The Hit List - Masks off - The Tarot Lady

Back when I used to work on an anarchist newspaper, masks were a necessity. This was during a time of mischief and mayhem when protests turned ugly. Hiding your face made it harder for the authorities to identify you.

Frankly, I never liked wearing them because it got in my way when I wanted to smoke (my anarchist buddies frowned on that habit but I did it anyway). Fast forward to today and now lots of folks are wearing masks due to the coronavirus. On the rare occasions when I venture out, I wear one too. I don’t smoke any longer so it’s not a problem. Oddly, my old anarchist friends are now…get ready for this…protesting against wearing a mask. I had to chuckle at the irony of that.

It’s interesting to see what this whole pandemic and mask-wearing reveals about people. Although I’m strictly in the mind-my-own-business camp, I’ve watched both sides bicker, and it’s made me sad (sadder still that we feel a need to take sides during a crisis). Some people assume that wearing one makes you a “sheeple,” while others think that if you choose to forgo one, you’re a “monster.”

I’ve read stories of retail workers getting their arms broken or worse yet, murdered by people angry over new mask rules. Local baristas and checkout clerks have shared tales of nasty customers getting up in their faces…without a mask. (Interestingly, no one seems to pitch a fit about the “no shoes, no shirt, no service” thing.) Weirder still for me is watching the anti-mask protestors yell at the police, who are now…wearing masks. It’s like a mean-spirited bizarro world.

Look, no one is thrilled about putting a mask on their face. I don’t like ‘em either but I won’t take a risk with someone else’s health, especially since I live with someone who is immune-compromised. Not paranoid over here…just being careful (for the friend who insinuated that I’m a sheeple, don’t make that assumption until you know my situation). Until this is under control, I’m slapping on a mask and keeping the hand sanitizer handy. It’s the right thing to do for me – and the people I care about.

If someone else chooses differently, I may not agree but I’m not going to speculate on what that’s about nor am I going into attack mode. By that same token, I would hope that those folks do the same – and honor policies that businesses may enforce. Heck, if you don’t like it, you can always find a business that serves you the way you want, right?

At the end of the day, when you take your masks off, what face do you want to show to the world? In a world that wants you to be visible, why not show each other a little kindness? It’s really not that hard.

Recent events remind me of this old Twilight Zone episode. Such a classic!

Other stuff:

Here are the CDC guidelines on how to safely re-open your business now.

Nearly Half of Men Say They Do Most of the Home Schooling. 3 Percent of Women Agree.

Good stuff from Aliza Einhorn: I’m A Tarot Card Reader. Here’s What People Want Most From Me During The Pandemic.

What’s Cooking, Kamala Harris?

A short tutorial on Saturn aspects.

I miss my gym though: How At-Home Workouts Are Changing Fitness Culture For The Long Term.

You know you want it: A Tarot Card Deck Inspired By the Films of Guillermo del Toro Knows Your Past, Present & Future.

Troubling: The pandemic could cause long-term damage to how we get our food.

Sigh: Flying in the age of Covid-19.

Here’s what you need to know about yesterday’s New Moon in Gemini.

Compelling read: My Healing Journey After Sexual Assault.

From Jennifer Bartolotta: A letter to the restaurant industry…but, what if we could?

Fuck the Bread. The Bread Is Over.

I love Chani: Astrologer Chani Nicholas on Radical Self-Acceptance and Tidying With the Moon.

Ever since I saw The Lighthouse, I’ve been obsessed over him: Robert Pattinson: A Dispatch From Isolation.

Vogue asks: Astrologers Predicted 2020 Would Be Dramatically Life-Changing. So What’s Next?

Punk Priestess Majorie Gatson joins me to talk about breaking tarot rules – and finding your own voice.

Over at Well+Good, , this person got a musical tarot reading with Angie Banicki!

Why do I prefer the old, creepy New York? The Gritty History of the Elk Hotel, One of Times Square’s Last Pay-By-the-Hour Hotels.

Something I’ve been thinking about: Grieving, Mourning, and Honoring Loved Ones in Social Isolation.

How Dallas Litigator David Coale Became a Tarot Card Reader.

Jen Louden asks Why Bother: Discover the Desire for What’s Next.

I love stuff like this: Keys to Perception: A Practical Guide to Psychic Development.

So looking forward to Angels and Archangels: A Magician’s Guide by Damien Echols.

I wish I had this book when I was a kid: The Junior Witch’s Handbook: A Kid’s Guide to White Magic, Spells, and Rituals.

The Uncommon Tarot: A Contemporary Reimagining of an Ancient Oracle is coming soon. You are so gonna want this deck from Shaheen Miro!

Super stoked forTarot: No Questions Asked: Mastering the Art of Intuitive Reading – my latest!

Struggling to learn tarot? The Tarot Coloring Book is a fun way to master the cards.

Tarot For Troubled Times has tarot spreads, birth cards, rituals, and more for helping folks navigate tough times. Like now.

Venus may be retrograde right now but you can learn how to move around that with Astrology for Real Life: A Workbook for Beginners (A No B.S. Guide for the Astro-Curious). It’s a simple workbook with lots of information!

Events:

August 30, 2020: Brushes and Stars. Where: online. A full-day of astrology and intuitive painting – and fun! Join me and Chris Zydel for a joyful, astrology-inspired intuitive painting experience. We begin exploring intuition, followed by examining your natal chart. From there, it’s time to paint your interpretation of your chart! Group insights follow.

May 2-8, 2021: The Tuscany Tarot Intensive. Where: Italy! A full week of tarot immersion. Due to the Coronavirus, we moved the event to next year. Good news: the dates allow for a few extra seats which mean you can join us next year! Yay!