"Enchanted" by Taylor Swift

Today marks the second New Moon in Cancer for this year and the first new moon after Eclipse Season. Two new moons within the same sign is a rare occurrence and can only happen if the first new moon in a zodiac sign occurs at the 0 or 1 of the sign - which, if you remember, happened this Summer Solstice, when the new moon occurred at 0 Cancer. The way astrologer's have interpreted this occurrence as a chance to do the New Moon in Cancer over so if you wanted to do a New Moon ritual but chose not to due to the volatility of doing magic during an eclipse period, you've got the go ahead now. The New Moon in Cancer is an especially good time to work with the Divine Feminine and Dark Goddesses, doing inner child shadow work, or magic concerning love, family, home, and personal manifestation.

There I was again tonight forcing laughter, faking smiles

Same old tired, lonely place

Walls of insincerity

Shifting eyes and vacancy vanished when I saw your face

All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you

To celebrate the Moon being in her domicile, Cancer, I picked a song by an artist whose Moon in Cancer placement truly defines her work - Taylor Swift. I have this theory that all people with water moons filter life and relationships (especially romantic relationships) through a particular story lens within their internal monologue. Cancer Moons have a tendency to view romance through the traditional fairy tale/fantasy lens. Scorpio Moons filter it through a paranormal romance or neo-noir lens. And Pisces Moons filter life through what I call a more whimsical indie romance lens (for example, picture any film by Wes Anderson). Cancer placements have a reputation for being old-fashioned and even a little traditional. This translates into an aesthetic that is classic and maybe even a little bit vintage. For example, Dita von Teese, whose South Node is in Cancer (North Node in Capricorn), has built an entire career around vintage glamour and feminine beauty - she's simply capitalizing on what her soul knows best (an exquisite interpretation of this nodal axis)! By traditional, it's been said that Cancer energy has a very Disney-movie-esque interpretation of love. Big romantic gestures, a steady courtship based on friendship, the idea of soul mates, a tasteful engagement ring, a fantasy wedding, and then happily ever after, which involves a nice house with a white picket fence, 2.5 children (and possibly more - Cancer is the Mom of the zodiac), and a couple pets. It does evoke the imagery of a fairy tale romance, which has been a staple of Swift's music from the beginning. Even in her racier songs, she relies on her elite story telling to depict a cinematic interpretation within the corresponding music video. Aside from this, her aesthetic is generally very classic and feminine. Even when she went on her angry, goth tangent for her "Reputation" album (i.e., embracing her Scorpio Rising), those elements were still present in both the wardrobe styling and the music.

Your eyes whispered "have we met?"

Across the room your silhouette starts to make it's way to me

The playful conversation starts

Counter all your quick remarks, like passing notes in secrecy

And it was enchanting to meet you

All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you

Taking a look at Swift's natal chart, she has a number of oppositions along the Cancer-Capricorn axis. Although the opposition aspect can be challenging, mastering those challenges can bring a lot of rewards. Aspects, in astrological understanding, bring a special focus and relationship between the planets in the aspect and the signs those planets fall in. Remember that an opposition relationship (such as between Cancer-Capricorn) is a relationship where the energies are trying to do similar things using different methods. Mastery, in this case, would mean being able to balance the positive aspects from both signs to create an even stronger effect. Taylor Swift's Mercury in Capricorn (planet communication) is in a strong opposition with her Jupiter (planet of Luck and Fortune) in Cancer and conjunct Neptune (planet of dreams and imagination) in Capricorn. Jupiter is also exalted in Cancer, giving this planet's beneficial effects more power. Astrologer's can interpret this opposition as Swift being especially good at her method of communication (music) and also having a special ability to describe her thoughts and feelings when she does communicate. Mercury in Capricorn also means that she has a calculated and well-planned way of organizing her thoughts when she does use her musical abilities. Another aspect of all this Capricorn energy is that she is no stranger to hard work and she can a veritable workaholic, especially when she's on tour. Her Moon in Cancer in loose opposition to multiple planets in Capricorn means she views those she works with and for as family and Taylor Swift is notorious for being incredibly gracious, generous, and kind to fans, her backup dancers, and other people who assist her when she's working. With Saturn in Capricorn opposite Jupiter in Cancer, it's also no surprise that she succeeded very early on in her music career (she became famous when she was 16 years old) and has been able to maintain and grow from that level of success. Finally, her Neptune in Capricorn is loosely opposite her Moon and Chiron in Cancer. This means she is able to manifest and make others understand her emotions and, in particular, her inner wounding. As I mentioned before, Taylor Swift has a different song for every kind of heartache. If you're being bullied, she has a song for that. If you've been cheated on (or, conversely, been cheated with - she has experienced playing both parts), she has songs for that. If you've been in love with someone who doesn't know you exist, she has dozens of songs for that. Part of this is because she has dated a lot - Cancer placements have a tendency to be on a perpetual search until they find "The One" - but she also had a lot of life experience for her short 30 years, because of the success she's had. With Chiron in Cancer, she is hypersensitive to how others react to her feelings and needs and I'm sure she's been on the receiving end of comments such as she's "too much" or "too sensitive." And that's the fine line those of us with personal placements in Cancer must walk - we're highly empathetic but we also want someone who is equally compassionate and caring and are often disappointed. With this Chiron placement, people often get in a cycle of repressing their own needs to make others comfortable, which only leads to resentment and self-betrayal. Again, the key here is balance and the uncanny ability of fill your own cup first before giving to others, something all Cancer placements must learn to master.

This is me praying that this was the very first page

Not where the story line ends

My thoughts will echo your name, until I see you again

These are the words I held back, as I was leaving too soon

I was enchanted to meet you

I chose this song because it very recently was added to my list of top Taylor Swift songs. Although my favorite T-Swift song will probably always be "Everything Has Changed," which still makes me smile and calms my heart (seriously, liquefy this song and shoot it straight into my veins, please), "Enchanted" comes in as a close 2nd place. Over the past year, I've gotten into the habit of listening to the "This is Taylor Swift" playlist on Spotify whenever I'd have a particularly rough day, which is how I found this song. She is prolific and this is one of her older songs, from when she could still be roughly classified as country music. The lyrics depicts that fairy tale vibe you see in so many romance stories - eyes met across the room, love at first sight, and all that jazz. The high you feel after a moment or night like the one she describes. The uncertainty of whether the other person felt the same or if it's all in your head. In general, it's a sweet, youthful song, which I felt captured the essence of today's New Moon in Cancer. Enjoy!

