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Trump Cleared for Tennessee Ballot; AG’s Office Declines Opinion Request

Donald Trump can appear on Tennessee election ballots in November after the Tennessee Attorney General refused to issue an opinion on the matter last week. 

Rep. Vincent Dixie (D-Nashville) requested the opinion from Tennessee AG Jonathan Skrmetti, a Republican, earlier this month. Dixie pointed to a Tennessee law that says anyone convicted of an “infamous crime” is “disqualified from qualifying for, seeking election to or holding a public office in this state.” 

Dixie said the law is meant “to protect the public from individuals who refuse to adhere to the laws they are meant to uphold.” He then pointed to Trump’s convictions on 34 felony counts of election interference last week.  

Skrmetti’s office said it could only render opinions to officials “in the discharge of their official duties.” The letter added emphasis to the words “in the discharge of their official duties” but did not offer further details. 

“Your letter also rests on an incorrect premise that (the state law’s) reference to ‘a public office in this state’ somehow includes the U.S. President,” reads the letter from Tennessee solicitor General Matt Rice. “The U.S. Presidency is not a public office in Tennessee. And any State effort to add new qualifications for the U.S. President would raise serious constitutional questions.” 

Dixie said he was “disappointed” but “not surprised” by the response from the AG’s office. 

“This just highlights the broken criminal justice system in this country,” Dixie said in a statement. “There is no rational explanation for a way that a person can possibly be elected [President of the United States] by this state, and if that same person lived in Tennessee, they wouldn’t even be able to cast a ballot and vote. How does that make sense?”

Dixie’s request came after Trump was convicted in New York last month on 34 felony counts. Trump was convicted of all counts as part of a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election by falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to a porn star who alleged she had sex with him.

Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office told Tennessee Lookout earlier this month that Trump will be on Tennessee’s election ballot.  

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From My Seat Sports

Walker in Memphis

Few players have risen through the St. Louis Cardinals’ minor-league system with the star power of Jordan Walker. Twice the franchise’s Minor League Player of the Year, Walker entered the 2023 season as the fourth-ranked prospect throughout the minor leagues according to Baseball America. And Walker had yet to turn 21. He made the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster having never played a game at the Triple A level and proceeded to start his big-league career with a 12-game hitting streak. Not the stuff of typical rookies.

Cut to the present and Walker finds himself midway through a 2024 season that hasn’t gone precisely to plan. He again started in right field for St. Louis on Opening Day, but struggled in April with a .155 batting average and no home runs through 20 games. (In 117 games as a rookie with the Cardinals, Walker batted .276 with a .445 slugging percentage and 16 home runs.) On April 24th, the Cardinals sent Walker to Memphis to fine-tune his swing and recharge for his sophomore campaign. Over 43 games with the Redbirds, Jordan has batted .264, slugged .402, and hit three home runs.

“I’m trying to relax,” says Walker. “I’ve shortened my stance a bit. So I’m not as rigid when I start my swing. I feel like I’m seeing the ball better.” How relaxed? Last Thursday, Walker took a nap during an optional team batting practice and proceeded to pick up three hits, including a homer, in a win over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. He also threw out a runner at the plate from right field.

Walker says he hasn’t had a conversation with Cardinals’ brass specifically about their expectations for his next promotion to the big club. But he knows it’s about the magic word for hitters at all levels: consistency. “If my swing is where it needs to be,” notes Walker, “if I’m driving the ball the way I’ve been recently, I should be fine. As long as I hit the ball hard, everything should work out.”

Had Walker played four years of college baseball, he’d just now be starting his pro career. Instead, he has a season in the big leagues on his resume, and the weight of expectations for the kind of career that takes a franchise closer to the World Series. Does that weight get heavy? “Maybe a little bit,” he says. “But I don’t think I’ve changed anything, approach-wise or mindset-wise. I just wasn’t as consistent with what got me success in the minor leagues, and what got me success last year. That’s the key. These pitchers are tough. Your swing can feel good, but if you get tough pitches, it’s always tough to hit. But I’m comfortable with my swing, I’m making good swing decisions, and I feel like I can drive the ball. With a simple approach, I’ll catch fire again. It’s an up-and-down game.”

