Praise Venus and Fortuna

April Fools Day was a celebration by ancient Romans to celebrate the combo festival of Fortuna Virilis, one of the many aspects of the Roman Goddess of Luck and Chance, Fortuna. Her title means "Manly" or "Virile", and it can be supposed that she made boys into men by making them strong and robust, and watching over them through the difficulties of puberty. She was connected with the Love-Goddes Venus(who also "makes boys into men", albeit in a rather different way), and She was worshipped with Venus at the festival of the Veneralia. and Venus Venticordia.

The Veneralia was a holiday of Venus Verticordia ("Venus the Changer of Hearts") held on April the 1st, the date of the founding of Her temple on the Aventine Hill, in which rites to Fortuna Virilis seem to have played a part. Perhaps the two taken together were meant to inspire and protect young men as they began to take an interest in sex and/or girls as they grew; and further evidence of a link between the two Goddesses is found in the fact that a shrine of Fortuna Virilis was located besides an altar to Venus of the Basket, though exactly where in Rome they were located is unknown.

Basically, the Romans would play tricks and muck around with their high jinks. Wearing their clothes backwards, a lá Kriss Kross, was quite popular and they would generally crack themselves up with their Roman style gags and laughs.

Aprils 1st is also the start of the celebration of Ceres - the Goddess of Harvest. This goes on for 10 days finishing with chariot races and releasing of foxes into the Circus arena with flaming brands attached to their tails. Those whacky Romans! Bunch of jokers, the lot of them.

The drink of celebration was milk and honey with the poppy flower pounded into it, trippy, I am sure.

I am the walrus, I am the eggman.

A happy day to you, whatever you are celebrating.

Getting positive

I have a lot of 'stuff' in my life. Since I am about to move house in 9 days, I am letting go of my 'stuff'. Setting myself the goal to only taking with me, what I truly love and need.
This is proving to be cathartic. In letting go of my 'stuff', I am also letting go of the emotions that wrap them.
I have made a choice that I am only going to live in the positive in my new home.
We are often in the negative in our lives. Negative habits, negative relationships and negative thoughts. I was watching the news while I started this post and realised how much of the information we receive throughout our day is focussed on what is wrong and must be righted. The heavy assignment for fixing the world, is placed on our shoulders, 'Stop watering your garden, turn your lights out, don't drive your car. And if possible, stop breathing.'
Enough.
I cannot and will not, live in the frame of mind that we are all doomed and it's all my fault.

The moon is moving from Capricorn and into Aquarius tomorrow, just after midnight. The energy from the Moon in Aquarius can make us selfish, caught up in our own airhead thoughts. It can also encourage to use our brilliance for good, not evil.
For those of you who practise pagan ritual or cast magic then this is a good time for sorting out any issues you may be having in your coven. Always good to deal with any small niggles such as not washing out the cauldron out properly and making sure there are nice biscuits to have with the ambrosial wine or the post magic cup of tea and catchup.

Positive thoughts peeps, positive choices, positive lives.

Later.

The Yin and the Yang of it

I listened to a man in a doctors surgery today, trying to placate his 3 year old by explaining exactly what the doctor was going to do to her when she went in for her appointment. Eeeekkk! He thought by explaining what was going to happen, he was lessening the fear. It was not working for this scared, tiny little person.
As a mother I wouldn't have gone with the explanation. I would have talked about what we were going to do afterwards. Perhaps tell her the little known secret, that the best toys are not in the waiting room but are, in fact, in the doctors office.

It made me think about the fundamental differences with men and women communication. Men are Yang, like the Sun. Women are Yin, like the Moon.
The key is to maintain the balance. We all have Yin and Yang inside us, we just need to learn which energy to plug into at the right time.

In astrology, every sign is either Yin or Yang.