"Enchanted" Video

"Fighter" by Christina Aguilera

Happy Belated Bastille Day! As you may have guessed from my greeting, I intended to publish this yesterday but I was hit by a wave a fatigue and I decided to rest instead of write. It's not all the baby's fault. To be honest, it's mostly mine. It feels as if I have more work to do when I'm teleworking and I don't have that hard "stop" at the end of the day anymore. Being at home, I also feel obligated to stop whatever I'm doing to either parent/play with my child or clean during my breaks - and the cleaning imperative has gotten more urgent the longer I'm stuck at home. Also, my husband has my son and I on lockdown, so I don't even get to go on grocery trips anymore. And I enjoy those grocery shopping excursions. So, if I'm tired, it's because I'm doing too much and not taking enough time for self-care, as perusual. Trying to settle into a new routine but struggling with feeling guilty for taking time to myself? Yeah - sounds like Cancer season, alright.

After all of the stealing and cheating you probably think that

I hold resentment for you

But uh uh, oh no, you're wrong

'Cause if it wasn't for all that you tried to do, I wouldn't know

Just how capable I am to pull through

So I want to say thank you

"Fighter" recounts Christina Aguilera's epic showdown against Spider Pig. "What?!" You may ask. Of course I'm making that up - I'm sure it's about some narcissist Christina encountered during her climb to fame, but I prefer the meaning my husband gave this song. It's kind of a ridiculous story but my husband's phone playlist contains both this song and the Spider Pig theme from "The Simpsons." Due to random chance, we were driving somewhere one day and these two songs play back-to-back. We got to talking about how Christina Aguilera looks like a comic book villain in the video. And, thus, Christina Aguilera became Spider Pig's archnemesis. We gave her a whole back story and everything. Believe me - Spider Pig did Christina way dirty. Anyway, it's hard to hear this song without giving it that context in my mind.

Never saw it coming, all of your backstabbing

Just so you could cash in on a good thing before I'd realize your game

I heard you're goin' round playin', the victim now

But don't even begin feeling I'm the one to blame

'Cause you dug your own grave

After all of the fights and the lies cause you're wanting to haunt me

But that won't work anymore, no more,

It's over

'Cause if it wasn't for all of your torture

I wouldn't know how to be this way now and never back down

So I want to say thank you

A few weeks ago, I mentioned a lot of superheroes were born during Cancer season, which led me to develop a theory as to why Cancerians serve as the Superhero Archetype. Sailor Moon - a show which revolved around astrology - made the leader/ruler of the Sailor Scouts a Cancer. Usagi Tsukino (or Serena, in the American version - and, yes, at one point, I did know all the Sailor Scouts Japanese names) had many faults - she was whiny as shit, boy crazy, was always eating, and was often moping over some perceived slight. But, as she developed as a character, she did come to embody the Evolved Cancer energy, which I'll describe later on. Other superheroes follow similar arcs or come ready made in this archetype - Ray Palmer, the Atom and ultimate Good Guy; Mary Marvel; Johnny Thunder; and even Superman was adopted by the Kents during Cancer season. It's also interesting how many actors who often specialize in playing the "hero" are Cancers - a non-exhaustive list includes Harrison Ford, Vin Diesel, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Sylvester Stallone, Chris Pratt, Patrick Stewart, Olivia Munn, and Milo Ventimiglia. Key historic events - especially those with revolutionary fervor, like Bastille Day and the 4th of July - occur during Cancer season. And let's not forget Captain America himself - Steve Rogers - is a Cancer and will serve as our primary example of the Superhero Archetype. So what is it about Cancerians that lends itself to superhero status?

Cardinal signs in general tend to be sensitive to injustice. However, unlike other Cardinal signs, Cancers have a tendency to be like, "Fuck your rules, this is wrong at the most basic level." Aries has a tendency to say "Fuck your rules" because it violates their own sense of independence. Libras have a tendency to go along with the rules to avoid conflict, while secretly opposing/undermining them. Capricorn, Cancer's opposite, comes from the perspective of "this is wrong because it violates the rules" - being ruled by Saturn, this sign has a complicated relationship with authority - they are more likely to argue against war crimes based on what the Geneva Convention says, not based on the damage it does to the individuals and communities impacted. The thing about opposites is they are often trying to accomplish similar things using different methods. When it comes to the Cancer-Capricorn axis, it's an Emotional approach vs a Logical approach. Cancers, in general, don't have a reputation for being rebellious. That being said, you press the wrong nerve or mess with the wrong person, and their tendency towards chaotic good comes out.

How could this man I thought I knew

Turn out to be unjust so cruel

Could only see the good in you

Pretended not to know the truth

You tried to hide your lies, disguise yourself

Through living in denial

But in the end you'll see

You won't stop me

I've compiled a brief list of typical Cancerian attributes and how those reflect what society expects of a superhero:

