Scorpio: fact or fiction?

I’m going to start this like an AA meeting: “Hi, I’m JJ and I’m a Scorpio.” I’ve yet to renounce my sun sign and I’ve yet to hear people say anything remotely nice about Scorpios. Everything I hear starts somewhat pleasant, although a bit intense, and ends, every single time, with the only thing no one actually wants to hear: “…, but…”.

Here is what the astrologers say about the ones born under the guidance of Pluto and, sometimes, Mars. Apparently, we’re the most focused and obsessed individuals of the zodiac, agreeing to the most terrible tasks just to prove that we can do it. And we usually can. We’re arrogant, we remember pretty much anything (which makes us the elephants of the twelve signs) and we never, ever, under any circumstances, forgive anyone when they have wronged us in any way. We’re mysterious and paranoid, we’re compulsive secret – keepers (dear Potter family, you should have had a Scorpio as a recipient of your address) and we’re the most inclined to go mad at an early age and stay that way. Also, beware of a Scorpio on the prowl: if they want you, you don’t actually stand a chance. It is said that while a Leo will dazzle you with their smile and boisterous personality, a Scorpio will sing a siren song from afar, leaving the intended target wanting more, but never getting it. Unless… see, there is always an “unless” with Scorpios.

Think anything you’ve read is bad? Wait for the next batch of professional opinions about Scorpios. If we’re born in certain days and in certain years, we’re going to rule the world. Unfortunately, if we’re not ruling the world, we’re going to rip it apart. Nobody ever claimed that Scorpios were the “good Samaritans” of the zodiac, but to believe that if they are not given a purpose, they will create an evil one is simply preposterous. And, while everyone wants to believe that their day of birth indicates their IQ, it is highly unlikely for that to be true. Sure, astrologers say that Scorpios are too smart for their own good, most of the time.

Here is what I, as a born and practicing Scorpio, considered a perfect specimen of said sun sign, say that is true and what is false, in my own experience. After all, I’ve met Scorpios that one could believe were born under a Libra sun. Which is not an insult. Just a statement. Anyway, here are my practical observations:

  • Scorpios are ambitious beyond belief: TRUE. Yes, we are. Yes, we will do almost all it takes to make something happen. Yes, we get so focused we literally forget that the world exists unless they can help us fulfill that goal. Cold, but true.
  • Scorpios are heartless: FALSE. Heartless is not the correct word. We’re careful. We’re cautious. We’re cold. We’re distant. But we’re not heartless. Want to know why? Because we love very few people, but we tend to love them through hell and high water.
  • Scorpios are obsessed: TRUE. Now, that might not be a quality to a lot of people, but to Scorpios it is the only thing that keeps us focused beyond belief. Of course, most of us know when to quit. The problem and the bad reputation of the sign come from those individuals that have taken the obsession one step further into pathological land. But, hey, every village has its idiots…
  • Scorpios are mean: FALSE. We’re not mean. We’re just rarely honest. And when we’re honest and you’ve yet to see that side of us, it might come out a tad too harsh.
  • Scorpios are natural liars/cheaters/social chameleons: TRUE. Sure, not everyone can be a social chameleon and I will confess to not being one, but I’ve seen Scorpios charm their way in and out of basically anything smaller then a death sentence. Do we lie? Yes. Do we ever get caught? Only if we want to. The real question is, then: why did we want to get caught?
  • Scorpios are natural talkers: FALSE. If there is one thing that a Scorpio will never do is talk unprompted. When we talk, we have something to say and you should listen, since we probably won’t say it again. So, how come so many Scorpios are considered the most charming people in the room? See the above point.
  • Scorpios are magnetic: TRUE. This is a double edged sword. Sure, once you get past the fact that we really don’t talk and that we’re moody bastards, we’re actually quite nice people. However, the majority of the people who try that will quit sometime after the fifth attempt at getting us a drink has been politely, but coldly, rebuked. Though, if you persevere, you might be surprised.
  • Scorpios are boring: FALSE. Now, this is just mean. We’re not boring, we’re just not the life of the party. We’re quiet, but very keen on everyone else.
  • Scorpios read people correctly: TRUE. Most of the time. We’re not mediums or clairvoyants, but we have something that most people ignore: our silence. The same thing that might make other people believe we’re boring and sad, it the thing that gives us that extra edge. Sure, we’re not going to be dancing the night away, but we’re going to be able to tell you who is dating who and who is cheating on whom in exactly twenty minutes after arriving at a party or a pub. You got to love that skill, right?

