What Are Your Local Ghost Stories?

As much as the Halloween season might make us wish otherwise, ghosts don’t exist. But that shouldn’t take away from the allure and eerie mystery of a good ghost story! The best ghost stories are the ones that have just enough specific flavor and local cultural relevance that they can SEEM believable.

I’ve mentioned the legend of Emo’s Grave, a grave in my native Salt Lake City, that is said to be haunted by the buried soul of some supernaturally vain person. As the story goes, if you peer into the small mausoleum structure that marks Emo’s grave, Emo himself will also appear. According to some of the more frightening tellings, Emo will also attack any curious visitors to his resting place. While Emo’s ghost is, of course, a myth, the grave is real enough, located in the Jewish section of the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Now we want to hear your favorite extremely local ghost stories!

In the thread below, tell us your favorite local ghost story! Let us know where it takes place, how you first heard it, what local spot it revolves around, and if you’ve told or embellished it yourself. Your story may be included in a round-up during Atlas Obscura’s upcoming Spirit Week! Let’s hear those hometown creep outs!

Send them here

Horoscope for the Week of October 28, 2019

Love sweeps across the nation .. or at least Venus does across the cosmos from Scorpio to Sagittarius to Capricorn over the next four weeks. Let your love grow and expand into several areas of your life. You can never get too much of it.

(Naomi Watts has Venus in Scorpio)

Never miss your horoscope again -- free sign up here. Here is my favorite book on astrology and a "must" for anyone interested in learning more: Secrets from a Stargazer's Notebook: Making Astrology Work for You and here's a guide to the best books available this month. This column is (c) 2019 MADAM LICHTENSTEIN, LLC., All Rights Reserved. For Entertainment Purposes Only. Madam Lichtenstein is the author of the best selling astrology book “HerScopes ” now in its 10th printing and available as an eBook

There will be times when your need to reach out and touch someone feels over-whelming. How can you manage your emotions, Aries? As the weeks move on, your expressions of love will modulate and find the right moves for the right situations. And the result will include connections to many interesting people in addition to a chosen few.

TAURUS (APRIL 21 - MAY 21)
Focus on one-to-one relationships now, Taurus. Not only can you make a current partnership stronger and sexier, you will also be able to make the dynamics between the two of you more in sync with who you are. For those on the hunt, the is luck to be found in exploring new terrain. So try one of those new hot spots and see who you can hotly spot.

GEMINI (MAY 22 - JUNE 21)
The main thing to do now is to focus your emotional energy on others and not on what stresses you. There are a few loose ends in your relationships to others that need to be tied up. Seek greater understanding and empathy. Geminis who reach out and help someone else will naturally de-stress because of the satisfaction of doing good for others. Get close. No closer.

CANCER (JUNE 22 - JULY 23)
The time for fun is coming to an end, at least temporarily, Cancer. It’s time to concentrate on getting things done, attending to your general health and fixing what needs to be fixed. Soon though, you’ll have time to devote to more pleasant tasks ... But they are still tasks. Some times you have to clean up the landscape so you can build anew.

LEO (JULY 24 - AUGUST 23)
As we prepare for the holiday season, it is clear that you will be the one who organizes the festivities. So gather your best ideas and start to plan. Not only will you find something uniquely fun to propose, you will also luckily get in front of any effort. There will be no party without you, Leo. That is because you are holding all of the keys to the party rooms.

VIRGO (AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23)
Virgos need to concentrate on family relationships and domestic issues. Whatever has kept people apart or upset in the past now needs to be arbitrated, discussed and solved. Someone needs to be the adult here. And you are the one to do it because you seem to be especially diplomatic, emotionally connected and compassionate now. Oh goody. Now step up.

LIBRA (SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 23)
If there is something nice to say, Libras will be the ones to say it. Muster all of your charm and charisma to say something that will make others feel great. You can build bridges, create new happy coalitions and make progress on otherwise entrenched problems. Who knows where this will lead you? Perhaps a career in politics? Oops, not in today’s atmosphere.

SCORPIO (OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22)
If money is on your mind now, it is no surprise. Scorpios may be feeling that what they currently have is not enough. Or they may be feeling more generous than usual. Whatever tickles your wallet, see if whatever you want to do is affordable and prudent. When in doubt, defer your plans and see if you are still feeling the need days later. If so, try to make it happen.

SAGITTARIUS (NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22)
Who loves you, Sagittarius? It seems almost everyone now. What is it that makes you so charismatic? Why ask why? Move in new social circles, press and impress the power brokers and see where it all leads. You may gain more power and prestige or you may squander your goodness on questionable characters and actions. Let’s just see what happens...

CAPRICORN (DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20)
Capricorns are working behind the scenes to find out what is what, who is who and why. Once you have solved the mysteries of the universe, take a step back and see what you can do with all of this useful information. Will you use it for spreading the good karma? Pay it forward and see how rosy your future will become. Today charity. Tomorrow the rewards.

