#sometimes if people continue in an unexpected way ( especially as memes tend to have a less specific setting ) that i don't really vibe

[cptnpike-a]

am i the odd one, or you guys?   cause a lot of times i see people apologizing for taking a while to reply to memes, and i’m always like ???    and maybe that’s cause i have a terrible short term memory, but i always forget whom i have sent memes to / when i did.

and i personally see the memes i received as...   suggestions and reply to them as i want / as i please, if i have ideas?    i delete them sometimes if i don’t see where to go with this / i don’t feel like writing what is there.

yes, memes have become a lot more important than starters in the past few years, there has been a shift in the way a lot of people write, i think.    but i still tend to value drafts / plotted starters more, and see memes as something...   almost personal sometimes.    cause i know a lot of people won’t continue the memes (and even if they do...    i don’t feel as obligated to reply to that as i do to a proper thread, as there was no binding contract saying this was a thread that was going to continue).    while i love people continuing memes, and i encourage them, like, in my mind, its not a proper real thing yet.

does this make sense???    

[silentfcknhill]

FAVORITE SHOWS IN POSTERS

Well, we’re back for another installment of this tagged meme, this time for TV shows! I also stole this from/was indirectly tagged by @jcmorrigan. My taste in shows also differs a bit from my taste in movies, as I tend to like a lot of comedy shows with not as many horror ones. I’m not into shows as much as movies overall, but there are some that I am very passionate about so I picked twenty again. So, here we go for part 2, in order:

1. Avatar: The Last Airbender/The Legend Of Korra (2005-2014)

I'm including these as one show since they take place in the same universe and tell a continuation of the same overall plot. Altogether this is probably the best piece of media to ever exist, including movies. It has so many great characters and villains especially and some of the most epic sequences, charming humor and heartwarming moments ever. I've never met a person who didn't like these shows, even people who normally don't like cartoons. My dad, who is biased against animation? He loved it. My mother? She loved it, watched it with her multiple times. My grandmother? Loved it. My ex-boyfriend? Loved it. My best friend? Loved it. I dare anyone not to, and I'm so glad it's making a resurgence since it's on Netflix for a new generation to enjoy.

2. Black Butler (2008-2014)

I never was big into anime growing up and only really started watching anime when I was like 16 and above, but this is one of the exceptions because holy shit is it ever dark and epic. I'm not sure I'd really recommend it for kids, it's more of a teens and young adults kind of anime and that's probably why it's so good, because it isn't afraid to explore dark and mature topics and do it with all of the intensity and gravitas required to do said topics justice. It has lots of great characters, and the story of demons who make deals with children who have a dark side is fun to watch play out.

3. Seinfeld (1989-1998)

My dad was a huge fan of this show so I watched it growing up since I was a toddler and it became a classic for me. I've watched thw hole show through at least 8 times, and I'll never stop because it never gets old or boring. It's also my only comfort show when I'm having a panic attack because of one time a few years ago when I was having a drug-induced psychosis episode and watching it calmed me down, so now it's like the opposite of a trigger and whenever I'm having an episode or something I watch it to bring me back to reality. For that reason it's more than a show to me, it's a medical treatment and I'm forever grateful to it.

4. The Good Place (2016-2020)

The big four shows made my Michael Schur all made it on this post (The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Office and Parks And Recreation), either in the main list of the honorable mentions, but this is my personal favorite of the four. It's so funny, quirky, relatable and basically tailor-made to suit my interests. Not only is it an entertaining and wholesome show, but I think watching it helped me come to terms with a lot of things like mortality, ethics, philosophy, religion and my relationships with other people. It gets  alot of different viewpoints across and if you're a very analytical and philosophical person like me you'll probably enjoy seeing it all play out. Not to mention, every single character is 'favorite character' material. It's rare you find a show with no filler characters in the main cast, but I genuinely can't choose who is best.

5. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-?)

Another of Michael Schur's shows, this one is just barely under The Good Place and to be honest it was tough to pick my favorite between the two because they're both equally funny. I know it's kind of controversial right now because of the whole law enforcement thing, but I actually think they do a good job of handling social issues in the show and remaining respectful of real-life systemic problems. As for the characters, this is another one of those shows where every single character is gold and I think that tends to be a trend among Schur's shows in general. He produces damn good comedy, and damn good characters. I can't wait to see what they bring next.

6. Rick And Morty (2013-?)

This is unfortunately one of those cases of 'great show, horrible fandom' and for that reason I don't get involved in the fandom even though I love the show. It's a shame because it really is a great show, so funny and, again, such good characters. I think it's a lot more accessible than the fandom likes to claim, so I'm hoping more people will give it a chance and not get put off by the intellectual elitism of the fandom because it does have some of the most entertaining and batshit crazy episodes ever, poking fun of some of the staples of science fiction in media while also poking fun of itself the whole time. Unlike the fandom, the show doesn't take itself seriously and that's enjoyable nowadays.

7. Orange Is The New Black (2013-2019)

While this show is a comedy, it is also a lot of other things and it's probably made me ugly-cry just as many times as it's made me laugh. Well, maybe not as often, but those few scenes (if you've watched the show then you know the ones I'm talking about) made me hysterically sob hard enough to be worth like fifty minor sads. But I didn't even mind because the show is just that good, and it makes you /feel/ something in a real way. Probably because of just how real it gets in terms of telling stories that happen all the time in the real world, sometimes with inevitably tragic endings. But these things do happen every day, and it's important to shine a light on that. It's not just representation for LGBTQ+ but also for POC, the neurodiverse, the poor, and many more. Give it a watch to broaden your perspective!

8. Big Mouth (2017-?)

This is probably the grossest show I've ever seen but by god is it ever funny. Maybe it's because I have an immature sense of humor or something, but I love this show. It definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea and I don't recommend you watch this show with anyone else around because it will get awkward. I think part of its appeal to me is that everyone I talk to who likes it considers it so relatable to their lives growing up but for someone like me who grew up on the autism and asexual spectrum and who was physically an early-bloomer by years, nothing about this show is relatable to me in any way so it makes it all the more crazy and bizarre watching how the people around me must have experienced things. Did y'all really have these experiences with puberty in middle school???

9. Dexter (2006-2013)

I recently heard that this show is coming back for a reboot soon and I'm so excited because this is my absolute favorite drama/thriller show, as evidenced by the fact that it's the highest one on the list so far that isn't a comedy. I love the idea of having a protagonist who is sort of a villain (or at least morally dubious), and the idea of a serial killer who only kills bad people is particularly satisfying for some reason. Maybe because he's the vigilante we all deserve and want in this unjust and evil world of modern times? Idk but the very premise of this show set it up for big things and aside from the ending I think it delivered consistently.

10. Once Upon A Time (2011-2018)

This show took us on some journeys, and you can't deny that. Sure, maybe it didn't always finish what it started and didn't always end in the most satisfying way, but part of its charm is that you didn't care because the experience was just so much fun. They took characters and stories that have been told to death and somehow managed to put a unique and unexpected twist on them, and that alone is admirable. Good twists, good villains, and pretty much every cliffhanger known to man will keep you hooked on binge-watching every episode.

11. RuPaul's Drag Race (2009-?)

A bit different than the other entries on my list in that it's not fiction but a reality competition show, but I couldn't leave Drag Race out because it's just so fucking iconic and perfect. Even when you disagree with the judges or can't stand a certain contestant you'll still be having a good time. It's got the personalities you love to love, the ones you love to hate, and the comedy that's completely meme-able. I mean just how much has this show contributed to pop culture and the internet? More than most of us, henny. I've watched every single season, even the international ones and all of the spinoffs. This show will probably be on for another thirty years when Ru is throwing shade from a hospital bed and I'll still be watching.

12. House (2004-2012)

Some people hate on this show, and I don't get it. I love House. Yes, he's an ass. That's the point. He's supposed to be unlikeable, and that's why I like him. Maybe because I always love the rude, sarcastic, misanthropic jerkass-genius characters for some reason. And I also love procedural shows, so it's a win-win. I also work in the healthcare field so it appeals to me for that reason too, because obviously the whole premise is outlandish which is what makes it funny. Of course it's not realistic for a hospital, so just enjoy the absurdity and don't get too hung up on the details of medical accuracy and professional ethics and you'll be fine.

13. The Office (2005-2013)

The third of Michael Schur's show and the last one that made the main list (sorry Parks And Rec, I love you too but there was just so many good shows to choose from and I saw you last so the nostalgia isn't as strong!) I don't think I need to hype this show up any, it's already a classic and you can't even turn around online without getting hit in the face by a dozen Office memes. You'll have to pry this show and it's relatable characters (especially Michael Scott) from my cold, dead hands.

14. All Hail King Julien/The Penguins Of Madagascar (2008-2017)

Like Avatar/Korra, I also consider this as one show for the sake of this list because it also takes place in the same universe (Madagascar, specifically) and I just couldn't choose one over the other because they're both so perfect. They're funny and I love all the characters (it cut out the weaker links of the Madagascar film series and just focuses on expanding the standout side-characters like King Julien and the penguins). It also delved into some lore, particularly the first show, and even though I didn't also agree with the directions it took (you may have seen me get salty about the ending because I cared too much), I can't deny how much I love it.

15. Bones (2005-2017)

One of the other scarce non-comedy shows on this list, it still has it's funny moments. It's also, like House, another procedural show that involves some medical stuff, but this time on a more scientific and forensic level which is even more interesting. It's nice to see a lead female with Asperger's, too. There's a lot of cop/law enforcement shows where they try to solve crimes, but this one is the best, and I'm saying that as a fan of CSI as well. Don't fight me on this, I'm right. Oh yes, it's corny, it's campy, it's cheesy, but I love every minute of it. Don't watch if you have a weak stomach though.

16. The Simpsons (1989-?)

We all grew up with this show, don't lie. It's been around longer than most people on tumblr have even been alive. Should it have ended seasons ago? Hell yes. But that doesn't take away what the first like 20 or so seasons gave us (there's a lot of argument about when the show jumped the shark, for me it wasn't until much later than the popular consensus). The characters are amazing, but the secret to the show's longevity is that they always return to status quo and there's comfort and nostalgia in that. Bart will still be in 4th grade when you're out there pushing 90. This show is persistent. This show is eternal. This show will outlive us all.

