mystikal.

I don't believe in astrology.

There- I said it!

I think it's a bunch of crap and a way to allow people to justify their actions. They can easily read in to these open-ended "predictions" and make what they want out of them. If a horoscope is off, they can blame it on the moons and planets being misaligned and when the horoscope is accurate they can say that astrology is a real science that can actually predict a person's day/romantic life/soulmate/whatever.

My distaste for it might have something to do with my general skepticism for a higher power/fate/destiny/and other dreamy, romantic notions. Do I believe in soulmates? No, not really. Fate? I think some things happen for a reason, but are they pre-ordained from the beginning of time? I think not.

In my old age I'm learning that I'm not quite the romantic I once thought I was. I'm pragmatic and rational: a scientist. I believe in evolution and adaptation and (in the everyday sense) learning from your mistakes and having your decisions reflect that. I pushed the cursor on the Ouija board when I was a kid and never believed all of those "Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board" games. Sure, I dream about things and wish that what I want will fall into my lap, but I don't usually expect it to happen. If you want success, you've got to work for it. If you want a different life, you're going to have to change it yourself: no one's going to do it for you. I suppose that's the Irish in me.

Apparently, all of this "deep thought" goes out of my head when I have a couple of drinks in me, hence I went to a palm reader on Friday with Bex in Georgetown. Yowza. You can read my review of the woman here. My conclusion was that astrology (or at least the kind of astrology that is practiced on a Friday night in Georgetown) is complete and utter bullshit. I even bet $500 that this woman was full of crap, and $500 is a lot of money. So, did I believe anything that this woman told me? No, of course not. But for some reason I couldn't stop thinking about it. I don't remember a ton of what she said, beyond the fact that I'd be engaged within the year. C'mon. We all know this is not going to happen. But... what if? The problem is, I don't want to be engaged within the year. I like being single and want no part in marriage at this point in my life. Plus, if I got engaged right now, my sister would kill me! My parents are going to need a little time (like many, many years) to go through with another wedding.

I know it's weird that I just dedicated an entire post to the crackpot idea of astrology, but I guess I've just been thinking a lot lately about fate and God and what I believed. I've never been a big proponent of organized religion but I feel like it's time to make some decisions.

All I know is that now that I've mentioned astrology and religion in the same post I am most definitely going to Hell. But, hey, my horoscope is pretty accurate today:

You don't have to worry about following through on any of your awesome ideas today -- other people ought to pick up any slack you leave. If you spend all day thinking and gabbing, you'll be in heaven.