Aries: Yang
Taurus: Yin
Gemini: Yang
Cancer: Yin
Leo: Yang
Virgo: Yin
Libra: Yang
Scorpio: Yin
Sagittarius: Yang
Capricorn: Yin
Aquarius: Yang
Pisces: Yin

Look at your Sun, Moon and Ascendant sign and see whether it is Yin or Yang. The combination of these elements give you an indication of how you express yourself in the world.

I am all Yin, through and through. Which means that I am über expressive, perceptive and depressive at times. I am a card carrying member of the 'Sensa', the society for the abnormally sensitive. I am a pin cushion for human emotions, due to the high levels of Yin in my life.

I need more Yang in my life. Apparently it is best to connect to Yang energy and eat yang foods in the 3 days before a new moon. Yin foods are fish and chicken, Yang foods are red meats, grains, steamed veg.

Balancing the polarities is the quest. Through balancing evenly between the Yin and the Yang, then we become whole.

So Yang on, here I come!

Moon in Scorpio

The moon is in Scorpio, hence the guilt, the dark thoughts and thunderclouds on my side of the world. I always have a hard time when the Moon is posing my Taurus Sun. The Yin and Yang and all that jazz.
Moon in Scorp is always intense and today was no exception. And did I finish anything? Nope! A veritable horses tail of lose ends is waiting back at the office. So back to it tomorrow with even less hours as I am on the road picking up changelings from the scary country town. I swear the town does not have any young people in it all. Spooky beyond belief. Like an Arthur Rackham picture. See above.

Thoughts while driving under the lunar influence

Moon is still in Libra and I spent 4 hours on the road home from Le Pagan Festival of Eastre, spent with the parents and changelings. Driving home was interesting, when the Moon is in Libra people struggle with making decisions. Not such a great influence while on the horrific accident zone, that is the Hume Highway.

I discussed with Gandalf the wise words of Deb Cox from the The Age - Sunday Magazine this weekend. She mentioned how she loves to spend time with 'women who are beyond pretending.'
I loved this phrase. I only want to spend time with women who don't pretend. Women who keep it real and tell you when its worth celebrating and when to bring out the box of tissues.
I can't pretend. People who 'talk it up' as Blessed says will always be found out. I think we all are guilty of talking it up at points in our life. The less you do it though, the more life throws wonderful things at you.
I think its important to keep things real with your friends. You have a responsibility to tell it like it is. This is where womens wisdom comes from. The information that generations of women has passed on to younger ones, by the firesides and in huts.
Se keep it real my friends, you never know when your words may help someone.

Anais Nin says that,' When one is pretending the entire body revolts.' I think it goes further than that. I think your entire Universe revolts. Your friends, your intimate relationship, your work, everything. The world wants you to connect to what is real, it forces you to stop pretending and face the facts.

I like to keep it real. Not pessimistic but real. Sure, you can have anything and everything but real life comes with stuff. Stuff that hurts and makes you tired. Stuff that makes you worry and anxious. My life, like yours, has all of this gorgeously heavy and velvety texture, as well as the sunshiney lace and the voile. I like all the fabrics in my life but I never wear them all at once. Some moments and moods are made for silks, some for sturdy cottons and denims. Choosing the right fabrics with the right moment comes with age and experience.

I have friends who are older and younger than me. I love that wherever I am in my life, I have someone who has the right words, recipe or flashlight and map to help put me on my path again. The ones who risk to keep it real.

Garder mes vrais amis!

A bunch of Pagans, the lot of you!

I headed out early on a quest for Hot Cross Buns, to celebrate the Astrological New Year with a Full Moon, the Christian Easter and the Jewish Festival of Purim.
A big weekend for all. I had a hankering for Hot cross Buns though, whatever the festival, and I had to have them.

Here is some lovely information on the Hot Cross Bun. I love reading about the origin and evolution of tradition.

The origin of hot-cross buns is said to be pagan. The Saxons supposedly ate a similar kind of bun in the spring, at the time of the vernal equinox, to honor the goddess of light, Eastre, as she was named for the direction from which the first light of the day first comes.

