2008 Writings


December 2008

Okay Doing Nothing (12.22.08)
What happened when I hit my limit and just couldn't do one more productive thing.

Mars Fires Another Shot (12.9.08)
Mars, in conjunction with the Sun in Sagittarius, helps turn the week's full moon into a Saturn/Uranus-charged (and conflict-happy) t-square. But we need these gifts of disagreement to open up the bigger conversations.


November 2008

We Knew It Was Coming (11.25.08)
At precarious moments in history such as this, astrology makes a stronger-than-usual case for its believability.

Special Strategies for the Week (11.17.08)
Making the most of the week's Jupiter-Saturn trine, with the help of a dispositor loop including Mercury and Mars.

Can't Hardly Wait (for the Future) (11.11.08)
Venus conjoins Pluto in the last degree of Sagittarius, ushering in the Pluto-in-Capricorn era. But Mars, soon to enter Sagittarius, first wants to make sure everyone caught his point.

How I Felt The Day After (11.5.08)
What's on my mind on the morning after an historic Election Day.

We Are Them: Election Day and Other Polarizations (11.2.08)
With Venus blocked by dual squares to opposing planetary heavyweights Saturn and Uranus, we see further astrological evidence that our desire for quick-and-fair resolutions isn't likely to be fulfilled any time soon.


October 2008

Uranus Giveth, Uranus Taketh Away (10.24.08)
More on my personal experience of transiting Uranus conjunct my Midheaven: staying detached on the professional front.

'Less than Friendly' Times Hit Home (10.19.08)
Yes, we will be better than okay in the long run. But before that, the outer planets have a lot of turbulence in store.

No More Mr. (Supposed) Nice Guy (10.8.08)
Now that Venus and Mars are both in Scorpio, the gloves have come off.


September 2008

To Regulate, or Not To Regulate? (9.29.08)
As the Saturn-Uranus opposition kicks off its 3-year influence, the cultural discourse hosts a debate of the relative value of centralized authority vs. free-market individualism.

Clearing the Air w/Merc-Retro in Libra (9.24.08)
Where 'putting a positive spin' has devolved into outright dishonesty, we now have a chance to repair such breaches with Mercury turning retrograde in Libra.

'Black Magic'? (9.18.08)
Learning more about the economic crisis from the witchy ghosts of Santa Fe's 'Oldest House in the US'.

Pluto Direct: The Pendulum Swing is Real (9.11.08)
As Pluto stands virtually still this week, we'd be wise to heed any potent instances where it's become overwhelmingly evident that we mustn't continue down the same path.

Sarah Palin 'Out-Neptunes' Obama (9.4.08)
With both a natal Neptune square AND a transiting Neptune conjunction to her Sun/Mars/Saturn in Aquarius, Palin rides the same dual Neptunian waves of inspiring idealism and paranoia-fostering fear as Obama. (But underneath, she's tough as steel.)


August 2008

Current Libran Considerations (8.31.08)
A trio of Mercury, Venus and Mars in Libra helps to balance us out after a couple developmental months.

More Than an Astrologer (8.28.08)
I write about writing about other things besides astrology. (Relax, I'm not abandoning ship.)

'How Do You Do?' and Other Libran Niceties (8.18.08)
What other people are doing (and how we include them in what we're doing) takes on much more importance, with Mars leading the planetary charge into Libra.

Outside Perspective (8.10.08)
A report on my recent vacation traveling through Guatemala and Honduras.

Want a Break, Mars? Meet Uranus (8.3.08)
Caught between Saturn and Uranus, Mars must distinguish between those things one can actually change and those that are totally beyond our control.


July 2008

Who Are You? The Aug 1 Solar Eclipse in Leo (7.27.08)
Where we get into trouble with Leo—and the issue that this eclipse's energies will emphasize—are the instances in which what we're showing isn't exactly 'the real thing'.

Out and About (7.24.08)
Barry takes a vacation to Guatemala, and you have to hear about it.

Who is He? Obama's Sun-Neptune Square (7.20.08)
Our worst fear? Our greatest hope? No, just a man with his Leo Sun square Neptune... and an uncanny ability to appear as what we collectively most yearn for or bristle at.

Venus Gets a Say, Too (7.16.08)
Venus in Leo reminds us that everything needn't be treated like a test of our responsibility... and that, sometimes, making big deals out of small worries is kind of fun.

Listening to the Bell (7.14.08)
Did you hear your inner bell go ding under Mars and Saturn's conjunction, telling you you'd gone too far? Did you respect its authority, or refuse to listen? And what now?

Saturn, Uranus & Optimism in 'Worsening' (7.6.08)
On the verge of a Saturn-Uranus opposition, our increasingly difficult collective challenges may indeed be essential in order for certain improvements to take place on a grander scale.