• Cancerians have a fierce protective instinct over those who are unable (or need help) to defend themselves. Superheroes are meant to defend the weak and unheard. Cancerians tend to have an inflamed sense of justice - and will take action if it is in their power. And they have no qualms about putting themselves in danger to fight the good fight. Famous Cancerians - such as Frida Kahlo and Lena Horne - used their notoriety to bring attention and assist those in need. Lena Horne was active in the Civil Rights Movement and during WWII, refused to do USO performances for segregated audiences. Steve Rogers fucking jumps on a (fake) grenade to protect his fellow soldiers, which is the catalyst for him being selected to become Captain America. However, in real life, that shit is dangerous and stupid - and as a Cancer, I know I've done similar things in the service of Freedom, Beauty, Truth, and Love (Moulin Rouge reference). Maybe not as dangerous, but definitely as stupid.
• Cancerians are loyal - sometimes to a fault. We see this in Steve Rogers relationship with Bucky Barnes. Bucky did terrible things as a Soviet asset - but Steve still saw the good in him and refused to give up on him, even when Bucky was kicking his ass. There's this amazing YouTube analysis of the final fight scene in "Winter Soldier," explaining that the only reason Cap was fighting Bucky was to protect others. When he succeeded in this mission, he would've let Bucky kill him and it's this willingness to sacrifice his life to avoid hurting Bucky that ultimately broke the Soviet programming controlling the Winter Soldier.
• Evolved Cancerians understand and honor boundaries, although it may take them some time to do this for themselves. This is a fine line to walk, because Cancer - like fellow water signs Pisces and Scorpio - has issues with boundaries. They often cross them in an effort to protect or help others; and they'll often allow others violate their boundaries out of a misplaced fear that enforcing boundaries is unkind. Due to these issues, they'll let toxic people into their lives and will let them stay for a long time - until they learn to find the balance and protect themselves. Then, Cancer becomes an expert at loving and respecting people from a distance. It's a hard lesson to learn - to care for someone so much yet also understand that they can't be in your life for some reason. When Tony Stark cut ties with Steve after learning what Bucky did while he was being mind-controlled, it hurt Steve immensely. But he accepted that Stark needed space to heal. And that's what Cancers are good at - holding emotional space for others.
• Cancerians may move on, but they don't let go. The line which struck me most in "Avengers: End Game" was during the scene where Cap is leading a grief support group. Cap tells the attendees that "You just gotta move on." Then he repeats it quietly to himself. It struck me because - although he has adapted to life as a man displaced in time - he never fully let go of the hope that he'd be with Peggy Carter someday. Cancers are excellent at this. They can go through the motions and even find some semblance of happiness after a tragic event. But, in their heart of hearts, they still cling to the past and the hope that the perfect life they envisioned will someday come to fruition. They are idealists and romantics to the extreme. They are just really good at keeping that part of themselves secret from others.
• Cancerians are empathetic. They understand emotions and relationships at a deeper level than other astrological signs. As a result, they tend to reserve judgement. They may disagree with your opinions or beliefs, but they'll genuinely try to understand where you're coming from. Cancers have a reputation of being the Nice Guy or Good Girl of the zodiac - it's not undeserved. Evolved Cancerians tend to be "evolved" because they've faced some sort of hardship in their life. Because of these experiences, they try to keep in mind that everyone has their own story and pain to deal with. As such, characters like Ray Palmer and Steve Rogers tend to be the epitome of what a "good person" should be like. Kind, respectful, calm, friendly, protective, generous, and always willing to help someone in need. In other words, all the positive traits that Cancer energy embodies.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading this blatant Cancer stan post. You're picturing Spider Pig, aren't you? I told you - that guy is a fucking bastard for what he did to Christina.

"Fighter" Video

"Song of the Siren" by The Bridge City Sinners

Cancer, out of all the signs, is the most connected to the Divine Feminine. The traits ascribed to this astrological sign hearken to depictions of the archetype of the Mother Goddess - kind, nurturing, intuitive, protective, and sensual. The glyph for Cancer (♋︎) is supposed to represent the parts of the body this sign governs - the breasts and the stomach (or more accurately, the womb). Yes, there's a stereotype that Cancers have the best boobs (which I'm not going to argue against...because we do). And we often get pigeon-holed into the role of the "Mom-friend" (guilty as charged). It's the zodiac sign most closely linked to anahata, the Heart Chakra. However, you may see the Yin-Yang symbol as well, which is not surprising - as a Cardinal water sign, it brings together what modern society has convinced us are opposites. All Cardinal signs are leaders, but Cancer - being considered the most feminine of the group - is often underestimated and discounted as one. Where Libra leads with the mind, Cancer leads with the heart. While Capricorn defends physical security, Cancer defends emotional security. Where Aries charges forward with energy and force, Cancer leverages relationships to make subtle changes with effects that ripple outward. Cancer has gentle strength, relies on wisdom that often doesn't come from books, and prefers to rule with kindness.

The Cancerian archetype is considered one of the most protective signs - huge Mama Bear energy. In line with the Mother Goddess mythos, this protection is generally extended to other women and children. I know there's a lot going on right now, but there are several female-centered events going on as of late that you should be aware of. We're in the midst of a second #MeToo wave, this time going after illustrators, publishers, and music industry representatives who exploited young women trying to gain recognition in their respective industries. The Jeffrey Epstein saga keeps unfolding and, with the recent arrest of Maxwell Ghislane, we're starting to see just how far the rabbit hole goes and learn more about the power players who have known about it all along and turned a blind eye. This is the real "pizzagate" and its not even making a blip on most people's radars because of all the noise. There was/is a real child sex trafficking ring that caters to the rich and powerful. Additionally, Congress is trying to pass more anti-sex worker legislation, which is even more draconian than SESTA/FOSTA and has dire implications for everyone's digital usage (I plan to write more about this next week). And, if we're able to do anything good in 2020, we're going to fucking #FreeBritney. We need to tackle the damage involuntary conservatorship does and make some guidelines. I know - it's overwhelming the amount of craziness being thrown at us. But it's always been there, the only difference is our eyes are open now and we have to deal with these waves as they come, before we're swept away.

Follow my voice

And you'll be home again

This is the song of the siren

I woke up the other morning with a bunch of sentences running through my head, all beginning with "the Divine Feminine is." Remembering our hermetic concepts and acknowledging that the Divine Feminine is present in all things, it helps to define Her, just as we defined the Divine Masculine. It may seem like they are oppositional but, in reality, they work in tandem. If one is out of balance, the other runs amok. The Divine Feminine is open to receiving. She listens to her inner knowing and is in touch with how she feels, both emotionally and physically. She believes kindness and empathy are strengths and cultivates relationships, rather than power. The Divine Feminine is still and tranquil - she is able to embrace chaos on the way to inner peace. She spends her time on creation rather than destruction. She seeks to master herself, but never at the expense of others. She believes that collaboration produces better results than competition. She understands that you have to find joy while on the journey rather than assuming it's waiting for you at the destination. The Divine Feminine honors her body and holds compassion for herself, as well as others. She honors her emotions and expresses them honestly and with consideration for the emotions of others. Finally, the Divine Feminine defines who she is for herself and does not let others - not society, not family, not even the Divine Masculine - dictate her path. 

I've been reading this book called "The Way of Grace" by Miranda Macpherson. In it, she talks about the spiritual value of ego relaxation and how to embrace Grace, which is a hard concept to wrap your head around. Grace is a religious concept representing the unmerited mercy of Spirit, something which is increasingly rare in a world where retaliation and vengeance against those who have wronged us is considered most satisfying. For some, of course, and I made a choice long ago that I didn't want to be one of those people. The Husband was teasing me yesterday, because Macpherson uses a lot of spiritual references, especially from Christianity. I wouldn't consider myself a Christian but I do believe in Jesus' teachings. It was one of the things I had to reconcile after I left the Church and began my path as a witch. Essentially, it boils down to choosing not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. The book - and the idea of Grace - has been comforting because I've felt like I've been in a constant state of confusion, like I can't trust my reality any more. As if I'm not seeing things or understanding things clearly, even though my mind is always going, always analyzing. Lately, I've been watching Dr. Ramani's videos on YouTube. She's a licensed psychologist who specializes in treating victims of narcissistic abuse. Her knowledge and dedication to educating people has inspired me to write down my own experiences, a lot of which are painful and left me very confused. I'm distanced enough from those situations that I can look upon it with Grace but that doesn't mean I fully understand what happened/is happening. It's an uncomfortable feeling and I'd like to help others navigate the discomfort, if I can. These things and the Ho'oponopono meditation have settled me somewhat. I've been staying in that energy of remaining still. It's hard to meditate when your mind is racing - ironically, that's usually when you need meditation the most.