Ben Johnson recently became only the third manager in Redbirds history to win 300 games, but he’s still getting to know Walker, who has now played a half-season, total, at the Triple A level. “With Jordan, it’s a matter of getting comfortable playing every day,” says Johnson. “He’s about to catch fire, any day now. And we’ll get him [back to St. Louis] soon.”

After a slow start, the Cardinals have played themselves into contention for a wild-card playoff spot. In addition to Walker’s absence, the team has suffered lengthy stays on the injured list for Tommy Edman, Lars Nootbaar, and Willson Contreras. That’s virtually half a batting order the club can infuse for the second half of the 2024 season. And it can be safely said, among the four, no one has a higher ceiling of potential than Jordan Walker. Greatness awaits.

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Sponsored Content

Where to Find Crescent 9 THC Seltzer in Memphis

The birthplace of blues, barbecue capital of the world, and home of rock-and-roll, Memphis is a uniquely vibrant city famous for constantly innovating. Recently, it embraced one of the biggest trends sweeping the nation: THC drinks, a buzzy alternative to alcohol that offers a new way to party.


Because they’re made with hemp-derived cannabinoids, THC drinks are legal for adults throughout the country to enjoy. One of the most popular brands in the nation, Crescent 9 THC Seltzer, is now available at many Memphis locations.

Memphis and Cannabis

Both medical marijuana and recreational marijuana are fully illegal in Memphis. This is something of a surprise considering the fact that, according to a 2024 Vanderbilt Poll, 60 percent of Tennesseans support legalizing marijuana.


Although Tennesseans lack access to marijuana, they do have access to hemp thanks to various bills passed by the state legislature. In 2019, SB357 legalized hemp products, including those containing a psychoactive quantity of THC. In 2023, HB403 further regulated and supported Tennessee’s hemp industry.

Hemp products are federally legal if they contain hemp-derived cannabinoids and less than 0.3 percent Delta-9 THC. These products must also meet Tennessee’s safety and potency requirements to be sold in Memphis. Despite these restrictions, the hemp industry is flourishing.


Hemp-derived THC beverages have become especially popular. One big reason for their success is the fact that many people have given up alcohol in favor of cannabis; indeed, the popularity of cannabis may soon eclipse that of alcohol. A recent study found that by 2022, more people were using cannabis daily than were using alcohol daily.


What is Crescent 9 THC Seltzer?

Flavored with real fruit and infused with a satisfying dose of cannabis, Crescent 9 THC Seltzer is a deliciously refreshing alternative to alcohol. Unlike edibles, Crescent 9 THC Seltzer takes effect in about 15 to 30 minutes, about as fast as alcohol so that you can enjoy Crescent 9 socially.


There are four flavors of Crescent 9 THC Seltzer.
Ginger Lemonade. Sweet and tart with 5 mg of THC and 4 mg of CBD.
Tropical. Citrusy and sweet with 6 mg of THC, 3 mg of CBD, and a splash of caffeine.
Sour Watermelon. Nostalgically sweet and sour with 10 mg of THC.
Strawberry Lemonade. Deliciously refreshing with a potent 50 mg of THC.


Whether you’re just curious about cannabis or an experienced consumer, there’s a perfect Crescent 9 for you.


