New Moon in Libra | growth through grace - affirmation time!

recent excitements by kerem seker

The Moon conjuncts the Sun tonight at 8 degrees in balanced and beautiful Libra!

This closes out a very long and challenging Eclipse cycle.

This is a nice fresh start - particularly for our relationships. After weeks of drama and months of backtracking we finally have a New Moon with a bit less baggage.

With both the Sun and Moon conjunct Jupiter now - there is optimism and no small amount of 'expansion potential' attached to this one.

This would be a great time to study something new or to publish something. It would be a great time to travel somewhere or connect with someone new at a distance.

It would be a great time to get married (don't just grab some random guy and head to Vegas, of course, because you will probably be stuck with him for a long time).

It's an excellent time to take something, especially something that puts us in relationship with others, to the next level.

If you have been waiting for an "all systems go" you can stop waiting!

(and remember, if it felt like someone just yelled "ready or not here I come" and you aren't ready when I said this - you just need to take a step in a direction you want to go, you don't have to run off and join the circus this weekend)

Mars is in Capricorn and it is good to have him back on solid ground, even if he is not the most happy camper at a New Moon in Libra. He wants faster and bigger decisions than Libra likes to make, since Libra takes into consideration both sides and other people. His energy will be helpful now if an important or quick decision is needed.

Decisions can be challenging during Libra season. That doesn't mean we get to take a pass and not make them though (if we can comfortably wait until Mercury is out of shadow, we can go ahead and wait a week, but there is probably nothing to be gained by waiting). We can use this energy or it can use us. We can use the Sun and Moon in Libra to weigh decisions and take other people into consideration emotionally and we can use Mars in Capricorn to choose what is best for us and move forward decisively. Or the energy can use us - we can feel like we must do something but be unable to decide what to do. If that happens we can still use that North Node Virgo to do what is right in front of us.

After months of Saturn square Neptune putting up road blocks, this Moon has a nice sextile to Saturn promising advancement and recognition for hard work and stability and longevity for projects/relationships started now.

After all the self improvement projects we waded through in Virgo, Libra is the time we bring other people into the mix. We compromise. We negotiate. We collaborate. We make alliances. We make commitments. 

With the Sun and Moon squaring a studious and ambitious Capricornian Mars there is some work ahead, a need to be responsible and a need to dress the part.

There could be something now about justice or about being judged or maybe we need to pass a final judgement on something we have been back and forth with or maybe a judgement needs to be released.

The downside - there is always the potential with Jupiter so close-by to go over-board; to think something is bigger or better than it is. Keep this in mind. If something happens that brings the word 'over' into your head or to your ears or draws it from your own lips then pay attention.

(for example if you start thinking you mustn't over-promise, or over-do it, or over-spend, or over-commit - you probably shouldn't - dial it back a bit)

Also don't start something just to start some thing, if you know what I mean. You'll just end up not finishing and feel like you missed out or screwed up.

Today, we have this need for a fresh start that will give us more balance (more beauty, more love - think Venus ruled Libra here) in some area of our life and it is interacting with other people's fresh starts, too.

This Moon opens up all kinds of new opportunities involving  partners - both romantic and business, agents, clients, specialists and competitors - think "equals" over the next couple weeks. Who/what do we want to partner with?

It is also excellent re-balancing energy. What house holds 6-10 degrees Libra in our natal chart? This is our annual opportunity to restore balance, peace and harmony here. Also keep in mind that to stay in balance with something new coming in, something already in might have to go. Hasta la vista baby.

Libra's ruler Venus (in Scorpio) will trine (brakes off) a retrograde Neptune in Pisces. Maybe some dream really can come true.

Now a New Moon is only a first step, a step taken in the dark, but there is real potential here for something to grow from this one over the next six months, so don't miss it. Set your intentions (within the next 2 days) and take some new action (within the next 2 weeks).

Libra is ruled by Venus. She is the ethereal force of love, attraction, kindred spirits, beauty and our aesthetic sensitivity.

(the opposite of aesthetic is anesthetic - there's a reason all our senses spring to life in autumn and spring - she also rules Taurus!)

She brings things and us into relationship.

(it was during the Libra Sun that our ancestors, finished with Virgo's harvest, settled back into their homes and local communities - back into balance with each other)

Venus attracts. The stuff we are attracted to are vital clues to our job here on planet Earth.