I chose this song because sirens are my favorite mythological creature. As a rule, sirens are feminine and that is the source of their power. Femininity can be seductive but it can also be dangerous if left unchecked. It felt fitting because Cancer is a water sign and - this may surprise you - Cancers are often found at the top of "Most Dangerous Sign" lists. This is largely due to the negative aspects of the "unevolved" Cancerian archetype - moody, manipulative, irrational, unpredictable, and unexpectedly cold-hearted. The Sea is a cruel mistress, as it were. Not gonna lie - I'm all about Pirate-core music. As per Doth the Doth, "Pirates are just tropical goths."

"Song of the Siren" Video

"Too Much" by The Spice Girls

When this post is published - because I'm scheduling this one to publish at the exact time of the New Moon just to be extra - it will mark the Sun's ingress into Cancer and a total annular solar eclipse at 0° Cancer, which just happens to be exactly on my natal Venus. Fun times. No seriously - this is my season and, as far as I'm concerned, Cancer season is the best season. I chose "Too Much" by The Spice Girls because Cancerians can get a little nostalgic and what's more nostalgic than 1997? There's also a lot of crazy astrological stuff going on in the second half of 2020. I've been listening to professional astrologers' forecast and - whoo, boy! - if you thought the first half of 2020 sucked, I've got some bad news for you. And it all kicks off with this eclipse here. I'll go into why I chose this particular Spice Girls song later on - although it is my favorite Spice Girls song, it does legit address some of the major themes the eclipse this morning highlights and questions/concerns that we'll be further underscored throughout the rest of the year. As I said, there's a lot going on just within this first month of the second half of 2020 so I'll just jump into it. Quick forewarning - while I'm writing this, I've already plugged in some skeleton notes and, needless to say, this is going to be a long post. Buckle up.

Love is blind, as far as the eye can see

Deep and meaningless, words to me

Easy lover, I need a friend

Road to nowhere, twist and turns but will this never end

Well my dear you'll know that he pleases me (eases me)

But short term solution ain't no resolution

There ain't no release for me

First, let's just address the elephant in the room - Mercury went retrograde in Cancer on Thursday. Personally - and I say this as someone who has natal Mercury Retrograde in Cancer - this is the least of our worries. It might actually be a good thing. The themes of this retrograde, especially since it partially overlaps the Venus Retrograde and joins a bunch of other planets in retrograde motion, are very heart-based. The big question we're being asked is "Am I living authentically from my heart?" What does that mean? Well, there's a lot that goes into that question but it deals mostly with living with integrity. Are we acting in accordance with our core principles? Are we being honest with ourselves and others about how we feel? Especially when it comes to patterns and relationships that seem like they're on repeat. Cancer energy tends to be nostalgic, focusing on the good things, while ignoring the bad. It tends to make people with Cancer placements very loyal to those they love. But this can often be to their detriment, especially when they're in situation where the majority of the time, they feel unappreciated and unloved. They allow the positives of the past override the reality of the present. Cancer placements also have tendency to want to be giving but have difficulty receiving and thus, may not voice their needs and boundaries. As a result, resentment can build but the other person will have no idea. Mercury Retrograde is here to give us the push we need to identify what needs aren't being met and re-evaluate if they can be met given the current situation. I've been struck by the first line in MCR's "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" - "Well, if you wanted honesty, that's all you had to say." If you want honesty, you have to give it to yourself first.

Cancer has a reputation of being the sign of emotions. As a result, Cancer natives get branded as too sensitive, cry-babies, irrational, and various other things. But being in tune with our emotions can give us powerful insight to drive us forward in our lives. Emotions - yes, negative ones, too - are telling us something important about how our body is processing an experience. Anger is telling us we feel our needs, desires, and boundaries are being dishonored and disregarded by another's actions. Resentment is signaling that we are doing things to please someone else, not because we wanted to do it. That we said "yes" because we feared the potential consequences of saying "no," and by doing so, we ignored our own boundaries. Sadness and depression are often signs that we don't have ownership over our lives or we aren't on our desired life path. It's a sign we might need to make a difficult change, not just in the physical world but in our mental and emotional world as well.

The Mercury Retrograde - in conjunction with Venus in Gemini - is calling our attention to what Julia Cameron calls "crazymakers" in "The Artist's Way." What is a crazymaker? Simply put, it's a person who forcefully makes themselves the center of our attention, even when you need to prioritize yourself. Especially when you need to prioritize yourself. They have a tendency to drag us into their drama or make us feel guilty about our accomplishments, as if our success takes away from them somehow. Everything you do - good or bad - is always a reflection on them. And thus, trying to voice your needs or boundaries is an affront to them, which results in them devising ways of trying to keep you from your goals. Things that may seem innocuous at first, like demanding you something for them even though you set aside the time to work on a personal project (these are usually things that can wait until you're finished, not emergencies). In short, they are effective at making us feel like we're "crazy" or even worse, that we're a bad person if we don't immediately give in to them. The big question to ask yourself is, "how does this person make me feel?"  This question will force us to really compare whether someone is living in integrity. Do their words match their actions and do their actions match their emotions? Mercury Retrograde in Cancer is here to remind you that you're not being too sensitive. Your needs are your needs and if you make the effort to communicate what they are and someone still disregards them, that's your sign something is wrong with your relationship with this person. Inconsistency in how someone treats you should always be a red flag.

