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Eighth House Journal |
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Eighth House Journal |
September 4- October 14
September 4
Quite day. OW came over to visit in the afternoon and we sat around talking politics and disaster management. the entire thing that's happening down south is enough to send any good PM screaming from the room.
September 5
Had a dream about moving into a house and being asked to take over the cooking and serving of dinner. I was more than willing to do it but I was struck by the fact that I didn't have all of my normal tools to help me do the job. We were short serving pieces and chairs and everything was extremely chaotic.
Spent most of the rest of the day working on the web site. Waste of time really but it had nothing to do with work. Updated the book review sections
September 12
Drove down to LLs for an all day meeting. I think it went pretty well - I'm learning more about the business everyday.
September 14
Met the new dentist. Got the filling replaced. Problem is that it's right on the root and it may or may not require a root canal. Yuck. On the plus side I really liked the dentist. I was in and out before 9:00
September 25
Decided to do the park and fly at the Red Lion. It was the night from hell. we had a room facing the parking lot and people where coming and going all night. In addition the hotel has tissue paper walls so we heard every little noise. We think we got about two hours of sleep.
Flew from SeaTac to Atlanta first class -- Normally I'm not a fussy traveler but with no sleep this was a blessing. Drove from Atlanta to Hilton Head and got checked in and collapsed.
September 26
Mostly just vegged and did shopping. had lunch at a little sandwich place and walked through a mall, then we got serious about grocery shopping We decided we'd eat most of our meals in. Picked up junk reading at Sam's club. The suite is nice but there is absolutely no connectivity -- which makes it a pain, so we'll be heading to Starbucks on a pretty regular basis.
Have to admit that we ended up watching a lot of TV in the evening. We got hooked on the re-runs of Alias and there were some new shows that had just started.
September 27
Hit the discount malls. Nothing really special but the weather wasn't good enough to do anything else. Bought a blouse, 2 scarves and a pair of shoes. John found some kitchen stuff that we wanted and was small enough to pack.
Spent the rest of the afternoon on the balcony reading
September 28
Went to Beaufort and to Hunting Island. Not much to Beaufort but Hunting Island was interesting. Lots of Palm trees and we found out later lots of mosquitoes
September 29
Spent the day on the beach until it rained so hard we had to run for our lives. The beach isn't cheap. $28 for two beach chairs and an umbrella a day. Sipped ice tea and read books until early afternoon and then retired to our patio for more of the same.
Got a note from someone who had attended my lecture in Boston last November that she'd be interested in talking to me about doing portfolio management consulting in one form or another. Don't know how that will work with the stuff I'm doing now but I'm flattered that someone remembered me.
September 30
Decided to spend this day by the pool -- after all might as well use the resort for something given what we're paying.
Decided to have my birthday dinner at a French bistro that featured live music. We had pate, soft-shell crab and a triple chocolate cake for dessert. The place was a tad funky but we really had a nice time
October 1st
Went to Charleston by way of one of the oldest plantations in South Carolina. Certainly glad we did. The Grounds were definitely interesting and worth the money. Much wilder that the formal gardens I've seen in England but still well worth the trip.
Obviously the primary animal of the day was the alligator. I think they said they had close to 100 on the estate. I certainly wouldn't want to swim in the river knowing those things are hanging around
Went to the museum of natural history in Charleston. Worth the visit
Mars stations Retrograde - October 1 @ 5:16 pm. Mars: 23º 22’ Taurus
"All externalized drive and focused energy reverses its direction. The daily progress we take for granted suddenly becomes effort filled, and creative ways of “putting things off” or delaying (in a positive attitude) what you feel is not working is necessary. Look to the house the Sun is transiting in your chart (4th) at the station for illumination about areas you need to explore for success in the coming autumn.
The station itself can be an abrupt phenomenon, creating a cessation of interest, drive, energy and focus on what might have been an important project or relationship prior to that station. It may also act in a more subliminal way, such as bringing feelings of despair, boredom, lack of drive and so on.
If your passion, drive, ambition and focus experiences an inner shift, go with it knowing that it can be an exceptionally productive time in your deepest Self. This liminal phase could last through the entire retrograde period, past the station-direct of Mars right up till it reaches the degree at which it stationed and turned retrograde.