Libra rules marriage, negotiations, teamwork, harmony, sociability and diplomacy. It is an excellent time to have the best energetic support for new beginnings in these areas. Since the New Moon is late tonight and I like to wait a couple days to see what comes up for me to work with and give the Moon a little time to grow - I am going to do this on Sunday night.

MONTHLY AFFIRMATION TIPS:

Get grounded - we have moved from an earth sign into air so this is important - always make affirmations from a  positive place (positive meaning certain).

It is a good idea, since the New Moon is literally a blank sheet, to work in a clean, uncluttered space and maybe right after a bath or shower. Definitely when you are alone.

We are planting seeds in the dark here - think about the ultimate seed in the dark planting - making a baby. What would you do then? Do that (yes, maybe even that, Venus is in Scorpio it can't hurt - ha!)

I find affirmations are most effective if I speak less on New Moon days so my words will hold more weight when I need them to. I usually burn a white candle to help me focus and thin the veils between me and me. It also helps to channel ancestral energy a bit since I am always thinking as I move my story forward, their story moves forward with me.

Write your affirmations down by hand in cursive, we want the letters all connecting and flowing together. Speak the words out loud. 

I used to write my affirmations on strips of paper and put them into a bowl of rice so I could mix them around every now and then with my fingers if things got stagnant. Last year I decided to burn them. I have written them on rocks and buried them.

This month, I'm doing something I did a few weeks ago to line up with a specific thing that happened pretty effortlessly afterward -

I'm going to write my affirmations

(astrologer Jan Spiller recommends writing 10, but I have found myself stretching to do that or writing the same things every month which feels silly, so I have worked my way down to 3 which feels like a powerful number to me)

on my chalkboard while burning a white candle - when the candle burns out, all by itself - don't burn your house down - I erase the words first and then clean the blackboard with water.

Some people store them until the corresponding Full Moon (in this case during Aries season) and burn them then. Do what feels right.

I don't think it's terribly important what we do with our writings as long as we are not pulling them out and checking on them all the time. Setting intentions is like baking a cake - checking on how things are going just slows things down.

We are not handing a honey do list to the universe! We are lining up with the universal energies of creation here.

And I wouldn't be sharing them with other people, which also feels like it dilutes the process or pulls them into our story. I was writing them on my blog for a few months, as examples for people, and that definitely wasn't helpful.

Then - and this is the important part - release your attention from your words knowing your intention is known. 

Know these things are already yours. xo all

the stuff that can come back around and bite us .... an astrological update

please don't flow so fast by njurur

So, let's see where we are - Mars has finally moved into Capricorn. Mars usually spends just a few weeks in each sign, but due to his 2016 retrograde, he spent the first nine months of the year in just two signs - Scorpio and Sagittarius, so his move into Capricorn (an earth sign) is a very big deal.

Except for Scorpio and Aries, Capricorn is Mars favorite sign to visit. He (and we) can get alot done now. We also have Pluto (retrograde for 5 months) finally direct again. He is also in Capricorn (2008-2024) where he has been and will be upsetting all kinds of Capricornian applecarts (ie business, banking, structure, government, authority).

We might be, or will be, feeling more ambitious here.

We want to reach higher and achieve more. There is a certain angst with this energy if it is thwarted and keep in mind we are also in Libra season (the Sun through October 22nd) and also have Jupiter recently moved into Libra (until October 10, 2017) which makes it harder to make decisions. 

Maybe we are uncertain about which road to take. We can hesitate. We can frustrate ourselves. Outside situations and people can frustrate us, too. We can't please everyone. We have Saturn in Sagittarius (through the end of 2017) limiting our options which should make it easier to focus, but somehow just makes it harder to see how to get to where we want to be.

There is alot of energy around our relationships.

We have a New Moon in Libra tomorrow night (early Saturday if you are in Europe) and Libra rules relationships. We have Jupiter - the planet of expansion and good luck - working with us through the next year within the structure of our relationships (and natal Libra houses!).

The last month and a half have been up and down with the Eclipse Season, lots of karmic releases and lots of stuff that paved the way for our next chapter. We have Neptune now retrograded back to the degree in Pisces where it went direct last year so lots of emotional groundhog days for people as well as situations involving compassion, losses and boundaries.