Unwrap yourself from around my finger

Hold me too tight or left to linger

Something fine built to last

Slipped up there I guess we're running out of time too fast

Yes my dear you know he soothes me (moves me)

There's no complication there's no explanation

It's just a groove in me

Let's move onto the eclipse, which I'm going to interpret from a more personal perspective, as a demonstration of how to use transits as an analytical tool. It's exactly conjunct with my natal Venus (at 0° Cancer), which also happens to fall on my Ascendant-Descendant axis. Right away, I can tell that the themes this eclipse will awaken (for me) has to do with how I approach the way I relate to others and the effect on how I view myself. Since Venus is currently in Gemini, also hopping around my Ascendant-Descendant axis, my needs in relationships (both with others and myself) are even further underscored. Hence why I chose "Too Much." This song is about a woman (or five) who is moving from relationship to relationship but not ever exactly getting what she needs. But she doesn't want to be single, so she often finds herself settling. One guy is great in bed but she doesn't enjoy hanging out with him otherwise. Another guy is inconsistent in how he treats her - first he's clingy, now he's distant. The harsh truth is she doesn't know what she wants so she doesn't really know what she's looking for when she's dating. She allows things to progress into a full relationship even when she knows something is missing. She wants the full package but she's not willing to stay single until she finds it. So what is the full package? Well, I don't think it's that hard. Amazing sex, even better conversation, dependability, and someone who can stand on their own. Cancer placements are nurturers, but there's a big difference between nurturing and mothering. Someone who mothers you does things for others because they don't think they're capable of doing it for themselves; someone who nurtures you does things for others because they want to, because taking care of a person is how they show care (Acts of Service, if you know about Love Languages). They know you can do something yourself, they just want to make life a little easier for you. Yes, I'm a big Acts of Service person, but Touch and Quality Time are tied in a close second and third. I could care less about Gifts or Words - if you're not holding me (among other things), spending time with me, or trying to help me with the zillion things I'm embroiled in, your words and gifts don't mean jack. I can buy my own shit and I talk to myself almost constantly so....that's that on that.

What part of no don't you understand (understand, understand)

I want a man, not a boy who thinks he can

Boy who thinks he can

Finally, Mars will be moving into Aries and will be hanging out there due to a retrograde until early 2021. I haven't talked about Aries much but there's a lot of things to love about this sign. It's the sign of creativity, independence, courage, and passion. It's big stand up for yourself energy. It's also big stand up for others and what you believe in energy. Mars is at home (i.e., in domicile) in Aries and when a planet is in its home sign, you can expect that the subjects of that planet to be amplified. For Mars, this means War, Anger, Sexuality, Protection/Defense, and Goals. All of the things that we've been ruminating on and reviewing during the Mercury and Venus Retrogrades - and the major shifts we experienced collectively with the Saturn-Pluto conjunction - will come to the forefront while Mars is in Aries. And we'll finally have the energy and courage to do something about it! It's also important to note that Mars will be making some harsh squares against the conjunctions in Capricorn and this tends to manifest as a shakeup to the foundations of institutions. And I mean ALL institutions. Big Government. Big Pharma. Big Finance. Big Geology. The Military-Industrial Complex. The Church. Marriage. With Uranus in Taurus, which will be the biggest influence ruling over the 2020 decade, anything with shaky foundations may crumble. On a personal note, Mars in Aries will be loosely conjunct with the asteroids Chiron, Eris, and Lilith. These have a reputation as troublemakers. Eris is the Goddess of Discord (another one of my favorites) and she brings a lot of righteous anger to the table and buried resentments may come to head during these next six months. Lilith is about the ways we feel repressed and unappreciated, especially sexually - if needs and desires aren't being acknowledged, Mars will ignite these slights in explosive ways. And finally, Chiron represents our inner wounding - in Aries, this wound manifests as feeling as if we are not allowed to be ourselves. If you haven't been living in integrity and authenticity, it's really going to get under your skin for the rest of this year - until you do something about it. Just to sum up, all the shit we've been repressing and resenting - sometimes for years, decades even - is going to come up in a big way. 

On the bright side, Mars in Aries will be activating my North Node and Jupiter in my 11th House. It's a nudge to embrace the creative, independent, courageous free-spirit I'm meant to be. That's been gradually coming out in the past few years, especially since my Saturn Return, and that pull is only going to get stronger as I approach my nodal return (which happens when we're approximately 36-38). Mars in Aries will (hopefully, theoretically) give me a push to start working and building on some of the recent revelations I've had about my life purpose and direction in life. I've been flooded with a bunch of inspirational insights so I've been trying to manage them as best I can, even with the overwhelming amount of information coming in from the outside world. If the astrology forecasts are to be believed, it's only going to get more crazy as we move forward, so now's the time to put plans in place for how to manage it. If you know you have inner work to do, it's best to do it now before it's too late. It's also a good time to start living from an authentic place. The cards I pulled from my Threads of Fate: Shadow Edition deck for June were "Speak Truth" and "Manifest." You can't do one without the other.

Thank you for reading my crazy rant on the astrology of 2020. As a reward, please enjoy this ridiculously hodge-podge Spice Girls video. Fun facts - Geri is my favorite Spice Girl and my favorite part of the song is the bridge. "I want a man, not a boy who thinks he can." It's such a simple sentence but it has so much power. It also brings up some real deep questions about masculinity and how that's interpreted in the context of (heterosexual) relationships. But that's clearly a conversation for another day.

"Too Much" Video

"The Ghost of You" by My Chemical Romance

I was talking to my coworker a couple days ago and he was asking me about how my pregnancy is going. I told him when I was due, which reminded me that I'm due almost exactly two weeks after the My Chemical Romance concert I bought tickets for. Mind you, I bought them before I found out I was pregnant. And before we all knew how bad this pandemic was going to be (and it looks like we've all resigned ourselves to it being worse than it had to be). In preparation for this concert, I've been trying to catch up on all MCR's albums and get familiar with the songs that came out when I stopped listening to them so much. Like everyone, I got into MCR after the release of "Three Cheers for Sweet Romance." This was the second studio album for the band and - fun fact - we very recently passed the 16th anniversary of its release (on 8 June). I've taken to listening to music while I'm taking a shower on the weekends (I usually can't do that most days because I'm taking a shower at like 4am). This album got me through a lot of hard times - moving my senior year of high school, a rough relationship with my mom, and starting university with all my various hangups and insecurities. True, I started listening to MCR because I thought Gerard Way was hot and I like the aesthetics, but I stayed because they created truly great music. Only bands who created truly great music can launch a reunion tour and get so much enthusiasm back. Especially bands that were popular in the early 2000s - as we've discussed, the early 2000s was a rough time for music.

