Mars on Vacation

I sent my artist friend Laura links to Etsy, and she wrote back saying that since I had made it so easy she would indeed look it up. Also an astrologer, she added, "I have Mars in a water sign and am extremely lazy."

Mars is the god of war and is, like the planet, red hot--Diego Velazquez painted him (left) tensed with the potential energy of David Beckham in an underwear ad--but a soggy god of war felt very familiar to me, so I wrote back:
"Do I have Mars in water too? I feel like it--he is not generally very energetic in me...."

And Laura, who knows me and my chart well responded,
"Yes, you have Mars in a water sign- your instincts are correct."

Now, Laura works extremely hard at astrology and art, (and I work hard at thinking about stuff that catches my fancy); but I know what she means by calling herself lazy--she throws her heart into things she loves, but she is not terribly motivated to accomplish boring duties.

One of my favorite stories about her is that she used to sit in calculus class at Macalaster reading a novel behind her textbook. She was great at math but had lost interest.
Here in the Midwest, people see working hard at things you don't want to do as a moral virtue, so I guess I mostly like the story because I appreciate knowing I am not alone in my state of moral depravity.

The thing with astrology is that it's not a hard science, it's a funhouse mirror, in which we see what we're open to seeing.
When I look in that mirror, I don't see an energetic god of war, I see Mars floating in a swimming pool on a blow-up mattress, drinking something fruity and alcoholic through a curly-twist straw.

So don't call Laura or me if you want help with taxes; but we make great poolside companions!