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The Aries constellation. (Pixabay)
Our Aries season (March 21-April 19) this year is truly one of the more hectic months of the year, with three prominent, multi-planet aspects unfolding. These are likely going to be both harsh and blissful, and it will take some wherewithal to stay on point within the haze and craze.
Shortcuts: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces
The first major aspect is the Jupiter, Mercury and Neptune conjunction, especially strong the March 20-23, which is a perfect moment to have a conversation with the divine. Some perspective and attunement will really help, because from March 23 through April 5, Mars, Venus and Saturn will line up in a manner that spells rough trouble, especially if we’re not dedicated to some beautiful cause. If we need a deep, fresh start of some kind, April Fools will be no joke—our new moon will be a serious chance to heal some wound through strong action.
Aries: March 21-April 19
This month is your time to shine, but that doesn’t mean staying nice and neat. Really, this month will call you into brave, masterful action—hopefully you feel fully alive in your capacity and determination. If your internal experience is one of overwhelming stress, you might bring more beauty to your battle and reconnect to the ideals you’re defending. If it’s clearly time to dedicate yourself to a new quest, the start of the month will be a great time to get that picture clear. Thinking into the long-term with equal measures of hope and caution will be helpful.
Taurus: April 20-May 20
This month could feel like squeezing through a birth canal into a new frontier for you, Taurus. Although the experience of this could be frightening and the new territory uncomfortable, your heart’s vision of beautiful possibility can safely pull you forward, into new ways of being as much as new external arrangements. It will be especially important to hold on tight until April 5, when your ruling planet, Venus, is well beyond the hot, constraining squeeze of Mars and Saturn and situated in Pisces, one of her favorite places.
Gemini: May 21-June 20
How do you stay clear and coherent when everything around you feels wishy-washy and war-like? Wit and panache can certainly help you slip and speed beyond a lot of sticky situations, Gemini, but that isn’t what’s entirely called for this month. It’s definitely a great time to tinker with your internal radio to get the signal clear, but a humble and reverential ear will definitely be best rewarded. Who knows, you might be surprised at how beautiful and exciting the possibilities could be, beyond your preconceived (albeit intelligent) notions!
Cancer: June 21-July 22
This month probably won’t be the coziest season, Cancer, but amidst the flux and outside your comfort zone, you can definitely find powerful help for your shell and the gooey goodness it protects. This might look like tools to cleanse or clean out your inner world, or an essential nutrient to help yourself grow strong. Consider that these processes might be more soft and subtle than you would expect—breath and silence can be amazingly fortifying. Through all of this, you’ll be developing your skills for fierce love and precise care, which will be very much needed by the collective.
Leo: July 23-Aug. 22
This is a season to stoke your internal fires, Leo, especially as you face off against a particularly tricky adversary. Whether an external challenger or internal block, this is a time that will call forth your fullest brilliance. Given that the Sun will be burning through Aries, you’ll likely have the extra oomph to showcase some extra strength, but make sure this doesn’t spin off into burnout—clarity of vision and a heart-felt cause to devote yourself toward will provide the smooth-burning fuel you need. If you know you’re locked into the right path for your fullness, this will be the season to let your full potential rip.
Virgo: Aug. 23-Sept. 21
This month will keep you on your toes, Virgo, as the electric static and zing swing around your attention. There is lots of valuable information that you can glean by dealing with all of this disorder—think of it as an upgrade to your system, even if you’ll need to restart or let your hardware take a good rest in order to integrate. If you need some help, ask for some reflection, feedback, or simple, quiet support from someone you think has a clear view of the bigger picture. Eventually, you can expect your new update to be put through a bit of a trial by fire. Still, you’ll need to maneuver gracefully, rather than with force.
Libra: Sept. 22-Oct. 23
You’ll feel a bit of a crunch this month, Libra, as your instinctual feel for balance, harmony and justice gets wrenched and compressed. Although this might feel insulting or dizzying, consider that the process can help you come to a greater sense of righteousness and dignity. Allowing yourself to be moved and animated by the currents at play is one great strategy for navigating through this month—another would be to ground yourself in spaciousness and ritual. How do you rise above or root below all of the rushing to make sure that your deeper and higher circuits are coherent?
Scorpio: Oct. 24-Nov. 21
This month will warm you up and pull you into the fire, Scorpio, helping you find passion in your everyday world. Part of this kick of encouragement is aimed at reminding you of the beautiful magic of life. Another is a request to participate with joy and compassion. Nourishing your root structures and spreading your network of branches is one great way to affirm your love of life. These gestures can be incredibly grand and colorful, or they can be quiet, symbolic, and subtle—what matters is how animated and connected you are.
Sagittarius: Nov. 22-Dec. 21
This month will have you thinking through things on a deep level, Sagittarius. Although it will be helpful to explore these life and death questions through simple conversations with friends and neighbors, consider that whispers from subtler levels of reality will be effective at helping you find your individual place and meaning amidst the changing times. If you can pose questions to your dreams, ancestors, animals or favorite trees. The answers might be cloaked in symbolism, but they can also come back loud and clear, as long as your headspace is clear and receptive.