I never said I'd lie and wait forever

If I died we'd be together

I can't always just forget her

But she could try

So what is unique about MCR's music that makes them stand out amongst the dozens of emo bands that arose during that time period? First, they didn't just embrace a dark aesthetic - they embodied it. Their songs were extremely deep and dealt with painful topics - suicidal thoughts, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, lost loves, and just generally feeling like a freak. A lot of these bands were fronted-by (and/or were completely composed of) what I deemed "pretty boys." MCR was not. Don't get me wrong, the guys were attractive but it was obvious they were no strangers to the punk/goth aesthetic and this was a result of having a really difficult time in high school. Gerard Way was a pull for many teenage girls, like myself, but when he was in high school, he was bullied. He was the weird, chubby kid who was always drawing dark comics. All the things Ray Toro listed in the beginning of the "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" video, that was Gerard Way in a nutshell. Moving on, the second thing that makes the music unique is, not only did they know how to play their instruments, they knew how to play them well. There's a level of complexity in MCR songs that you just don't see in other punk/emo music. These guys aren't just playing the same four chords. They wanted the music to be dramatic, operatic storytelling, a perspective they learned from early influences like David Bowie and Queen. In addition to that, they understood the power of visuals - not just in the album artwork but also in the lyrics. Finally, they weren't afraid to add things to the music that weren't necessarily "pretty" - weird vocals, nonsensical drum and guitar solos, and even unusual musical styles (like bringing in Western-style tropes for multiple songs on "Three Cheers") were a normal part of their repertoire. As a result, almost every MCR song feels and sounds unique. From the start, it was clear they weren't manufactured and that was one of the biggest draws for fans.

Ever

Get the feeling that you're never

All alone and I remember now

At the top of my lungs in my arms she dies

She dies

I was listening to "The Ghost of You" in the shower and was thinking about it, what it reminds me of. The video for this song takes place during WWII, on D-Day. The story in the video is especially sad, because Mikey dies (Mikey and Gerard are brothers). However, I think they took a lot of their inspiration from "Saving Private Ryan," where the whole point is to prevent the last brother in a family from dying in WWII, and wiping out an entire family line. Taking the WWII thing a step further, I started thinking of one of my favorite Marvel superheroes - Captain America - which started into a rant about how he embodies the master archetype of evolved Cancerian energy. When I started thinking about that, I started noting how many heroes are Cancers. This isn't a coincidence - artists and writers aren't just like "this guys should be born in July." There is something powerful about this archetype that draws people towards it. It's also a very polarizing energy - you either love it or hate it - and Cancer, along with Geminis and Scorpios (Yay! My Big 3...), get probably the most hate among people who don't understand how astrology works. I'll explore this at a later date, probably closer to my birthday, and I specifically wanted to use Steve Rogers as the example. Bringing that back around, I started thinking about Captain America because this song embodies his relationship with Peggy Carter. They don't even get to have a first date and explore the connection they have because the mission comes first. They are separated for decades and, even though he tries to move on, he just can't. But that doesn't stop him from doing what he needs to do to save the world. Once the mission is over, ::Spoiler Alert:: he uses the first opportunity he gets to go back to her and give her the life they both deserved together.

At the end of the world

Or the last thing I see

You are

Never coming home

Never coming home

Could I

Should I

And all the things that you never ever told me

And all the smiles that are ever gonna haunt me

Never coming home

Never coming home

Could I

Should I

I meant to write this earlier but I slept all day yesterday. Or sort of slept - a lot of the time was spent lying there, trying to will myself to move but failing. Wanting to be held but not knowing how to ask for it. I only got up because I remembered that I should probably eat because I hadn't eaten all day and that isn't good for the baby. That seems like the only reason I've been eating lately. If I wasn't pregnant, I probably wouldn't be eating at all to be honest. I just don't feel like it most days and if I try to eat, I can't bring myself to eat as much as I normally would. I didn't want to laze about all day but I thought to myself "it's okay...for one day, it's okay to give in." I don't feel much better today but I am writing so that's a start. That's the good thing - I still have flashes of inspiration, where these beautiful sentences will come in my head. And I'll have enough energy to write them down or text them to myself. That's one thing that's been really remarkable about this time - I'm thinking and writing more clearly than I ever have. I'm actually able to translate the swirls of information in my head into something coherent and somewhat creative. I've written some surprisingly beautiful things in the past few weeks - I thought they were shit at the time but when I re-read them, I realize they're actually pretty good. Almost like I'm not the one who wrote them. But I did. I miss my sisters a lot, especially my older sister. Luckily, she set up a family chat for today, so I'm looking forward to that. That's just how it's going to be for now - keep holding on for that next thing that brings me joy. Push through and keep writing, even when it sounds like mud in my head.

"The Ghost of You" Video

"Blue" by Joni Mitchell

Ranking: #30

Original Release Date: 22 June 1971

Genre: Folk Rock

"Blue" was the fourth studio album released by Joni Mitchell. Mitchell has a couple albums on the Top 100, if I remember correctly, but "Blue" in particular is considered one of the greatest albums made by a female artist and it's sound marks a turning point in music. Listening to the album, it hearkens back to images of flower children, Woodstock, and the beginning search for freedom that defined the early 70s. As light as the songs on the album feel, they were born out of a rocky period in Mitchell's life. In January 1970, after the success of first three albums, she decided to take a hiatus from performing. Instead, she chose to take an extended vacation in Europe. During this trip, she ended her long-term relationship with Graham Nash and soon started a passionate relationship with James Taylor. Her experiences with these relationships - as well as her adventures through Europe - served as much of the inspiration for "Blue."

Whenever I hear Joni Mitchell, it reminds me of my favorite psychology professor when I was attending university, Dr. Tim Ketelaar. I had several evolutionary psychology classes with him, one of the most fascinating perspectives on psychology in my opinion, and it always struck me how chill he was as a person. He had spent time teaching at better schools than the state university I went to and I always wondered what made him come to New Mexico. Once you've lived in New Mexico, though, you understand. When you get it, you get it. All the stars, too much fresh air, nice weather, and a pace of life that allows people to actually live. Anyway, Dr. Ketelaar has amazing taste in music and I remember one day, during the lesson, he made us listen to "California" by Joni Mitchell. I don't remember what the lesson was that day, but I do remember Joni Mitchell's high, pure voice and the raw power of the lyrics. Mitchell's voice pinpoints the allure of folk music - no tricks, no belting, just straight singing against an earnest backdrop.

Sitting in a park in Paris, France

Reading the news and it sure looks bad

They won't give peace a chance

That was just a dream some of us had

Still a lot of lands to see

But I wouldn't stay here

It's too old and cold and settled in its ways here

As we've established, "Blue" was a turning point in the musical DNA of the time. The early 70s was a hotbed of folk rock, especially the kind that borrowed inspiration from mythology and literature. In June 1971, the United States was still in the thick of the Vietnam War and protest culture was in full swing by this time. This was further exacerbated by The New York Times' publication of "The Pentagon Papers," classified documentation on the United States operations in Vietnam. The Beatles had broken up and the English Invasion was slowly receding. "The Ed Sullivan Show" aired for the final time on CBS and the Fillmore East in New York City closed its doors. Southwest Airlines began their inaugural flights between San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston, giving Americans a more budget-conscious way to fly the friendly skies in Texas. Among other things to happen during this month, Elon Musk, intrepid entrepreneur and architect of the future (however you may feel about that), was born. Yes, he's a Cancer, just like this album. With that, let's get into the astrology.

