Good afternoon!

The work week begins with the Moon in humanitarian Aquarius, cruising without too much interference until 3:45PM ET on Tuesday, when it goes void for barely 30 minutes. At 4:12PM ET, Moon shifts gears from the cerebral Air Sign to the emotional Water Sign of Pisces, suggesting a need to go with the intuitive flow.

Mixed messages may crop up on Tuesday night. On the one hand, there’s an ego-indulgent alignment between the Moon and Venus at 10:51PM ET.  Ooh — cake! On the other hand, there’s an ambitious and/or restrictive alignment between Moon and Saturn at 10:59PM ET. Didn’t you say you were dieting? You’ll feel this push-pull more personally if you have a planet or angle around 4 degrees of Virgo, Sagittarius, Gemini and Pisces. Collectively, we may all see stern headlines about strong women, streamlined finances, serious social graces and other values, as Venus is subsequently opposed by Saturn at 12:25AM ET on Wednesday. Here are some headlines from a prior harsh alignment between Venus and Saturn — last paragraph.

Other planetary shifts this week include mental Mercury, which leaves zippy Aries for steady Taurus at 6:52PM ET on Tuesday. That should slow down the pace of collective thought and communication for a few weeks. On Thursday, Pluto turns retrograde, mostly affecting people with planets and angles at 15 Capricorn. On Saturday, we’ll have a New Moon starting at 2:57PM ET, so use the rest of this week to wrap up your projects started at the New Moon — gawd how time flies — on March 20th.

And now, the news.

To no one’s surprise, Hillary Clinton announced on Sunday that she was running for president, and is now on her way to Iowa. Here was the forecast for Sunday:

Sunday morning is lovely for sleeping in, as the Moon will be void between 4:15AM and 1:44PM ET. There’s pixie dust in the air, helpful for artistry and healing, suggested by a cooperative connection between Mars and Neptune. This patterns also supports fantasy and showbiz types, including those who might want to sell you a bill of goods. Don’t buy it during the Moon void.

After the void, the Moon enters Aquarius, favoring gatherings of friends, especially with such an easy connection to the aforementioned chatty Venus in Gemini at 4:08PM ET. The menu might be quite exotic, as well as your guests.

So what do you think? Did Hillary Clinton pick a good day to launch a campaign? There was some debate among astrologers as to what event should mark its official start, and I’m going with 3:27PM ET, which is when her intention to run was announced on her Twitter feed. Also, if you had picked that time in a contest held by The Washington Post, you would have won. Alas, I did not see that contest until today.

Looking at the chart for 3:27PM  in Chappaqua, NY, a few things stand out. First, the Moon is not void and it is in Aquarius, which aims to be everyone’s best friend. Take a look at the diversity showcased in this introductory campaign video. Lovely pixie dust, right? Second, the Moon is in a fine alignment with Venus, which is beautifully placed at the top of the chart. Third, ambitious Saturn is actively engaged with  Ascendant and the Midheaven. This suggests a serious effort, driven by Saturn in righteous Sagittarius ideals. opposed by Venus in eloquent Gemini.

With Virgo rising, we’d expect an image of perfect organization — definitely no drama, despite the drama potential of the candidate herself (she has Mars and Pluto conjunct in Leo). Interesting that the chart ruler — Mercury in pioneering Aries — is not applying to any other planet in the chart. It’s forging ahead on its own.

Nebulous Neptune in this chart has pluses and minuses, as it is also making contact with the Ascendant and Midheaven. On the plus side: vision, charisma, glamor and the aura of a savior. On the down side: potential fog in presentation and interpretation.

If you like learning about Fixed Stars, you may find it fun to know that Mars, planet of action in the chart, is conjunct the Fixed Star Schedir, which refers to “the Queen; female power” (with a certain caveat). Isn’t that interesting? Mars is in an energetic relationship with Jupiter and in easy alignment with Pluto, suggesting stamina and resources (albeit with a potential for overexertion).

We’ll look at Hillary Clinton’s personal horoscope in another forecast. Meanwhile, I am compelled to call attention to NYT columnist David Brooks and his latest Sunday op-ed, because it is getting so much attention on social media — at least here in NY.

Since last fall, Mr. Brooks has been enjoying an expansive transit of Jupiter to his Mercury, Sun and Moon — all in Leo, which is where Jupiter is now. He’s also been experiencing a period in which spiritual concerns would likely become prominent — noted a couple of times before in this forecast — and especially this year, there is a strong suggestion of a need to take action on them. What is the title of this op-ed? “The Moral Bucket List”. Everyone is like “OMG…this is exactly what life should be about!” Check it out.

I wonder if David Brooks has ever consulted with an astrologer. Or Hillary Clinton, for that matter….