Mercury Retrograde

By on June 17, 2013

The good, the bad, the ugly.

Part of applied astrology is knowing when the planets incline to more fortuitous events. When’s a good time, when’s a better time, and when’s a bad time? One of my close associates whines, moans, and raises a stink when Mercury goes in apparent retrograde motion.

Mercury in retrograde is a natural cycle. Imagine, this action is like a car, passing you on the left side, maybe just a few miles faster, and to you, it looks like you’re moving backwards. Both cars are moving forward, but the image is one of you moving backwards. That’s the astronomical illusion that goes Mercury in Retrograde. Effectively dealing with the littlest planet’s trickery?

I wrote a short primer about it, not quite a novel, more like an astrological chapbook.  An electronic copy of the book is available at www.MercurySave.Us. It includes a decade of dates when Mercury is in its retrograde pattern, plus the signs and significance.

In short, just a few, quick and easy pointers? Imagine, like the word, Retrograde? RE. Any action that has those letters in front of it, review, renew, revise, rework. Not new action, but rewinding a previous action.

As a working artist, and one whose sign is mortally afflicted by Mercury in Retrograde? I took a lesson from my sister, a Gemini. As a working artist, she found my suggestions useful, as the mercurial time was rich with artistic inspiration. Not always the best material in final form, but fecund and ready, ripening over the next few months.

Part of the review process yields new combinations to old material. When possible, my standard warnings include watching, perhaps delaying the big-ticket purchases, or high-dollar electronics, particularly computers and related hardware. I prefer not to initiate real estate transactions when the little planet is apparently backwards, too. In my regular practice, I advise against new transactions under this astrological influence.

However, and I can’t emphasize this enough, it’s not a “bad” time. I understand that some people in my line of work depend on fear, uncertainty, and doubt as ways to coerce clients in a particular direction. Over the years, I’ve discovered that I prefer to look for positive outlets. Besides the notion of putting the letters RE in front of every action for three weeks at a time, that can wear a body out.

While I tend to be all electric, during this time, I carry a pen, a pencil, and notebook — maybe a sketchbook, or two.

These tools work well for capturing fleeting ideas that would otherwise escape. More than any other time, this is good for brainstorming, looking for answers to questions maybe no one has bothered to ask yet.

There’s a particularly clever and witty essence to this time, used properly. After all, isn’t applied astrology as much about effective timing, as anything?


The next Mercury Retrograde is June 26 to July 20, 2013.

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Soul of a City

By on June 16, 2013

Several years ago, I started photo weblog, even funnier, started it as a joke, an answer to Austin City Limits, my site, Bexar County Line, as a collection of random images, trying to define the Soul of a City.

San Antonio de Bexar, bigger than Dallas and more laid back than Austin, that defines the city in a single catchphrase.

Then again, I’ve been looking for that single image that so accurately defines the soul of a city. That site’s had an image a day since June of 2007*, with no shortage of material, and the hunt for the soul of a city goes ever onward.

Yesterday morning, I walked to Blanco Cafe (the original) in downtown San Antonio for some breakfast. Been, what, maybe more than a year since I’ve been there. Outside, on the windows of the cafe, there’s art. Window decoration is peculiar form of transient folk art, and I’ve gradually cataloged some of the local material. Still, in a single moment, I finally caught what I was looking for, an ephemeral, timeless yet pointed image that captures the essence of this village, this town, this city, this place in the universe.

Soul of a City

From the tattoos, to rose-colored eye shadow, to flashing dark eyes under a mane of black tresses, the smiling and mysterious brown eyes, the sway of the ample hips, all of it.

There has to be a single image, a single element that binds this together. One picture to adequately grasp the soul of a city.

I’ve yet to find another image that so eloquently connects the disparate bits to bind together the soul of a city.

BexarCountyLine.com

Blanco Cafe (downtown)

    *Published (2,284)

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Bad to the Bone

By on June 15, 2013

Bad to the Bone

This is really a spin-off of another topic, 35 Southbound. In my haste, I titled the original image and post, Bad to the Bone, Southbound, 35. Image was from Interstate 35, runs through OKC to Dallas, then Austin, and finally, divides downtown San Antonio.

The lyric, I caught it on some Texas Radio, local lad, Pat Green crooning about “35 southbound.”