With Sun and Mercury in Cancer, this album is full of emotion. Not unsurprisingly, Joni Mitchell is a Cancer Rising, so with the Sun entering her first house, there was something deeply personal about this album for her and the lyrics she wrote were heart-centered. Later in her career, when she was reflecting on the album, she said "...there's hardly a dishonest note in the vocals. At that period of my life, I had no personal defenses. I felt like a cellophane wrapper on a pack of cigarettes. I felt like I had absolutely no secrets from the world and I couldn't pretend in my life to be strong. Or to be happy. But the advantage of it in the music was that there were no defenses there either." That's what life is like being a fucking Cancer anything. Sun, Moon, Rising....it doesn't fucking matter. Moving on, with Venus in Gemini, this album has a way of making even sad subjects seem a little lighter. Jupiter also falls in the 3rd House for this chart, the House of Communication. During this year, Jupiter was ruled by Scorpio, the sign of deep transformation. Joni is a Scorpio (in fact, she and The Husband are birthday buddies), meaning that the Sun was in a very harmonious trine to her natal Sun when it was released. Unfortunately, Venus in Gemini would've been square her natal Venus in Virgo - an indicator of the romantic turmoil that this album developed in. And not long before this album was released, her relationship with James Taylor ended quite abruptly. Venus in Gemini was conjunct her natal Uranus in Gemini, indicating unexpected direction changes in love and relationships. And fortunes. Finally, one last thing of note - Joni's Moon in Pisces is conjunct her Midheaven. Success in her career comes through emotional honesty, through sharing the deepest parts of herself. That certainly was the case when she released "Blue."

Then I'm going home to California

California, I'm coming home

Oh, will you take me as I am

Strung out on another man

California, I'm coming home

The featured song for this album is - if you couldn't have already guessed - "California." It's a lot more chipper than some of the other songs on this album. And it really does remind me of California.

"California" Video

"Lover" by Taylor Swift

Today will be a quick song of the day, since I'm out of town and haven't had much free time. I've tried to keep my Taylor rants to a minimum but I'm going to take a brief detour from this month's theme to share T-Swift's latest song. Mostly because it's the first one I really liked off the new album, which comes out this Friday. Don't get me wrong..."ME!" and "You Need to Calm Down" were fun but not brilliant. "The Archer" was stylistically unique but was a departure from what made Taylor famous (and sounded a little like she was trying to emulate the whimsical sad girl trope that's so popular in indie music nowadays). But "Lover" brings us back to what made her famous - heartfelt lyrics, understated romance, and a relatable country lilt that transcends genres. Honestly, it reminds me of my actual favorite T-Swift tune, "Everything Has Changed," and that's a good thing.

Ladies and gentlemen, will you please stand?

With every guitar string scar on my hand

I take this magnetic force of a man to be my lover

My heart's been borrowed and yours has been blue

All's well that ends well to end up with you

Swear to be over dramatic and true to my lover

And you'll save all your dirtiest jokes for me

And at every table, I'll save you a seat, lover

"Lover" appeals to me because it's rings something that I feel is essential for love and that is the feeling that you're home. Maybe it's my Cancer stellium talking, but it's incredibly difficult for me to feel comfortable enough to be myself with strangers. I find it weird because I find that most people will share all sorts of secrets with me, even when I'm not looking for it. It's not that I'm secretive, I just private...you'll get to know me when I want you to know me and not a minute sooner. When I do find someone that allows me to let my guard down without hesitation, that's something special. It goes without saying that those instances are rare, because once I get to that point, I have a tendency to wear my heart on my sleeve. I'm afraid Taylor and I have that in common, but - after all the turmoil and controversy stirred up during her 20s - it sounds like Taylor's Saturn return has been good to her. It sounds like she's found someone who both inspires her and encourages her to be playful, that makes her want to settle down and build a home. Someone who meets her on her level and both challenges her to be better while accepting that she's human, too. 

I chose to feature the bridge because it has the most dynamic lyric pattern during the whole song. I also think it gets to the heart of what she's saying, which is this - if all the chaos and pain and tears led her to being with (to quote Tom Hanks in "You've Got Mail") the "one single person in the world who fills your heart with joy," then it was all worth it. But, I'd like to note few idiosyncrasies I found in the lyrics. Does she really think leaving the lights up until January is a big deal? Honestly, I love Christmas lights and, if it was up to me, I'd leave them up all year long. Or better yet, I'd string 'em up inside my house so I could enjoy them whenever, because it instantly makes a room feel magical. We did that for a while, in our first apartment in San Antonio, and I loved it. We also let our friends crash in our living room, but we really didn't have any other option. We were all young and broke, so it would've been pretty dick to make them get a hotel room. Also, doesn't Taylor Swift have like a 16-room mansion? Pretty sure crashing in the living room is fairly unnecessary for anyone in her social circle. But, I have to admit, it is kind of cozy. I enjoyed sleepovers when I was younger because it felt comforting to have everyone sleeping around me. I'm sure that says something troubling about my psyche but I don't care. Yes, I was one of those kids who liked camping in my living room (which was a rare and treasured experience) and building pillow forts. I read on Twitter that Cancers love their caves. In my case, this is accurate. My whole life, I've always wanted to sleep in a lit clos, which is a type of bed that is built into what looks like a chest of drawers, with doors you can close to make it dark. It's basically like sleeping in a coffin, which I'm sure I'd probably enjoy, too. I'm just rambling now, so I'll stop and give you some time to enjoy the video for "Lover," which is only a lyric video but it's got Taylor's favorite aesthetic (vintage home movies) all over it. 

"Lover" Video

July Theme: "Ladies' Choice"

For July, I wanted to work on some projects I've been avoiding for a while so, instead of pushing myself to follow a theme and exerting extra brain power searching for songs that fit a vision, this month is going to be mostly random choices. There probably won't be too many rants, either, as I'm going to try to keep things short. I only have so much writing time in a day, unfortunately.

