Wow…its 9 pm. I’ve been here at Joshua’s restaurant in Woodstock since 1 pm, working on Cosmic Confidential. Long day. For days and days I was writing at Taco Juan’s, where for some reason I always get a lot done…but on Christmas Eve, Bob (the owner; Taco Juan is just the name) suggested that I find a new place to write because it would be too busy on such a mad shopping day; so I discovered the cafe upstairs at Joshua’s, with big windows overlooking town, Wifi, great food, a coffee bar and a cool staff. So I’ve kind of moved in — what a great space.
Self portrait in the famous, chilly, incense soaked, graffiti-strewn bathroom at Taco Juan's in Woodsock.
Sunday, most of my energy went into the Cancer edition, which looks like the first sign I’m going to finish. It’s close and that’s always an exciting turning point in the annual project. The first turning point was the ’short edition’ of the annual — the January monthly horoscope. This is about double the length of a normal monthly (about 380 words per sign — in magazine horoscopes you have to know this…a usual monthly is 225 words per sign and a usual weekly is currently 135 words per sign).
The ’short annual’/January monthly is a complete annual edition by itself, covering all 12 signs with a rockin’ introduction; though it’s much more focused on theme rather than specific interpretations or working out the kinds of psychological puzzles I’m tackling in Cosmic Confidential. [Note, this edition will be distributed Tuesday to all CC and PW subscribers.] I’m actually surprised at the depth that I’m getting out of the charts, but then these transits in 2010 are are high energy, and big planets are on the move, changing signs and/or making aspects that will help us turn the page of history — that tends to make it it easier.
I am doing this year’s annual differently — in modules, based on aspects. About one week ago, I started the module on Mars retrograde in Leo (at the back corner table at Taco Juan’s of course), taking about three working days and going around all 12 signs. Since then I’ve been coming back to that every day (save for Christmas) and rewritten a little more every day – and that’s where I caught the groove of writing (after months of research and preparation).
We have a lot of spectacular astrology in 2010, and I’ve researched many layers; the first aspect that I went around the signs on was Mars retrograde. I think Mars retrograde is the heart of the matter; the heavy lifting of 2010; the deeply introspective astrology in a year of really, really extroverted astrology. Many changes in the world, with a focal point i the spring; Mars retrograde in Leo is saying: find yourself and get ready.
I am pretty sure the next module is going to be the Chiron-Neptune conjunction in Aquarius. From there, I think it’s going to finish itself: the Saturn-Pluto story and the Jupiter-Uranus story will fall into place. Those are really the four big components, though I’m also going outside the box in every sign with highly specific, personal material for you. What is amazing is how much information the astrology gives. Writing this year feels like sticking a spoon into a waterfall.
As mentioned, I have written a short version of the annual, in the form of the January monthly horoscope. This edition alone is comparable to what the annual was many past years; but for Cosmic Confidential, it’s just the warm-up act. That will be delivered to all subscribers of Cosmic Confidential and Planet Waves on Tuesday morning. This one horoscope went through five separate rewrites, an astonishing amount of focus even by my standards, and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out (I say pretty happy because I can never really tell). If you’re a subscriber to either Planet Waves, Planet Waves Light or Cosmic Confidential, you will see that in your inbox early Tuesday.
I am still offering combined subscriptions to Planet Waves and Cosmic Confidential, at the top of the sidebar.