AQUARIUS (JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19)
Get more involved in group activities while your popularity soars, Aquarius. People want you in their company. Groups and clubs vie for your membership. Or just go independent and create your own posse. There will be many choices available to you. Move and groove with friends and friends of friends. You never know where it will all lead.

PISCES (FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20)
Not only will your actions and efforts produce tangible and profitable results, Pisces may find that they also accumulate influence and power, especially in their professional life. Have you been hankering for a big move? Are you content to consolidate power where you are? Check yourself out in the mirror. You like what you see. Then go out and change your world.

(c) 2019 MADAM LICHTENSTEIN, LLC., All Rights Reserved. For Entertainment Purposes Only.
Lichtenstein’s blog www.thestarryeye.typepad.com covers everything new age. Her astrology book HerScopes is the best in sun sign astrology.

Lucky Numbers for the Week of October 25, 2019

Lottery ads tell us you only need a dollar and a dream. But it is also helpful to have a list of lucky numbers to help spur the good fortune ... or fortunes. So with that in mind, here are some lucky numbers that can be used in any helpful way. I gazed into a pool of water, Nostradamus-like, and contemplated the cosmos. Then I mixed the tarot cards and allowed the spirits to guide me to the cards that represent the lucky numbers for this week. Nothing is guaranteed but who knows ....?

I choose eight numbers because 8 is the number of of wealth.

Here are the lucky numbers for the week of October 25-31, 2019:

3, 4, 10, 19, 28, 45, 73, 80

There are many ways to delve into your own consciousness to find luck and intuition. Try reading Dream Power/Improve Your Luck (Super Strength Series) and see if your dreams give you any clues and premonitions. Here's a guide to the best books available this month

MERCURY RETROGRADE -- FALL 2019

A great overview by astrologer Felissa Rose on the upcoming Mercury Retrograde.

 

MERCURY RETROGRADE  --  FALL 2019

 

Three times each year the planet Mercury goes retrograde.    In 2019 the final time occurs from 11:52 am EDT on October 31 until 2:13 pm EST on November 20^th.    When a planet is retrograde it acts more slowly than when direct.   Although this retrograde motion is only apparent and doesn’t actually happen in the heavens  its relationship to the Earth makes it appear to be going backwards, for its orbit remains the same around the Sun.  During this entire retrograde Mercury will be in the sign of Scorpio, at 27 degrees 42 minutes on October 31 and at 11 degrees 38 minutes on November 20. ‘

In astrology Scorpio is a water sign,  a fixed one, like Aquarius, Taurus and Leo.  The fixed signs correspond to the middle of a season.   As leaves fall or have fallen off the trees, and the weather gets colder there’s no doubt that it’s autumn.   Fixed signs tend to be more stable and Scorpio rules still waters, such as lakes, ponds and pools.    The other water signs rule moving water, Cancer the seas and oceans and Pisces rivers and streams.  Astrologically water governs feelings and emotions,  being fixed as well as governing still waters, Scorpio rules the personal feelings that one holds deeply within.

Retrograde energy is expressed more internally as people become more introspective.  As thoughts and  experiences start to surface one is more likely to think of things that happened in the past.  It’s a time to view them as who you are now,   letting go of what you were holding on to that troubled you when it occurred and what you no longer are about.

Mercury rules wires and circuits, things that run with batteries as well as what needs to be plugged in.   While this planet is retrograde, they are more apt to be problematic.  It’s great if it can be repaired but if they need to be replaced,  it would be better to wait until Mercury is no longer retrograde, if possible.  Over the years I have seen people experience more difficulty getting things to work properly while retrograde.   Years ago, while Mercury was retrograde, I had to replace a telephone answering machine, a necessity at the time.  The replacement is still working but there’s no way to turn down the volume on it and anyone in the room can hear whoever is calling.   They’re mostly telemarketers.  People don’t often phone me on my land line.   They use the internet or call my cell phone, so  I don’t feel a need  to replace the machine although everyone in the room can hear what the telemarketer is offering.

Mercury rules how we pick up and  understand information.   It’s best to put off a non-essential  medical diagnosis or treatment while it’s retrograde.  The sign Mercury is transiting Scorpio which rules the sexual and along with Virgo and Cancer,  digestive organs.   Difficulties in these is more likely to occur   while the planet is retrograde here, as planets moving through a sign tend to highlight whatever is ruled by  the sign.

Although Mercury will be going direct on November 20^th and things will clear up after that date, Mercury coming to the degree it went retrograde at tends to further straighten things out.   This takes place on December 7^th but whether you need a new computer or a medical diagnosis you can go ahead from November 20^th on. 

