employment, lots of luck getting individual health insurance. Especially if you’re over the age of 50 and/or have any preexisting conditions or are five or ten pounds overweight. Before my husband took his present job (with full benefits) our bare-bones, catastrophic-coverage health insurance cost us $300 per month. We switched to that when the policy we had through the City of San Diego (as business owners) more than doubled, skyrocketing to $1200 per month.

Last year another friend of mine - fully insured through her employer, mind you! - had to declare bankruptcy and move in with her mother after her husband’s cancer-related medical expenses wiped them out.

Anyway. Please help Herbst, if you can. Guys like him are astrology’s treasure.

January 20, 2008 | 4 Comments

Jan

16

Random announcements and shameless hucksterism!

- I’ve posted a new/old article on the timeless subject of choosing wedding dates with astrology. The article originally appeared in the Llewellyn Moon Sign book approximately a hundred years ago, and I’m publishing it on the site now because my contract says I can. Here ’tis…

- To my burgeoning arsenal of personal astrology reports for sale, I’ve added the Simpatico relationship report with text by Bernie Ashman. (Despite the catchy title, it’s not written in Spanish - not that there’s anything wrong with that). I like Ashman’s writing, and this is one of the few reports out there that gives a delineation of the composite chart (for the uninitiated: the composite chart is a third chart derived from combining two natal charts. Yes, it’s two, two, two charts in one!). More and more I find I don’t have the patience for synastry (for the still uninitiated - who are by now wondering why they ever read my boring-ass blog at all - synastry refers to comparing one person’s planetary placements with those of another person), but I always refer to the composite chart when I’m choosing wedding dates and the like. It’s a neat way to look at a relationship - as a separate, almost palpable entity with its own chart. It’s alive!

- My book’s coming out in a couple of weeks and I’m planning a virtual launch party and various other nakedly desperate promotional gestures. Stay (breathlessly) tuned for details!

- Finally - eclipse season is nigh upon us (February 7 and 20), so think about grabbing a copy of my Moonshadow Eclipse Report to help you ride the waves.

January 16, 2008 | 2 Comments

Jan

8

sensitive Cancer guy I remember my dreams infrequently, and they’re seldom populated by the rich, famous, or good looking. That’s why I get a kick out of it when, say, a Zach Braff or an Adrian Grenier stumbles into my nocturnal Second Life.

Mr. Grenier, to the uninitiated, is the handsome young star of HBO’s series “Entourage” (in which he convincingly portrays… a handsome young star) and guest star of “The Devil Wears Prada.” Last night he made a surprise cameo in a dream in which I was hosting a rather miserable party. It seems my brother (who in real life never comes to any of my parties, but then neither does Adrian Grenier - the bastard) had invited a bunch of his buddies to my bash, and they not only showed up well in advance of him but also polished off all the beer. Just as the last brewskie was popped open, my buddy Adrian arrives. Apparently he and I have such a warm, affectionate relationship that not only do I feel perfectly comfortable sending him out for beer, HE CHEERFULLY AGREES to the errand. Dreams rule!

Now if I were 15 years younger and Adrian Grenier had a walk-on part in one of my dreams, I hope I’d be putting him to work doing something a little racier than running to 7-11 for beer. But even in dreamland, when you’re an overwhelmed, tired, middle-aged woman with too many guests and too little grog, the likes of Adrian Grenier are little more than a pair of (presumably gorgeous) helping hands and a willing set of car keys.

Isn’t it fun to imagine our dreams are cast with celebrities who perfectly embody the transits and progressions moving through our charts? I’m not (much) given to magical thinking, but I like to believe something in my unconscious perceives the astrological matrix of a celebrity even when my waking mind has not given them a second thought. For instance, I’ve watched nearly every episode of “Entourage”, big old HBO whore that I am, and I enjoy the Grenier vibe - he seems like a guy who honestly likes women. Sure enough, a quick glance at Mr. Grenier’s natal planets reveals the Sun (conjunct Venus) at 18+ degrees of woman-loving Cancer - just a tad off an opposition to today’s New Moon in Capricorn at 17.33 Capricorn.

Thank you, Mr. Grenier, for your deft portrayal of the antidote to this New Moon (which happens to fall within shouting distance of my natal second-house Saturn in the 2nd house - can you say “scarcity complex”?). Trying to provide for the entertainment needs of scores of people but running short on the necessaries, like booze? Just ask for assistance from a young, sweet, straight-but-honestly-likes-women sensitive guy. And make it domestic beer, Adrian. Unless you’re buying.

January 8, 2008 | 6 Comments

keep looking »

Sign of Leo

Moon sextiles Mercury at
4:20 pm on Jul.5, 2008

Moon opposes Neptune at
5:22 pm on Jul.5, 2008

Moon trines Pluto at
3:05 am on Jul.6, 2008

Moon goes void of course at
3:05 am on Jul.6, 2008

Moon enters Virgo at
4:04 am on Jul.6, 2008

Moon conjuncts Mars at
9:19 am on Jul.6, 2008