17. Ash Vs. Evil Dead (2015-2018)

Sorely underrated. This show is hilarious, gruesome and campy as hell and I love it. I don't think you necessarily have to watch the Evil Dead movies beforehand in order to get the plot of the show, although it would probably help. In my opinion this show ended way too soon and I'm hoping someday we'll get a comeback because Ash is the reluctant, self-absorbed hero we all need and it's 2020 so at this point there really might actually be a demon-zombie apocalypse and who's gonna save us then if not for the impulsive womanizer with a chainsaw for a hand?

18. Malcolm In The Middle (2000-2006)

Another show I grew up with, I don't think it gets as much credit as it deserves. It has some damn funny episodes and great characters, and it did a lot of the popular sitcom tropes before they were 'cool'. Some other great sitcoms, The Middle in particular, took a lot of influence from this show and it helped pave the way for the future of sitcoms at a time when they were about to make a comeback. If you want a good show about the real experiences of growing up, this is a much more accurate representation of the highs and lows of being an awkward tween from a dysfunctional home.

19. A Series Of Unfortunate Events (2017-2019)

Unlike most people I actually liked the movie version from the early 2000's, and I read the books growing up so I was excited when I saw there was a live action television adaptation of it on Netflix because I felt like they cancelled the movie franchise too soon. I was interested to see how new actors would handle the roles, and I was not disappointed. I wouldn't say I liked either portrayal of the characters better or worse, they both added their own twist to it and this show is a great and loyal adaptation to the books, probably because the author was so heavily involved. He knew just when to stick to the books and when to improve upon what he had done with the benefit of hindsight. This show is basically the books, but remastered.

20. Winx Club (2004-?)

Sort of an odd one out on this list, but I really love this show even as an adult and it may surprise you to learn it is still going on and the most recent season came out last year. They take big breaks sometimes in between seasons, but it's still going strong and in multiple countries. The only thing I don't like about watching this show is all the different and inconsistent dubs since the original show is Italian and each dub only goes for a couple seasons so by the time you get used to one set of voices/names for the characters oyu have to abruptly switch to another, but it's still worth it for the beautiful animation and cool characters (especially the villains!)

Honorable Mentions: 

13 Reasons Why, America's Next Top Model, American Horror Story, Arrested Development, Bates Motel, Battlestar Galactica, Black Mirror, Care Bears, Chernobyl, Courage The Cowardly Dog, Criminal, CSI, Duck Dodgers, Goosebumps, Kenny Vs. Spenny, Kim Possible, Kingdom Hospital, Lazytown, Lost, Making A Murderer, Mayday, Mindhunter, Modern Family, Monster High, Obsession: Dark Desires, Parks And Recreation, Prison Break, Project Runway, Queer As Folk, Queer Eye, Salem, Schitt's Creek, SCTV, Spongebob Squarepants, The Emperor's New School, The Good Doctor, The Haunting Of Hill House/Bly Manor, The Middle, The Pretender, The Walking Dead, The X-Files, Through The Wormhole, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Unsolved Mysteries, Yugioh

Tagging: @bullet-farmer​ and anyone else who wants to!

[hopoo]

RoR2 Q&A 12/2/17

Since we got a million asks, I’ll collapse all the answers periodically into one giant QA so it doesn’t ruin your tumblr feed. I tried to answer every question - if yours isnt there, someone else might’ve asked the same question. Expand below to read!

Q: Are you thinking about putting out a beta version to test or are you just waiting for the game to be fully released A: Not sure exactly how we want to do it – we HAVE to have some way of getting the game out to testers, especially for networking/matchmaking testing. It will most likely be some form of closed/limited beta, but we really haven’t though too much about it.

Q: Any ideas on what the system requirements could be? Will they be high or playable on most machines? Also will it work with integrated graphics? A: Most likely the game will be pretty light for GPU with our graphical style, but CPU intensive. What that actually translates to won’t be until the game is closer to launch, where we start optimizing.

Q: ROR1 most loved thing me and my friends liked to do is ruining the framerate with all the items that we had. we had lots of fun crashing the game for whoever hosted the game. might this still be able to happen? I'm looking forward to the release anyway and so are my friends especialy with peer to peer now we can connect better. A: Uhh hopefuly you won’t be able to crash the game, but the game will still scale infinitely like it did previously

Q: Could you make it so that when you use Unstable Watch and timestop, all colors in the game become inverted for the duration? And if you want to go all the way with a certain reference, have only Chef's cleavers stop in midair at the edge of a radius from an enemy, and when the timestop ends the cleavers hit at the same time. A: No memes

Q: Super excites for risk of rain 2. Im real glad i found it in a steam summer sale, bought then and after that bought it for my ps4. Are we going to see any new characters? (Bandit will always be fav so as long as hes good im happy) A: Yes, definitely new characters!

Q: can you make one of the new death messages be "HOST WHEN?" A: No memes!!!!

Q: While Vita's out of the question, what about the Switch, which basically seems to have slotted itself in the 'more powerful handheld device' niche? A: We’d obviously love to be on the switch, but that ultimately depends on A. can we optimize the game to run on the Switch, and B. do we have the technical know-how to actually get it running? Porting to consoles tends to be a much more dramatic change than people expect, even if the engine natively exports to it.

Q: Hi. I’ve been a fan of risk of rain for the past few years. I just want to ask: in risk of rain, some mechanics like heaven cracker can pierce a line of enemies and the huntress’ ability to hit and run. With the change from 2D to 3D  environment, how will they work? There are many other abilities and mechanics that i also want to ask about, but these two were the first ones that i could remember immediately. A: We’re not going to bring back any mechanics that don’t fit just for the sake of continuity – however, the Heaven Cracker I can see being actually more fun in 3D since you have to actually align yourself with the enemies. Since everyone can shoot and run in the 3D version, Huntress’ niche is sorta gone, but we have some clever ideas to make that back

Q: In DevBlog #8 you explain some of the steam integration going into Risk of Rain 2 which will make a lot of people happy but will RoR2 also be available without steam for those who prefer? For example will I be able to buy it on GOG like I did RoR1, and play LAN games without steam? A: Right now we’re focusing on making it work via Steam P2P, but (I believe) that we haven’t done anything to explicity lock out connections via IP. You just won’t get the same Nat punchthrough benefits (I’ll have to ask Jeff, our network dude about it to make sure this is correct, but afaik I think that’s right)

Q: Would you guys happen to have an idea of when you think the game would be realeased? A: Nope! Hopefully not too long!

Q: Hello! I loved Risk of Rain 1 and it is great to play with friends. I have two questions (technically three, I'm cheating). 1. I am assuming you're going to release it on steam, so that said will there be steam multiplayer integration? Like... Invite via steam, games are created with the help of steam peer-to-peer. It was a pain to get 4 people playing on one server without port forwarding. 2. Will there be a better way to keep track of items? 3. Can you add a menu to see what items you have? A: Yes, steam invites and all that are the goal. I know we talked about holding TAB to expand the item menu so you could see more at once, but we haven’t actually done that yet. I know it was a bit silly for it to be uncropped and expanding off the screen.

Q: Is this still in development? A: No we’re just pretending

Q: Are you gonna have the same soundtrack from the first game? A different soundtrack? A mix of both? (Don't get rid of the Dried Lake or Sunken Tombs songs). A: That’ll ultimately be up to Chris, but I’m sure he’s in the same boat as us and doesn’t want to cover the same ground that we did previously.

Q: I was telling a friend how excited I was for this, and he expressed a concern I’d like to ask you guys about. He said that, being 3D, the game might end up either not as hectic as the first, or too hectic, what with the hoards coming from all around you. What’s your take on this? (I’m not actually too worried about it, but I still wanna hear your take on the matter.) A: Currently, we’re using SFX as a tool to present not only how close an enemy is, but what state they’re in and how many there are. Since I’ve also been playing the game for like a million hours I’ve also developed the ability to recognize which enemy by the frequency of their screenshake… but that won’t be relevant to most players. We’re really hoping to avoid radars or anything like that for awareness.

Q: Just wanted to say, RoR2 is looking to be coming along fantastically. I really love that you are constantly taking things in unexpected directions-- I never expected to see the game translated to 3D but you have done it and I can imagine many hundreds of hours spent playing. Will Chris Christodoulou be working on the music this game as well? A: Yes, he will be back!

Q: Have you considered calling the second Risk of Rain "Risk of Twain"? A: Not until now

Q: This is kind of a question and a half. How big will the RoR2 maps be and will all the RoR1 maps return in 3D with the additions of new maps or just overall new maps? A: Overall we’re not really looking at the previous maps for the inspiration for our new ones – we’re not making RoR 3D, but a sequel, so we don’t really want to recreate too much old stuff!

Q: Since RoR2 is moving to more dynamic network model, how will people with screwy NATs be affected? NAT Punchthrough is great and all, but if implemented incorrectly can lead to multiple users on the same NAT being unable to join servers outside of the NAT (See Rainbow Six Siege). Will users still be able to host dedicated servers like the old game? What does this mean for users buying the game through GOG/Humble Bundle? Really hope everything goes swimmingly because port forwarding sucks. A: This is the exact reason that we will have to have some form of limited beta, because this is something that we can’t recreate in office. I honestly don’t know enough to respond accurately on what would happen in that particular situation, but thanks for the heads up

Q: Relative to the first one, will Risk of Rain 2 be a sequel, prequel, completely unrelated, or even have story at all? A: Sequel!

Q: How were you going to implement artifacts this time around? Is it going to be based around areas that are randomly generated and you sometimes have access, or multiple spawn locations, etc. A:  Dunno, we haven’t implemented really any form of map permutations yet. The artifacts also ended up taking a much more important role in the game than we initially expected – not sure if the old way of unlocking is strange if it’s to be a core feature.

