Planets in Astrology

The planets of the zodiac consist of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, the Sun, and the Moon.  Typically, the planets become a more important part of your horoscope when applied to your whole birth chart (or star chart), as each person has many pieces to put together with the Houses, Planets, Aspects, etc.  Planets are very important for each individual because they are constantly changing in arrangement; the exact position of the planets at the moment of your birth is different than every other person alive today.

The planet which affects you most is the one related to your sun sign (however, if your Moon sign is in Cancer, you are affected by the moon more than the planet of your sun sign, unless your sun sign is Leo)  Below is a list of each astrological sign, the planet it is ruled by, and how that affects it:
Aries:  Mars (god of war, conflict, and masculinity) - prone to aggression and competition
Taurus:  Venus (goddess of love, beauty, the arts, and femininity) - tend to be creative and love beautiful/luxurious things
Gemini:  Mercury (messenger god and ruler of communication) - tend to enjoy travel and have cleverness, but may also be nervous
Cancer:  Moon (rules emotions and intuition) - prone to moodiness
Leo:  Sun (symbolizes authority and power) - tend to take on leadership and enjoy being the center of attention
Virgo:  Mercury (messenger god and ruler of communication) - tend to be reasonable, but also nervous
Libra:  Venus (goddess of love, beauty, the arts, and femininity) - tend to be self-absorbed and love luxury
Scorpio:  Pluto (god of the underworld/dead) - tend to be unyielding and emotional
Sagittarius:  Jupiter (ruler of the heavens and god of fortune) - tend to enjoy fun and to pursue selfish goals
Capricorn:  Saturn (god of farming/money) - tend to be self-disciplined and responsible
Aquarius:  Uranus (god of the sky) - tend to be innovative and unconventional
Pisces:  Neptune (god of the sea) - tend to seem mysteriously glamorous and to be deceptive

Part of the reason why I put so much faith in astrology is because it recognizes that each person is individual.  Every moment, the planets shift alignment in some way, making a new chart with new characteristics.  Astrology is a great way to begin to understand individuals and to learn how to interact more successfully with others.

Bryn Mawr College

Here are some pictures of the college I will be attending next Fall:

There are dorms on each wing of this building!

There is a courtyard like the cloisters at Hogwarts and a Castle-like atmosphere on the inside of this building.

Apparently, President Woodrow Wilson taught there.

Just some more random pictures of the beautiful buildings:

Bryn Mawr College is one of the Seven Sister Schools, and I am very excited to be attending in the Fall of 2012.

What Part of Your Body Does Your Astrological Sign Rule?

The areas in which your astrological sign rules your body is typically more sensitive than other areas and is more prone to injury.

Aries:  head; prone to headaches and injuries to the head and face
Taurus:  neck/throat; prone to colds, sore throats, and thyroid issues
Gemini:  arms/hands and shoulders; prone to straining arms and hands
Cancer:  chest and breasts; prone to emotional stress and harsh menstruation side effects
Leo:  back/spine and heart; prone to tension in the back when emotionally stressed or overly exerted
Virgo:  nervous system and tummy; prone to stress-related illness and ulcers
Libra:  lower back and butt; prone to back strain
Scorpio:  bladder and genitals; prone to UTIs and exhaustion from emotional strain
Sagittarius:  liver and hips/thighs; prone to ill-health without exercise, hepatitis, and alcohol-related issues
Capricorn:  knees and joints/bones; prone to arthritic issues/stiff joints and osteoporosis
Aquarius:  circulatory system and the shins/ankles; prone to spraining/breaking the ankle, varicose veins, and artery problems
Pisces:  feet; prone to foot aches and bunions, especially if shoes fit improperly

Famous Aquarians

Susan B. Anthony
Lord Byron
Lewis Carroll
Charles Darwin
Charles Dickens
Thomas Edison
Farrah Fawcett
Clark Gable
D. W. Griffith
Paris Hilton
Michael Jordan
Mozart
Paul Newman
Thomas Paine
Ronald Reagan
FDR
John Travolta
Justin Timberlake
Edith Wharton
Oprah
Virginia Woolf
Sir Thomas Moore
Christian Bale

Just to name a few!

Health Tips for Aquarians

Exercise:
- regular fast-paced walks
- swimming

Diet:
- avoid too much salt; stick to foods that naturally contain salt
- eat lots of fish, especially shellfish
- eat lots of nuts (pecans, almonds, etc.)
- eat fruit with a lot of Vitamin C (oranges, lemons, etc.)
- natural foods are best, not heavily processed ones

Suggestions:
- avoid running
- take a short nap after work/school
- keep warm/bundle-up in cold weather

The Three Qualities of the Zodiac

Cardinal Signs:  They consist of Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn.  The Sun's position under these signs marks the beginnings of the seasons and therefore effects leadership and initiation.  These signs tend to be to first to take action.

Fixed Signs:  They consist of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius.  As the word "fixed" implies, these signs tend to be persistent and stubborn in actions and opinions.  It also implies resourcefulness because they prefer to use what they know and already have to create what they need.

Mutable Signs:  They consist of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces.  This implies that these signs are open to change and flexible in situations.  They easily are swayed to change their opinions.

What You Need to Know About Aquarians

Aquarians tend to be observational, tolerant, creative, amiable, and firm in opinions.  They can be assertive when necessary, but quiet and observational at other times.

Random facts:
They are a fixed, air, and masculine sign.  Their ruling planet is Uranus (planet of change, or innovative things).

