Sep 25 2008
What’s Your Sign?
Disclaimer first: Do I know whether astrology has any true validity? Nope. But if my horoscope says to work hard towards my dreams, to avoid fights with relatives, or spend the day setting goals for myself, that’s all good advice, and the idea that when I was born might have some bearing on the kind of person I am is fascinating, even if it’s entirely bogus.
Then again, I am a Pisces, and I could not fit the description much better than I do. According to one website about basic astrology, my traits are as follows:
Very sensitive emotional and feeling, compassionate, intuitive, spiritual, adaptable, kind, helpful, sympathetic, very imaginative, artistic, creative, comforting and dreamer.
Moody, shy, depressive, very dependent, too passive, confused and delusional.
The only descriptors that don’t work for me are the “depressive” (though I do go through bouts), “confused” and “delusional”…although I doubt that I would know that I was delusional. The entire definition of that word assumes that I would be ignorant of my delusions if I had them, or they wouldn’t be delusions, would they?
I’ve known a few other Pisceans in my time, too, and I can’t say I knew one I didn’t get along with rather well. In fact, in one academic department, I was one of FOUR Pisceans, and we even kept our offices the same way, darkened (we all hated the overhead lighting–too bright) with one or two dim lamps. The rest of the department said we liked to live in “caves.”
Then again, as I scan through the descriptions of other signs, I find many that also describe me. Like Taurus, I’m extremely stubborn and economical; like Aquarius, I’m energetic and active; like Virgo, I’m overworked; and I share almost all of Cancer’s qualities.
And my husband, who’s close to the cusp between Gemini and Cancer, is far more Cancer than Gemini…Gemini traits are in the persona he puts on for his public life. My daughter is NOTHING like a Sagittarius…but she was induced a week early, putting her right at the end of that sign…does that make her really a Capricorn? But she’s about as “cold and calculating” and “materialistic” as I am…
Perhaps astrology, like self-test quizzes in magazines, is just one more way we try to figure out who we are. Saying my sign is Pisces validates the part of me that wants to consider myself creative…and if I were a Capricorn, I wouldn’t have that label, and my resolve to keep writing–to label myself an “artist”–might falter.
Of course, if you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you could probably label me “neurotic.” And you’d be right, even without my sign to justify your label.
Then again, I don’t know that I’ve ever met a writer who wasn’t neurotic… or a person, for that matter. Perhaps that descriptor could be put under each sign, and be still be accurate.
Like you, I’m at a loss to validate astrology. Having said that, I could be the poster child for Scorpios (which I am). The definition couldn’t fit me better (except for the mythical magnetism we’re supposed to have) if it were tattooed on my forehead.
Are there some of the traits you mention for Pisces I share? You bet (although there’s a lot of overlap for a good reason), but I wouldn’t identify with that reading.
Heaven knows there are a multitude of things out there that can’t be explained logically. Nor does it have to be 100% accurate for it to mean something. There’s more to each of us than the personalities we were born with. They help us respond to our environments, but the environments shape us too.
What I’m saying (probably poorly) is that, for me, the jury’s still out on whether astrology means something. I don’t entirely buy it, but I’d feel mighty presumptious if I discarded it out of hand.
Hey…did you just call me neurotic??
I only choose to remember horoscopes if they say something that I like
Did give me a moments pause when I discovered that Ross - my husband NOW - had the same birthday as my ex-husband. What are the chances?
Actually, Tamsen, I said everyone was (though I had you in mind when I said it–just kidding!)…but I also called myself neurotic first…
And, yes, Stephanie, you are PRECISELY a scorpio…yet we are both water signs, so we still get along swimmingly (yes, the pun was intended).
Flit…that is really weird. I actually met a student who reminded me a lot of my husband once, only to discover they had been born on the same day, ten years apart (totally odd).
And my husband and the one other guy I have ever dated (yes, there has only been one) both look similar, and both wore a dark blue trenchcoat (and who really owns one of those, I ask you!).
A student of mine told me about a few other more detailed astrological websites. Once I check them out, I may link to them, just for fun.