The theme of shifting back inside our own frame continues. Where are we trying to be or do too much? What feels comfortable? What is most sustainable? Can we feel the relief when we just take a deep breath and relax into our own space and let the rest go?

Feeling where we are and holding our space is a part of the very big process of re-inventing our relationships. Relationships and our 'flock' will be a strong focus over the next 12 and a half months. Jupiter will expand everything that is right about them and everything that is not so right. We will see the way the people in our lives reflect us back to us. We will be accountable for our relationships and our boundaries. People, projects - the things we need to get us where we need to go will expand. This is a very good thing, but this does not mean it will be an easy thing.

Uranus is in Aries (so will be opposing Jupiter in Libra) - negotiations will not be easy and things will be unpredictable.

But this is a new way to live (cooperation vs competition) and we are on this journey ... together.

By the end of next week Jupiter will begin to square Mars and this can bring us courage and determination (also situations and people who bring this out in us). This energy can be kind of impulsive and make us more accident prone (meaning maybe physical accidents, but really just more liable to take actions that bring us unintended consequences, not necessarily bad consequences), so to get the most from this 'tension' (tension can really get things unstuck and moving) we might want to take a few moments now to get clear on where we really want to go and what we really want to do.

Now the reason I am writing about all of this in a separate post is that after the next few weeks of Mars in Capricorn (through November 9th when he heads into Aquarius) he will not return to Capricorn for 2 years, and when he does, Saturn will also be in Capricorn and Pluto will still be in Capricorn (and Jupiter will be following them)!

So these next 2 years could be alot about our next 6 weeks.

Mercury is out of retrograde now (although still retracing steps until late next week), Mars is out of retrograde, Pluto is out of retrograde - we had a year filled with lots of retrograde and they have all ended and we are moving ahead. Neptune is still retrograde but for most left brained people this might actually help with decision making and staying grounded.

We need to draw our boundaries now - and stick to them. Stuff will challenge this. That's OK, it just makes us stronger. Oxygen mask on our own face ... first. We can't compromise ourselves here.

We need to focus on what our heart wants (if it's in your heart it's in your chart!) and we need to be realistic (yes, there is work and right timing involved here) and take the steps that are right in front of us (Virgo North Node/ Saturn in Sagittarius).

With all this Capricornian stuff (the sign doesn't rule some of the harshest days of winter for nothing) now and in the future we know there will be challenges. Let's get our ducks in a row now.  Look ahead with this. Are we doing something that can come back and bite us in the ass? Or something that is wearing us out? Or something that is pie in the sky? Are we giving away the store? Where is our money going? Are we eating junk all day? What are we procrastinating? How are we self-sabotaging? What are we relying on so heavily that if it disappeared we would be in deep trouble?

What is the irresponsible/too much thing that will bite us in the ass later - let's get on with changing that.

My own list is pretty long :)


xo all

New Moon tomorrow! Post to follow.

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of September 26th - making connections, getting lucky, Mars into Capricorn, Pluto goes direct and New Moon in Libra!

soft the skin by witchie miranda

On MONDAY -we kick off the week with the Sun conjunct benevolent Jupiter in benevolent Libra. Astrologer Susan Miller called yesterday and today "the luckiest days of the year". And it is unquestionably an optimistic pairing, especially in Libra, offering us luck and expansion, within our natal Libra houses, and within our relationships. 

This is an excellent time to make connections with other people - it's likely to be who we know and not what we know that opens doors now (and, with Jupiter in Libra, through October 10, 2017). This energy will move us into the New Moon in Libra on Saturday which is more good news for fresh beginnings to be lucky and fortunate.

The only real downside to Jupiter, especially when connecting with the Sun's spotlight, is to be cautious of anything that feelings too "over the top" since Jupiter, although larger than all the other planets combined, is also made entirely of gases - it's hard to know if there is solid ground underneath all the hoopla.

We want to avoid over-reaching, over-estimating, over-doing, over-indulging, over-dramatizing, over-confidence and over-spending. This doesn't mean we can't do these things without the 'over', of course - it is the luckiest time of the year according to some astrologers - just be wise and keep one foot on the ground!

Venus (ruler of Libra) is in Scorpio so intense and a bit moody. Jupiter and the Sun conjunct in Libra shines a light of us evaluating our relationships, tweaking things a little or a lot. A 12 year Jupiter cycle ends or changes. Partnerships adjust this week.