The goddess eventually gave her name to the Christian holiday. The term bun may have evolved from the Greek word for ox; in ancient Greece a dome of bread, like the head of an ox, came to replace the actual animal for sacrificial ceremonies. At first there were horns decorating the bread. But over time the horns disappeared, leaving only what is now familiar as a bun.

Hot-cross buns first became popular in England as a Good Friday specialty after the Reformation, in the late 16th century at the time of the Tudors.

A decree issued by the London clerk of markets during the reign of Elizabeth I in 1592 prohibited the baking and sale by commercial bakers of "any spice cakes, buns, biscuits or other spice bread except it be at burials, or on Friday before Easter, or at Christmas, upon pain of forfeiture of all such spiced bread to the poor."

In those days spices were rare and precious commodities.

In the early 17th century, during the reign of James I, of King James Bible fame, this decree became unenforceable and spice buns started to be sold throughout the year.

A hot-cross bun is essentially what the English call a Chelsea bun, a confection sold all year. The difference is that for Good Friday, a cross is traced on the top of the bun. English bakers create the cross by slashing the dough or by laying strips of pastry across the top of the bun. There is a theory that the cross was slashed in the top of the buns as a vestige of pagan belief, to ward off any evil spirits that might jinx the dough and prevent it from rising.

Happy Buns, my peeps!

Full Moon In Libra

A full moon in Libra on Friday. A terrific time to try and find the balance in your life.
For those who like to cast spells and burn magic, this is an excellent moon to bring justice to fruition. In business, it is a good time to cement partnerships. In fact, partnerships of all sorts are blessed under this moon. A lovely time to be married under a Libran moon. My marriage has its Sun in Libra, Moon in Gemini and Ascendant in Pisces.
So partnership, creativity and spirituality. Perfecto!

Strange dreams indeed

I dreamed about being a part of Jewish celebrations last night. I was in a synagogue and was dancing and singing with the Jewish people. Then some friends from my past came in and started to do a comedy act that was very insensitive and offensive to the religion and people in the synagogue.

To dream of Judasim in a dream is symbolic of friends who help you to move forward to your goals. These friends no longer in my life, my friends now only want the best for me and are always helping me to move forward, never back.

A perfect dream for where I am in my life right now. The subconscious is a powerful thing.

Blessed Cherub

I had the pleasure of spending time with a lively little lady today, the angel of Blessed Seraph. This Capricornian Babe knew exactly what was going on. Although only 9 weeks, she has wise eyes and was already cooing at her mother. Most of her planets are in the 8th, 9th and 10th houses. So, an extrovert to say the least.

With her Sun in Capricorn she does not take to people laughing at her, very wel., Capricorns take themselves quite seriously, but she does have an advanced and bizarre sense of humour. Having a Moon In Aquarius means that anything unusual makes these little goats laugh. The siller the better. She is probably destined to be someone who laughs at bizarre Italian TV talent shows and Japanese game shows.

With Venus in Sagittarius in her 8th house, this is the house of the entrepreneur, like her Dad. Lots of fire in her belly. With her Sun in Capricorn, always a good sign to handle money, Moon in Aquarius thus a great handle of the future and Taurus ascendant, flawless taste, this little kid can clib any rocky mountain.

Her Moon is also in 10th house, which signifies her Mum will influence her deeply. Mostly around getting her to understand her own feelings and how they relate to the world around her. Learning and trusting her intuition. This will help her tremendously when she has a career because she will work out what people want before they even know!

I love to read childrens charts, its all there, waiting for them to grow and fulfill their destiny.
Carl Jung wrote, "My studies in astrology are fascinating...I have come to the firm conclusion that at the moment of birth an individual takes on the characteristic state of the Universe for that moment in time."

I concur Mr Jung, I concur.

My studies in astrology have deepened my own understanding of my children. My daughters chart is so spot on. It was written by an independent astrologer who has never met her, but it reads like she spend a week in our house doing a home study of her.

