I know these entries haven’t been lengthy these last several days but I’m so busy I barely have time for getting anything down on “paper”. Today’s symbol at 22° Sagittarius is A Chinese Laundry and its hinged on making use of ones special racial-cultural background in order to survive and prosper in an alien environment. I have found myself being envious of those whose cultural background has afforded them special skills, not limited, of course, to the symbolic notion of a Chinese laundry. Oftentimes when people come from other places they don’t see the obstacles that natives do. I felt that the times I lived abroad. And I’ve seen some scrappy foreigners move mountains here at home. This symbol is ruled by Capricorn in a twelve-fold sequence. The Goat is a symbol of culture. Culture gods took goat form, enriching mankind’s experience. The Saturn-ruled sign of Capricorn is about preservation, time and tradition. I don’t feel as if I have a family anything to draw upon, that is of course unless I planned on being a bookie—I recently discovered that this was at least the sideline job of many of my Italian relatives. Likewise I don’t believe that I could support myself on my Irish heritage of drinking, isolating, ironing and folding laundry. Although there’s that word again.

What I always loved about businesses based on foreigner’s cultural heritage or skill was that they would create a little island of their native culture in the new environment. They created a bubble. Stepping into their shops, stores, restaurants and such was like entering into their home country. And, so, they also enriched the new environment where they’ve established themselves. I suppose, since I fancy myself some kind of metaphysician who has descended from a long line of seers, a fictionalized fact or a factual fiction, I am actually doing something that (most likely) speaks to some kind of cultural heritage. But really my calling was the stage whereupon I’ve treaded fairly lightly and never made a huge career for myself. But as I do it for the love not for fame or money, I continue to put myself up there regardless. I wonder, if I had any connection to my past heritage beyond one generation, if I would find other hambones in my family. I image I would. But this image is really about national character and I never felt as if I’ve had that despite the fact that grandparents came over on a boat from Europe.

In contrast to the previous image where we are making believe, pretending toward some sort of growth or evolution, changing our position in the social or spiritual heirarchy, this image is about preserving that heritage from which you derive and exploiting it for survival and gain and also as a means of self-containment, not having to change or evolve, but rather taking that original home with you, like some tortoise shell. Slow and steady winning the race, this image is the opposite of one having to join some kind of rat race, assilimating and climbing ladders; this is the approach that says, you’ll come to me (for business) because I provide a service and you need me; and meanwhile, I may be talking behind your back right in front of your face and you won’t even know it. This approach does not see the new world as a superior environment or group, it sees it as a wild frontier who demand what you’re supplying. And this requires hard work and a sense of humor.

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