The Libra husband is not an easy man to please.
April 27, 2013 12:44 PM Subscribe
The romance comic blog Sequential Crush takes a look at an astrology-themed love story from 1970: "Horoscope, Don't Fool With My Heart!"
Back when we were first going together my wife looked up our combination -- my Aquarius vs. her Scorpio -- in one of those guides that list all 144 combinations. Instead of the usual paragraph there was the single sentence, "This combination is so unlikely to work it should not be tried."
That was 30 years ago. And yes, we're still together.
A Real Astrologer TM who reviewed our charts back when we were selling a lot of gemstones to New Agey people scoffed at this story and pointed out that I have Scorpio rising and she has Aquarius rising, which undoubtably accounted for our odd mutual compatibility.
posted by localroger at 2:21 PM on April 27, 2013 [3 favorites]
That was 30 years ago. And yes, we're still together.
A Real Astrologer TM who reviewed our charts back when we were selling a lot of gemstones to New Agey people scoffed at this story and pointed out that I have Scorpio rising and she has Aquarius rising, which undoubtably accounted for our odd mutual compatibility.
posted by localroger at 2:21 PM on April 27, 2013 [3 favorites]
I had a couple of similar comics when I was a kid. Hand-me-downs from my older cousins, which were totally inappropriate -- swingers in discos, I think.
I was deliciously scandalized.
posted by vitabellosi at 3:36 PM on April 27, 2013
I was deliciously scandalized.
posted by vitabellosi at 3:36 PM on April 27, 2013
"The Libra husband is not an easy man to please."
Explains why I spent so many years trying to NOT be like my father. Or it would if I believed such $#!+.
posted by oneswellfoop at 3:37 PM on April 27, 2013
Explains why I spent so many years trying to NOT be like my father. Or it would if I believed such $#!+.
posted by oneswellfoop at 3:37 PM on April 27, 2013
The husband's rage was delightful to behold when he would go to the office and people would want to talk astrology. "I don't believe in that crap." "Well, you're an Aquarius, of course you'd say that!!
posted by emjaybee at 3:45 PM on April 27, 2013
posted by emjaybee at 3:45 PM on April 27, 2013
My mom was into astrology when I was growing up, so I (without intending to) learned a great deal about it.
One thing that was very jarring for me, as a 8-10 year old, was finding out that in addition to the 12-sign analog of the western astrological tradition I'd observed on my Chinese restaurant place mats, there were other fatalistic typological systems intended to account for human difference which didn't have 12 categories. How were you supposed to transpose a Leo, for instance, to the Japanese blood typology?
Little did I suspect that this would be the beginning of my skeptic phase, an unintended consequence of which was the temporary division of all people into categories of Credulous and Sophisticated.
posted by clockzero at 5:09 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
One thing that was very jarring for me, as a 8-10 year old, was finding out that in addition to the 12-sign analog of the western astrological tradition I'd observed on my Chinese restaurant place mats, there were other fatalistic typological systems intended to account for human difference which didn't have 12 categories. How were you supposed to transpose a Leo, for instance, to the Japanese blood typology?
Little did I suspect that this would be the beginning of my skeptic phase, an unintended consequence of which was the temporary division of all people into categories of Credulous and Sophisticated.
posted by clockzero at 5:09 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
She waited so long for the right Taurus her hair turned white.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 5:40 PM on April 27, 2013
posted by The Underpants Monster at 5:40 PM on April 27, 2013
I love the art in the first comic, with the heroine with the long white hair. Groovy!
posted by immlass at 9:47 PM on April 27, 2013
posted by immlass at 9:47 PM on April 27, 2013
If you, like me, had to look up the quote from the title, it's from Grey Gardens.
posted by Zed at 12:45 AM on April 28, 2013
posted by Zed at 12:45 AM on April 28, 2013
Just wanted to mention that Jacque Nodell, the blogger behind Sequential Crush, is the granddaughter of Martin Nodell, an artist whose comics credits included creating the original Golden Age version of Green Lantern, and drawing some late 1940s stories featuring Captain America.
posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 12:55 AM on April 28, 2013
posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 12:55 AM on April 28, 2013
How were you supposed to transpose a Leo, for instance, to the Japanese blood typology?
If you break the Western horoscope down each sign is a combination of gender, quality, and element; Leo would be masculine (direct, outgoing), fixed (resistant to change), and fire (enthusiastic). So a stereotypical Leo might be the kind of person who is an outspoken activist for conservative political principles.
If we look at the four Japanese blood type stereotypes, roughly we have:
A: calm, level-headed, aloof, serious, may appear distant to others
B: curious, excitable, quick to both take up and drop a hobby, tend to excel
O: peaceful, carefree, personable, lovable, persuasive and easily persuadable
AB: Delicate sensitivity, resistant to change, understanding of others but strict hard on themselves and those close to them
To a believer, the fact that these systems aren't congruent isn't a bug; it's a feature. A Leo with type AB blood might be fiercely conservative but not as outspoken about it as one might expect. But a Leo with type B blood might be extremely enthusiastic and outspoken but more open to change.
Blood typology is actually a very simple and vague system compared to Western astrology, where a full application of the planets and houses will yield 20 to 50 markers. The thing is, the more such markers you have, the easier it is to find the ones that "explain" why something is what it appears to be.
posted by localroger at 6:20 AM on April 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
If you break the Western horoscope down each sign is a combination of gender, quality, and element; Leo would be masculine (direct, outgoing), fixed (resistant to change), and fire (enthusiastic). So a stereotypical Leo might be the kind of person who is an outspoken activist for conservative political principles.
If we look at the four Japanese blood type stereotypes, roughly we have:
A: calm, level-headed, aloof, serious, may appear distant to others
B: curious, excitable, quick to both take up and drop a hobby, tend to excel
O: peaceful, carefree, personable, lovable, persuasive and easily persuadable
AB: Delicate sensitivity, resistant to change, understanding of others but strict hard on themselves and those close to them
To a believer, the fact that these systems aren't congruent isn't a bug; it's a feature. A Leo with type AB blood might be fiercely conservative but not as outspoken about it as one might expect. But a Leo with type B blood might be extremely enthusiastic and outspoken but more open to change.
Blood typology is actually a very simple and vague system compared to Western astrology, where a full application of the planets and houses will yield 20 to 50 markers. The thing is, the more such markers you have, the easier it is to find the ones that "explain" why something is what it appears to be.
posted by localroger at 6:20 AM on April 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
Now, you may find it inconceivable, or at the very least a bit unlikely, that the relative position of the planets and the stars could have a special deep significance or meaning that exclusively applies to only you, but let me give you my assurance that these forecasts and predictions are all based on solid, scientific, documented evidence, so you would have to be some kind of moron not to realize that every single one of them is absolutely true.
Where was I?
Libra: A big promotion is just around the corner for someone much more talented that you. Laughter is the very best medicine, remember that when your appendix bursts next week.
posted by maryr at 6:15 PM on April 28, 2013
Where was I?
Libra: A big promotion is just around the corner for someone much more talented that you. Laughter is the very best medicine, remember that when your appendix bursts next week.
posted by maryr at 6:15 PM on April 28, 2013
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