Clearly this can create practical problems especially if you have a deadline, or limited time or funds in which to achieve a chosen direction or goal. Living in a threshold is not comfortable, however, one must press on regardless of retrogrades, so a change of perspective is in order. Mars retrograde seems to arrive unexpectedly, and, consistent with Mars’ behavior, this cycle is disruptive of routine, established energy patterns, habits and feelings of drive and ambition.
Check to see what the most recent transits have brought out, and what you might reflect upon that could clear up any unresolved issues. In specific, those pertaining to self direction, ambition, self-assertion, personal worth, fairness, and feelings of health and well being. Too, the position of the transiting Sun in the natal chart at the station of Mars will illuminate the true “intent” of the Mars activity (or lack of as the case may be).
If a valued idea or project terminates during the Mars retrograde period, let it go. Sudden reversals of interest (passion) and drive (ambition) are likely to occur during the retrograde phase - an internal battle ensues between the ego, which wants things done, and the deeper self which wants thing so be. Listen to the Self.
Mars stationary retrograde conjunct, or in tight aspect to a planet (2°-3°) or an angle in the natal chart will be marked, and may bring suppressed feelings of frustration to the surface, which occupy your energy and delay forward progress temporarily. "
On the very day Mars actually turns Retrograde (October 1st, 2005), Venus in Scorpio will be in exact opposition to it, both at 23°. Here we have an inversion phenomenon called “mutual reception”. Indeed, Mars rules Scorpio where Venus is; Venus rules Taurus where Mars is. One is in the sign of the other. When in a “mutual reception” placement, planets need a bit of time to get accustomed to the sign where they are, so they know how to operate best. Once adapted to their location they’ll behave as if they travel freely, back and forth, for instance here between Taurus and Scorpio. Venus in Taurus softens angles, cultivates beauty in nature and in all material aspects of one’s life. Mars in Scorpio is very deliberate and builds with intuition and perseverance. Here Mars natural impulsivity is metamorphosed into patience and efficiency. This atmosphere of “mutual reception” may be felt at first as a resistance to the necessary changes pushing against our habits, as individuals as well as a group. As this reality maintains its pressure, we gradually become accustomed to it and more open to taking responsibility toward a dramatic improvement of planetary conditions. Resisting at first… then adjusting as in a mutual reception effect. Once awakened to the urgency of the situation we might very well see a rapid snowball effect if a sufficient number of people take a stand toward the protection of Earth and her creatures.October 2nd
My birthday. Actually a reasonable nice day we spent in Savannah. We drove down in the morning, checked into our hotel then drove into the city and then had brunch on the waterfront.
We walked over to the visitor's center to take a bus tour and got completely drenched in the process. Don't know if I was cranky but Savannah didn't do much for me. Seemed like a poor version of New Orleans. Of course after what has happened down there Savannah might do even more tourist business.
Drove back to the hotel -- had a light dinner (didn't want to make the same mistake we'd made the night before we left on this trip and then crashed early. 4:00 am is worse than O-dark-thirty
One of the key elements that I will be exploring this year is the impact of having spent my birthday away from home. There is a great deal of controversy in astrology as to whether or not it's possible to change the future by changing one's location. According to the software I bought last year I desperately needed to not be at home or the whole year would be frustrating.
October 3rd
While we were in the board room waiting for our flight in Atlanta -- John noticed that something had gone wrong with the automatic deposit. This started a rollercoaster of panic of confusion in my mind. I finally called my boss at 7:00 to find out that the company had missed payroll and it was unclear if I had a job. The first phone call was a "not to worry" but every other phone call got worse and worse. By the end of the day it was looking dim.
Picked up puppy. They'd forgotten to bath him and he was a stinky mess but he actually likes the place we take him -- comes home with little or no stress.
October 4
Went to the office and did a little work -- networked and turned in a resume so that our sales guy could find me something billable.
Spent the afternoon working on a new P&L model for RL
WO came over for dinner. It was good to catch up with him. The house should close next week. Then he'll drive the moving van out to Kansas. Saw the picture of the house they'll be buying out there -- looks very nice and quite reasonably priced compared to here.
Have a board meeting at our house tonight. Wish it was some other time since I still have a terrible case of jet lag but it is what it is. I think it turned out to be productive. We got the speaker calendar set for the year which was the goal
October 5th
Met with FS and his developer to talk about the software. Good meeting. I think I'll use this software for my next article.