Also on MONDAY, Pluto, after five months retrograde, stations direct at 14 degrees Capricorn. We now have the next seven months to push forward with stuff in our Capricorn houses and with the stuff that Pluto rules - other people's money ie loans, debt, inheritance, spouse's income, joint finances, bankruptcy, insurance, taxes, alimony, child support, investments, commissions, our will, royalties, reproduction, sex, surgery, death, birth and re-birth.

With Pluto moving direct - the truth of a situation could be revealed or the truth about an authority figure. Take health issues that crop up now seriously.

Again this week (exact yesterday), we have Eris (angry feminine, angry underdog, revenge, discord, rivalry, goddess of war) conjunct Uranus (the unexpected, rebellion, genius) for the 2nd of 3 times (since her discovery is 2005).

Eris could be a planet, but instead of naming Ceres and Eris planets, astronomers decided to demote Pluto (Eris is larger than Pluto) and call all three of them 'dwarf planets' (and we now have two more - Haumea and Makemake).

It's interesting that after Ceres (mother, nurturing) was dissed for 200 years by not making the official classification of planet, we discovered Eris; the angry underdog.

The story of Eris always reminds me a bit of Angelina Jolie's vengeful fairy Maleficent, so it seems appropriate she would make an unexpected, rebellious (and probably pissed off) move with this energy. There are always archetypal things in the collective world when the outer planets make connections (the bigger things now are terrorism, anger at police shootings, Hillary Clinton's story). And there are spaces in our individual lives that this energy works through (this is happening in the last third of our Aries house).  

Eris seduces us wherever we carry the energy of that girl who didn't get invited to the prom, the wounded underdog or where we need to win at any and all costs

(and yes, this is the stuff we heal the wound and the world by seeing, feeling and releasing - we'll talk about this again).

As astrologer Steven Forrest writes:

Would I fight to protect myself or those whom I love? Of course. You probably would too.

But would I poison the water in order to keep the price of gasoline down? 

Would I live in a big house if it meant that someone else had to live in a packing crate?

And while we are at it, let’s add some urgency to that last point. Say that the person living in the packing crate held three more playing cards: hopelessness, hatred, and a gun.

Monday looks like more of a mixed bag to me than the luckiest day of the year, but certainly an optimistic focus will head us in an optimistic direction! This energy is totally helped along by the Moon in Leo - creativity, romance, children, getting lucky, games, sports and fun.

On TUESDAY, the Moon is void during work hours. This is great energy to get a lot of work done, but not so great to launch something unless you want 'nothing to come of it' (since the Moon is not making any aspects to any planets). The Moon moves into Virgo Tuesday night.

Mars finally leaves Sagittarius - do I hear a Hallelujah! and moves into Capricorn - a space he is uber focused and effective. Check your natal if you don't know your Capricorn house - with Pluto's direct station and Mars transit - it is waking up big time now. In addition to whatever your Capricorn house deals with we will be more focused on ambition, responsibility and dealing with authority figures and our own authority. Just like that mountain goat (Capricorn) we will be climbing that mountain! Much progress can happen here.

It won't be all smooth sailing, Mars is the God of war after all and challenges to authority will be more heated and passionate now. And he is 'out of bounds' until the end of October, so not playing by the rules. Still, I'm already feeling some renewed determination, maybe you are, too!

WEDNESDAY'S Virgo Moon will have us dealing with paperwork, organization, pets, health issues. Some information could be revealed now. Something is not going to happen. This doesn't mean it's not ever going to happen, but it's not going to happen with whoever we thought it would happen with - this will make sense to some people.

THURSDAY is another all day Void Moon - you know the drill.

All week, the Moon is waning and we are releasing. The Moon is balsamic - here is a post I wrote a couple years back about working with that energy.

On FRIDAY, we have the New Moon in Libra (Friday night) - I will do a post on this later in the week - Jupiter is tight with this Moon making it even bigger and better. After that it is all systems GO - especially if it involves love, other people, art, women, our values or our money. We can wait another week if we want Mercury out of his shadow period. Of course, if something needs to launch now - just avoid the void Moons if you need "something to come of" whatever you are beginning and realize you are launching in the Moon's balsamic phase (quieter, less energy).