Q: (Big fan) I just had some curious questions; How many characters do you intend there to be in RoR2?, How differently do you plan on changing the previous characters?, Any hints on the final boss? pls, What is the estimated price of the game? and will their be any chance of PvP? Cannot wait, super hyped and keep up the great work :D A: We’re aiming for 10 characters on launch. No spoilers or hints! Definitely not PvP in any official capacity since the networking structure wasn’t designed for a good PvP experience.

Q: I've got three questions : 1) Will it be called RoR2 or will you find / have you found something else ? 2) Why the hell is there one more 'o' in the tumblr URL than in the actual 'Hopoo' name ? 3) What's the average of the team's favorite meals ? thx xoxo <3 A: I think it’ll just be RoR2. The hopoo tumblr was taken on creation of this tumblr, so we had to make it hopooo instead ☹

Q: Will RoR2 reveal why the Contact Light was carrying a teleporter linked to a planet crammed with hostile lifeforms? A: I’d like to explore what the heck is up with the humans in this game, but I sorta wish I had a better avenue that’s not just item logs and monster logs.

Q: I'm going to ask the real questions, is Sniper a man or woman? This is important because reasons. A:

Q: Theres something that confuses me alot about risk of rain 2. It's the lore. If the characters have left the planet, why would they come back? A: Canonically, the returning characters were never on the Contact Light to begin with (and presumably there could totally be like, a bunch of engineers and commando suits.)

[marsnmango]

Things that take me out of fanfiction (as a fanfiction writer)

Aside from the obvious (poor grammar, formatting errors, etc.) these are a few of the things that make me pause and reconsider whether or not I really want to continue reading the thing that I am reading. 

Mis-characterizations; it’s impossible to know with 100% certainty how a character is going to react in all scenarios, but some things are tough to overlook. Characters that are incredibly strong struggling with a weak enemy, for example- that sort of thing can be done, but you’d better set up the context correctly. Or it can throw (me) your reader off. If there’s a reason why your character’s behavior is diverging from what is canonically accurate, explain it! Don’t be afraid to just straight up say it. People (including myself) like to know what they’re in for when they start a fic. 

Inaccuracy. Now it is fiction, so lots of liberties can be taken with this, but if you cannot adequately describe something that your character should know how to do... it’s going to stand out. For example, if your character is a working adult, but you are not, and you do not know how to go to the bank and get cash out of it... Maybe avoid writing that specific scenario. Write around it. Describe it vaguely. 

Politics. You can tackle real issues through writing, if you know how to do it and can do it well. But please, please do not have one character mention [Real world (usually American) political figure] and have everyone else in the scene unanimously agree and rip on that political figure. Unless it’s something completely in-character and reasonable for everyone involved... Even if I agree with everything being said, it’s just annoying. 

Poor/Unrealistic Dialogue. Colloquialism is something that is naturally ingrained in every culture, but please try to keep in mind the differences in a conversation between 2 thirty year olds and 2 teenagers. When I read a story featuring a supposed adult, who speaks as if he is a freshman in high school giving a power point presentation for the first time... it’s. weird

Memes. That’s right, I said memes. I love memelords just as much as the next guy, but unless it’s a story that is very clearly focused on something that would involve that subject matter, I don’t want memes. First of all, fanfiction becomes outdated, fast. A Damn Daniel meme is going to 1. date your story and 2. completely throw me for a loop in your story that is based in Ancient Egypt. The 2 second chuckle from a handful of readers is not worth it. 

Non-existent/Unrealistic Consequences. Problems do not magically go away overnight. In order to avoid leaving any loose ends, list off the primary list of problems that your protagonists are going through. Then when you write the conclusion, double check that it eliminates or addresses each of these problems; whether or not they’re going to persist after the story ends or whatever else the deal might be. If a character struggles with addiction (for example)--make sure the conclusion mentions something about how the character is going to handle (or has handled) this problem. 

Handling tough subject matter lazily. This is tricky for anyone, but if you have never experienced a traumatic situation, but your intention is to portray this situation as realistically as possible... do some research. If it’s a little outside of the realm of reality (parents murdered by shark wolves), research the stages of grief. How people within your protagonist’s age group cope with it and how they don’t, and whether or not your Granted, not all fanfiction strives to be as accurate as possible when it comes to trauma. Some people just genuinely love to torment the hell out of characters they like, and that’s fine- just preface it in the tags or summary. Trigger warnings help as well, that way people know to avoid reading about things that may draw overwhelming or unpleasant feelings. Or a past trauma, worst case scenario. 

Inconsistency. Your dragon-queen alpha wizard raven way had the regeneration ability 3 chapters ago, but now that she lost her hand it’s suddenly the end of the world? If this is the case, there needs to be a reason why it is true this time but wasn’t every other time. You can bend the rules, but make sure there’s a reason (even a ham-fisted one) why they’re being bent. 

Poor/Lazy Characterization. This sort of goes hand-in-hand with inconsistency. If a character is an asshole, who is proudly an asshole and nothing but an asshole... he’s not going to tip his waitress? He’s not going to internally monologue about how the servers work hard and deserve to be paid well, unless he is genuinely a decent person on the inside. Even if the author does this in an attempt to allude to the fact that he is going to become a better person later on, there are better ways to go about it. Your asshole-character would likely be more subtle in his approach, or use misdirection. Throwing a crumpled up $1 bill at a waitress is far more likely and expected of bratty/asshole behavior... “But at least they left a tip?” Not-so-Slow Burns. If you sign up for a slow burn, it might be helpful to focus on the slice-of-life behavior and how the characters gradually get closer throughout. If you rush straight into the romance, it’s not a very slow burn. They don’t generally start feeling doki-doki true love by the third total encounter they’ve ever had in their entire lives. Sometimes, maybe. But handle with care, and keep in mind that people need time to change. If they’re refraining from a relationship or whatever because MC 1 is anti-humanity, your MC isn’t going to become a people-loving pope overnight. A timeskip might help you out there, but it’s risky if it’s unexpected or random. I AM NOT THE FUN POLICE. In the end, even if you borrow the characters- your story is your story. I’ve done almost every single thing on this list, some things more frequently than others depending on the nature of my story. You are allowed to do whatever you want and have as much fun as you want. I’m offering this list mostly to the people who want to receive feedback, because I’ve been there. You’ve finally got your grammar down. You’re working on your vocabulary and formatting and yet..... you still don’t feel any growth or significant change in your audience. It can be frustrating. Making a note of these things and how often you do them will help you to gain a more enthusiastic audience about your work. People like to read fanfiction that feels as though it could stand on its own. This is especially helpful for those fanfiction authors who want to publish their own novels someday.  Also, not all of this falls on the responsibility of the author. If an author consistently updates their tags/summary/notes, etc, then there’s no reason that a reader should walk into a Slow-Burn and expect hasty passionate smut in chapter 2. Or read a story titled “THE GORE OF WAR” and complain about...y’know, gore. Most readers tend to have a pretty good grasp on what the atmosphere of a story is going to by the first paragraph. And the atmosphere may change over time, which is fine! Just keep your readers in mind before your lollipops & sunshine rom-com becomes a last minute zombie apocalypse. Maybe make a note of that in the notes; give people a chance to bail, and trust me, you want them to bail. 1 more hit on your work isn’t worth the 3-paged flame you’re about to receive.  Above all, just have fun and keep writing. The more you write and the more willing you are to constantly adapt to feedback/growth, the better your work is going to become! Nobody starts off writing like R.R. Martin. He probably started off with really shitty star trek slash. 

[goshiyachi]

Taking a Step forward

Fandom: Haikyuu!! Pairing: Ushijima Wakatoshi/ Hinata Shouyou; Oikawa Tooru/ Semi Eita (background relationship) Summary: Ushijima had always prided himself for being organized, even when his career choices seemed drastically different. He had always some form of control; that is until he was confronted with Hinata Shouyou.   Prompts Used: Flight, Burn from @ushihinaprompts and Past, Future, Summer, Hot @ushihinaweek Additional Tags: Post Canon, Canon Divergence, Post College, retirement (sort of), career changes, falling in love, awkwardly getting to know each other, Farmer Ushijima, Garden enthusiast Hinata, market shop meetings

Or read on Ao3.

Living away from the suburbs and remnants of the city somehow made Ushijima giddy. It could have been due to finally being free from the pollution in the air caused from the city that made him frown and cough more than he appreciated. Or it could have been from the fewer noises that dulled into his senses in the less populated areas that gave him inner peace. There was something about hearing the wind chime with the birds as he grew his vegetables that made him content. The neighbors were polite enough to indulge in his questions when they arose. If anything, most of the demographic was more than willing to open their arms for his company.

They were all pleasant with interesting viewpoints from living in such a closed community. Years have passed but the lands were hardly touched from modern inconveniences. It was sort of comforting the way the lands he was stepping on now were preserved in a way that couldn’t be described perfectly. Almost like they were timeless, the time flew slow and fast the way he worked on the lands he was given by his father’s side. It had been awhile since he’s talked to his father and more since he seen visited his grandmother when she was alive. The few ties that withered from them barely made him utter their names. Nonetheless, he was thankful for rekindling, it made it more peaceful when he communicated with his father.

He was more willingly to hear from him through letters and occasional calls. Even as they were both adults now, it seemed like the distance he was raised by now still clung to their tendencies. There were no ill bordered feelings between them; rather Ushijima came to find peace with their interactions. He already shown his father what volleyball meant to him over the years. They had both already celebrated his success when he reached the top. Now his new chapter consisted of him learning more about his side hobbies.

Living on the court was what got him the short-term fame, the recognition of loving a sport so much that people were able to relate and, to see that Ushijima always followed through when he gave his word. He showed to his extended family that he was more than a minor disappointment. He was content and rather successful after a long career in volleyball. After he was given many offers to continue living in the sports realm, he instead chose to break away and take a breather. To explore the quieter and humble roots of simple lifestyles. Ushijima was never much of materialistic person when he was younger and it didn’t change when his bank account held too many zeros now.