Famous Capricorns

Martin Luther King Jr.
Kate Middleton
Michelle Obama
Edgar Allen Poe
Stephen Hawking
Louis Pasteur
Rudyard Kipling
Anthony Hopkins
J.D. Salinger
Joseph Stalin
J.R.R. Tolkien
Isaac Newton
Elvis Presley
Richard Nixon
Rod Stewart
Howard Stern (who I share a birthday with - Jan. 12th)
Joan of Arc
Al Capone (my favorite)
Muhammad Ali
Maggie Smith
Eddie Redmayne
Philippa Gregory
Gabby Douglas
Paul Revere
Ralph Fiennes
Benjamin Franklin
Betty White
Gemma Arterton (I also share my birthday with her)
Perdita Weeks
Bradley Cooper
Mark Antony
Kit Harington

Just some of the best!

Will Peter Pan Come Back For Me Again?

This is the final evening of my childhood, although I remember telling myself the night before school started my freshman year of high school that I would now have to enter the "adult world".  Before falling asleep that night, I remember praying/wishing that Peter Pan would come for me to take me away to Neverland so that I wouldn't have to grow up.  Just before I drifted off to sleep, I heard what sounded like a tap at my window, so I looked from my bed to said window and saw to my terror/awe a glowing light the size of a bug flying around just outside the window.  I swear to this.  For fear that it was not indeed Tinkerbell coming with Peter Pan to take me away to Neverland and instead a firefly, I did not get up and check to verify her appearance.  Instead I shed one tear and decided that I would have to grow up.

I wish I would have at least checked to qualm my suspicions, but at the same time, I'm glad I didn't.

Now that I am experiencing my final night as a minor, I wonder if Tinkerbell will visit me again?  Even if she did pay me a visit tonight, it is unlikely that I would find out because I have to stay up to finish/start 1984 (ultimate procrastination that must end in a few short minutes due to the fact that my English midterm tomorrow is solely on that novel).

Childhood flies once you start having fun.

Health Tips for Capricorns

Exercise:
- long leisurely walks daily
- non-intensive yoga

Diet:
- must be varied
- avoid too much chocolate
- drink lots of water!
- lots of vegetables
- lean protein
- whole milk

Suggestions:
- take warm baths
- listen to soothing music
- moisturize skin
- dress warmly in cold weather

I suggest "The Only Astrology Book You Will Ever Need" for more information.

"World Without End" in Review

When I read a book, I am looking for a story, something fantastical.  For the most part, I cannot stand teen fiction.  Twilight is okay, but it should have never had a sequel.  I despise (for the most part) realistic fiction, which is the typical teen novel.  I absolutely adore historical fiction written for either adults or children.  My favorite books include The Other Boleyn Girl, The Queen's Fool, The Pillars of the Earth, and now World Without End.  The first two are written by Philippa Gregory and the last two are by Ken Follett.

I love Ken Follett's writing because it is direct and not overly descriptive (I would consider Jane Austen and Charles Dickens (my least favorite writer) as the most descriptive authors I have read from).  The two novels I have read by Follett both are exemplory in that they are direct to the point, suspenseful, truly stories, and epic in proportion.  I admire Follett's ability to write such well-developed books.  I am intimidated by his ability, quite frankly.  He tells the entire lives of multiple characters and manages to find endings to the stories without cutting them off short.  I am also fascinated by his ability to write a sequel in which the characters are completely varying from the original characters in The Pillars of the Earth.  I don't know how Follett is able to come up with solutions to so many problems the characters are presented with.

The most amazing thing about World Without End, that I did not find quite as much in The Pillars of the Earth, is that I became completely immersed in the story; I lost all consciousness with the world around me.  I felt like an immediate observer of the events unfolding in the novel.

I also am astounded by Follett's ability to understand the workings of the human mind, especially for the female characters.  I have never met a soul who understands people so well.  Very strange for a Gemini, which, through my biographical stalking, I have discovered Follett to be.

I am also very intrigued by the depth of historical accuracy Follett gets into with this novel.  I especially like that it is centered around the plague.  I feel like the concept of the novel began with plague outbreak in Kingsbridge when it was written rather than with the letter the novel is supposed to be centered around.  I think that the letter was just added to create a beginning and introduce an importance to the characters and a point to the story.  By the end, I really didn't care about the contents of the letter, nor what was done with the letter.  Also, overall the bridge was not that important nor was the cathedral's tower.  Building was definitely not the defining ingredient in this novel.

Now about the ending of World Without End: I suppose everything is wrapped up because everyone is put in their rightful places.  I have to admit, as well, that the ending surprised me, as did the ending of The Pillars of the Earth, but not quite as much nor in the same way.  At first it seemed almost weak, but as I reread the last paragraph, I realized that it is actually very satisfying, although somewhat stereotyped.

Overall, I believe this to be one of the best stories ever told, and I would suggest this epic novel to anyone who is willing to take on the challenge of its proportion!


P.S.
Because of my obsession with astrology, I of course found myself making astrological archetypes of most of the characters, so here they are:  Merthin (who I consider to be the main character) is a Capricorn, Caris is a Taurus, Godwyn is a Taurus, Thomas Langley (Brother Thomas) is a Virgo, Gwenda is a Gemini, Wulfric is a Leo, Petranilla is a Taurus, Edmund Wooler is a Capricorn, Elizabeth Clerk is a Capricorn, Mother Cecilia is a Libra, Sister Mair is an Aries, Ralph is a Sagittarius, David is a Capricorn, Annet is a Gemini, Samuel (Gwenda's son) is an Aries, Philemon is a Scorpio, Earl Roland is a Gemini, and Bishop Richard is a Libra.  That's all I've got though, the rest I'm not sure how to determine which astrological sign they belong to.

From the soundtrack of The Pillars of the Earth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quo2EIFQLhE