If anything helps you to even for a moment to understand your child, your partner or even yourself then it is not wasted. I am wiser and kinder as a result of my study of astrology. My tolerance for signs has improved and I 'get' people at a more celluar level.

So in saying that, I am off to do some charting to see what I can learn.

Process and serenity

I spend the weekend processing some heavy shit, packing my house up and doing a weeks worth of proposal writing in 12 hours. Hideous.
This mornings Soul Coaching card asked me to stay serene in the face of change and turmoil.
So far I have failed. Good times, huh?
The Moon moves from emotional Cancer into ambitious Leo at midday today. The crab roars and all that jazz.

On Friday I mentioned to someone that I would like to be Zen and never react. She told me to pack my things into a cave where nothing ever happens. If nothing happens then I can't react.

Anyone know of a cave to rent?

No point crying

Man, the hits keep coming today. It's almost funny. Almost.... but not quite.
I am supposed to go to a big shindig tomorrow, have even bought a new outfit. Instead I want to stay home and watch Frasier reruns, which is the only thing keeping me sane at the moment. Thank god for the two Dr Cranes.

Mantra for the day: Negative people and negative thoughts have no influence on me.Negative people and negative thoughts have no influence on me. Negative people and negative thoughts have no influence on me. Negative people and negative thoughts have no influence on me. Negative people and negative thoughts have no influence on me. Negative people and negative thoughts have no influence on me. Negative people and negative thoughts have no influence on me. Negative people and negative thoughts have no influence on me. Negative people and negative thoughts have no influence on me. Negative people and negative thoughts have no influence on me. Negative people and negative thoughts have no influence on me. Negative people and negative thoughts have no influence on me.

Contraction

I noticed the contraction yesterday. I am feeling it today. Firestarter is down sick at home, banned from the building until her sparks lights up again. Love and light to you special one.
Bad news from a dear friend regarding employment. And I have just been told at work that I have a 'tone' in my voice! Too funny. I think I always have a 'tone' to be honest. I will blame the Moon which is conjuncting Saturn. A negative transit at best.
Nothing doing till tomorrow as I have Mercury square Saturn in my chart today. Delays, delays, delays. (Insert big sigh)

"Ambition is like love, impatient both of delays and rivals." Buddha

Climbing the stairs

I have been back at work with my head down and bum up. No rest for the wicked and I have NEVER worked harder. The business has always been with me, night and day, but we acted quickly and sensibly to unexpected delays and disappointment and we are starting to see some of the work pay off now.

Interestingly, I have some major activity happening in the work sector of my chart during this time. The trasnit finished on Friday. Today I had non work related jobs to do, places to go and people to see. Perfectly pleasant with a little dash of my favorite things thrown in to add spice to my day.

As I walked up the stairs from my favorite bookshop, I passed the Theosophical Society. A long forgotten memory where I once considering studying Theology after doing Biblical Studies in Year 12 flooded. Biblical studies at school was considered notoriously easy and I just did to boost my HSC score. Yet, something in me spoke deeply when I studied the stories in the bible that year. I loved them, the history and the symbolism, the hypocrisy and the illusion.

So I took myself off and visited the Theology school at a university, where I was met by a monk in full robes, including a belt fashioned from rope. I wasn't easy with it, it was all a little bit Friar Tuck for my liking.

I realised that if I wanted to study theology then there was every chance I would be asked to become a full card carrying born again Christian. This was not an option for me, still isn't. My past life memories at being burnt at the stake, live within me. I didn't want the religion, I wanted the understanding. I had an overwhelming need to digest the text and the stories and the history. I wanted to look at Spirituality from all angles. Instead I went into a completely different stream of consciousness and while I took the tarot and astro on this journey, I left all my other interests behind.

As I wandered down the stairs today, I thought how we cannot deny destiny. My younger self knew where I would be happiest and yet my ego got in the way. How different my life would have been if I had studied theology? I can't even imagine it.

