Up and at ’em. The drive of the day is brought to you by the Moon in enterprising Capricorn, looking to make things happen. It is beautifully supported by three planets — Venus, Mars & Jupiter — which are closely aligned in detail-conscious Virgo. Around 3PM we may notice an emotional intensity or focused, resourceful power play, as the Moon meets up with Pluto. A disruption to the status quo may be noted around midnight, as the Moon makes its weekly clash with rebel Uranus at 12:25AM ET early Tuesday morning.

This focused drive continues until 4:31PM ET on Tuesday. Moon goes void at that time on a challenge between the Sun and the Moon. The First Quarter Moon  often brings challenges to the seeds that were planted on projects initiated on the New Moon. Make the required adjustments and then chill until 9:38PM ET Tuesday, when the Moon will be void of course. Regular readers of this forecast understand that Moon voids suggest a higher than average potential for flakes, twists and other upsets in efforts to move forward in a straight line. Avoid making mountains out of molehills. That crisis on your plate is likely much ado about nothing.

Planetary patterns are relatively light this week. On Thursday, just in time for Hillary Clinton to be grilled by Congress on the Benghazi Committee, mental Mercury will make the third in a series of muckraking, take-no-prisoners, mince-no-words squares to potent Pluto.  Pass the popcorn, because the only other non-lunar pattern exact this week is on Friday — and it is an easy alignment between Venus (women, money, art, social expression) and empowering Pluto.

On Friday, the Sun leaves Libra for Scorpio, because when else would we celebrate Halloween?  Bwahahahahahaha! By Friday we should be feeling the buzz and expansive bliss of Sunday’s double-header: 1) a Mercury-Uranus opposition, suggesting revelations in communication and technology; and 2) the third in a series of meet-ups between Venus and Jupiter, a.k.a. Sugar Baby and Cosmic Sugar Daddy. The first two meet-ups happened over the summer in rip roarin’ Leo; this one happens in Virgo and is thus less inclined towards drama and indulgence, more inclined towards refinement. Venus and Jupiter in contact with each other can also refer to diabetes. I wonder if we’ll see a breakthrough on that subject, or any other Venus-ruled health matter, e.g., kidneys and thyroid…or Jupiter-ruled matter, e.g., the liver.

And now, the news.

But first, a reminder about my  world-famous 2016 Really Useful Mercury Retrograde Survival Guide Bookmarks, and this quote from Avid Reader Bonnie:

That bookmark was awesome. I kept it in my datebook and referred to it many, many times during the retrogrades :)

Or this one, from Avid Reader Jane:

I would like to find out how much it would cost to get 10 Mercury retrograde bookmarks – I am so tired of my idiot friends who don’t get it, they just know something is off. To have your bookmark on hand to give them is the best idea ever.

Jane, I couldn’t agree more. And yes, I changed your name, in case your friends are reading this. Your bookmarks are in the mail, along with a handwritten note of thanks.  If anyone else would like one or more,  I will happily send one for $2.88 or three for $4.99 — just click this link and trust that they are beautifully designed and Really Useful. Make sure you include your snail mail address when you make your bookmark donation, as opposed to relying on telepathy.

And now, really the news.

There’s a big election happening today in Canada. I last wrote about our neighbor to the north here. Its horoscope is under pressure for a fresh start and/or a empowered change of identity now and through 2016, as Uranus and Pluto make contact with Canada’s Ascendant. Current Prime Minister Stephen Harper is running for an unprecedented fourth term, and here is  his horoscope — birth time unknown. The lean, mean thinking machine of his Mercury (mindset)-Saturn in Capricorn (conservative)-Mars (action, aggression) T-square is fast-losing the supercharge it’s enjoyed by transiting Uranus and Pluto. Interesting to see Mr. Harper has a Grand Trine among his Taurus Sun, Saturn and Pluto, suggesting a need to project a materially self-sufficient stance that, in politics, could favor the Powers That Be (Saturn in Capricorn – Pluto in Virgo). Interesting also to see his empire-building Taurus Sun opposed natally by dreamy Neptune.