Southbound 35 – Live at Billy Bob’s Texas: Pat Green

How does Pat Green, marginal Texas singer/songwriter count as a “Bad to the bone?”

With roots that go deep, from Sir Douglas (Doug Sahm) to Joe King (Carassco), to the “Bandera music mafia,” Robert Earl Keen, Lyle Lovett, Charlie Robinson, aforementioned Pat Green, Bruce Robison, maybe even part of the Dixie Chicks, all of that…

Red Dirt sidebar: originally, Pat Green was considered one of the “Red Dirt Rockers” grouping, a sub-genre of Texas music that includes the Tulsa sound, so to speak. Musical sub-genre named for the ubiquitous red dirt, tinged with ochre dust, that delineates the land defined as, “The Panhandle.” Another singer/songwriter is supposedly part of the Red Dirt Music, Brandon Jenkins, I got introduced to his canon, via a surf music at the other end of 35.

It’s a highway that binds this all together. Joe Ely claimed Lord of the Highway.

Texas Radio, odd there’s not much of it left these days.


L.A. Woman – The Doors

“Texas Radio and the Big Beat,” the Doors? I do miss decent radio. Seemed like it was the only way I got exposed to new music that I liked.

The original image, the inspiration thus far? Backside of trailer, rolling south on Interstate 35, trailer had lettering, “Bad to the Bone.” I can’t figure, shaky cell phone image, if it was BBQ, a band, or racing. Maybe something else, dogs, perhaps?

Looks like a horse trailer, and I’d guess, there was a horse in it, from the appearance. Hard to tell with just a phone image. Still, rolling down the highway, there it was, “Bad to the Bone.”

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From iTunes

By on June 14, 2013

That Little Mexican Boy:
Born and raised in Texas, I’m allowed to pass judgements. Drifting further and further south, in Texas, I’ve become more aware of the cultural divides that make up our great state.

The hue and cry when a country singer was rained out, and the stand-in was a little Mexican boy, who sang, in perfect pitch (and perfect English), the national anthem. I watched the other evening, as he did it a second time. I couldn’t be bothered other than it was a local news note, that social media was blowing up with detractors and haters, with some frankly racist remarks. I didn’t bother looking it up.

He’s local, born and raised in this country, and his attire, while “mariachi” in style, is pure Texas.

On the south side of the Bexar County Courthouse, there’s a historical marker that points out this is the oldest municipality in North America, and has served under nine different governments.

We’re still here, and the lad in the outfit? He’s an American. Citizen. This is part of our culture.

Texas was, at one time, a Mexican state. The culture is part of the fabric of what makes America.

From iTunes

As an update:

    Black Sabbath “13″ now on iTunes

    The Wack Album now on iTunes

    The Great and Powerful Oz now on iTunes

    Monsters University now on the App Store

    Demi Lovato book now on the iBookstore

    Two-Meat Tuesday – Kramer Wetzel

One more image:
From Wayne while in El Paso –
Aura Photo

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    Privacy, Business, and the NSA

    By on June 13, 2013

      Privacy, Business, and the NSA

    Dealing with client confidentiality, privacy, business, I’m figuring the recent NSA blunder can teach a few points about how to run a business.

    Privacy, business and the NSA: This is even more pointed in an information age.

    While I was last in El Paso, my buddy Grace checked us in via FaceBook, then there was a pseudo-comic image of me, holding up a tortilla, fresh off the comal. My question was, “Does this look like Jesus, Elvis, the Virgin de Guadalupe, anything?”

    The question should’ve been, “Does this tortilla make my butt look big?” The fair answer is, “No, but enough of those tortillas will make my buttocks bigger.”

    The question got co-opted and mangled on FaceBook. Along with that, a favorite, secret El Paso taco joint, where I’m inclined to stop for breakfast these days, that got published as well. To be fair, there’s an earlier image of a guy taking a picture like my pictures, which kind of gives it away.

    The first lesson from the NSA debacle, blunder and whistle-blowing? Transparency in business models. If I say I’m transparent, am I really that clear about motivations, deeds, actions, and how I do this?

    Actually, I am. When I started, some years ago, an editor virtually coerced me to get a PO Box. On certain legal documents, that PO Box in old East Austin still shows up, as does my old Austin phone number. Then, as a joke, I started the fineprint, which has, due to stricter laws, morphed into a legal disclosure, referenced in ALL my online documentation.