Seems I do have a job after all (for at least a while)
October 6th
Had our weekly PMCoP meeting. Had planned to talk about risk and ended up on discussing how you can get agreement that a project is done.
October 7th
Busy day at the office. Got a call from the sales guy at 7:30 that I should go to Microsoft with him to see if I could sell them on going forward with a software selection. Was planning to go in a 9:00 so had to shift into high gear.
Meeting went reasonably well but its a couple of weeks before they decide and there's lots of politics around the subject.
Met my new boss for the first time. Don't know how it went -- know I talked too much. The CEO at my last company took an instant dislike to me and my career was over in that one moment. Here the jury is still out. We're having lunch on Tuesday.
Long talk with LL about future plans for RL. Had planned to get out a little early so I could stop by the store but it was 5:45 when I left. No matter how much of a work-a-holic I've ever been I still always try and get out at a reasonable time on Friday night.
The Rs are coming for dinner and bringing me my birthday cake. A lovely chocolate concoction with pieces of chocolate on top. Ended up not cooking dinner -- we decide we were all too full from the appetizers.
October 8th
Did some clean up in the garage -- John ordered a new table saw while we were on vacation and we can't bring it home until we have things cleared up enough to set it up. Every time we get in there we both end up overwhelmed by the magnitude. I was surprised to find we still had stuff for Mom.
Met the Rs at the theater to see Serenity. Little more violent than I'd like but other than that one of the best Sci-fi pictures in quite a while.
October 9
It would appear that this solar year has decided to start off with a definite bias toward the 10 of swords. I like this particular picture because it seems to better reflect the obstacles that the 10 of swords can place in your path. The Challenge I'm looking at now is is my way completely blocked?
Turns out there's a lot going on astrologically that I wasn't paying attention to
Seems that the mars retrograde is actually having a tremendous
Mars goes retrograde on October 1, 2005 and stays retrograde until December 10th, 2005. During the retrograde you will be internalizing all your recent decisions up to that point. The retrograde period is a time when you slow down and decide if this is the way you want to go. There will be changes during this time that encompass any decisions made from August 8th until the retrograde (the period where Mars will return to). "
"It is important to pay attention to what has been occurring in your life (and in the world) just prior to Mars' turning retrograde. There is a tendency to get "ahead of yourself" or overextend yourself in some way. When Mars turns retrograde things happen that alert you to the fact that you need to put the breaks on and take a closer look at what you are doing. Examine your inner motives regarding why you are acting in a certain way. Are you functioning consciously or are you letting primitive impulses dominate your life?Are your actions supporting growth? Or are they prohibiting or even destroying it?
Have you become swept up in passion or adrenaline to the degree you are no longer in control of your power?
The house through which Mars will retrograde in your chart describes an area of life where you may have overextended yourself in some way. You need to go back and catch up with what has been left undone. Reexamine your past actions and the motives that stand behind them. Become more conscious of how your actions, passions and personal power have influenced the degree of success or failure you have experienced of late. Have you been focusing energy here because it seemed like the "thing to do"? Or are you owning your power and directing it from your own center of consciousness (Sun)?"
Another thing that might be coming up is that I have 19º of Taurus on my 4th house - one of the issues that's been in the background around this job is the issue of working from home.
Venus and Taurus represent money. Venus also rules Libra where Jupiter is. Jupiter represents the law, governments and institutions. Jupiter rules Sagittarius where Pluto is.
"Everyone will feel the effects of Mars Retrograde as if the world was moving in slow motion. The zodiacal signs most directly affected are those with Sun, Moon, or Ascendant in Taurus, Libra, Scorpio, and Aries. To effectively move through this period of reassessment one needs to remember to choose the line of least resistance. Patience and grace favor long term success. Persevere without obstinacy. Remain flexible and adaptable. Make the effort of acting responsibly as a person. Revive the human value of helping and supporting one another."
October 10
First Quarter Moon at 17°34 Capricorn
12:01 pm PDT
Sick with a cold and very busy with work. Stayed home sniffling and glued to the PC
October 11
Back in the office -- Still sick, still busy.
October 12 Worked from home again. Brought up a new software but didn't get as far as I would have liked.
October 13 Back to the office -- our weekly meeting. I wasn't even remotely diplomatic.
October 14
Had unexpected dinner guest