Justin Trudeau, son of former PM Pierre Trudeau, is hoping to upset the Canadian status quo.  He’s a Capricorn whose pioneering, me-first Aries Moon is just getting started with supercharges from Uranus and Pluto. His 3 degree Capricorn Sun was supercharged from 2008 – 2011, and this is when his political career really revved up. With his Moon opposed by Uranus, we would expect him to be a natural-born firebrand, even though he needs to project an image of refined detail and correctness. Yep, Virgo Ascendant, with transiting Venus, Mars and Jupiter now sitting in his 1st House, suggesting opportunities for personal expansion.

Like Mr. Harper, Mr. Trudeau also has a T-square — a pattern of high developmental tension — among Mars (action), Pluto (perspective; resources) and his Capricorn Sun. The planets in this configuration are all at the Aries Point, suggesting he needs to — and is likely to — be noticed! Mr. Trudeau has  a Grand Trine, too — in Air Signs — among Venus (values, social expression)…and Saturn and Pluto. The Air element suggests a self-sufficiency in matters of intellect. He doesn’t need your opinion. He’s got everything figured out fine, thanks very much.

Mr. Trudeau’s 0 degree Gemini Saturn sits at the top of his horoscope, transmitting (potentially) the public status of executive authority. It’s being challenged by transiting Saturn sitting at the bottom of his horoscope at 1 Sagittarius. We could imagine that initiatives taken 14 and 7 years ago would be up for serious review…and that last year, domestic concerns may have been foremost on his agenda. It is a fascinating horoscope — I could write much more, but there’s no time…no time!

No idea who will win the election, but I am rooting for an upset…

UPDATE:  …and apparently so is John Oliver. It’s against the law in Canada for an outsider to tell a Canadian how to vote, but Mr. Oliver did it anyway. I wish I’d seen his informative and highly entertaining take on the three — yes, there are three — contenders in the Canadian election, before I posted today. Watch and laugh uproariously…and experience the bewildering fog so notable in Canada’s horoscope (Neptune conjunct Ascendant), Stephen Harper’s(Sun opposite Neptune) and Justin Trudeau’s (Neptune opposing Saturn  — both square Ascendant). What a weird (Neptune), wacky (Canada’s Sun is conjunct Uranus). fiercely independent country it is, astro-logically speaking…

John Oliver will also tell you about whatshisname, the other candidate in today’s election.

In other news…

The current trio of planets in Virgo suggests an energetic  focus on systems and processes in detail. Venus opposing Neptune — which happened over the weekend — suggests a need for beauty, peace, healing and artsy idealism. I was fascinated to see these themes explored in a lengthy NYT piece that took over a year to write. The reporter’s quest began last summer, when Saturn was smack dab in the middle of its Scorpionic obsession with matters of life and death. The reporter wondered what happens to people who die alone in New York. The result was this: “The Lonely Death of George Bell” — I highly recommend it.

Here’s another NYT piece about systems and processes, this one with a Venusian (feminine) spin: “Supers Who Break the Glass Ceiling”.  Systems and processes include diet and other issues involving metabolism. Oprah Winfrey just bought a big stake in Weight Watchers; the stock is soaring. Meanwhile, probiotics are making news in a positive way.

Venus-Neptune aspects can suggest selflessness and charity, as well as ideal love. In California, a couple called off their $35,000 wedding — and the bride’s parents invited almost 100 homeless people to enjoy what would have been the couple’s wedding feast. What random acts of kindness and senseless beauty have you committed lately? Have you shared this warm and fuzzy video of Koko the Gorilla getting a box of kittens for her 44th birthday (July 4th — supercharged by transiting Pluto)?

Thank you for reading this forecast. Here’s that link again to order your Mercury retrograde bookmarks….and here is the 411 on personal consultations. After I’ve posted that bookmark link five times, I will share with you the most valuable piece of information I ever received as a student at Wellesley College.