So, according to my own experience, these things are true or false about Scorpios. Or about this particular Scorpio. If you never remember anything else about this sun sign, remember this: never cross a Scorpio. Payback will be swift and completely unexpected. Also, unless you’re an expert liar, never lie to a Scorpio. After all, it is said that you cannot con a con artist. You won’t get away with it and we will remember it.

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Loyalty, oh Loyalty…

See, I find the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period fascinating. I can be completely shallow and say that I love the dresses, the parties and the flowers. The men in armor, the patriotism, the romances that seemed to last and those that never made it out into the open. Everything was as pure as river water or as dirty as a viper’s venom. You could find great paradoxes: from the queen that forced an entire nation to be catholic or die to the king that turned some swamps into the most magnificent gardens the world had ever seen.

From the good to the bad, from the castles to the monasteries, from the city to the most forgotten village, everything was simple. Yes, monarchs ruled pretty much like they do today: intrigue, backstabbing and military threats. Yes, there where those that ruled by name and those that ruled in fact: take every other king or queen that had a prestigious religious figure at their beck and call. But, most importantly, from the backstabbing to the eternal love promises, everything had one thing that today’s world finds useless: a code by which they lived.

The knights lived by their swords, the ladies by their husband’s decrees and the children by their father’s orders. The kings strived for the best opportunities for their countries and the Church usually fought for itself. However, in the end, there is one thing that everyone had in common, no matter what their final goal was: Loyalty. It is considered one of the most important common values that the modern man has lost. You would be surprised what accompanies it on that list: Honor, Compassion and Emotion. Strangely, so far, Love has not reached the top ten. Maybe there is still hope, after all.

What makes Loyalty the Lady of all the other Values? Its mere existence in a time when wars and political intrigues were more common than a bath. Yes, people killed for Love, for Country and for Kings or Queens. People killed for food, for a home and for revenge. People killed for Religion, for different colors of skin and for Gold. Sounds familiar? It should. We still kill for the same reasons. We just take baths more often. Which, by using simple math, should mean that Loyalty should be much more common nowadays. Sadly, it isn’t.

Why? I’ve gathered that people find it: dull, unimportant and useless. Sad, but true. It is considered dull because it brings no pleasure for the person who is supposed to be loyal to someone else. I can argue that you’re doing it wrong if you don’t like it, but that’s another story for another time. Here is something that most people don’t understand about loyalty: it rarely has a romantic component. That one is called Fidelity and it there are different feelings involved there. You are Loyal to a Friend. If that Friend happens to be your Lover, then even better for all involved. However, that rarely happens. Thus, the two notions are distinct.

How can Loyalty be unimportant and useless? If it is done correctly, it can stop you from going and grabbing what you want, simply because your Friend might need it more than you do or because it might belong to them. Thus, for simplicity’s sake, people have eliminated Loyalty. No need to feel guilty about anything if you don’t owe anything to anyone.

The most interesting thing about Loyalty is that, at least for me, is instinctual. One does not actually get to choose who he or she becomes Loyal to. I didn’t. And, damn, has that been a mistake in some cases. However, I can’t seem to put an end to that Loyalty, no matter how much has that person tried to beat it into an early grave. I’ve survived people wanting to move from a place without telling me (when I was their roommate), I’ve survived people not returning phone calls for two weeks at a time and I’ve survived those same people coming to cry at my side a couple of months later. That pesky little thing is still there. Loyalty has not died. Sometimes, I wished it did. I can see why it would make things so much easier.

Want to know what is the awesome part of Loyalty? When that Loyalty goes both ways, it becomes one of the most amazing feelings in the world. When you know that you can pick up the phone, at any time of the day (even in the mornings – sorry about that, by the way) and just yell, scream and cry your heart out at the other person and they will make you feel better… That is just spectacular. When you can be sure that whatever you say to the other one does not go further than the two of you, there are no things left unsaid. And if they are… Well, you already know them, so there is no use in repeating them.

Back in the Middle Ages, if you stuck by a friend throughout their entire life, you were Loyal and a decent person. Nowadays, people seem to think that you are strange for being friends with the same human being for years. Loyalty and friendships that matter have dissolved over time. If you have them, keep them. If you don’t have them… Find them.

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A Christmas present

Here you go…

Have fun writing!

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