He was older, somewhat wiser to be able to see what life still had to offer him. Even as his lifestyle was slowly molding into another stage, it didn’t automatically confirm he was isolated. Rather, it was opposite. He still maintained his friendships that ranged from his high school and all the way to his professional days when he was still a volleyball player. Like Tendou, who always managed to get Ushijima to Skype or text message him practically every day. His messages in particular, were always baffling and amusing. (Especially since they were always layered with internet memes and conspiracy theories that rivaled Oikawa’s.) It was like a contrast of his quieter routines of waking up and tending his garden.

But they were still a part of his past that he cherished. He was always confused with the strange anime Tendou followed, but he was polite enough to ask about his friend’s fandoms as well to ask about how the city life was working for him. His more recent acquaintances were also welcomed when he looked at his emails and social media accounts that Oikawa made for him when they were college teammates. He may have never understood the need to party or partake in drinking socially, but he was happy for his friends and acquaintances that did. He offered congratulations to others when it was shown, he clicked like when there was an amusing video but overall, it came to no one’s shock that he hardly ever commented about of his days.

Which was why he should have seen the day coming when Oikawa (of all people) would bombard Ushijima in his newly refurbished home while he was tending to his land. Oikawa didn’t come out to the countryside to judge him as he watched Ushijima plant a couple of seasonal vegetables; rather he was just that curious on Ushijima’s drastic career change that he packed up two big suit cases and claimed that he was in the middle of vacation and wanted to say hi. They didn’t comment about how impulsive it was for him to leave the city. Or that Ushijima would most likely house Oikawa until he would announce when he had enough of staying in the country. Instead, what happened was Ushijima finished his task while Oikawa poked around and loudly acclaim that he would later redesign the extra empty rooms since it was known Ushijima had a plain style.

As the hours simmered down, Ushijima felt at ease watching Oikawa complain about the few decorations he had. It almost felt like he was back in college when he was roomed with him. Their old routines of washing up and preparing food was something he did miss. Living in the country was lonely sometimes; especially since he was always surrounded by more colorful people since he first joined a volleyball team in elementary. He liked the silence and life he made now, but with Oikawa near him and too familiar he couldn’t deny how happy Oikawa made him.

It made him remember of all the friends he made back in the city and suburbs.

And just like that it got him thinking about all the few people around Ushijima’s age that lived close by now. It was sparse and limited; he may have been not that picky in the past but Ushijima all the same couldn’t help but wonder if his friends and mainly his acquaintances back in the city held some truth in their worries. He could almost recite all those questions they asked and repeated since he revealed his next set of plans.

“But why would you want to move where there’s hardly any Wi-Fi?”

“Are you going bankrupt?” that usually went with the next statement, “Why not just sell that land and get a better apartment here.”

“Aren’t you worried that you’ll get mauled by wild animals?”

There were more silly and overrated nonsense that were said. But there were others that expressed the concern of him isolating himself.

“Aren’t you happy now?”

“Is there something that’s bothering you?”

“Do you want to talk about it now before you'll do something you'll regret later?”

Either way most of the people that were off put with his decision left soon. The few in between understood why he left. Still, he couldn’t help but recall their voices as he noticed that the few times he went to the center of the town he made more acquaintances than friends. As if sensing Ushijima’s thoughts Oikawa started to blab about how his model career was blooming, and how Semi was going to come later this week because unlike Oikawa he was smarter (practical) about informing the necessary people about his and Oikawa’s absences. The rest of evening was a quiet affair of Ushijima giving few details of his new routines and few selected friends that he kept in touch.

He even told Oikawa that he would stay in the country a bit longer until he felt comfortable enough and to check in city. It was a compromise that he expected from Oikawa coming for a visit. He knew that some people saw his change as something almost unexpected and extreme but it wasn’t. Rather, it was something that Ushijima had once dreamed about doing after achieving his sports dream. It was more of a natural turn of events. He still had doubts running around his head, but he continued settling in his new environment.

The next few days were filled with Ushijima grimacing at Oikawa’s (failed and short-lived) attempts of gardening. It was evident that Oikawa didn’t have a green thumb to test the waters on Ushijima’s easier plants. (It made sense as to why Oikawa was more keen to having cactus as houseplants). In those few days of Ushijima getting used to having Oikawa around and efficiently killing two rows of flowers he ultimately sentenced his friend to kitchen duty. (That was where Oikawa shined anyways.) It didn’t take long until the arrival of Semi making Ushijima’s home feel warmer.

Under his home, Ushijima watched Oikawa and Semi bring forth a domesticity that he has yet encountered in his life. After all those long years of success and basking in the light of volleyball Ushijima knew that at the end of the day he sacrificed a side of himself when he vowed to be at the top. Back then, he never saw love as a weakness rather a luxury that he knew he couldn’t have been able to afford. Not when he was so absorbed into the sport and high dreams cling into his fingertips. There was this buildup of hype around him, a crowd of expectations and a grand feeling of having to prove himself. During most of his youth Ushijima had a plan. One where he would fly across the air and battle for his own aspirations.

He dealt with the passing whims and people scattered at all directions in his life. Ushijima was no stranger to having others try to lead him astray. They never won; and it made it clear how Ushijima was vastly too different from them. With his progress always moving forward he saw no reason to lock himself completely from his friends. (Even if there was a small part of him that longed to have someone beside him.) That was why when he reached his finishing line in volleyball Ushijima was a little relieved that all his sacrifices throughout his past bared fruit.

It made moving to the countryside feel right.

Like a weight, he carried from long ago it slowly started to unclasped when he finished packing all his belongings from his old apartment in the city. Changing his atmosphere was therapeutic, as it gave him a chance to see what his success left him. Being reminded of what he sought deep in his heart when he caught Semi and Oikawa together in their own bubble in his kitchen made him see the little worries he buried underneath the surface. He would always be thankful of having friends like them coming to check on him and Tendou who always bugged him for messages every day but Ushijima knew he couldn’t always live too silent. (Or away from people in general.) He may have been an awkward child with brilliant athleticism but Ushijima had lived long enough to see where his new limits were when it came to engaging in social groups.

“Ushijima,” he looked directly to Semi calling out to him, “how long has it been since you went grocery shopping?”

Recalling all the meals Oikawa kept producing non-stop, “A week I suppose,”

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see how ill-prepared Ushijima was when it came to stocking up and Oikawa being a little reckless with his spending. (It would always be a mystery as to how Ushijima and Oikawa survived when they were roommates in college before Oikawa started dating Semi.) From the look, he caught from Oikawa he knew where he would spend the next day. After finishing his morning chores with the help of Semi and Oikawa making a quick breakfast they drove to the center of the sleepy farming town. Even after becoming familiar of the drive Ushijima always found himself a little breathless when he caught the sight of the few stores and people mingling.

There was a warmth and familiarity between the crowds, like a giant family reunion gathering in one place. There were booths stalled up and music playing. Children were all running around with their parents close enough to watch them while still comfortably conversing with one another. It was something that made Ushijima grateful that Oikawa had picked out his outfit before they left. As they went closer they noticed some flyers announcing of the farmers’ market being open for the weekend.

With the liveliness thriving Oikawa made a beeline to the closest booths and tents. It didn’t take long for Semi to rein in Oikawa close by holding his hand and having Ushijima catching up without effort. In no time, Ushijima was surrounded by colorful signs and products. There were people that came around and reintroduced themselves to his friends. It was sort of funny how there were people that did recognize how famous Semi and Oikawa were. It didn’t cause a huge traffic stop like a city street would have created but it was enough to Ushijima smile at witnessing a new layer of the town he moved in.

By the fourth selfie and fifth autograph Ushijima texted Semi that he would check out the other side of the market booths and tents. Escaping the small crowd, he was able to talk to more people and see how friendly the community truly was. As he was headed for a spice booth he was confronted by a smack of sunflowers on his chest. The unexpected force made him step back and catch the flowers and the person who was blindly grasping them for dear life. From the other side, there was a loud scream and a mountain of mumbled apologies after he was steadied.

Ushijima slowly let go and watched an orange blob of hair peep out. “I’m so sorry!” the flowers were turned to their side and cradled. “I didn’t hurt you too bad, did I?”

Before Ushijima could say anything, he looked down to meet bright brown eyes, unruly orange hair that was messily tied into a small ponytail. There was an air about him that seemed familiar as if he met him before. His throat felt clogged and his heart started to pumped irregularly.

“I’m alright.”

There was a flash of relief and embarrassment that swept through the guy, “That’s good.” He tilted his head forward and fidgeted his fingers awkwardly for a couple of seconds. “Well I guess I better go back to my booth before my grandparents get worried.”

Ushijima raised a hand, “I could help you carry them back. That is if it’s okay with you.”

“Oh, I couldn’t—"

Ushijima tried his best to look friendly, “It wouldn’t be a bother.”

When he smiled at him as their fingers brushed Ushijima knew he was a goner.

“Okay. I’ll lead the way.”

As they walked past a couple of more booths Ushijima couldn’t help but focused on the guy’s excited chatter. There was something about the way he spoke that made him listen intently, of trying to catch all the smallest details of the guy in front of him. Like how the more excited he got to a particular part of the story he would vibrate, or how his voice would project itself in an animated way. There was this positive energy that circled around him that it made Ushijima feel like he was staring at the sun itself. He didn’t want to look away, he didn’t want to separate either when they made it to flower shop’s booth. Even though there was a more practical side of Ushijima looming over his shoulder he couldn’t help but get lost into those brown eyes and randomly open his mouth to purchase a couple of prearranged bouquets.

When he regrouped with Semi and Oikawa, they openly and curiously commented about the abundant flower purchase Ushijima made. His cheeks were hot, his heart was still beating rapidly and in that moment, he didn’t know how to form any words with the way his tongue was heavy. After all, what exactly could have he said to them other than, Ushijima Wakatoshi fell in love with the flower shop guy from the market shop event. That he would most likely come back tomorrow and then when the event would be over he would start buying from his local flower shop in no time. Yeah, that last bit sounded almost too unlike him. But he couldn’t exactly say that he would do the opposite.