June 2008

Going for the 'A' in Accuracy (6.30.08)
With Mars entering Virgo and spending some time in conjunction with Saturn, the details most certainly do count. Put in an honest effort toward the work at hand, or you'll be sorry.

Enjoying Silence (6.23.08)
Shut up already, and treat yourself to some Venus-in-Cancer nourishment of the 'quiet' variety.

Plutonic Full-Moon Opposition Station Solstice Fest (6.16.08)
The title says it all: Enough astro-action to ensure the week ahead is anything but boring.

No, Thank You (6.12.08)
How I behaved to prevent my having to engage with people I didn't want to engage with. (It worked like a charm.)

There's Only So Much Room in this Parking Lot We Share (6.9.08)
A modern lesson about interconnectedness, set in a crowded Whole Foods parking lot.

Gemini-Leo and Nothing to Block (6.2.08)
Everything that's been set into motion gains speed, strength and power, like a boulder marooning down a hill.


May 2008

This, That, The Other... and Oh, Yeah (5.26.08)
Mercury retrograde in Gemini: perfect for creative brainstorming and tentative social networking, but beware of frayed nerves from 'information overload'.

Next in the Line (5.21.08)
The 2008 campaign for president, the astrological community's 'predictions', and the passing of the '60s torch at the waxing Uranus-Pluto square.

Ode to Mars in Leo (5.12.08)
Finally! Mars enters a new sign (Leo), where some compelling (or not) drama awaits around every turn. Grab your popcorn and a good front-row seat…

Pluto in Capricorn: The Ruling Party Rules (5.2.08)
A deep (and likely) painful transformation of our power structures? Sounds like the '08 presidential election to me.


April 2008

Happier Planets = Happier People (4.28.08)
Both Venus and Mercury move into signs they rule (Taurus and Gemini, respectively), replacing their prior discomfort with zodiac clothing that fits like a glove.

Trouble I'm Not Warning You About (4.21.08)
A cardinal T-square between a desperate Mars, a self-focused Venus, and an exacerbating Jupiter fosters exaggerated actions. But this 'trouble' is better than nothing.

The Campaign for Common Sense (4.16.08)
With both the Sun and Mercury in Taurus forming grand trines with Saturn and Pluto, it's an ideal time to make real-world commitments with ourselves… but with grounded pragmatism beating out hot-air declarations or lofty theories.

Astrology is Always Personal (4.14.08)
A discussion of how astrology's 'truths' always depend on a certain frame of reference.

Fast Dispatch from Aries (4.3.08)
Mercury and Venus in Aries square a stationary Pluto: Pots get stirred. Passions flare. We continue on, unafraid.


March 2008

A Personal Message to Mars (3.27.08)
My efforts to make peace with the malefic whose been messing with me for months, as he thankfully re-enters my 1st house.

Savoring the Ruffling-Up (3.23.08)
A triple conjunction of Mercury, Venus and Uranus in Pisces encourages our imaginations to transcend the stale and overly familiar, to get us moving with the fresh input of something different.

Heed the Equinox Full Moon Oracle (3.17.08)
This week's full moon (Fri Mar 21) squares off against Pluto, giving us a prophetic glimpse ahead at issues linked to the 2010 T-square between Saturn, Uranus and Pluto.

Retrospective Reflections on Now (3.6.08)
Behind the drama of the Mars-Pluto opposition, Mercury and Venus conspire with Neptune to drop clues about who we share what in common with.


February 2008

Wrapping Up Retro Madness (2.28.08)
With its third opposition to Pluto in six months, Mars finally pushes for some resolution to what its recent retrograde stirred up.

Limiting our Lunacy, Eclipse-Style (2.18.08)
A final Virgo lunar eclipse, conjoining Saturn, encourages us to cut the crap and quit pitting our critical minds against our own well-being.

Preliminary Pluto Ponderings (2.11.08)
My first official stab at commenting on Pluto's epic transit through Capricorn, 2008-2024.

An Undramatic Eclipse? (2.4.08)
The February 6 solar eclipse in Aquarius seems to have snuck up on us, eh? I blame Neptune, Mercury retrograde, Mars retrograde… wait, what else can I blame?


January 2008

Fighting Retrograde Fatigue (1.30.08)
How best to handle this latest Mercury retrograde (in Aquarius and conjunct Neptune), all while newly-direct Mars 'redoes' his last few months.

Looking Back on 33 (1.23.08)
My birthday thoughts about my past year and 'deepening' as a person.

Beyond Me, The Planets Keep Moving (1.21.08)
The latest celestial climate report, including Venus-Pluto, Mercury-Neptune, conjunctions, retrogrades, eclipses, and isn't that enough for one sitting?

Professional Identity Crisis (1.14.08)
Trying to figure out my 'calling', as transiting Uranus conjoins my natal Midheaven.

2008: The Year Ahead (1.5.08)
My sun-sign forecasts for '08, originally printed in Australia's FAMOUS Magazine.