One of the weirder weeks begins with the suspicious Scorpio
sun trying to shed light on the fog Neptune spreads over matters of faith. Veterans
Day becomes, appropriately enough, a vehicle for expressing Mercury's conjunction
with militant Mars. Sunday's vibe is one of “I'd better not”
as indulgent Venus is squared by restrictive Saturn. By Wednesday, when Venus
joins jolly Jupiter, it's no holds barred. You want pleasure, you got it,
probably in excess. Thursday, that plodding, practical Saturnian vibe attempts
to keep the creativity of the Scorpio sun in check. Remember: As Mercury gets
ready to come out of retrograde on the 17th, it's likely to make more mischief.
Annoying, but not irreversible.

Aries

You might not consider them your “friends”; nonetheless, folks on
the fringe of your social circle can exert a lot of influence when it comes to
joint investments and other ways to be involved with other people's money.
At the same time, you might be quite circumspect when it comes to revising your
own entertainment budget, a wise move considering that Mercury is retrograde until
next Saturday and, more importantly, that your Mars ruler is liable to be tempted
by the cherished ideals and elaborate visions emitted by mesmerizing Neptune.

Taurus

So, the not-very-challenging challenge facing you this week is figuring out which
of the opportunities you're offered will turn out to be the most advantageous
in the long run. While your fairly lucky Venus ruler merges with extremely lucky
Jupiter in your Scorpio house of cosmic soul mates on the 15th, there's
no telling if the growth is going to happen in the material, intellectual or romantic
arena. Or whether it'll be you or your partner who gets the juicy rewards
and congratulations. Unfortunately, not everyone in the family is applauding.

Gemini

The Twins may be of two minds, but a military mindset is rarely one of them. Therefore,
while aggressive Mars joins forces with your Mercury ruler this week, take care
that you don't come off as a martinet. It's one thing to be highly
disciplined about an athletic activity and to show up for practice; it's
another to behave like a drill sergeant at work and order your co-workers around.
If you stick too closely to the rules, you might miss another brilliant idea Uranus
sends your way midweek. Try to slow down before Mercury changes direction on the
17th.

Cancer

If you focus on the positive implications and put your innate reluctance aside,
a cautious Crab could capitalize on the extremely lucky and fairly rare (once
every 12 years) merger of affectionate Venus and expansive, prosperous Jupiter
in your Scorpio house of romance, recreation and risk. Of course, you can always
find a reason to worry about something, but this is the last week that five planets
will be in simpatico Scorpio and the last week that you'll have such great
rapport with the natives of so many different signs.

Leo

It may only be make-believe, but while your sun ruler is being challenged by imaginative Neptune, you're likely to become disillusioned, perhaps even duped, more easily than usual. And, because Neptune is in your Aquarius house of partners,
scammed by one of your exes or the one who is currently sharing the rent. If you're in partnership with musicians or visual artists, then chances are the provocative
square aspect between the planets will bring your joint project to a head. Not a conclusion; that's scheduled for February.

Virgo

Since your Mercury ruler is currently injected with assertive Martian energy,
a bigger set of balls is yours for the taking. Launch a crusade, vent some steam,
and get to the root of whatever is annoying you. You're also in a better
position to make the first move, to actively pursue something or someone you desire.
Something new, in the guise of a gift from innovative Uranus, may be offered as
the workweek begins. Stay tuned for a really good idea, an unusual deal or an
introduction to an icon you've been dreaming about.

Libra

You could be in a push-pull situation as your Venus ruler faces the restrictions
that Saturn imposes only one day before you get to enjoy the bounty that Jupiter
bestows. How you maintain that celebrated Libra sense of balance is beyond the
rest of us, but since it's your unique situation to resolve, we're
confident that you'll come to an appropriate (for you) decision. Me, I'd
opt for the goodies that generous Jupiter offers, especially if I wanted a jolly
good time, lots more money, and high-end stuff. Saturnian shackles won't
fit into my bag.

Scorpio

Only one more week of being so fucking irresistible; then loving Venus leaves
your sign, not to return until Christmas 2007. Jupiter bails on the 23rd, so if
there's something really special you need to make your future, i.e., the
next 12 years, much brighter, pray for it now. The sun exits Scorpio the 22nd,
but its monthlong trip through Sagittarius will illuminate a couple of ways you
can increase your financial worth during the holiday season. Mars and Mercury
stay through the first week in December, with Mercury facing forward as of next
Friday, the 17th.

Sagittarius

You might not be able to get away with murder, but while five planets are lodged
in secretive Scorpio, in your karmic 12th house, you could claim that you weren't
conscious of what was happening or that unknown enemies from a past life were
doing the deed. The weeks before Sag begins are often strange, but this year,
you may feel even more disconnected from your day-to-day existence, as well as
from your understanding of what is actually going on. Starting with Venus'
entrance into Sag on the 17th, further changes are in the wind.

Capricorn

Not exactly subtle, but also not in-your-face. Favors from a colleague or a friend
of a friend could be laid at your doorstep while Venus and Jupiter, the good guys
of our solar system, support all things Capricorn. These are the same planets
and people that offered you the opportunities, stressful as they may have been,
and probably still are, to strut your stuff. As Mercury ends its retrograde trip
and Venus vacates Scorpio on the 17th, you might hear of a monetary reward in
the very near future. Take time to double – better yet, triple – check
whether this is true.

Aquarius

With Mercury retrograde in your Scorpio career house, you could be worried that
your message isn't getting across or that you're not receiving the
kind of response you anticipated. Bear with the confusion awhile longer, say until
Mercury turns direct on the 17th. About that time, you should begin to notice
that a colleague or a casual acquaintance is lending his or her support to your
project. This can be a fairly tough week because the Scorpio sun tests both idealistic
Neptune in your sign and practical Saturn in your Leo marriage house.

Pisces

That prescient pack of planets, all five of them, are currently sequestered in
your Scorpio house of faith, philosophy and foreign travel. If ever you were curious
about taking your higher mind someplace it's never been before, now would
be a good time. In a few weeks, growth-oriented Jupiter will join Venus and the
sun in Sagittarius. That's when you might be pressured into thinking seriously
about your next career move instead of simply being free to roam around, checking
out whatever engages your interest.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.