Where to Find Crescent 9 THC Seltzer

Crescent 9 THC Seltzer is available at stores and music venues throughout Memphis and surrounding areas. Below are some of the most popular locations to enjoy a cold can on-site or pick up a pack of Crescent 9 to unwind at home.
Find Crescent 9 at:

● Minglewood Hall
● Bud & Hal’s Liquors
● Buster’s Liquors & Wines
● Ceasar’s Wine & Liquor
● Gaslight Liquor Shoppe
● High Point Grocery
● Joe’s Wines & Liquor
● Kimbrough Ine Wine & Spirits
● Kirby Wines & Liquors
● Liquor Barn
● Southwind Liquor
● Wayne’s Wine & Liquor
● Yorkshire Liquors
● Bartlett Wine & Spirits
● Corks Wine and Spirits
● Germantown Village Wine and Liquor
● Hemp2oh
● Mad Hatters Tea Room & Gifts
● Natalie’s Liquor Warehouse
● Vintage By Corks
● Lake District Wine & Liquor


But you don’t have to leave your home to order Crescent 9. Adults across the country can order Crescent 9 THC Seltzer online at crescentcanna.com. You must be 21 or older to buy THC-
infused hemp products.

This article is sponsored by the Crescent 9 THC Seltzers.

Categories
Film Features Film/TV

Now Playing in Memphis: Inside Out 2 and the Best of the Coens

It’s hot, and you need to be in an air-conditioned movie theater. Lucky you, the lineup is stacked this week.

The Bikeriders

Arkansan Jeff Nichols, who is brother to Lucero frontman Ben Nichols, directs Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, and Jodie Comer in this biker gang epic. The Vandals MC began in the 1960s as a simple club for outcasts who like to ride. Over time, the organization slowly evolves into a dangerous organized crime syndicate. Can the original founders turn things around before the law cracks down? 

The Exorcism 

Russell Crowe stars as an actor who is playing a priest in a movie that looks a lot like The Exorcist, but for legal reasons is not. When he starts to see real demons, his daughter Lee (Ryan Simpkins) suspects he’s using drugs again. But the truth is much more complicated. 

Inside Out 2

Pixar’s latest is the biggest hit since Barbie, breaking the box office cold streak that has had some predicting the death of the theatrical experience. Well, turns out all you have to do get people in seats is make a great movie and market it properly. Who knew? Read my rapturous review in this week’s Memphis Flyer.

Time Warp Drive-In: Odd Noir

On Saturday, June 22, see three Coen Bros. masterpieces under the stars at the Malco Summer Drive-In: The Big Lebowski, Fargo, and No Country for Old Men. “Nobody fucks with the Jesus.”

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Hungry Memphis

Craft Food and Wine Festival Returns

Foodies (and others) alert: the 5th annual Craft Food and Wine Festival benefiting Church Health is Sunday,  June 23rd.

The annual festival will be held between 3 and 7 p.m. at The Columns at One Commerce Square. More than 20 food-related businesses, including JEM restaurant, Zio Matto Gelato, Biscuits and Jams, and Comeback Coffee, will be featured.

Event organizer Cristina McCarter, owner of Feast & Graze (which also will be included), says the event is special because it “embodies the entire food industry, from the food makers to the chefs.”

According to the news release, “The all-inclusive event showcases local foodpreneurs and chefs who provide handcrafted dishes for hundreds of guests to enjoy. The indoor event is … packed with delicious bites and paired with high-quality tastings of wine, cocktails, and local brews, live music, and entertainment.”

There also will be a VIP Lounge. “Chef Kevin Sullivan of Kitchen Laurel will provide a beautiful grazing table for VIP guests … while they sip exclusive wines and spirits.”

And, according to the release, “Guests will have an opportunity to connect with their local food makers and purchase their favorite food samples.

“VIP will have an all-access pass with early entry at 3 p.m. followed by the general tasting at 4 p.m. Tickets are on sale now. Admission includes a small tasting tray and wine glass.”

Tickets may be purchased at citytastingexperiences.com. The CFWF10 discount code can be used for $10 off the ticket price.

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News News Blog News Feature

Video: Literacy, Teacher Shortages Priorities for School Board Candidates

Improving literacy rates, preparing students to compete globally, and combating teacher shortages are among the top challenges facing Memphis-Shelby County schools, candidates for the school board said at a forum Monday night.

