No Fault of Mine

“No one can reduce me to a checklist,” I would say.

“That’s your Aquarius rising talking,” a helpful astrologer would retort.

Delving into the matter at hand, I had been informed that I am a culmination of my big three: Sagittarius sun, Virgo moon, and as stated, Aquarius rising. Yes, I like to travel, but so do most people. Sagittarians are infamous for their ability to jump into adventures with an almost blind faith, our optimism being a self-fulfilling prophecy.

This is a little harder to shake. I am typing this piece from a location that I was lead to through a series of risks and pure dumb luck. No matter the gamble, I do tend to land on my feet. So much so that I have always been drawn to The Fool card in a tarot deck. The card depicts a smiling man, eyes closed looking up into the sunshine. The man isn’t packed sufficiently to be on an extended trip, sometimes not even shown to have shoes on. And oh yeah, he has no idea he is about to walk off a cliff.

I remember telling an employer on a Wednesday that I would travel over 1,000 miles to work in a different office for a month. Only to arrive that Sunday with four pairs of pants, a top, and not much else other than my laptop. I had to go to a store and buy socks and toiletries where it turns out they were having a massive clothing sale. I was able to pick up items that are still beloved in my closet.

This is usually the case, I embark on numerous journeys, often ill prepared but coming out ahead each time. One time I visited a place when it was hurricane season, only packing a few dresses. When I was caught in the rain, I found sanctuary in a cafe that had the best remoulade I ever tasted and was sent a free dessert given my “bad luck.” You really can’t get more Sagittarian than that.

But surely if I was so incompetent, I wouldn’t be as successful in my job or studies. Apparently, my Virgo moon is my saving grace. Eventually, luck runs out. What doesn’t run out is ruthless attention to detail. My moon is what drives me to color code my notes and stockpile Post-it notes like they’re running out of business.

If my Sagittarius sun is leading me off an (albeit fun) cliff, evidently my Virgo moon is my life raft. That leaves me with my rising sign, which is how the world is to perceive me. Aquarians are the aliens of the zodiacs, so it comes as no surprise that an Aquarius rising would be perceived as odd and non-conforming. Ignoring the fact that Aquarians are conforming in their non-conformity.

Manifested in a rising sign, Aquarians are in some way striking, typically dressing eccentrically and usually capturing people’s attention. Famous Aquarius risings include Madonna, David Bowie and Nicki Minaj if you need an example of what I am talking about. No, I don’t sport a Madonna cone-shaped bra on my way to the market. Although I have a face mask with puppy ears that is meant to be worn by children. I also must confess my most bizarre outfit was when I had to attend a formal business dinner in a fringed flapper dress because that was the only thing I had on hand, strangely enough.

I don’t know if I can attribute all my qualities to my big three, but there is enough anecdotal evidence that supports that my personality matches my star sign or signs, I should say. Doesn’t the significance of the stars date back to ancient times? Weren’t the three wise men directed to follow one big star that was pointing down at a baby Jesus? Surely, any information we can garner to navigate through life can be seen as an asset. I could be wrong, but if I am, it’s not my fault, it's the stars.