Greetings from Los Angeles!

…where I’m filling my calendar up with delightful Avid Readers — so much fun to meet in person! I have a few appointments available until July 18th. Then I’m off to Raleigh, NC.

The work week began with the Moon in super-friendly Aquarius, looking to network, network, network  — and be appreciated for its unique social significance. It travels without much static all day TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY. Such a relief, comparing the jolts we experienced on Sunday, when the Moon clashed with Pluto, Uranus and Mars. More on that in a minute.

Moon will be void on WEDNESDAY at 8:40 AM ET; it glides into intuitive Pisces at 11:51 AM ET. Thus, on the East Coast, you can get away with sleeping in or flaking out. Not so in LaLaLand.  On THURSDAY the Pisces Moon meets up with Neptune at 2:28 PM ET, suggesting a dreamy start to the day. Upside: the potential for inspiration and vision, especially as we roll into FRIDAY afternoon, when expansive thoughts in the courts and in the media are likely to pull focus. This is courtesy of a cooperative connection between Mercury and Jupiter, which expands whatever it touches. Downside: communication may be muddled or overly idealistic on Thursday.  When in doubt, push for clarity.

The Pisces Moon goes void on FRIDAY at 1PM ET, and wanders without much direction until 7:52 PM ET. Yes, start the weekend early, though there is bound to be some late-breaking piece of news during the void that causes a perceived “crisis”. The general rule about Moon voids — when the Moon is drifting along with as much energy as an exhausted pinball — is that crises which crop up during voids are much ado about nothing — without consequence. Thus, ye are advised to chill!

Once the Moon enters Aries at 7:52 PM ET on FRIDAY, the pace picks up noticeably with its me-me-me-first drive. Saturday is fine for impulsive shopping. Sunday is likely to be as rollicking as last Sunday, thanks to the Moon’s weekly clash with Mars, Uranus and Pluto.

No sleeping in on MONDAY.

And now, the news…

…which I didn’t pay much attention to over the weekend, as my focus was on a joyful wedding and a college mini-reunion. Still, the intensity of the Full Moon in Capricorn, supercharged by the aforementioned Mars, Uranus and Pluto, was felt even without looking at the headlines. Here is a scene from the reception…

…which was perfect and lovely, nonetheless, even if the ceremony was disrupted once by an Emergency Evacuation Alert going off on a cell phone. Turns out fires were all over the place — in six states and in Canada. As for the college gathering, I was a bit apprehensive about scheduling it on a day that would begin with a tense aspect between the Moon and Mars. Sure enough, there were cancellations. Some were worried about the wildfires (pictured above); another actually sprained her ankle. But those who persevered enjoyed a wine-tasting and picnic lunch at Demetria Estate in Los Olivos, just down the road from Fess Parker — made famous in the movie Sideways (a must-see).  The day ended with a surprise visit to the just-opened Leashless Brewing in Ventura. It was a surprise to the owners,  who did not know for sure if I would be able to drop by — true to the spirit of the afternoon’s  proactive Capricorn Moon’s square from Uranus. Surprise! And what says “leashless” — i.e., FREE — like the Moon in touch with Uranus?

Meanwhile, in the actual headlines….

A full Moon in Capricorn is an apt pattern for an article about how goats are going to steal our jobs. Capricorn is the sign of the Goat, doncha know. In other news, the Sun-Pluto conjunction in January was accompanied by a ton of stories about the Russian involvement in the November elections, as you will recall from the last post. The Full Moon suggested further illumination on this topic. What did we get? P45 Jr., appearng to admit  for all intents and purposes that he took a meeting with a Russian lawyer last year, hoping she would provide him with dirt on his father’s opponent.

We do not have an exact birth time for Mr. P45 Jr., but let the record show that he is a Capricorn with Moon in Virgo, seeking to be appreciated for the exacting perfection he brings to his enterprising efforts. Is that why he keeps updating his recollection of that meeting?  Like his father, P45 Jr has a Mercury-Neptune connection, suggesting a need for idealism, vision or rose-colored fog in matters of communcation and mindset. His Mercury (how he needs to think) is in high-flying, righteously opinionated Sagittarius, almost at a dead stop (Mercury had just turned direct).  It is possible that his natal Neptune is in a tense connection with the Moon, reinforcing a need for those rose-colored glasses.

Also like his father: Mars (how he needs to act) is in regal Leo, a placement which some astrologers say can get away with murder in its show-stopping, entitled action. It’s interesting to note that transiting Mercury met up with P45 Jr’s Mars over the weekend, suggesting dramatic communication and assertion. It’s also interesting to see transiting Saturn about to meet up with his 21  degree Sagittarius Mercury — that’ll happen next month; the first hit was in January.  Add him to the truckload of players who have planets around 22 degrees of Sag, Gemini, Virgo and Pisces — all tied in to the U.S. Mars-Neptune square.  When Saturn hits your Mercury by transit, it suggests a need for a reality check in matters of thought and communication that may be weighty, cutting or depressing. If P45 Jr was born in the late afternoon/evening on Jan 1, 1977, transiting Saturn will add its gravitas to P45 Jr.’s Virgo Moon. Life gets serious.

Here’s the latest — posted minutes ago at The Guardian:

The emails show music promoter Rob Goldstone telling the future US president’s son that “the crown prosecutor of Russia” had offered “to provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father”.

Goldstone adds: “This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr Trump.”

Trump Jr replies 17 minutes later and welcomes the offer. “If it’s what you say, I love it, especially later in the summer.”

To be continued.

The next notable day of planetary action is Monday, July 17, when  action hero Mars will be challenged by rebel Uranus…AND…Venus will be challenged by Neptune. Watch for upsets, accidents and innovation in matters of action, leaders, aviation, technology and gender concerns, coupled with idealism about the feminine, aesthetics and healing. I wonder if we’ll be hearing more about the oppressive dress code enforced last week in the Speaker’s Lobby on Capitol Hill. A journalist from Across the Pond offers this rant on the women journalists who were ordered off the premises for the crime of wearing….a sleeveless dress. No, there is nothing specific in the dress code that prohibits the wearing of sleeveless dresses.

Thank you for reading this forecast — and sharing it with your friends.