I was at a little fondue party on Friday. Making conversation, another party guest asked me, “what do you do?”

I absolutely love my profession. I couldn’t be happier about what I do for a living. But still, I sometimes dread being asked this question. About half the people I meet think it’s way cool that I’m an astrologer. Others only know astrology through the newspaper horoscopes and checkout line magazines. And they seem to think that I must be either stupid or nuts.

This guy started with the questions as if I had just told him I was Miss Cleo. “So, do you read tea leaves or entrails, or Tarot cards or…”

<cringe> “No, nonononono. I’m not a fortune teller. Nothing against people who read those things (except maybe the entrails), but that’s not what I do. I read charts. (Thus begins the “spiel.”) A chart is a map of the Sun, Moon, and planets in relation to the earth at the time of someone’s birth. I use the map to help people put certain things in perspective, and to forecast— not specific events (because of issues of free will), but upcoming trends and how to make the most of them.”

Alright then. The subject must have changed after that, because I don’t remember any more of that conversation. But later on, over fondue:

“We saw a black cat cross the road outside our house. Molly, you’re the expert, what does that mean?”

“Sorry, but I never read the entrails at the dinner table….”
I didn’t really say that, but I kinda wish I had. I’m not one of those “clever in the moment” people usually. Is that my natal retrograde Mercury, or just fire sign shyness?

I have been in more of a blogging mood lately. And I have a student now! Last night, I had her practice reading charts from my famous charts database. We looked at charts of writers, and I’m looking forward to sharing what we found, in another entry.

I also want to share with you what I have learned about herbs since I began studying herbal medicine in 2004. It has been a few years, and I’m starting to get a feel for it.

And a review of this year’s knitting projects, since I haven’t posted any knitting in a while. But I have knitted plenty of things. So I’ll let you know what I have finished, unless I gave it away.