About 200 people braved flash-flood warnings and a downpour to attend the forum at Idlewild Presbyterian Church. It was organized by Chalkbeat Tennessee and the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope, and co-sponsored by the Memphis Education Fund and the Urban Child Institute.

Five of the board’s nine seats are up for election on Aug. 1. Four of the candidates — board Chair Althea Greene, Stephanie Love, Frank Johnson, and Mauricio Calvo — are incumbents.

They and 15 other candidates took questions from Chalkbeat and the audience on how they would guide Tennessee’s largest school district if elected.

Besides prioritizing boosting student literacy — nearly 80 percent of MSCS students aren’t proficient in reading, based on standardized test scores — some of the candidates said they would also focus on curbing teacher shortages and approach the city of Memphis about helping to fund the school system.

An audience question about what the candidates would do to listen to teachers’ concerns without their fearing retaliation sparked a number of responses. Most said that they would do that by fortifying relationships with the teachers’ unions.

Natalie McKinney, who is vying for the District 2 seat currently held by Greene, said that teachers must trust the process, but they “don’t have a process in place that they believe they can trust.”

The election comes at a time of transition for Memphis-Shelby County Schools. A new superintendent, Marie Feagins, took over in April, and is dealing with a number of looming challenges, including navigating the end of federal pandemic relief funds, budget cuts that will impact staff and programs, aging facilities, and new state accountability systems.

The current board sparred with Feagins last week over proposed staffing cuts that were communicated ahead of a budget deadline.

To see what the candidates said at the forum, watch the full video recording. And to learn more about the candidates, check out Chalkbeat’s school board candidate voter guide.

Bureau Chief Tonyaa Weathersbee oversees Chalkbeat Tennessee’s education coverage. Reach her at tweathersbee@chalkbeat.org. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

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News News Blog News Feature

State And Local Leaders Reflect on Juneteenth

State and community advocates, institutions for change, and lawmakers are highlighting the historical significance of Juneteenth as it’s being observed nationwide.

While many believe the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, marked the end of slavery, the National Museum of African American History and Culture reminds us that it “could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control.” Not all enslaved people were considered free until June 19, 1865. On that day, 2,000 Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform more than 250,000 enslaved people they were free. This holiday is celebrated as the formal end of slavery in America.

“Juneteenth is a reminder that freedom has not always extended to every life in America. Today, we reflect on how far we’ve come to extend liberty & opportunity to all people while continuing to move toward a more perfect Union,” Gov. Bill Lee said on X.

Part of celebrating Juneteenth is to not only understand  the significance of the date itself, but examining its place in Black and national history. Rep. Justin Jones emphasized the importance of these sentiments, however he took to his X account to remind the public that legislation is prohibiting this.

“Today we commemorate Juneteenth, but in Tennessee my Republican colleagues passed a bill banning schools from teaching students about the history of why,” Jones stated. “The fight for true liberation continues and we must never yield to white supremacy.”

This year also marks a major milestone in the state as lawmakers voted last year for Juneteenth to be recognized as a paid holiday. As a result, many offices are closed such as Crosstown Arts, Memphis-Shelby County Schools, and Memphis Public Libraries.

While many are closed, places such as University of Memphis are encouraging the public to visit the National Civil Rights Museum (NCRM), which has free admission from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“Today, we mark the Juneteenth holiday, a defiant declaration of freedom and triumph over oppression,” NCRM said. “As we celebrate this pivotal moment in history, we must ask: What freedoms are we still fighting for?  At the National Civil Rights Museum, we stand shoulder to shoulder with those who have fought for liberation … Let’s unite in the pursuit of justice and equality for all, knowing that our actions today will shape the history books of tomorrow.”

The Greater Memphis Chamber said this holiday is a reminder of the “ongoing pursuit of racial equality and equity.” It also said it is “re-committing to fostering diversity and inclusion in our business community.”