The Jupiter/Sun conjunction plus Pluto direct and Mars transit through the sign.

Check your Sun and Rising Signs - if you know the house placements (Libra and Capricorn in your natal chart) even BETTER:

ARIES (7th house Libra) : an opportunity to get lucky through a new and positive business or romantic partnership or a new direction for your existing partnership that brings expansion - (10th house Capricorn) : stepping into new/different/more responsibility with your career or public life

TAURUS (6th house Libra) : an opportunity to get lucky through your work, your health, your day to day activities, your co-workers or employees or pets (9th house Capricorn) : stepping into different/more/new responsibility and making progress through education, travel, publishing, foreign ideas, places or people, a wedding, a legal matter, spirituality or a course of study

GEMINI (5th house Libra) : an opportunity to get lucky with a romantic relationship or your relationship with a child or children or with something you have created (8th house Capricorn) : stepping into new/different/more responsibilities with shared resources ie debt, taxes, spouse's income - maybe a debt is paid off or a new, and responsible, loan is taken on, financial issues are confronted and can make progress, this is also good energy for reproduction, intimacy and taking action with any taboo subjects, there could also be increased tension over these issues

CANCER (4th house Libra) : an opportunity to get lucky within the home or with your home, home businesses get lucky now, things feel/become more spacious, there is increased security and improvements within the home and family (7th house Capricorn) : stepping into new/different/more responsibilities within partnerships, this next month is a great time to start a new business relationship, push partnerships forward and maybe a fight with a partner brings two people closer together or shifts the relationship and power dynamic so things can move forward

LEO (3rd house Libra) : an opportunity to get lucky through communications, contracts and ideas, great energy to sell or promote just remember to avoid the 'overs', good news could come in now (6th house Capricorn) stepping into new/different/more responsibilities with your work or day to day activities, with your health or with a pet, co-worker or employee. Changes at work or with a boss or authority figure affect your day to day. There could also be increased tension over these issues. Sticking to health and dietary changes will yield big rewards.

VIRGO (2nd house Libra) : an opportunity to get lucky with your money or self worth. Maybe you receive a raise or raise your prices, there is opportunity here to make more money or get more of what you value (5th house Capricorn) : stepping into new/different/more responsibilities with a creative project, a romance or with children. These are the areas where your work and focus can make tremendous progress. There could also be increased tension and power struggles here.

LIBRA (1st house Libra) : an opportunity to get lucky through a new and improved sense of yourself - optimism and opportunities for an improved future, this could be your physical self or any area of your life - your home, work, money, love (4th house Capricorn) : stepping into new/different/more responsibilities at home, a move?, making progress on something with your 'foundation', working toward more security for your family, home renovations, a home business focus will bring good progress.

SCORPIO (12 house Libra) : an opportunity to get lucky through something in the background or something/someone hidden that is working or falling into place (even if it looks like it is falling apart) to bring you a new and improved future (this could come fully to light in 2017 when Jupiter moves into Scorpio, but will begin somehow in the dark here), stuff that is going on 'behind the scenes' works in your favor, opportunities with those people and situations that have been 'put away' ie hospitals, distances, prisons, etc (3rd house Capricorn) stepping into new/different/more responsibilities with your communications, writing, teaching, siblings, neighbors, there could also be increased tension in these areas but honest work will yield progress.

SAGITTARIUS (11th house Libra) : an opportunity to get lucky through friends and groups, accept invitations to be with peers, good luck and an opportunity through them, excellent time to make a good impression, meet new people (2nd house Capricorn) : stepping into new/different/more responsibilities with your finances and your self esteem, a focus on your money (how you earn it, save it, spend it) can bring great progress now. What really matters here - what do you really value? Work for that.

CAPRICORN (10th house Libra) an opportunity to get lucky with your business, career or something you do in a public way, good energy to start a business or new career, authority figures are helpful, acting like a boss (not bossy) makes you lucky,  a career opportunity could open up now (1st house Capricorn) : stepping into new/different/more responsibilities with your personal self. You are ambitious now. This is excellent energy to kick off a fitness plan or get healthy. Take care of your body.

AQUARIUS (9th house Libra) an opportunity to get lucky through education, travel, legal issues, publishing, weddings, something or someone foreign or at a distance, growth and luck through doing something new and different (12 house Capricorn) : stepping into new/different/more responsibilities with things behind the scenes or people and situations that were 'put away', some buried ambition shifts over the next month. Trust your gut with how to proceed with issues if all the cards are not on the table, progress and even transformational progress can be made.