So here I am now, with my own understanding of Spirituality. My reading lists are whatever takes my fancy, my university is down the hallway in my study and the only passing mark I need is a witty remark from one of my clever and insightful sorority members, who are also my friends and family.

In hindsight, I needed to live my life for a while without spirit so I would then learn to live my life with spirit.

It's all perfect in the end.
Just keep climbing.

Ramblings after too little sleep

I was trying to remember today when my fascination started with the astro.
It started innocently with me stealing my mothers copy of Linda Goodmans sunsigns at the age of 12. It stayed with me through my teen years. I remember at 15 visiting my sisters who was modeling at a store at Figgins Diorama, a short lived luxury shopping destination. I would wander around the silent store filled with divine couture, I remember coveting a Karl Lagerfeld black velvet dress with matching bolero jacket ( it was the '80's after all) covered in crystal astrological star constellations sewn on by hand.
I spend weeks visiting this lovely garment. It never entered my mind that I would buy it, that was never an option.
I realise now it was the astrological symbols, not the dress that appealed to me so much. Although a girl can never have enough Lagerfeld in her life.

Tonight I have been reading about Urania, the Greek muse of astrology. Urania is often pictured as having a globe in her left hand and a peg in the right, and her foot on a turtle, the symbol of silence. She is able to foretell the future by the position of the stars. She is often associated with Universal Love and the Holy Spirit. She is dressed in a cloak embroidered with stars and keeps her eyes and attention focused on the Heavens.

Perhaps the Lagerfeld dress spoke to unconsciousness Urania inside me. The dress was like Uranias' cloak made of stars. I wanted to wear her Uranias cloak, even for a moment and I still do.

I often speak to Domonique the Wonderful that I needed to learn how to wear the cloak at work. To stand up straight and be strong and own my power.
Now I am aim to earn Uranias lovely cloak made of stars.

It's all about wearing the cloak, whether is is made of stars or a super protective bulletproof material. Stand tall and let the wind lift up your hem.

A few thoughts

A new moon in Pisces came in at 4.15 am.
This explains why my Scorp daughters, Cancerian house guest, was creeping our hallway at 4am. I explained to her this morning that the reason she is terrified of sleepovers is planetary, and there is not something wrong with her as people think, so she should stop feeling bad, pronto!
Over chocolate crossiants from Phillipas, I explained that she can't help the fact that as a crab, her bond to home is stronger than most. I said the reason she was up was at 4am in fact her connecting to her ruling planet, the moon, and she was merely seeing in a new one. Her gentle smile reminded me that it is so important to see our quirks as only that. We live in a society too quick to judge people as deficient or abnormal when they do not fit in to our sense of what is socially appropriate.
Her little shell and the family around her mean more than to others. A Cancerians sense of abandonment is so strong, that without family they are literally without a rudder. Death is the ultimate abandonment and can spiral the cancercian into a hard shell that can be almost impossible to crack. Many Cancerians I know have had serious abandonment and death experinces- adopted, lost and forgotten, the cancer crab feels deeply.

It makes me think of the Jung quote, 'Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.'
If Cancerians realise that the abandonment issues will come into their personal realm at some stage then they can hopefully avoid this becoming their defining life experience.
Easy for me to say I know, but we all have our astrological lessons to learn.
As a Taurus, our motto is 'I have.' My lesson has been about material wealth versus intellectual wealth. The more I let go of my attachment to ojects the more I find I have in my life.

So I give you the astro mottos and the basic lessons for each of the star signs.

Aries- 'I am'- Think through your plan before you push your way in and have all your ducks lined up before you start shooting. Much less stress this way! Rams rush because they want to be first at everything and damn the fallout!

Taurus- 'I have' - Let go of the attachment to money and objects. These do not define you. True beauty is in nature not in a shop. A Taurus lesson is to understand that what they cannot see or touch does actually exist. Trusting in the metaphysical world, not just the physical world.