To be honest, June felt extra heavy for some reason. I was feeling unappreciated, unloved, uninspired - just a lot of "uns" in general. And, while I'd like to say I'm feeling better, the fact is that in July, I still feel all the feels, I just have more energy and motivation to be....mean. I've still got a lot of righteous anger and I'm ready to burn a few bridges, if necessary. But for now, I'm trying to fly under the radar because, occasionally, the pain subsides and the rage passes. It is, indeed, Cancer season - in honor of my birthday month, I've been dipping into the Cancer playlist curated by Spotify and I've found some gems. Some of the songs hit a little bit too hard but that's why I like them. The artists have put the intensity I'm feeling into the words I couldn't find. I'm still trying to find them. While I do that, there's plenty of darkness I have left to transmute.

For fun, I scoured the internet for a truly Cancerean quote. Naturally, it came from Pablo Neruda, a poet known for his love sonnets: “If nothing saves us from death, at least love should save us from life.”

I also scoured the internet for Cancer memes - there were a lot, mostly involving Sailor Moon (the show was highly astrology based - all the Scouts were based on their planetary ruler. Sailor Moon was a Cancer, Sailor Mercury was a Virgo, Sailor Mars was an Aries, etc.) Sharing a few to lighten the mood.

"Style" by Taylor Swift (as performed by Postmodern Jukebox)

I managed to fit in some Taylor Swift, even though (by definition) she does not fall into the retro-futuristic genre. But she is quite old-fashioned. Cancer placements have that effect. We tend to have a rosy picture of the past and a significant nostalgic streak. Especially relationships, even when (in saner moments) we're able to acknowledge that the other person never really gave a shit about us but about how we made them "feel." This results in what can look like we're going in circles, playing out the same stories hoping to get different results. Loving and giving and getting nothing in return, letting go because we're drained, exhausted and not getting what we need, then letting them back in because of some misplaced hope that things will work out. All love stories should have happy endings or some bullshit. I submit T-Swift's music (and love life) as Exhibit A. And poor Taylor is a Cancer moon, which I would argue is just as bad (possibly worse) as a Cancer sun because the moon is Cancer's ruler. But, that being said, her lyrics paint a pretty picture of young romance, the epic quest for True Love, and life in general. Every verse evokes a scene from a movie - replete with camera flares and fourth wall breaks - which appeals to me because I have a tendency to imagine myself as the heroine in my own suspensefully tragic romantic dramady.

"Style" is about one of Swift's on-again-off-again relationships. More specifically, about a having a connection with someone that is so special and seems to click so well that you keep coming back to them ("We never go out of style"). However, she's well aware of how things ended in the past (i.e., terribly). She just doesn't care. She'll keep letting this dumbass break her heart every time because it feels right when she's in it. We call that not learning the lesson. The lesson being - walk away, he's clearly not good for you because there was a reason you broke up with him in the first place.

So it goes, he can't keep his wild eyes on the road

Takes me home, lights are off he's taking off his coat (Hm yeah)

I say "I've heard that you've been out and about with some other girl, some other girl"

He says "What you've heard is true but I

Can't stop thinking about you" and I

I said "I've been there too a few times"

As I said, Taylor Swift's language is classic romance films circa 1935-1955, the Golden Age of Hollywood (because the dieselpunk era was a "golden age" for a lot of things), so let's just take a brief look at the lyrics. Her love interest has that "James Dean, day dream look in his eye" (a dangerous look indeed - a solid right hook usually does the trick). The James Dean reference doesn't end there - he's picking her up in his car and she mentions that their dalliance could end in "burning flames." A subtle - albeit mildly distasteful - nod to James Dean's death when he crashed his beloved Porsche 550 Spyder. It's a misconception that he died in an automobile fire - he snapped his neck on impact. Moving on, she says she has that "red lip, classic thing" about her, a look that Golden Age film sirens wore so well and that I have a hard time picturing Taylor Swift without. Finally, as with all her songs (because she made her name first as a country singer), the verses tell a clear story. He's called her out of the blue and is actually trying to keep their date a secret (no one picks a girl up with their headlights off unless they're trying to be sneaky - it's a rookie teenager move). It's pretty clear he's just wanting to get her in bed. She mentions that she heard he was seeing someone else. He admits he is but he "can't stop thinking about you and I." And she gives in because she's been fantasizing about the same thing. Fin. Sounds like a recipe for heartbreak but at least she got a killer single out of it. And I have no doubt that a scenario similar to this actually played out in her life. Swift has a tendency to take "write what you know" a little too seriously.

I like the Postmodern Jukebox version because it's a duet (the original is not). It's also higher energy - something you can dance to (PMJ says it's in "Grease"-style, which involved perhaps too much dancing). The original is more of a ballad, and not as fun to run to. The retro-futurist version replaces the synthesizers with brass, which naturally gives the whole piece a brighter sound. Also - and this is not remotely relevant - but the tenor who sings the male part (Von Smith) reminds me a little bit of Mr. Nice Guy. Just in the face. Von Smith is not quite as tall. And I'm pretty sure Mr. Nice Guy couldn't sing and didn't own a leather jacket. Including the T-Swift version, just because I can. She helped me make it through June alive - the least I can do is pimp her music videos.

"Style" PMJ Version

"Style" Original Video

June Theme: Retro-Futurism for the Win!

As I said before, the last month has been rough on me. Not just because of all the shadow work, but also all sorts of chaos being unleashed in both my personal and professional life. But we're getting close to Summer now, which I've always considered to be "my season." As far as I'm considered, June and July are mine, because my Sun is in Cancer and my Rising is in Gemini. Also, I was born in California and all California girls are perpetually awaiting summertime. Since June is the start of my season - and Gemini placements have diverse and varied interests - I've decided to focus on one of my passions that I don't really take the opportunity to showcase. Retro-Futurism.

For the uninitiated, retro-futurism is the creative movement that places modern and futuristic elements within a past era. My preferred aesthetic is Dieselpunk, which takes place during the Great War Era. This falls between World War I and World War II, roughly from 1920 through 1945. However, because of this placement, it naturally blends with the earlier period that comprises Steampunk and the post-war era that becomes Atompunk. Although my primary focus this month will be on the elements that make up Dieselpunk, I may dip into other retro-futuristic aesthetics as the mood strikes me.

So what does that mean for June? Well, be prepared for a lot of electro-swing, big band, some chap hop, rockabilly, horrorbilly (basically all the "billys"), and a healthy dose of my favorite band for vintage re-imagining, Postmodern Jukebox. Additionally, I plan to explore different elements of retro-futurism and how they are used in their respective aesthetic. Naturally, this will include sharing some of my favorite retro-futurist artwork and resources, as well as other Dieselpunk things I've collected over the years.