“Juneteenth doesn’t just celebrate freedom — for so many Black Memphians (and Black communities across the nation), it’s a day to unapologetically celebrate Black joy, expression, accomplishment and so much more,” We Are Memphis said in a post. “From the movers and shakers who are leading the path to a better and brighter Memphis to the young Memphians ready to make their mark on our city and the world, this day is all about celebrating the legacies they’re creating.”

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News News Blog News Feature

CannaBeat: Cannabis Restaurant Headed for Broad Avenue

Tennessee’s first brick-and-mortar cannabis bar is slated to land in Memphis soon.

The former Bounty on Broad space will soon become a Buds & Brews location. No timeline for the opening was given in a news release.

Nashville-based Buds & Brews opened its first restaurant and bar in that city’s Germantown neighborhood in 2022. It will open a second location in East Nashville later this month. 

The restaurant allows patrons to “enjoy cannabis in a safe, legal and fun environment,” the company said in a statement. It offers a unique menu of upscale bar fare like the Buds Burger, hot chicken tacos and a Wake and Bake Brunch.  

“We are excited to bring the Buds & Brews experience to Memphis,” said Michael Solomon, owner and president of Craft Cannabis, the restaurant’s parent company. “This dynamic arts community is the perfect location for a new and innovative restaurant and bar concept.  

“We are proud to collaborate with some of the best in the food and beverage industry in order to bring Tennesseans a truly unique culinary adventure.”

Craft Cannabis is an umbrella group for three brands. Craft Cannabis offers seed-to-shelf cannabis flower grown in Nashville. That brand also offers an array of edibles like cannabis cookies, gummies, and suckers. Tri-Star Medical offers cannabis tinctures, capsules, and topicals. Sticky Tomato has a full line of gummies. 

At Buds & Brews, diners can choose their favorite condiment sauces infused with Tennessee-grown-and-extracted hemp-derived THC. The restaurant will also have a craft cocktail menu, cannabis-infused cocktails like the Smoky Margarita and Spliff Sangria, beers on tap, their own brand of THC-infused beers and New Highs seltzers, and dessert edibles.  

Bar Leafy Green was slated to become Memphis’ first cannabis restaurant. Owners announced the plan on social media in 2022. It is unclear, however, whether the restaurant ever opened.

Categories
Fun Stuff News of the Weird

News of the Weird: Week of 06/20/24

Great Art

Rajacenna van Dam, an artist in Vlaardingen, the Netherlands, is capturing the attention of the art world with her ambidextrous approach to her work, AFP reported. The 31-year-old said she originally taught herself to paint with both hands, “to go quicker.” When someone challenged her to try painting with her feet, she accepted. Her social media fame has come from painting 10 pictures at once using both her hands and feet. “Doing all this at the same time gives me a sort of feeling of meditation,” van Dam said. Her paintings sell for up to $13,000, and she says only she can tell which ones were painted with which limbs. Her talent is more than a party trick; neurologist Onur Güntürkün revealed that a brain scan showed “the left and right sides of her brain are three times more connected than average.” [AFP, 5/8/2024]

Now That’s Commitment

On May 7, at least one voting precinct in India had 100 percent turnout, AFP reported. Banej, in the protected Gir forest, is the home of Mahant Haridas Udaseen, a 42-year-old Hindu monk who is its only inhabitant. India is trying to reach every voter, so a team of 10 people were required to travel for two days from Gujarat — along unpaved roads through the last remaining habitat of the endangered Asiatic lion — to collect Udaseen’s vote. Although he showed up before lunchtime, rules required the election workers to stay until the evening. “In a democracy, every single person is important,” said Padhiyar Sursinh, the election officer in a town 40 miles away. Udaseen was an enthusiastic voter: “I am loving the attention that I am getting as a lone voter in the forest,” he said. [AFP, 5/7/2024]

Awesome!