Gemini - 'I think'- Focus, focus, focus. Too much procrastination and sometimes not enough doing. A big one for Geminis is creativity. If they do not allow their creativity to flow then then they self harm. Put down the razor and pick up the paintbrush or the pen and stop overthinking everything!

Cancer- 'I feel' - See above. They feel so they understand the human experience. Without a proper reason to feel though, they can create drama and get hooked to addictions that help them to feel. Learning how to nurture and protect their own sensitive souls is the lesson for the Cancer. Selfcare 101.
Leo- ' I want'- A Leo lesson is about power. They can have anything if they roar loudly enough but have they thought the possible consequences of that fearsome sound ? Fear can keep people away and as Kings of the Forest, the Leo often finds that even with all that power, it's lonely at the top.
Virgo - 'I scrutinise'- Always looking always perfecting that the moment often goes by for the Virgo and they don't realise it till the bitter end. Life seems like a dress rehearsal for them, always fussing and refinishing the scene. But no, you don't always get a second chance and the Virgo needs to see the moment through and know that this is the final curtain.

Libra - 'I balance'- Ha, I have yet to meet a Libran who makes decisions easily and does not second guess themselves. Debating over the tiniest pixel, they are need to trust that they know the right thing to do and then just do it!!

Scorpio- 'I wish' - Scorpios and their dark arts can sometimes undo themselves. Scorps are so powerful, two witches I know are Scorps and can manifest faster than anyone I know. The saying, 'Be careful what you wish' for was written for Scorpios and Scoprios alone.

Sagittarius - 'I see' - A Saggs lesson is often that they see the issue only from their own perspective. They do not always realise that everyone has a view and that sometimes it is good to ask others opinions. also, looking ahead for Saggs can be difficult. Look ahead and ask around.

Capricorns -'I use'- Fathers, fathers and more fathers. capricorns have issues with father and father figures. Often not goats but the black sheeps of their own families, their lessons can occurs in the form of family inheritance or success issues.

Aquarius- 'I know'- Is there nothing more pompous than an unaware Aquaperson droning on about some new theory or idea that nobody else wants to care about. Aquarians greatest lesson will come from working on their empathy skills and have a connection with emotion not theory.

Pisces- 'I believe' - The Pisces lesson is often around self protection. They have to learn how to help people, which they do very well, without taking on the dark emotional energy of others. Pisceans are emotional sponges so they need to watch who they spend their time with and put up the emotional shield.

Getting away from it all

After my dream about letting go, I traveled yesterday to regional Victoria for a job. Nothing like a good sing-along, some Radio National and a roadside sandwich to help you defrag.

I tell ya, it was the BEST thing I could have done. On the way up, I won a big, big job and on the way back the Goddess Bookkeeper found an anomaly that was a lifesaving financial catch.
Perhaps in leaving town, I let the Gods go to work for us.
In the recent challenges that the business has faced, I have made the mistake of feeling that I needed to be at work every moment.
Just being here made me feel like I was doing something.
I was watching the pot boil, instead I needed to let go and let the changes happen with out my added pressure.

Take the pressure down baby and let it all just happen naturally.

There was an old woman who lived inside me...

Last night I dreamed I bought a handbag in a vintage shop, only to find upon opening it, that is was my grandmothers bag. It was filled with her letters, envelopes, cards, photos and hairbrush. In the dream, the style of bag was named the 'Freeman' bag. Ha!

A bag represents what I carry with me.
My grandmother symbolises the innate wisdom that we have inside us.
The contents of the bag represent my current challenge. Letting go of old memories to take in this life as fully as possible. Self care and emotional grooming through pushing and challenging myself to be better and do better. To take myself out of moments that make me anxious and contain and conduct myself in a more positive way.

It is never easy to grow as a person but I would rather growth, however hard, than stagnation and emotional stunting.


So, my dream tells me to trust my wisdom. To let go of worry and fear, to trust and move forward confidently in all the decisions I have recently made in my life.

