Luck is a 4-Letter Word

Even though I consider myself a fairly fortunate person, I believe I have achieved this blessed state without any apparent guidance from charting my stars, having my palm read, casting runes, or even getting my colors done. I pretty much accept all the credit and blame for the ups and downs in my life story, and even if I could have foreseen some of the less-than-happy endings of affairs of heart or commerce, I would have given little heed to the knowledge.

Maybe I watched too many episodes of "I Dream of Jeannie" as a child, but I used to spend a lot of time wishing:I wished for new toys, for school days to go faster and weekends slower, for a different body or hair color or set of parents. I even started digging a hole in the back yard in search of buried treasure. When I would express "I wish..." out loud, my mother would scold me for wishing my life away...or admonish me to be careful what I wished for. It seemed to me that she was saying I should take satisfaction in present circumstances and not hope for anything to get better, or I'd only end up further disappointed. I didn't have a habit of listening to my mother, especially when she told me something I didn't want to hear, and so I didn't heed that particular advice either. The mere act of positive thinking, I was sure, would make good things happen.

Sometimes, though, fate has other ideas. As I pondered how the heck I would address this current bloggy theme, something caught my eye: the Google Ad on the page where I read LouLou's invitation to post on the topic was for a free astrological reading from Gabriella. Hoping for inspiration, I clicked and entered my birthdate and gender and first name, and trusted that Gabriella would ask me for a cash outlay before revealing more than the generic Taurus horoscope.

I was rewarded with a 7 page report on my romantic, financial, and career prospects. I skimmed the paragraphs looking for when to expect Prince Charming, a raise, or a job offer from Conde Nast, but all Gabriella could dwell on was the negative. She derided me for making poor choices in love and friendship, called me lazy, and delivered various similar messages of "tough love." The good news is that I have just entered a new cosmic cycle, and my new BFF Gabriella has come into my life to guide me through this phase, toward untold happiness, success, and fortune. Gabriella asked for a $49 donation to the divine powers (at least she wasn't personally profiting!) for my grand in-depth astral reading and continued input from her.

I'm sure Gabriella means well, but I'm going to take my chances and navigate this life on my own, thanks. If I'm going to trust anyone's intuition, it'll be my own.

We Tauruses are stubborn like that.