    I use Media Temple as a host these days, after a long and successful run with Fat Cow, and then, a good turn on HostGator.

    affiliate_link

    That answers the question about hosting. Transparency. Now you know what it costs to pay the simple overhead. Content, content generation and curation? That’s what takes all the time. That’s the real issue.

    Go Daddy had some excellent, edgy, and provocative ads, and the come-on of a 99-cent domain name. With add-ons, upsells, upgrades and privacy? I’ve fond that the site Register4less does more, costs less.

    The first lesson from the NSA blunder? Transparency. I’ve just turned over the keys to how I run a successful horoscope business.

    That’s the “nuts and bolts” of the motor. Other details, though?

    When I lived in a trailer park in South Austin, I used a PO Box as an address. I still use a PO Box to keep the ardent fans at bay. The original deal with a credit card merchant account was having two addresses, hence the PO Box.

    At the time, I was paying $20/month plus fees to have a credit card merchant account. These days, everyone uses Square, although, I am disinclined to advertise that fact. That means, though the price of a credit card transaction is clearly labeled. PayPal, too, same deal, price of transactions are clearly labeled — anyone who is so inclined can figure this stuff out.

    Transparency, then. Despite what you’ve heard, or read on the inter-webs, a notoriously unreliable source of data, I live in San Antonio these days. Never claimed otherwise.

    San Antonio is larger than Dallas, and more laid back than Austin, but don’t tell anyone, it’s our little secret.

    All of this information is available, online, and from various other sources.

    Location and availability, again, clearly marked (astrofish.net/travel) — couldn’t be simpler. I can be tracked down. (Austin, soon.)

    Dirty little secrets are harmful. While I maintain client confidentiality via pastoral privilege, there’s a better way I can guarantee that: I’m older now. I can’t remember what I said. Which is why I tend to record readings.

    What I keep? Names (names given to me for an astrology chart), purported birth data, that’s it. No notes. Nothing that can fall into enemy hands. Same with credit cards, client asked the other day, “Why don’t you just keep this card number on file?”

    I don’t want to the liability that comes with that responsibility. True, I pay a slightly higher fee per transaction, but then, I don’t have to worry about me leaking information.

    The (whatever alphabet soup agency is ‘at risk’/'in charge’) has several problems, as a business, what can be learned from the horribly public mistakes?

    Transparency, risk-management, disclosure. “Risk-management” means “Limit exposure.”

    It’s simple. Make sure they all see the same memo, and from what I’ve seen so far, not everyone has. Around here? I posted it on a web page, up to the reader to access the data, but I sure as can be made it available.

    I am an astrologer, and I write horoscopes. If you like this material, then please support me by subscribing to the horoscopes.

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    Mission Espada

    By on June 12, 2013

    The image I like most is here. It shows the front of the Mission. The second sanctuary, as there was one before, maybe two-dozen paces to the south and east. The outline of the old walls are still there.

    The Mission is an active parish, too. The attached buildings, to the south are part of active office for the “convento,” or the church offices for the Franciscans.

    One flower image I blew up and framed is from there. Used to hang over my desk. The centuries old mission grounds make perfect backdrops.

    The front door of that sanctuary is curious. Looks kind of like an ill-fitted keyhole of some sort. From the docent?

    “The building was left unfinished, and then they brought in this one stone-fitter. He was working on Mission Concepcion, San Juan and here, all at the same time.

    “Look at the door, notice anything? The front door’s pieces were cut, and it was like putting together a puzzle. He had to use those blocks, even though it was for a bigger door.

    “He only had 90 days to do it. He had to get out of town. In was in some kind of trouble. Although, he could safely stay in the church, as that was sanctuary.

    The story is recorded elsewhere, but instead of adding to the door, the two pieces resting on the door sill’s posts are inverted and flipped on a the horizontal axis. Kind of see it. Kind of don’t, but that’s the story. Half finished by one mason, and then, the replacement, run out of town, something about someone’s wife and girlfriend, and from what I know, wives and girlfriends don’t typically get along, nor do jealous husbands.

    From the same docent, I asked about the life-span of the Spanish Colonial Missions. What I’d read — in Park Service material — that the missions were only supposed to last ten years or so.