The last few weeks have offered up challenge after challenge. I see now that this is to push me forward as quickly as possible, to help me be ready for the growth that is about to occur in my life. My house, my relationships, the book, the business. I have been asked to climb the ladder with the crocodiles snapping at my heels. So climb I have. One rung after another.
I still have a few more to clamber up but I see where I was and where I am going now.

And I carry my bag of wisdom with me.

Capricorn dancer

La Luna is in Capricorn, which is a fabulous time to be doing business. I have donned the tracksuit and have retired to the study at home to write a proposal. I hope this stubborn goat moon energy is on my side and I will be filled with brilliant insight. Enough brilliance that the proposal convinces the recipient of my companies capabilities to do the project.

Meanwhile, I write this blog to settle into my space. It has been so long since I have written in my study, months in fact, and how I have missed it. I love this little room, 'a room of ones own' as Virginia Wolf says is so important as a woman. A space to be yourself, not just someones wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, lover, cook, cleaner and peace keeper. In a space of our own we get to be our true selves. I cannot imagine life without my space. I have considering giving up the study when I move to my new house but my feelings of peace this morning tell me otherwise.

Off to weave magic with the keyboard, my friends.
Have a beautiful Moon in Capricorn Day and may it be blessed with lots of opportunity and cleverness.

Perfect Sunday

Sundays in the city of Melbourne can be perfect. Rain or shine, there is always something to do, see, eat and to ponder over. Melbourne is a thinking city and I think our Lady Melbourne has a brain and is not afraid to use it.

There is conjecture of the sun sign of Melbourne, I like to think of the Melbourne we know now as a Gemini, when John Batman signed a questionable 'treaty' with the Wurundjeri Tribe on June 6th.
Before it was named Melbourne, it was known as Batmania. Imagine that, it really would be our own Gotham City.

This morning, and a perfect one at that, I have traipsed though Carlton, Brunswick and the City. The skies are blue, the air has a slight chill, which is easily remedied by walking on the sunny side of the street and there is a sense of possibility in the air.

I treated this morning in our fair city with a silk scarf jauntily tied around my neck and this effort was rewarded with a multitude of compliments. Melbournians appreciate any fashionable endeavour or attempt, so incredibly Gemini, always one the classiest in the room. You know the sort, Diane Von Furstenburg wrap dress, Clergerie shoes and terribly modern jewelery from some new cool designer about to be bought by Browns or Harvey Nicks in London. They do it better than anyone, maybe even Taureans, who opt for the heirloom pearls over the modern jewels.

San Francisco is also a Gemini city, which, those of you who read this blog, would know is one of my fave cities other than Lady Melbourne. London is also a Gemini, theatre, art, music and food. There are similarities between all three Grand Dames.

Gemini's motto is "I think". Quick thinking, quick witted and with an endless creative well to draw upon, Geminis in any form embrace change and variety.
As an air sign Melbourne as a city is logical and make sense. This is evidenced by the design of the inner city with all major roads following a traditional north, south, east west system.
The city is divided by the Yarra river, which reflects the duality of the Gemini nature.

Geminis can be snobs and I am afraid Lady Melbourne can dish out a type of bourgeois intellectualism that makes out-of-towners laugh at her try hard affectations. But in true Gemini style, she dismisses any criticism and focuses on the writing, the coffee and great design.

Geminis are also a little moralistic, perhaps at times puritanical, and this is never more proved by the way Melbournians look down at their racy, sexy cousin Sydney, I think secretly Melbournians like to party in Sydney but are happy to come back to their knits and penguin paperbacks. What happens in Sydney stays in Sydney to a Melbournian. They will never mention the great views, seafood and the fact they wore a singlet without a cardigan in public, only Sydney has the power to truly corrupt a Melbournians values and fashion sense.

Ah, Lady Melbourne, you make me proud and happy to be a part of your fickle, elegant and classy city.

I love this town.