When a pair of 18k gold diamond earrings from jeweler Cartier popped up on the Instagram feed of Rogelio Villarreal, 27, of Tamaulipas, Mexico, he couldn’t resist: They were priced at just $13. “I swear I broke out in a cold sweat,” Villarreal said, according to The New York Times. He ordered two pairs, but within a week, Cartier started trying to cancel the order. A Cartier representative called him and said the earrings “were not at the correct price [$13,000] … and that because of the inconvenience, they would give me a gift,” he said — a bottle of champagne and a leather Cartier item. Instead, Villarreal complained to Mexico’s Office of the Federal Prosecutor for the Consumer. Ahead of a scheduled hearing in early May, Cartier contacted Villarreal and said the earrings would be delivered. [NY Times, 4/28/2024]

Fail

• When Rhonda Deaver realized she had left her credit card at Smith’s Cafe in Kinston, North Carolina, in early May, she turned around and headed back to get it. Unfortunately, a Smith’s employee was right on top of things and posted the front and back of Deaver’s card to a Kinston Facebook group, with all the numbers visible, WRAL-TV reported. Deaver’s family got in touch with her when they saw the post, but it was too late — more than $2,000 in charges had already hit her account. “I couldn’t believe they did that, but I might be responsible for all those charges,” Deaver said. There were “a whole lot of declines but a whole lot that went through.” She’s still disputing the charges; the Smith’s owner had no comment. [WRAL, 5/8/2024]

• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notified the Akron (Ohio) Police Department’s SWAT team that the body armor plates they recently purchased are counterfeit, WJW-TV reported on May 8. “We became part of a bigger investigation,” said Capt. Agostino Micozzi. The gear was purchased from China and sold to law enforcement agencies, DHS said. The Akron City Council approved immediate replacement; Micozzi said there might be a chance to get restitution on the counterfeit plates. [WJW, 5/8/2024]

Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.

NEWS OF THE WEIRD
© 2024 Andrews McMeel Syndication.
Reprinted with permission.
All rights reserved.