PISCES (8th house Libra) an opportunity to get lucky through intimate relationships, birth, death, taboo subjects or other people's money - loans, commissions, partner's money, inheritance, some type of financial assistance - just remember the 'overs' here, don't over-estimate or over-spend now (11th house Capricorn) : stepping into new/different/more responsibilities in groups or with friends, tension and clashes could occur now, competition heats up, this is good energy to work with big issues that you truly care about and your big bodacious dreams and move them forward.

(please excuse any typos - too pooped to reread right now - BIG XO EVERYONE!)

Venus into Scorpio | September 23rd - the seduction

beauty is by do not attempt aka madelaine

Today, Venus dives from Libra, the sign she rules, into the deep, murky waters of Scorpio.

Venus is considered in her 'detriment' in Scorpio. It's dark. It's ruled by Pluto. It's not her favorite place to hang out. She is also moving out of her opposition to Uranus. If we have felt someone separating a bit from us and taking some space or if we have done this ourselves to someone else, this can shift now. We will notice how we use other people's energy and how they use ours. Vampires do not really only come out in the night.

Venus in Scorpio doesn't look like the more traditional beauty of Venus in Libra. Her beauty is dark and forbidding now. She doesn't flirt. She seduces. She doesn't want peace at any cost so much as she wants to feel what's really underneath all the phony smiles and superficial niceties.

Scorpio rules death and destruction and now this comes through our relationships.

Here Venus pushes herself to the edge of life with compulsions, intimacy, jealousy, obsession and a struggle for real power. She goes into the dark corners that hold all our secrets and she coaxes them out into the open. There can be brutal and deep honesty here.  

Relationships get intense. 

If you are working through the unraveling of a relationship or financial quagmire - this energy will be your best friend. 

Venus will be in Scorpio until October 18th.

Scorpio Suns and Ascendants get more attractive (more beautiful and more able to attract what they want). Your Scorpio house (where is Scorpio hanging out in your natal chart?) gets more magnetic, too.

(and speaking of magnetic WARNING SHAMELESS PLUG AHEAD - have you seen my magnetic aromatherapy lockets - handmade by my two hands from a recycled steel car part - you can check them out at aromatherapylocket.com)

Venus rules love, money and women. Getting what we want with any of them becomes an act of seduction. We need to entice. We need to risk our flaws and shadows being visible.  

Venus in Scorpio knows our need for acceptance will make us invisible, so she risks rejection to be seen.

She doesn't want to be friends - she wants to be soul-mates. We will feel more "all or nothing" with our passions now. Things can crash and burn here. And for better or worse she isn't afraid to manipulate things to get what she wants (and yes, this, and her obsession with secrets and power will be her downfall).

People will be drawn to what is hidden; to what we don't show them. Keep this in mind if you sell things for a living. Buyers will want to discover things for themselves.

There will be no place for our secrets (especially women's secrets and love and money secrets and the secrets buried in our natal Scorpio houses) to hide. We draw to us during Scorpio cycles what we have not allowed ourselves to acknowledge in ourselves. We'll pay attention to what we attract and see what the person/situation is showing us. There will be lessons about power, playing the victim, jealousy, obsession, compulsion, manipulation, intimacy, truth, other people's money (taxes, loans, spouse's earnings, inheritance, etc), sex, reproduction, life, death and passion.

The Scorpio house in our natal chart is where we need to get real and go deep to have what we want now.

The world is not black or white. It has a whole lot of gray. If we can’t decide between "this or that", it's likely due to the infinite distance and variances between "this and that" that we haven’t even thought about.

Empowerment includes wading through the gray to find our own answers. Even though Scorpio energy is very much 'all or nothing', it is especially good at finding ways to be empowered. It is decisive. It is fixed and stubborn. We will want what we want here (and so will other people).

Pluto rules Scorpio and the house of Pluto in our natal chart carries quite a bit of karma and is the space we experience things "outside our control", so it's fitting how much Scorpio likes to be in control.

With Venus in Scorpio, the women will be calling the shots. We'll need to bring our 'A' game.

Pluto's 5 month retrograde ends in a few days - are we ready? xo all