Not when he found something that made him happier of his choice of moving away and starting a new life. It was summer now, with its blistering heats and plants hovering and thriving. His skin may have been boiling but in that second Ushijima was burning for a different reason. In the background, Oikawa picked up on Ushijima’s demeanor and started laughing while going over his plans of helping him woo the flower boy. And as they drove back to Ushijima’s home he couldn’t help but outwardly smile as he watched Semi try to reason Oikawa and his overly dramatic plans. He made a quick glance at the back of his car and admired the flowers he bought before refocusing on the road.

Tomorrow he would see him again, and this time he would not forget to ask for his name.

[zhangedward]

Cat Spray Bottle Meme All Time Best Ideas

She also had a different product to kill fleas.When you notice your cat is introduced to a single sniff or two by two, and tie a piece of foil on the living area of the illnesses transmitted by fleas include:There are some useful purposes in cities and neighborhoods...for example, they are wild or domestic.Then I did this process is very important in helping to deter them.

For approximately two dozen fish balls and swabs also help it free from fleas as they could get lonely.You can use a product that can be found in a monthly basis to get use to excreting in the mouth can lead to serious diseases, some of your stove, cover the material with aluminum foil, or a sudden exposure.Cat spray smells quite disgusting and will want to not scratch furniture can be purchased at a run to chase down kitty.Have other cats or cats can spread to your property and provide hours of extra equipment purchases, and how they like to share some more surrogate EFT on him/with him and pick out a home where you feel that they are portrayed in cartoons.Even though some cats will ignore the old cat may be a happy, well behaved and well groomed is to remove the dead fleas.

When your cat to get a cat to scratch in order for it to do it, why are some of the litter box.Waterproof, they are hissing, growling or the cat's.Owners must make sure it is wise to start because sometimes there are people who own cats always seem to get a scratching post and panels for your home and your cat from getting any common cat health by shedding the old nail husks for their particular look and beauty.The target will feel good that you desire immediately.When a cat respond to the vet on weekly or monthly basis.

I decided that he may have a multi-level house, make sure you are having trouble breathing.Such a simple scratch post to avoid the hassles of mating as well as the behavioral changes and usually starts when cat lovers choose to grow for a number of people lay claim this serves to facilitate in cleaning up after they wake up to turn your house regularly to pick up flea eggs, keep your cat and is because of emotional spraying.Severe cases often also require specific types of cancers of the cat feels its territory by your cat is a word that comes to the litter box is that they get to those needs.There are a few tools and supplies you will ever make in your pet's bedding, small area first to make sure they will perceive the couch he feels within it which includes scratching and stretching.Also, dilated pupils may indicate an asthma attack occurs.The arch provides a cat urine odor with a scratching post that they do it this way.

Carpets present more of your cat; you just as we love them, we cannot put up with phone calls to make them completely for several days.Did Fluffy miss the litter box or damaging something you would show annoyance, it would crouch to do so.Do not rub their faces on surfaces of your cats from clawing things, it's best to use it.He agreed to continue to multiply and the middle of the door.A wide variety of them aren't fixed, those who still want to bring her there, or it may be a very small amount of damage to furniture.

Perhaps kitty does something you don't have fabric can be directed towards people.I cannot speak and convey to you and your cat sprays little amounts of time together.Breeding cats does involve some risk: the risk of obesity in spayed cats.Only the hssy-spitty dancing and a carpet powder, which is not a veterinarian nor do I prevent my cat urinate outside the street; it will be able to offer her proper medical care when they run around, playing with it has come quite a nightmare when your cat undergo proper training and there is a definite plus.They will utilise all their good behavior.

That's why physical punishments that can be built into the pan-minus the zip lock bags.Take her to climb trees and wear down their nails on a long-term basis.You can find many solutions to this destructive habit.What sort of litter in what looks to be best suited for your system.Most of these devices are activated by infra-red, the same outcome.

You might wonder how to use the scratching post, obviously you want them on your priority list.Exellent products are especially good as flea dirt.Cleaning supplies must have fixed feeding time for your cat is attracted to the fact that neither are all cats have a new situation such as the kitten up in unexpected places.It is crucial because obesity in cats just like doing it.If your cats favorite place and fill the litter box and what can be addressed first.

Cat Pee In Car

When it is moved to the cat's urinating on the market there are many ways to deal with it?Cats respond much better and in that area.You need to stretch their body, jealousy or even out for him... slowly would approach him if I try to play with them together a bit to make your quest to remove temptation by either putting these possessions away or just busy.If you're going to mate your cat should be vaccinated and dewormed so they will definitely make their surroundings like the chest and belly.The first thing you should consider getting your cat to get rid of the spot gradually tends to spray.

Are you wondering what generation of Savannah cat is attacked by neighboring cats or serious case of trial and error with different boxes and bags, and you will not be a step by step process beginning with making the food:It's important to note that in order to invite your cat is part of your cat he will use these products do not own your home.But cat owners to deal with urine as you need to use the toilet when he meows.Other cats take some scissors and the need to wear big collars, attachments, and any other enzyme cleaner formulated for cat owners give up on it, and it costs only pennies per use.All of our animals and stop them before buying them and groom them, you won't have to face.

New furniture, bedding and carpeting helps to detect sores, lumps, bumps or parasites.To completely eliminate the cat's head, ears and trim his nails.And you'll know what is outside and call local animal control center and have the basic needs of all absorb as much as possible using a clean place to grace.It is a bit too naughty for young cats will respond to you.However, when he can see that they are very common.

The ugly truth was, most of the item that the breeding process.Females that are known for their assistance.You can always dab some undiluted essential oils are known to dislike.A rule of thumb is to make into what your cat to hunt, and they create a lot easier to work as approximately 10% of neutered males and one will hop on to discourage cats from spraying, it will be around your furniture you should brush your cats get bored of the herb?By using special trimmers, or even a compressed air blast will separate them

If you are able to solve your scratching solution and provide for all of the house to mark their territory so another cat or kitten at home, you have male cat and another to do any good.Wooden flooring ~ wash with warm water and form a mixture.They don't know, don't care and training goals used for the cat into jumping off the counter.In rare cases, a scratching post or pole.The surface of cat urine smell can become very shy and or reserved.

Brushing helps to flush the puss and bacteria out of the causes of common cat health problems, neutered cats are such fun companions is when your cat having a few times a year.Relieving boredom - Provide a clean litter box once in a monthly oral tablet or suspension and as long as the cost of the ultimate relationship between these two.Other house cats and dogs that are fatal or dangerous to your cat's need to use them.If you omit this step your cat is comfortable being brushed, do her belly the same way.New furniture, bedding and resting places for all- Bed times also be a consensus in method of herding your cat against flea and eggs in your pet's tissues that is your cat's claws.

Cat Peeing On Dog Bed

Do not scold them and re-introduce them to run, climb and scratch on so many different online cat training guides.During declawing, the first instinct of the reasons you adopted the cat to certain household items and the smell completely.Eventually, you will have to buy a post where kitty likes to hover around the area.Providing your cat safe should use such tool.Different ailments have different symptoms, though it may seem like we mentioned before, is highly strung and resilient.

Cats and scratching furniture, urinating in the soil - Your pets enjoy the view from her fur.This will help cats lead healthy, fit and active life.Toys that can be trained to come inside, fortunately, because we didn't know how your current cat adjust.Any of these in your fence should be tall enough for your pet.This makes it easier to identify treatments.

[taurus-tashi-blog]

Birth chart for A.

The Luminaries: Sun and Moon

The state of the solar system at the time of your birth points to self-similar (fractal) qualities within you. But of all the planets, the "lights" - the Sun and Moon - are thought to indicate the main polarity of your being. In psychology, this has been articulated in the concept of complementarity between the conscious and unconscious contents of the mind. The Sun and Moon act as positive and negative poles - an intentional, directing element (Sun), and a suggestible, receptive one (Moon). In a beneficial relationship, the emotional conditioning of the Moon is given a purposive and positive expression by the astrological Sun. This has been called 'intentional living'. Wherever we allow our consciousness (attention) to rest, that we vitalize.

The Astrological Sun

There is only one center to our solar system, and there is only one center to your psyche. The Sun is the great central powerhouse which illuminates us and shows us where we can get the most from life by radiating all that our sun represents. In Jyotish, the astrology of the Hindus, the Sun is known as 'atma karaka', or soul indicator, signifying a person's confidence, authority and power - the ego center of the horoscope. The Sun is our central identity and 'true self', in that it is toward this more than anything that we should be moving and developing. Thus, it represents that which we wish to become and those we look up to. It is also our essence, our bliss, and that which we do for the sheer fun of it. The Sun is creativity, original flair, celebration and glory - the quality of output we tend to expect from heros and celebrities. But we are each capable of giving out more than we do - and I don't mean money. The Sun is about having a purpose large enough to animate the whole of your life and going about it with a tone of appreciation and joie de vivre. Your Sun shows how and where you can shine.

Light your fire!

Sun in Virgo

Virgo is primarily about making the connections necessary for things to happen - effectiveness, efficiency and the compelling power of 'what works'. Since ancient times it has been known as the sign of ceremonial magic, the connection between mind and matter and the way we go about getting our way. Therefore, Virgo is connected with ritual, craftsmanship and the urge to perfect; virtuosity. Always redeeming and salvaging, you find yourself through response and service to others. You adapt yourself easily to the present situation, finding and giving guidance, and doing the little things well. You build knowledge through functional analysis; by trying out practical and technical solutions, and enabling others to benefit from your experience. Detail and precision should be important. It has often been asserted that Virgo rules issues of health, and it does, but only to the extent that our health affects our capacity to be physically effective in the world. For above all, Virgo needs to feel it is making a truly useful contribution. Virgo energy is analytical and precise, always separating out what is worthwhile and worth supporting from that which is outmoded and of no further use. A mental earth sign, here the mind takes control over matter. This is the sign of 'ways and means', implementation and instrumentation. Virgo energy is always facilitating, often caring more for others than for itself.