Categories
Astrology Fun Stuff

Free Will Astrology: Week of 06/20/24

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I love being logical and reasonable! The scientific method is one of my favorite ways to understand how the world works. I am a big fan of trying to ascertain the objective facts about any situation I am in. However, I also love being intuitive and open to mystical perceptions. I don’t trust every one of my feelings as an infallible source of truth, but I rely on them a lot to guide my decisions. And I also believe that it’s sometimes impossible to figure out the objective facts. In the coming weeks, Aries, I suggest you give more weight than usual to the second set of perspectives I described. Don’t be crazily illogical, but proceed as if logic alone won’t provide the insights you need most.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In their book Your Symphony of Selves, Jordan Gruber and James Fadiman propose a refreshing theory about human nature. They say that each of us is a community of multiple selves. It’s perfectly natural and healthy for us to be an amalgam of various voices, each with distinctive needs and forms of expression. We should celebrate our multifaceted identity and honor the richness it affords us. According to my analysis of astrological omens, the coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to exult in your own symphony of selves and make it a central feature of your self-understanding.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In the second half of 2012 and the first half of 2013, you launched a journey that will finally culminate soon. What a long, strange, and interesting trip it has been! The innovations you activated during that time have mostly ripened, though not entirely. The hopes that arose in you have brought mixed results, but the predominant themes have been entertaining lessons and soulful success. I hope you will give yourself a congratulatory gift, dear Gemini. I hope you will luxuriate in a ritual celebration to commemorate your epic journey. The process hasn’t been perfect, but even the imperfections have been magical additions to your life story.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): I suspect you may have metaphorical resemblances to a lightning rod in the coming weeks. Just in case I’m right, I urge you not to stroll across open fields during thunderstorms. On the other hand, I recommend that you be fully available to receive bolts of inspiration and insight. Put yourself in the presence of fascinating events, intriguing people, and stirring art. Make yourself ready and eager for the marvelous.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “It’s hard to get lost if you don’t know where you’re going,” said experimental filmmaker Jim Jarmusch. He’s implying that there’s potential value in getting lost. Unexpected discoveries might arrive that contribute to the creative process. But that will only happen if you first have a clear vision of where you’re headed. Jarmusch’s movies benefit from this approach. They’re fun for me to watch because he knows exactly what he wants to create but is also willing to get lost and wander around in search of serendipitous inspirations. This is the approach I recommend for you in the coming weeks, dear Leo.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Does any person or institution own a part of you? Has anyone stolen some of your power? Does anyone insist that only they can give you what you need? If there are people who fit those descriptions, Virgo, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to fix the problems. According to my understanding of life’s rhythms, you can summon the ingenuity and strength to reclaim what rightfully belongs to you. You can recover any sovereignty and authority you may have surrendered or lost.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In ancient Greek myth, Sisyphus was a forlorn character punished by the gods. He was required to push a boulder from the bottom to the top of a hill. But each time he neared the peak, the big rock, which had been enchanted by the crabby god Zeus, slipped away and rolled back down the hill. The story says that Sisyphus had to do this for all eternity. If there have been even minor similarities between you and him, Libra, that will change in the coming months. I predict you will finally succeed — is this your fifth attempt? — in finishing a task or project that has, up until now, been frustrating.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Is it possible to reap spiritual epiphanies while having sex? Can intense physical pleasure be a meditation that provokes enlightened awareness? Can joy and bliss bring learning experiences as valuable as teachings that arise from suffering? Here are my answers to those three questions, Scorpio, especially for you during the next four weeks: yes, yes, and yes. My astrological ruminations tell me that you are primed to harvest divine favors as you quest for delight.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your animal magnetism and charisma could be wildly potent in the coming weeks. I’m worried that as a result, you may be susceptible to narcissistic feelings of entitlement. You will be extra attractive, maybe even irresistible! But now that you have received my little warning, I hope you will avoid that fate. Instead, you will harness your personal charm to spread blessings everywhere you go. You will activate a generosity of spirit in yourself that awakens and inspires others. Do not underestimate the electrifying energy pouring out of you, Sagittarius. Vow to make it a healing medicine and not a chaotic disruptor.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’ve had thousands of crucial teachers. There would be no such thing as me without their life-changing influences. Among that vast array have been 28 teachers whose wisdom has been especially riveting. I feel gratitude for them every day. And among those 28 have been five geniuses who taught me so much so fast in a short period of time that I am still integrating their lessons. One of those is Capricorn storyteller and mythologist Michael Meade. I offer you these thoughts because I suspect you are close to getting a major download from a guide who can be for you what Meade has been for me. At the very least, you will engage with an educational source akin to my top 28.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In one of my previous lifetimes, I was a bricoleur — a collector and seller of junk who reused the castaway stuff in new ways. That’s one reason why, during my current destiny, I am a passionate advocate for recycling, renewal, and redemption — both in the literal and metaphorical senses. I am tuned in to splendor that might be hidden within decay, treasures that are embedded in trash, and bliss that can be retrieved from pain. So I’m excited about your prospects in the coming weeks, Aquarius. If you so desire, you can specialize in my specialties.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Some people imagine that being creative means having nonstop spontaneous fun. They think it’s primarily exuberant, adventurous, and liberating. As a person who prizes imaginative artistry, I can testify that this description is accurate some of the time. But more often, the creative process involves meticulous organization and discipline, periods of trial-and-error experimentation, and plenty of doubt and uncertainty. It’s hard work that requires persistence and faith. Having said that, Pisces, I am happy to say you are now in a phase when the freewheeling aspects of creativity will be extra available. You’re more likely than usual to enjoy spontaneous fun while dreaming up novel ideas and fresh approaches. Channel this energy into an art form or simply into the way you live your life.