In today's television series shelf life, a show seldom makes it to a Jupiter opposition (six years) or a Saturn square (seven years) before shutting down for one reason or another. When a show receives a two-year green light for its eighteenth and nineteenth seasons, it becomes unprecedented television history. The Fox Network recently renewed The Simpsons (first air date: December 17, 1989) for a two-year hitch warming the hearts of all fans and making competitive program execs utter, "Doh!" It would appear The Simpsons have been able to out fox Saturn and the Stars.
In an ironical twist, The Simpsons is set in the same town as one of those family based TV series that had one of those fairly typical six year runs. It's true. The Libran launched TV family drama, Father Knows Best (October 3, 1954), also used Springfield as its home. That patriarchal show sugar coated the lifestyle of the 50's and weaned children with a mythic domestic portrayal that would become the centerpiece used by Simpson creator, Matt Groening (February 15, 1954). Groening, an Aquarian with contacts to ultimately unorthodox points in his naturally contrary horoscope, had no choice but to create The Simpsons and get it launched during the truth bearing sign of Sagittarius, complete with its own extraordinary cosmic contacts. On December 17th each year the Sun aligns with the very core of our galaxy. This nucleus captures our solar system's attention with messages that intend to inspire progress, cut to the bone of truth and offer insightful alternatives for less than ideal situations.
Back in the late 80's terms like "co-dependence," "dysfunctional" and "addictive behavior" became buzzwords of social consciousness. Enter The Simpsons portraying one of the most dysfunctional families imaginable, complete with belching bar flies, dingbat authorities, a town potentially contaminated by its own main industry (the nuclear power plant) and the grist for the mill of off beat comedy appears in all its glory. Amazingly, The Simpsons does tell us how family life really is, but in its objectified animated manner a person can only laugh at circumstances and behaviors they know all too well. Yet, each of The Simpsons maintains a bond of acceptance of whom each other is and a compassionate sweetness that transcends personality flaws and shortcomings of the psyche in an oblique enlightening way.
Will The Simpsons rock the next two years? Absolutely. The planet of regeneration, Pluto, passes over the Sun's position for the first airing of The Simpsons. If the themes dig deeper than ever and inch closer to the marrow of the matters of social concern, how can people turn away? They can't. Next fall the rewarding Jupiter contacts Pluto of the first airing, then following onto the evocative and pushy Mars. With a sharper edge and more provocative slant, it can't miss. In fact, they might even take on topics shunned by other shows or topics other shows were pressured to cancel. One thing for sure, this season, Springfield will not be the same. Whether it's Starbucks invading the town, a gay Scientologist, or an alien invasion, it's going to be something smart, tantalizing and ultimately reality shaping. By the way, the show didn't out fox the stars - it went crazy like a fox and used them perfectly.
Standing Tall
Matt Groening, The Simpsons' creator possesses a set of potent contacts in his chart that suggest a well ahead of his time, innovative attitude toward life. Many people have these sorts of horoscope things, but succumb to the
pressures of normalcy and status quo. How would you know if you have one? You can feel it. The better question is, can you embellish your contrary attitudes to turn into concepts that produce innovative and exciting ideas? That would be the key. Instead of wallowing in feeling misunderstood, alienated and ridiculed,
retreat to your creative corner. A Chinese axiom reports that living well is the best revenge. Expanding that postulate to these astrological attributes, creating brilliance and persisting in ensuring the birthright of that brilliance could even better. "Stand tall," say these points, "Do not yield and remain resilient. Some of the best shows in town come from the strangest kids on the block."
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
No doubt lofty, big picture, attention drawing ideas with an odd spin toward the bizarre offer tons more appeal that a standard work week. If you really need to go off on a safari of sorts and an amazing adventure that changes
your opinions about the world, life and beyond, take vacation. It's hard to balance your desires for exploration with the needs of your career. While you might actually have time to explore the technologically advanced kayaks online, your employer or stockholders might resent paying you for that. Likewise, make sure your love muffin is feeling properly baked.
TAURUS (April 20-May 21)
Assuming life's big picture recently tweaked into a sharper image, what do you need to do to feel completely empowered upon the pathway ahead? You might be pondering capitalization, strength of your body, energy endurance
issues. To underscore each of these, conduct an assessment of what inner attributes absolutely ache to be given free range. All your talents need a place to go and do their thing. Jupiter still occupies your partnership house as it will for some time to come. Partnership completes the plan of personal satisfaction and delivers a plethora of life pleasures.
GEMINI (May 22-June 21)
Should it seem others fail to share your enthusiasm for the collection of light bulbs popping in your head, it's just because they're not following you. If you skipped a step along the way, or failed to share the thought or inspiration
that started the mental matrix in progress, they can't get on board. Anything without a clear destination seems like a time consuming, costly trek. Explain every little detail. When it comes to emotional matters, leave nothing to nuance or implication. Be clear. In a time like this, your vagueness does not read like flirting; it comes off non-committal instead. Share freely.