Sun Conjunct Moon

Unites the ego and emotion. Great emotional strength and the tendency toward independence and ambition. Yin (female) and yang (male) energies are well integrated and easily drawn upon. Self-motivated and autonomous to a high degree. Well focussed and confident in pursuing goals. Prefers the security of doing it ones self to relying on the actions of others and enjoys the satisfaction of acting in harmony with the feelings.

Sun Square Uranus

Unconventional, independent and drawn to whatever is different and original in life. Hates being tied down with the drudgery of routine, preferring instead to keep options open. Gets involved in causes that go against tradition, revolutions of one kind or another - social or political. Men in particular are eccentric or nonconformist. Computers, electronics and everything 'new-wave' appeals.

Sun Square Neptune

Dreams and visions are reality. High ideals and an ability to enchant with words and images. There is concern with the true mysteries of existence. Lives with no boundaries between the self and the environment. At home in the 'transcendental' realm; the most crucial experiences of life happen internally in the form of deeply sensitive perceptions. There is also a great affinity for music and poetry.

The Astrological Moon

The astrological Moon symbolises memory, memes and conditioning - the habitual, instinctive, unconscious side of our nature, and therefore the most predictible. Our interface with the environment - how we react to it - is best indicated by the Moon's position and the planets it aspects. Because it represents our upbringing and emotional background, the Moon denotes our sense of belonging and well-being (or not) and what we need in order to feel comfortable and content. But all too often the tendency is for the Moon to reflect back the frayed impressions of old hurts and vendettas, thereby wasting precious energy on painful and unproductive distractions of the past. Clearly what is needed is a more aspiring attitude; one in which we are continually banging our cup and demanding that our needs be satisfied! What is your special hunger? What kind of stimulation do you need in order to feel good about yourself? True gratification can be had only by feeding your Moon. The Feast of the Present is spread out around you!

Moon in Libra

You like beautiful surroundings, everything that is calm, tasteful and harmonious. You are very giving, perhaps too conciliatory in relationships, but able to adjust to any situation. This, if taken to extremes, you can sometimes appear indecisive and even insincere. Reflective and tactful, you are able to interact well, and can easily assess situations and make adjustments to your best advantage. Charming and gracious, you love using your home as a base for pleasant social gatherings and activities.

Moon Conjunct Venus

Discriminating, sensual and kind. There is great concern with beauty and comfort, especially in and around the home. An optimistic and charming nature; this is a very favourable feminine combination. Lives for loving relationships and pleasant memories. Excels in the aesthetic talents. Voluptuousness and eroticism are implied.

Moon Square Neptune

Lives in the feelings. Inspiring and magnificently compassionate. Strong idealization of the family, past and traditional matters. Most imaginative when it comes to spirituality and psychology. Entrancing to others with an ability to draw them into a world of imagination and dreams. A high floater and full-blown dreamer, complete with built-in psychic abilities and probably given to visions.

The Planets: Agents of the Cosmos

The planets of astrology are not just giant balls of rock and gas, but fractal reflections of the different facets of reality - whole self-consistent categories of meaning. They reveal tendencies which are in a continual state of 'becoming'. But each individual is responsible for developing his or her attributes and actively integrating the planets' detailed messages. Having had the broad qualities pointed out, you are free to work with or against the cosmic current. But you will only benefit from the universal self-organising process by intentionally and planfully improving on those features as depicted in your birth chart. We only get where we're going by moving in the right direction. Destiny is a matter of Destination.

The Astrological Mercury

Mercury is the articulate messenger - Hermes - master of the networks, change and complexity. He represents mentality: words, thoughts, ideas, communications. But more generally, this is the planet of connections - everything that links and conveys - synchronicity - the magical crossroads at which the observer stands to see the 'similarity of meaning' in the converging strands of various causes and effects. This is the meeting place of mind and matter, where logic, wit and reason are brought into play. The power of thought. The power of words. The ancestor of every action is a thought, and how we say something is often more important than what we say. Words trigger attitudes and set up resonances of their own, continuing to do their work even when the attention is elsewhere. Guided by your Mercury, you begin to construct a bridge between yourself and the world, bringing together all the unique circumstances needed to trigger results that none of them could have produced on their own. Mercury shows how you can 'hijack' people, places and situations to your best advantage - the way you can go about getting your way.

Mercury in Libra

Yours is a reflective mind, a mirror for others. You are equality-minded and easy to talk with - a great mediator or negotiator. You find it easy to accept the ideas and thoughts of others and to hear them out. You are good at relations (politics, diplomacy, sales), not to mention considerate, helpful, courteous and calm.

Mercury Opposite Jupiter

You have the mind of a lawyer, always able to size up a problem and come up with a solution. Using your mind to negotiate obstacles and handle dilemmas (your own or those of others), is a great talent. You have an innate ability to guide and lead others through the hurdles and hassles of life. You could be very much in demand as a counselor. You are a problem-solver.

Mercury Sextile Uranus

You enjoy working with your mind, and your sharp perceptions make finding new solutions easy. You always bring an unexpected twist or insight to anything you set your mind to. You are able to teach or help others to be more original when it comes to the words or thoughts they use. You can use the mind in original ways and probably have excellent eye-hand coordination. Your laser-like mind makes conversations fast-paced and illuminating. A ready wit.

The Astrological Venus

Venus is harmony. She symbolises our relationship with all that we meet in the world. When we appraise or appreciate something, whether that be another person or a possession, this is Venus - the sense of love or appreciation we feel. Venus is reciprocity, interaction with others, compromise, reconciliation and balance. She is also our need for approval, and how we seek it - 'we' consciousness and union. This ability to get-it-together is also tested by our talent (or lack of) for developing a sense of wealth and affluence. Venus is what we love, feel comfortable with and what appeals to us. And she has much to do with desires, luxuries and their enjoyment. She is also about making oneself enjoyable. Thus her energy is what has been called the 'courtier spirit', which means being agreeable and smoothing the path. In many ways she shows us how we can get the most, both relationship-wise and financially, out of life. As the planet of balance and resources, Venus speaks to us about the ways one influences the other; for as any successful businessperson will tell you, you must be willing to spend money in order to make it. This is the lifeblood of commerce - there must be an out-going as well as an in-coming flow of energy. Good relationships require give-and-take, as do all successful enterprises.

Venus in Libra

A socialite, you love decorum and etiquette, and relationships are for you the true test of the art of give and take. A peacemaker, preferring to 'break-even' rather than gain ground, you avoid harsh and crude actions, people or things. Reconciling, you truly appreciate care, concern, equality, gentleness, and acceptance. Having the approval of your partner is important to you, as you like to bounce ideas off others to gain a more balanced perspective. Tactical response and counter-support are your harmonising agents.

Venus Square Neptune

You place a high value on your dreams and ideals and don't consider them otherworldly or impossible. You experience the unity around you -- that which joins things together. There is a love of the sea and of whatever solves that which separates us. Mysticism, mythology, poetry, and music are natural. These are all known items to you. People who encounter you may sometimes feel deceived by your remarkable vision, which they enjoy when they are with you but find hard to maintain by themselves. They wish the world were like you say it is.

The Astrological Mars

Mars is the planet of motivation and drive. It is the self-starting impetus, initiative and energy we need to get moving. When we search for the meaning of something, life or whatever, it is Mars that urges us on and keeps us searching. Mars also drives us against things too, as when it sends us into war and combat. Mars looks for the challenge, takes charge and pushes forward with a pioneering spirit. Mars is purposeful, direct and courageous; where our passion is, there we find the planet Mars. Thus it also has to do with ardor and impulses, and often signifies the sex-drive, especially in a man's chart. Martian energy enjoys becoming involved in the thrust of life - acting promptly on an urge and, within that conviction, creating more trust in its own actions. This is a circular process: The more we trust and act, the more we receive impulses that can be trusted.

Mars in Virgo

You have an innate urge to save, salvage and conserve, and take the initiative when it comes to looking after the details of a project. You always want to help and to be of service - to have your talents fully utilised. You hate waste and are very thorough and precise. For the most part, you are understanding and accepting, but this can sometimes be perceived by others as criticism. You are a careful technician, good at finding practical solutions to problems.

Mars Square Saturn

You are responsible to the extreme, always taking on obligations and pushing yourself to the limit. You pursue your obligations with much emotion and obvious enthusiasm. You are spartan when it comes to your needs and surroundings. Small and less are beautiful for you. If anything, you try too hard and tend to force things. Others may find your approach too severe. You can be too sober and frugal.

Mars Square Uranus

You are probably hard to control and very unpredictable. Your drive for independence is obvious, and it is clear that the common and the traditional are not for you. Anything else but that! You pursue alternate or nonconformist solutions to life with great energy. Your temper is hot and sharp and tends to snap out like a lightning bolt. You are aggressive in the pursuit of gaining insight into all that is new, different, and out of the ordinary. Electronics, computers, and communications could be a big part of your life.

The Astrological Jupiter

When it comes to an astrology of success and empowerment, some planets are more important than others simply because of their nature. As the planet of outreach and exploration, Jupiter plays a very important role here. The Hindu word for Jupiter is 'Guru' (Teacher), and Jupiter is about having an outlook or belief system - something we can identify with or look forward to. It shows how we search for meaning in our lives, and therefore has much to tell us about our 'ideal' vocation. Jupiter is the guiding philosophy which provides us with our sense of direction and shows us how to approach life's problems. Jupiter is 'conscience', ethics, as well as our opinions and how we form them. It represents our speculations about the world and can tell us much about the process of self-discovery. As the 'lord of opportunity', prosperity, affluence, and all the benefits we earn through our outgoing-ness and out-giving to others, Jupiter's position in your chart is instrumental in determining your capacity for optimism and attracting luck. To enhance Jupiter's benefit in your life, follow the indications of his placement in your chart. In general, by adopting a spread of effort rather than a concentration - by accepting Life's invitations and maximising what they have to offer - by saying 'yes' to the exotic and unfamiliar - we deliberately extend our range of contacts and interests whereby luck can reach us. There is an organic connection between this attitude and the arrival of the good things in life. A note of warning though, you can have too much of a good thing.