    Guess they just don’t build them like that anymore.

    BexarCountyLine.com

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    Deep Purple Summer

    By on June 11, 2013

    One summer, I don’t think I was old enough to drive, Deep Purple was on tour for Machine Head. Best I can recall. It was, for me, a Deep Purple summer. Saw them, live, and I’m guessing I had to sneak out and sneak in, but the memory is clouded with age.

    Machine Head – Deep Purple
    The Very Best of Deep Purple – Deep Purple
    Deep Purple – Jerry Bloom

    As a silly trope, their one song is oft-repeated in entertainment, and I’m unsure of the antecedents for this repetition, and as an ear-worm? Those opening chords get stuck in my head.

    Smoke On the Water – Machine Head

    I think back to radio that played whole album-sides at time, and how that one album, “Machine Head,” was probably proto (hair-heavy) metal of some sort.

    Part of it, though, taps that younger version of me, with more hair, more “bad attitude,” and probably raging desires and appetites that are all more tame these days.

    On the album I’ve got running in the background, even now, Smoke on the Water is followed by Lazy, and that’s, arguably, a better song, although, honestly, not nearly as popular. Something about the organ introductions, the opening bars, that plays on something. Then again, this is merely raucous music for an era. It was loud, strident, affirmative, and it played to that outlaw teenager that I perceived that I was.

    It’s summer music, and almost every summer for the last few decades, somehow, this music cycles back up, so that makes it classic? Classic rocks? Classical rock? Proto metal?

    Lazy – Machine Head

    The wikipedia entry called it, “Deep Purple, Led Zepplin and Black Sabbath the unholy trio of British Hard Rock in the early 70′s.”

    Maybe if I watched more TV, or if I even paid attentiuon to the music channels, the “Where are they now” shows, I’d be better informed.


    Dancer and the Moon – Blackmore’s Night

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    Kramer, Kramer!

    By on June 10, 2013

    Kramer, Kramer!

    “Kramer, Kramer! Come in here,” I was summoned unto Grace and Ken’s bedroom.

    “You sleep OK?” (Grace)

    Sure, excellent.

    They had their dogs on the bed with them, Ken looks at me, “I love you Bubba.”

    He petted on the dogs, “I was talking to him.”

    Grace chortled.

    Notations:
    Quoted:

    I use the most advance technology: pen and paper –

      1. It’s portable.
      2. It’s fast. Zero loading time. Just flip the page and it’s there.
      3. It’s flexible. Just like a blank piece of paper. Literally.
      4. No internet connection needed.

    Carnitas!
    IMG_1253

    Kramer, Kramer!

    Carnitas with Grace. I held up a tortilla, “This look like Jesus? Elvis? Anything?”

    Grace snapped a picture, popped it up on FaceBook.

    viva clp

    MRXthumb
    (Kindle Version)
    (Apple iBook)
    MercurySave.Us
    • Aperture: ƒ/2.4
    • Camera: iPhone 5
    • Focal length: 4.13mm
    • Location: 31° 50′ 0.6″ N 106° 32′ 17.41″ W

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    Clean out the Ice Box

    By on June 9, 2013

    Clean out the Ice Box

    It’s more of the “paleo” diet, which I like, as the simple version is “No grains, no high-fructose corn syrup,” like a modified Atkins, or South Beach, low-carb, high-protein eating plan. Works well.

    Dinner, the other night, on a “clean out the ice box” plan.

    On a medium-low heat, I browned a quarter pound of lean local beef, with a teaspoon of cumin, a chopped clove of garlic, pink salt, cilantro, onion, a huge jalapeño sliced up, and a teaspoon of olive oil. As the meat began to brown and dry, I added the secret ingredient: that last shot of coffee.

    I use a French Press, most mornings. The last cup, the last half cup, the last quarter cup, I let it sit on the kitchen counter after noon, and there’s maybe two tablespoons of liquid, but the bottom half is a fine sludge of coffee grounds, sort of a liquid mud. As the beef dries out, the coffee adds some moisture.

    Then, it was “clean out the ice box” time, I had a half dozen key limes, so I squeezed their juices into the pan.

    The final bit, after this gets almost crunchy, I added a diced chicken breast and the last free-range spinach leafs, with chopped basil. Turn it to low and simmer for a few more minutes.

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