Capricorn: Dec. 22-Jan. 19
Insofar as you’ve been working on a long-term plan and building the concrete manifestations of your dreams, this month can bring great aid and reinforcement, Capricorn. Aside from helping you feel more satisfied and secure, it will also be a calling into bigger projects and a more substantial and noble self. If these plans and projects haven’t, or aren’t crystallizing, this month can help you intuit the futures that are calling to you. Consider that these frontiers are faster-paced and more full of magic than your experience so far might predict.
Aquarius: Jan. 20-Feb. 18
This month will bring a great deal of focus to your coconspirators and most dependable allies. By joining forces, we can expect great beauty to unfold, just as complementary colors bring out qualities invisible to an isolated color. More than just an imagination of camaraderie or comrade-ship, think of this as an essential reality of mutual dependence and reinforcement. If you’re still calling in this greater whole to weave yourself into, this month would be a wonderful time to send out a clear, powerful signal.
Pisces: Feb. 19-March 20
This month will help redirect you toward your internal North Star, Pisces, as the hectic collective weather storms its way through the subtle realms. A certain level of psychic self-defense will be helpful, but having a clear connection to the beings and ideals that keep you buoyant and openhearted will be even better. Even though the impetus toward this internal attunement might be harsh and heavy, the lasting benefits of it can be great. Truly, this is a season of serious progress for Piscean potentials!
Charlie Cross is a local Astrologer, Spiritual Coach and Creative Consultant. You can follow their regular newsletter, learn about Astrology classes, and book a personal natal chart reading at astrologyally.com.
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(Austonia)
May's second election is here, in which voters will decide on the candidates to represent their party in the November general election after the winner in some March primary races was unclear.
Just like the March primaries, voters will choose which party they choose to vote in. Then based on location, each ballot will show which races are in a runoff.
In Texas, candidates must win at least 50% of the vote to be elected. In the races where the top candidate only received a plurality of votes, a runoff is being held.
Here's everything you need to know before heading to the polls.
Know before you go
Early voting for the Texas primary runoff election begins Monday and will last through May 20; Election Day is May 24.
The registration period for this election has passed; check if you're registered to vote here.
The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. As long as you're in line by 7 p.m., you can vote.
You'll need a valid photo ID to present once you're at a polling location.
Here are the early voting locations in Travis County.
View wait times at polling locations here.
Races to watch in Travis County:
Statewide
Lieutenant Governor
- Republican: Incumbent Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick won his primary in March.
- Democratic: Mike Collier and Michelle Beckley are vying to be the Democrat candidate on the ballot.
- Republican: Incumbent AG Ken Paxton is fighting for his seat against George P. Bush.
- Democratic: Rochelle Garza and Joe Jaworski will face off to be the Democratic candidate in this race.
View all the statewide races on the ballot here.
U.S. House of Representatives
View the district you live in here.
District 21
- Republican: Incumbent Chip Roy won his primary in March.
- Democratic: Claudia Andreana Zapata and Ricardo Villarreal are hoping to secure this vote.
- Republican: Dan McQueen and Michael Rodriguez are going head to head to be the Republican candidate in this race.
- Democratic: Former Austin council member Greg Casar won this race in March.
District 19
- Republican: Ellen Troxclair and Justin Berry are vying to be the Republican candidate in this race.
- Democratic: Pam Baggett won her primary in March.
Texas has been home to some of the country’s biggest celebrities of all time—think Amarillo resident Georgia O'Keeffe, Lubbock’s Buddy Holly and Corpus Christi’s famous singer Selena.
The Pudding’s People Map of the U.S., which shows each city’s “most Wikipedia’ed” resident, placed celebrities from all walks of life on the Texas map. As for Central Texas celebrities, there are some interesting (and not so surprising) names on deck.
(The Pudding)
Proving that Austin is “alright, alright, alright,” Minister of Culture Matthew McConaughey is both Austin’s and Uvalde’s top Wikipedia’ed resident. McConaughey, who was born in San Antonio adjacent Uvalde, has deeply ingrained himself in Austin by studying Radio-Television-Film at UT Austin, starring in the Austin-filmed movie “Dazed and Confused” and investing in Austin FC.
Heading down just a few miles south, San Marcos claimed former president Lyndon Baines Johnson as Texas State University’s most famous alumni, who graduated in 1930, and was also named in Fredericksburg. LBJ wasn’t the only ex-president on the map—George W. Bush was listed as the top resident in Dallas, Midland, Houston and Crawford.
You’ll see some other names with ties to Austin strewn around the state: Janis Joplin in Beaumont and Port Arthur; Stone Cold Steve Austin in Victoria and Edna; Dan Rather in his hometown of Wharton; and Waylon Jennings in Littlefield.
Venturing outside of the central areas, there are big celebrities who call Texas Home. Actress and artist Selena Gomez dominated search traffic in her hometown of Grand Prairie, musical artist Post Malone was most “Wikipedia’ed” in Grapevine, and Shaquille O’Neal was named in the city where he went to high school, San Antonio.
Plus, Thomas Haden Church, Angela Kinsey, Jessica Simpson, Chuck Norris, Roy Orbison, Ron White, Jessica Alba, Colt McCoy, Jimmy Dean and Johnny Manziel all had at least one city covered on the list.
Where’s Texas’ newest resident, Elon Musk? You’ll find him still in Los Angeles, as his foray into Texas living has just begun.
Click here to view the full map.