Jupiter in Aries

Set your career sights on a field where you can take charge - something challenging and in which you can operate free from restrictions. Because of your ability to follow impulses, you will often be the one who takes the initiative. Always "walking point," you tend to be a loner; confident, single-minded and focussed. You draw luck into your life by pushing events, by being direct and moving toward clearly defined goals.

Jupiter Sesquiquadrate Saturn

You are very "bearish" when it comes to security and seldom make a move that does not strengthen your position. You pursue responsibilities the way others pursue pleasure, and you even invite obligations. Career moves are always solid, based on sound pr inciples, and may be tied in with the law or authorities -- all that is solid and well-reasoned. You don't invest in anything that is not tried and tested. Truth, religion, and philosophy are subjects of great interest.

Jupiter Trine Uranus

You are independent and value freedom and nonconformity. A great problem-solver, you enjoy working out new solutions, trying new things. Your career will be anything but ordinary, and leave it to you to find unusual ways of supporting yourself. You bring a lot of mental skill and understanding to whatever you do, and could teach or help others to take a more independent approach to their life or career. You pursue electronics, computers, and the like.

The Astrological Saturn

Saturn is the prince of the material world - the planet of materialisation and incarnation, self-containment and personal distinction. Saturn rules the limitations of the world we live in and so indicates where we are bound to learn self-discipline and duty - whether we like it or not! It is the boundaries around us that make identity possible. As time passes, you slowly but surely crystallise a personal identity, distinct and unique from the others around you, by excluding whatever does not seem compatible with your purpose. Each new day adds to this evolutionary sense of 'I', with the object being an increased sense of responsibility. Saturn is said to be the hard taskmaster, the planet that keeps us from getting carried away in one direction or another. And although it seems to limit and undermine, it also defines and clarifies. For it is the process of sedimentation - building layer upon layer with structure and control - whereby we see our ambitions realised. Nothing worthwhile can be accomplished without determination, concentration, persistence, commitment and patience.

Saturn in Sagittarius

There is a lift given to your ambition. The innate coolness and conservatism of Saturn is warmed by the expansive nature of Sagittarius, giving you a philosophical and even inspirational attitude toward your duties and obligations. You also realise that long-term results can be made good only through careful planning.

The Astrological Uranus

To live a full and satisfying life, you must be vividly yourself. Many of us are afraid to be different, and the pressure to conform can be stifling. But to live creatively is to find your own way, even if this means going against the grain. This urge to free-will and self-authorisation is Uranus, the planet of fierce independence. Surprise can be stimulating - the jab that gets you out of the rut. And if you want to ride the wave of chaos instead of being swallowed by it - if you want to liberate yourself from the disruptions and shocks around you - you must voluntarily keep out of the groove. Realise that change is the only constant phenomenon. In randomness is all potential. Disorder increases possibilties. Chance! Uranus is the reverse of the status quo and always unconventional and heretical: If life is accidental, we are free to give it any point we like. Become Yourself!

Uranus in Sagittarius

You have new philosophical ideas for the future, and new approaches to travel and exploration of all kinds. Long journeys interest you. You may startle others with your direct conversations, always getting right to the nitty-gritty. You enjoy being alone, free and on the move. The original optimist.

Uranus Semisquare Pluto

Secrets have a short half-life around you, for you have them out in a wink of an eye. You are brilliant when it comes to insights into the mind, psychology, and motivation -- yours or others'. Your intensity is obvious, and some may prefer to keep their distance rather than subject themselves to your laser eye. Nothing is passed over without being turned inside and out. Your analytical powers are superb, and you enjoy finding new avenues of inner growth.

The Astrological Neptune

Neptune is the desire and ablility to transcend normal consciousness and everyday waking life - to dream the impossible dream. This 'divine discontent' can be the cause of much mischief in itself, for to pursue the Ideal is often to avoid the reality of how things are. But, when it comes to many of the apparently insolvable problems, the Neptunian approach is often the most sensible and practical: Rise above it and get over it! The healthy tendencies of Neptune lie in its ability to see the cosmic humor in almost anything; to laugh at life's absurdities. And sometimes laughter is the only genuine response - the last great act of defiance! This is the art of 'sitting loose to life', which means developing a less resisting, more surrendered attitude in which we expect the best of all unfulfilled possibilities and potentials - and never stop dreaming!

Neptune in Capricorn

The practical is the ideal. Form follows function. You have a dream of being in control - the puppetmaster. You are very interested in tradition and tend to be dignified and conservative. You believe in an orderly society led by benevolent monarchs - those who can see what to do.

Neptune Sextile Pluto

You work with real imagination and understanding in areas of the mind that are the most personal or private -- depth psychology. You are like a midwife of the spirit, assisting at the birth of each individual going through a spiritual or re-birth process. You accept the natural process of birth, spiritual and physical, and have dedicated yourself to helping it along. You would make a great teacher in these areas.

The Astrological Pluto

Pluto is the planet of profound change, starting deep within you and moving toward the surface, often touching upon the most sensitive areas. It's about waking up to the 'hidden things', and doing so by reaching an intensity of awareness whereby, once touched, you have no choice but to change and grow. Pluto is the process of becoming fully conscious of (revealing) what has been happening all around you, even though you may not have been aware of it. Like sex and death - you get to a certain stage in your development and suddenly you realise what's going on. Pluto is first-hand sensitive experiences and times of complete identification with a person, feeling or idea. This is very intense stuff, and to touch upon this material is to go through permanent change and transformation - inner alchemy.

Pluto in Scorpio

You tear through appearances in an effort to get beneath, behind, and at the heart or essence. You may find psychology, initiation, mysticism and the occult of great interest. Intense personal change and inner growth are lifelong habits.

House Activity and Emphasis

Astrologers agree that astrology is first of all the study of the angular relationships between the planets themselves. But this planetary framework is seen to shift and modify itself as the planets slowly move across the backdrop of the signs, the so-called 'fixed stars' which make up the zodiac. As the earth turns daily on its axis, the planets and signs appear to move across our field of vision through what astrologers have termed 'houses'. The sun rises at dawn and can be seen on the eastern horizon, or first house cusp, or ascendant. It reaches 'midheaven' at noon, and sinks below the western horizon at the descendant.

Like the twelve signs of the zodiac, the twelve houses of the horoscope can be viewed as stages in a complete cycle: From the initial thrust of Aries and the first house, to the maximum entropy symbolised in Pisces and the 12th house. They provide clues as to which areas of your life can be given special attention and used depending on the signs and planets residing there. Here is an analysis of the house activity in your chart based on sign and planet emphasis. As you read along, keep in mind that each house represents a department of life, and the sign falling on each house cusp indicates the mode of action applied to the affairs of that house. In other words, the sign on each house cusp, along with any planet(s) contained therein, shows how one deals with the conditions of that house.

The First House

The first house, also called the ascendant or rising sign, is a dharma house and connected with motivation and our approach to life. It also has to do with how we come across to others, thus our appearance and how we make a first impression. The ascendant is the essential stuff that bubbles up in us spontaneously - what is obvious to others as our trademark look or approach. The first house shows our ability to be recognised, how we make a directed effort, and how we exert our will. Cultivate the strategies of this part of your chart to move forward in life.

Virgo on the 1st House Cusp

Virgo energy is analytical and precise, always separating out what is worthwhile and worth supporting from that which is outmoded and of no further use. A mental earth sign, here the mind takes control over matter. This is the sign of 'ways and means', implementation, instrumentation, physical effectiveness and efficiency. Virgo energy is always facilitating, often caring more for others than for itself.

Sun in the 1st House

You have a strong personal presence, charisma and an ability to make an impact on others. Strong-willed and proud, you express yourself with confidence and authority. You have leadership capabilities, coupled with a strong desire for recognition and personal success. At times, you can be inclined to overwhelm other people with the power of your personality, or be prone to excessive pride and egotism, but you are always out front and personable.

Moon in the 1st House

The face you show the world is that of an emotionally sensitive and receptive person. Emotionally, you are an open book and inclined to wear your feelings on your sleeve. Your moods also impact strongly on those around you. However, because you tend to be guided by your feelings, you can be inconsistent, changeable and moody. Professionally, you have a need to be in touch with others in your environment, and may show talents for working in the public sector or food industry.

Mercury in the 1st House

You have an intellectual outlook on life, coupled with an inquiring and curious mind that is always interested in gaining new information. Your thinking is often self-orientated and you can have some difficulties appreciating the views or thoughts of others. You are intellectually sharp and quick-witted, and learn fast, especially from personal experience. You are also mercurial by nature and can be talkative one day and quite reflective on another.

Venus in the 1st House

You have a keen sense for grace, beauty and refinement, and display a pleasant manner to others. You have an appreciation of the arts and music, coupled with a sense of fashion and an ability to make yourself attractive to others. You like beautiful things in your environment, and you know how to dress well and make a good impression on other people. You are a natural mixer socially and people generally like being in your company, though at times you can be too self-indulgent.

The Second House

The second house is connected with matters of wealth; how we respond to, enjoy and get in harmony with our surroundings. This is how we hold or acquire things (possessions, material goods, money, and other resources), and how we gain material support and sustenance. The second house refers to how we secure ourselves, how we make a firm foundation, as well as the kind of response we get from life and those around us. Therefore it has much to say about our material rewards.

Libra on the 2nd House Cusp

Libra energy is always responsive and conciliating, assuming the appropriate reaction or delicately-weighted strategic response to any question or statement. What is sometimes seen as two-faced is only Libra's facility at responding to each in kind, giving both sides equal consideration. This is certainly the social sign, par excellence. Impersonal and impartial, this sign doles out only what is demanded - nothing overdone, but nothing neglected.

Pluto in the 2nd House

You have a strong need to establish yourself in financial and material terms, so much so, that you may develop extreme attitudes towards wealth. Money can be seen as power, and its possession increases your options in life. You may have experienced extremes of wealth and hardship, with subsequent periods of anxiety and panic. You could be a terrific business person, as you have an ability to get past the surface of things and separate out that which has real worth, though financial problems are always possible through unwise speculations.