Mercury retrograde can be a time for of deep insight and introspection.    As Leonardo Da Vinci said, “The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding.”   In 2020 Mercury will be retrograde from February 16^th to March 9^th, June 18 thru July 12^th and October 13^th until November 3.

 

 

 

 

Horoscope for the Week of October 21, 2019

The Sun enters Scorpio and intensifies anything that touches our hearts and passions. What floats your boat? What lights your candle? You will soon find out.

(Jodie Foster has Sun in Scorpio)

Never miss your horoscope again -- free sign up here. Here is my favorite book on astrology and a "must" for anyone interested in learning more: Secrets from a Stargazer's Notebook: Making Astrology Work for You and here's a guide to the best books available this month. This column is (c) 2019 MADAM LICHTENSTEIN, LLC., All Rights Reserved. For Entertainment Purposes Only. Madam Lichtenstein is the author of the best selling astrology book “HerScopes ” now in its 10th printing and available as an eBook

ARIES (MARCH 21 - APRIL 20)
Aries may be too hot to handle now as your quota of charisma and sexiness is exceeded. You are not only full of pep, you are also ready for anything and anyone. How can you best channel all of this zesty spark? There are so many great choices out there for you in love and life in general. Better try to prioritize before you wind up too tired to tango. Well, then just waltz.

TAURUS (APRIL 21 - MAY 21)
Relationship can go from frosty to de-frosted fairly quickly as your innate ability to connect with others gets red hot. Turn on the charm and start to strengthen current relationships. And it is also a good time to make new ones. Figure out what you need from others and go hunting, Taurus. You will be a big game hunter with a few tricks up your sleeves.

GEMINI (MAY 22 - JUNE 21)
Geminis will have a knack for figuring out just what their colleagues at work need to make their jobs easier and happier. Once you can get your plans in motion, you will find yourself as more of an inspirational leader and others will follow. How can you best manage all of this savvy know-how around the office? I am sure that you will think of something...

CANCER (JUNE 22 - JULY 23)
There nothing as inspirational or as creative as a Cancer this week. So that means that not only do you need some down time to contemplate your next move, you need the guts to get up and make it happen. Be your creative best and see where some of your ideas can take you. There is nothing reining you in ... unless that is your thing and who am I to say?

LEO (JULY 24 - AUGUST 23)
Family will take on a more prominent role in your life this week. Consider arranging a reunion where you can bring everyone together for a celebration. Leos might also spend more time on other domestic projects like sprucing up their surroundings or even moving. Whatever you need to make your home more comfortable, do it .. with extra relatives included.

VIRGO (AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23)
Focus more on local issues and how you can help solve them, Virgo. This week, not only are you more interested in neighborhood things, you are also ready to help make these things happen. Start with a great idea, share it with your neighbors and see where all of you can work together towards success. If not you, then who? If not now then when?

LIBRA (SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 23)
Libras may find that they spend a lot more time and money on extravagances this week. Many things seem to catch your eye and you must have it. But be sure that you keep within a sensible budget and get the value from every purchase. Even better, put all of that fiscal intensity into your investment strategy and nest egg. Oh, how boring is that!

SCORPIO (OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22)
You are not only in the center of all of the attention, you command the group dynamic and attract some pretty powerful people to your side. Scorpios are passionate and charismatic at the same time. What will you do with all of this personality plus power? Will you use it for good or not? Will you share or will you keep it to yourself? Let’s just see.... heh, heh.

SAGITTARIUS (NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22)
Not only is a light shining in your deep dark area of secrets, you find that there is nothing scary about releasing these gremlins into the open air. Rejoice, Sagittarius. Not only do you expose the nasty designs of those who are working against you, you also discover a guardian angel who is there to help you. Show your gratitude by giving back to the cosmos.

CAPRICORN (DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20)
Get more involved in group efforts, Capricorn. There are places to go and people to meet all through the week. Join a new club or find ways of expanding your social circle with a bunch of new acquaintances. There will be someone new who will figure prominently in your life going forward. You could find yourself in a leadership position. Politics anyone?

AQUARIUS (JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19)
Aquarians may find that their career goals are evolving. Whereas before you might have been more interested in going along with the crowd, there is something stirring inside of you that yearns to break free of tradition. So forge a new path and see where it leads. Ironically, the bosses may see this as valuable and give you greater corporate responsibility.

PISCES (FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20)
Where will the road take you, Pisces? If you have a hankering for new vistas, this is the time to explore them. If you want to stay closer to home and just expand your mind, that can be arranged too. Whatever gets you out of your routine will refresh and excite you. So don’t stay within your lane. Break out, get some speed and see where the road takes you.

(c) 2019 MADAM LICHTENSTEIN, LLC., All Rights Reserved. For Entertainment Purposes Only.
Lichtenstein’s highly acclaimed astrology book “HerScopes” has the Stonewall horoscope.