CANCER (June 22-July 22)
On the inside you might be contemplating ethereal or emotional matters. On the outside, your demeanor indicates you've got something percolating in there, leaving all witnesses to view vague cues in a clueless state. Offer up
your big picture view of life. What is it exactly that you believe constitutes your ideal? On the work front stating what you belief your purpose to be and how you intend to fulfill your mission works wonderfully. At home this requires coughing up everything stewing on your stove of sensitive responses. Given the guarded
cues leaking out, others perceive overwhelm and toughness. Reveal your underbelly. That's what porcupines do.
LEO (July 23-August 22)
Given that next week the intensity of your desire rises notably, this week presents a prime time for presenting matters of personal concern. If you have rules, make them understood without suggesting your rules should be law. If
you have expectations, state each one with clarity and with no tone that could be construed as an ultimatum. Share your belief systems. That's a lovely way to initiate a bonding conversation. With all that said and done, sit back and watch the results return. Then you can decide how well that works for you. Take notes from TV. Things that sound like commercials, people try to shut out.
VIRGO (August 23-September 22)
Partnership and relationship matters prevail. Specifically, relationship would suggest anyone with whom you have an emotional expectation. Partnership notes any interaction in which you possess a financial expectation. Should
you have those twains meeting, clarify the tidal forces so that if the river appears to run upstream, it's not seen as contrariness. Sometimes the balance of power and responsibility subtly shifts to allow rest and recuperation to those who need to kick back. Speaking of which, think spa, massage (deep tissue is better) and a fast to slow down the pace. Feeling good is everything.
LIBRA (September 23-October 22)
The battle over the disbursement of your energy continues. The evidently opposing forces of duty and work demands fight off the rising urges carried in your psyche for loving attention, romance, play and frivolity. Think of this like eating a dinner with two vegetables adorning your entree. One veggie you like; the other
you could do without. Which do you eat first? Do you go for the one you like, delaying the more distasteful? Or do you take the reward later? The suggestion matching the planets encourages saving the best for last. Let's face it, a Libran loves to look forward to life's pleasures at the end of a day.
SCORPIO (October 23-November 22)
Given you mastered aligning your wheels with the track last week, now you can adjust the pace more to your liking. Consider budgeting yourself ahead a ways. Assess what energy would be required to move a mountain of work
from here to there and adjust your attitude and allocations to pace that over the next three weeks. A fairly even projection of energy prevents burning out and dropping the ball because fatigue crops up down the road. This is one of those, "I really love ya, hon," times in which you need your mate to understand that it's your career's sweeps week.
SAGITTARIUS (November 23-December 22)
When someone asks you a question like, "What do you really love/fear/desire/protest?" be as clear as you can be in a single iteration. With the recent patterns, most will take the first thing out of your gate and go with that. Amendments could come off as ever increasing demands or an inability to be satisfied. Neither
would be true, but trying to clarify the matter muddles it further. So, take a little extra time at first. Tell others you need to sleep on it or you need a few days. Whatever you feel your process to require, state it. When it comes to cozy one to one encounters, get extra clear on what you want when. The more others know, the further they'll go with you.
CAPRICORN (December 23-January 20)
This is one of those times in which unplanned, unscheduled maintenance pays high dividends. Whether it appears as changing your vehicle's oil, running a system check on your computer, reassessing a work model or checking
the dipstick on your relationship contentment reservoir, monitor everything coming to mind. You need the mundane matters on a trustworthy automatic sensor system. Soon your sensors change scales and explore more emotional horizons. So nice to know your bills are on auto-pay and work can run itself and so you can head off into the sunset and have some dang fun.
AQUARIUS (January 21-February 18)
The sense of unwarranted emotional demands and people being generally unreasonable in what they require of your time, energy and attention are just about ready to turn for the better. Since you can be a "what did I learn from
this" kind of person, extract whatever lesson there is. If you're in a situation that squeezes you, when and how did that pressure begin? If you love the way your dealings with other people flow along - work or pleasure - remember what it is you did right at the start. Beginnings are everything. Course correction when first realized ensures that everything's keep leading to happily ever after.
PISCES (February 19-March 20)
Should you feel that you're the kid in the front row of a classroom frantically waving her/his hand pleading for the attention of the teacher, relax. Your veil of invisibility soon lifts. Ask yourself to verify how much you crave emotional, creative and spiritual satisfaction from life. Prepare yourself to recognize it
when it comes along. That way when someone or the Universe reaches out to offer what you seek, you readily receive it instead of responding with a befuddled, "Really? For me?" Belief in fulfillment without expectation does the trick. If life were TV, you'd realize an unexpected show gives you the most pleasure this viewing season.
Philip Sedgwick became a professional astrologer in 1975, having studied fervently since 1969. He has penned five books on astrology, a short story collection and a series of scripts (in the pitch phase). Philip formerly wrote for scifi.com, America West Airlines Magazine, StarIQ.com and for a large collection of astrological journals. You can visit his website at www.PhilipSedgwick.com.