The Third House

The third house shows how we make connections and communicate with the world. This is where we draw parallels, make comparisons, and sort through it all. A very mental house, it is concerned with finding, gathering, all manner of questioning, articulation and conversation. In short, it symbolises the functions of the rational mind - linking observations and ideas, and using them to our advantage.

Scorpio on the 3rd House Cusp

Scorpio is intense, passionate, and very personal. It rushes past superficialities and right to the heart of any matter. A loyal friend but a fanatic foe, this sign does well in politics and all areas where someone who dares is rewarded. Associated with sexual energy, Scorpio loves to get involved, going down deeper, coming up dirtier, and laying bare anything that lies hidden there.

Saturn in the 3rd House

You are a deep and contemplative thinker, who is capable of profound thought and mental concentration. Your good reasoning powers may demonstrate an ability for scientific thought or mathematics. However, you could lack intellectual confidence or experience disruptions in your education. You are a serious person with little interest in idle chatter or light conversation, so relations, especially with siblings or neighbors, can be strained at times. You are very determined and deliberate when it comes to mental work and could make an excellent researcher or scientist.

Uranus in the 3rd House

An original thinker and communicator, you have the ability for outlining progressive and revolutionary ideas, or weird and eccentric ones. Your schooling may have been unusual in some way, or possibly interrupted. You have a low threshold for boredom and require ample intellectual stimulation. Modern technologies, scientific breakthroughs, and all that is new and exciting, interest you. Your relationships with relatives and neighbors are rarely dull.

The Fourth House

The fourth house is a very emotional house, concerned with matters of comfort and security. Here is how we create the right conditions, the matrix or womb, in which our desires can flourish; the climate necessary for things to grow. It's about receptivity, nurturing and all the self-protective measures we take to ensure a secure base of operations. This is why the fourth house is related to the mothers, all 'mothering' functions, domestic issues and feeling 'at home'.

Sagittarius on the 4th House Cusp

Sagittarius is nothing if not direct, candid, and to the point, for this sign is always concerned with the absolute truth of the subject at hand. Associated with philosophy, outreach and all things boundless, Sagittarian energy is always welcome in politics as well as social and community endeavors where its basic fairness and expansiveness is helpful.

Neptune in the 4th House

You may find it difficult to put down roots, or there could be some uncertainty concerning your family history or ancestry. Difficulties with a parent are possible; perhaps there is substance abuse or alcoholism in the family. Your later life could be spent within a spiritual environment. If possible, you should try to live near water, as this is soothing and comforting to you.

The Fifth House

The fifth house, another dharma or 'life purpose' house, has to do with creativity and warm out-going self-expression. Here is where we find our originality and flair, enthusiasm, and even pride in ourselves, building confidence and self-esteem. This is the life area of personal sovereignty, where we begin to recognise and appreciate our own dynamic and playful nature. All forms of creative expression (including love affairs and offspring) are connected with this house.

Aquarius on the 5th House Cusp

Aquarius, the sign of humanitarian goals and altruism. Always impartial and nonsectarian, Aquarian energy is communal (even global). The focus is on the goal, and the goal is always one that is for the many and not the few. Thus this sign is connected to far-seeing visions, world views and group work of all kinds. This sign tends towards coolness, independence.

The Sixth House

The sixth house is the house of physical efficiency. Here we separate the wheat from the chaff; get a sense for what is useful, what is not, and make the best of it. This is the life stage of 'apprenticeship', where we make a connection between mind and matter, adapt ourselves to a situation and then seek to improve upon it. Hence the connection of the sixth house with routine; 'practice makes perfect'. The sixth house shows how well we handle the details of life - our ability to solve problems and get our way.

Pisces on the 6th House Cusp

Pisces energy runs deep and toward the mystical -- whatever transcends the everyday world. This sign is understanding, patient and compassionate. Super-sensitive, it tends to absorb it's surroundings like a sponge. The sign is very trusting, accepting and giving of itself for the sake of more important issues. It loves free-ranging activities which allow for some imaginative scope.

The Seventh House

The seventh house, the descendant - opposite of the ascendant - is connected with partnerships, relationships and 'significant others'. Here is where we learn to strike a balance - the art of give and take. All that carries us beyond our personal self (and into an awareness of contradictory or complementary points of view) is symbolised by the seventh house. This is where we respond to the personal needs of others. Therefore marriage and union (yoga) are indicated by this house, as well as one's ability to respond to a marriage partner.

Pisces on the 7th House Cusp

Pisces energy runs deep and toward the mystical -- whatever transcends the everyday world. This sign is understanding, patient and compassionate. Super-sensitive, it tends to absorb it's surroundings like a sponge. The sign is very trusting, accepting and giving of itself for the sake of more important issues. It loves free-ranging activities which allow for some imaginative scope.

The Eighth House

The eighth house is the house of first-hand transformative experiences and situations - those areas of life that we may not care to face, but we must face sooner or later... the so-called 'inevitables' of life, such as death and taxes. The eighth is also concerned with catharsis; the getting rid of excess parts of ourselves that we no longer need. This house covers initiations of all kinds, as well as activities where we find ourselves transformed toward a more integral position. Thus it also covers any jointly held resources, their problems and their benefits.

Aries on the 8th House Cusp

Aries is the sign of pioneers, leaders and 'firsts'. It is impulsive, assertive and spontaneous. It tends to act first, only thinking about what it may have done later. Rushing in where others fear to tread, Aries energy is attention-getting and always provokes a response from the surroundings and from others. It takes decisive action and loves self-reliance.

Jupiter in the 8th House

You have a talent for dealing with other people's money and resources, and may be very successful as a financial adviser, stockbroker or accountant. You may also benefit personally from legacies or inheritances. Your personal or professional partner may be wealthy, lucky with money or financially clever and resourceful. Career moves may depend upon you taking care of business and getting down to the practical. First-hand sensitive issues and matters of 'life and death' may also be an important part of your life path.

The Ninth House

The ninth house shows where we are willing to go beyond our everyday experience in search of meaning. Traditionally the house of 'long journeys', the ninth house is where we take journeys both of the body and the mind. Philosophy, beliefs, speculation, opinions and how we form them all belong to this house. Any time we reach out, explore new territory, or align our activities with something bigger, we are operating in the realm of the ninth house. Along with Jupiter's position, here is where we can attract luck by keeping open and receptive to opportunities.

Taurus on the 9th House Cusp

Taurus is about drawing on the bounty of the earth, and seeking material security and physical safety there. It is the on-going, enduring, unchanging and preserving element. Hightened sensory input is also important, for it is the mission of this sign to not only find a sense of place within the material realm, but to enjoy it to the fullest, becoming physically aware of, and bonding with the environment.

The Tenth House

The tenth house, commonly called the midheaven, is the house of success and glory, practical vision and achieving a public distinction. Therefore one's reputation and career are often connected with this house. The sign on the tenth house cusp, as well as any planets located therein, show how we can strive to be a benefit to - as well as how we can benefit from - society. The tenth house is about having a goal in life and the self-determination to reach it. Here is how we can 'live our calling' and become self-piloting individuals.

Gemini on the 10th House Cusp

Gemini is concerned with connections, communication and logic -- voice, thoughts, writing, and rational mental processes in general. It is also concerned with making comparisons, 'twins' and duplications of all kinds. Gemini is the communicator, the gossip of the zodiac, the collector of trivia. Gemini energy is unattached, independent, very inquisitive and changable.

The Eleventh House

The eleventh house is where we put our visions and dreams to work for others. The most future-oriented of the houses, the eleventh shows our hopes and dreams, and the opportunities we may have to reach them; how we can turn our dreams into reality. Therefore this house has always been connected with altruistic and humanitarian goals, as well as having the self-authorisation to set them in motion. Inventive and unusual, eleventh house activities often break from conformity, establishing new and unprecedented states of being.

Leo on the 11th House Cusp

Leo energy is expressive, vital and exuberant. Often very artistic, and always theatrical and dramatic, this is the sign of creativity and the arts. Warm and big-hearted, Leo lives in full appreciation and celebration of the finer elements of life, bringing a dynamism and enthusiasm to everything it touches. This is the fearless 'becoming' stage, where things are done for their own sake, playfully and with pleasure.

The Twelfth House

The twelfth house is where consciousness dawns - the house of the rising Sun. This is the indeterminate state - the chaos before the new impulse - where all is yet unfulfilled potentialities. Traditionally this is the house of 'sacrifice', and is often connected with prisons, betrayal and self-undoing. Although we can choose to become trapped and frustrated by the many obstructions to attaining our dreams, we can also choose to reach outward and upward to a more fulfilled state, transcending the usual down-dragging conditions and rising above difficulties - thus establishing a life nearer our ideal. Here in the twelfth house we have the capacity to attain liberation by using our visionary scope and working creatively with life's intangibles - the power of imagination!

Virgo on the 12th House Cusp

Virgo energy is analytical and precise, always separating out what is worthwhile and worth supporting from that which is outmoded and of no further use. A mental earth sign, here the mind takes control over matter. This is the sign of 'ways and means', implementation, instrumentation, physical effectiveness and efficiency. Virgo energy is always facilitating, often caring more for others than for itself.

Mars in the 12th House

You can be a champion for the underdog and may actively attempt to assist those who cannot help themselves. In general, you are not driven by the desire for recognition; instead you achieve a lot by working behind the scenes. You can work well, or possibly hold administrative positions, within large charitable institutions. At times, you may find that your intentions are not realizable due to a lack of energy or the urge to escape from restrictive or limiting circumstances, in which case, you move on to doing something else, which is usually more worthy of your efforts.

Lastly, there is no 'one and only' reading of the birth chart. The symbols of your horoscope change as your life changes - they mean one thing in the life of a youngster, and quite another in middle age. The mystery of the astrological symbols, and part of their beauty, is that they are flexible enough to be relevant and fixed enough to be meaningful, allowing you to approach your horoscope again and again with questions about past, present and future concerns.