This week's Astro-Barry

I figured I should save these... seems to be a series?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A December story, in three chapters. Chapter One, in which you admit you can barely live with yourself, as long as this tension (romantic or adversarial, creative or destructive) still simmers, unexpressed. So come out with it already. One deep, dense glance into your eyes reveals traces of the story your lips have been hesitant to spell out… but the full heft of it is obviously there, lying in wait for its curtain call. That most important audience member (you know who it is) is more than ready for the real show to start. Can't you hear your name being called from offstage, a powerful prompt? Isn't this it? Or perhaps a better question: How much further will you go on, letting this unspoken knowledge bear down on your chest, compressing your lungs until you can barely stand it anymore? You might even imagine, Taurus, that death would be easier than confessing this big looming Truth, which you've been hinting at or trying to evade, hoping they'd say it for you or just leave before you have to lower the boom… for you have a sense, and rightfully so, that to finally voice the gut-wrenching reality of what goes on inside you (and consequently underscores your behavior in this relationship, and every other, too) is in fact equivalent, in itself, to a host of metaphoric deaths… to the way things have been for so long, to your feeble (but nonetheless handy-dandy) defense mechanisms, and to every last excuse you use to hold them at arm's length. But, between us, aren't you so totally and completely prepared for this passing? Aren't you ready to shut the book on your secret shame and, by doing so, move closer to the rest of humanity by one more giant step? Come on out, and live out here in the great wide open with the rest of us, my dear. Shove the remnants all the way to one side or the other. Put it to bed, once and for all. Launch those words off the tip of your tongue, then stand back. Saying it may be uncomfortable for everyone, at least at first, but there's really no other choice, except to default to continuing your silent screams for acknowledgment, to dragging your heels, to waiting it out indefinitely, with more of the same stretching onward forever, only with added bitterness at what could've been, clutched even more tightly, offering absolutely no solace… [to be continued]

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): A December story, in three chapters. Chapter One, in which the net dividends of 2007 are accounted for. Rounding up the tail end of another year in the life of a Scorpio, and the question begging to be asked: What have you earned for yourself in '07? Perhaps better yet: Was it all it was cracked up to be? Was it enough? Throughout these many months, growth-oriented Jupiter has been occupying your 2nd house, where we gather the resources at our disposal into a prize-package representing our personal wealth. Typically, that places money and other material possessions at the top of the list… but beyond such a surface-level interpretation, the 2nd also symbolizes that which we find great value in, such as our most admirable skills and traits that might be deployed in acquiring earthly security for ourselves. Above all else, this house is a zone of self-worth, with financial indicators as but one reflection (albeit a major one) of how we ultimately appraise our caliber. So, Scorpio, do you feel richer? more confident? personally safer in this crazy dog-eat-dog world? I certainly hope so. You've certainly had plenty of opportunity to make these strides. But even if you haven't seen a boost in self-reliance or cold hard cash, the astro-tides are goading you toward a less blatantly self-serving approach in '08… not because there's anything wrong with serving one's self, but because it only gets you so far. And where it won't get you is closer to your fellow humans. Surely you've noticed your intense manner often intimidates many of the non-Scorpio folks out there, right? Have you ever speculated as to the reasons why? Let me suggest one possibility (among many, of course): You are so unbelievably slick at angling for what you want, without ever showing your whole hand to the audience, that we can't help but suspect something more is going on beneath your poker face (because it is), and that can make us nervous. Especially in light of Jupiter's yearlong transit through a self-serving house in your solar chart. Which is why it's about time to quit trying so hard… to let up on rabidly pursuing goals, regardless of your recent relative success or frustration in these matters… and to reestablish a lighter-weight focus on simply mingling with peeps of all persuasions. [to be continued]