Do you believe in astrology? I’ve always been a half-hearted believer. When I was younger I’d take the time to read my daily horoscope in the newspaper, just to see if I was supposed to have a good or bad day. Usually at the end of the day I’d think back and laugh at how nothing it predicted came true. Either that or how vague some horoscopes were to make them always true. You will have an eye opening experience today. I did wake up, so I guess that counts as eye-opening, eh?
My horoscope was always difficult to figure out, too. I was born on the summer solstice, which also happens to be the cusp between two signs: Gemini and Cancer. (Interestingly, Cordy was also born on a cusp.) Now, if you know anything about those two signs, you’d know they were as different as, well, air and water. The Gemini profile is a party girl, outgoing and sharp-witted, always up for late night drinks and socializing. Cancer, on the other hand, is a shy, introverted homebody who would rather be alone with a good book than anywhere near a party.
So what does that make me? An extrovert who likes to stay home? An introvert who really wishes she could get out more?
I’ve started to realize that maybe there is something to this astrology. No, no, I’m not rushing out to buy incense and a copy of my star chart. But I do have this strange dual-personality that often tears me in two directions. I am a homebody, and I do tend to be shy at first. But I also look at those outgoing, don’t-have-a-care-in-the-world people and wish I could be like them. And once I get warmed up at a party, well, I can really talk your ear off.
I somehow got the courage up to join a sorority in college. And in that sorority, I was deemed one of the quiet ones. I politely declined the annual pilgrimage to Mardi Gras, I was always one of the first to leave a party, and frat parties – oh, frat parties – well, let’s just say I was a bundle of nerves when dragged to those.
But yet, when it came time for Sorority Rush, when hundreds of new freshman were making the rounds to hopefully be picked to join a sorority, I was the one my sisters pushed to the front when it came time to greet each group of girls that came to the sorority suite. Why? Because in those painfully small 15 minute meetings, I could somehow find common ground with every single girl, and by the end of that 15 minutes, we were all chatting away like old friends. (Note: Normally, these sessions are downright dreadful, and can often result in a cluster of girls staring at each other with nothing to say.)
To be honest, I have no clue how I did it. I guess being put in an awkward situation, forced to converse with a group of strangers who were judging you as much as you were judging them somehow brought out my inner extrovert. It’s as if I was backed into a corner by hungry lions, and somehow miraculously developed the ability to be a liontamer. And after each session, I was exhausted from my brief time as The Girl Everyone Could Talk To.
So I guess I am a mix of Gemini and Cancer. I’m terrified of meeting all these fabulous women at Blogher, and then finding out they’re all so much cooler than me and hiding in my hotel room the remainder of the conference. (After all, I’m practically a midwestern farm girl compared to all these glamorous East and West coast bloggers!) But at the same time I’m so excited at the chance to meet them, that I will certainly screw up the courage to talk to everyone. I can only hope that if I am a bore, someone will please shut me up, especially if I’ve already consumed alcohol. Because with a drink in me, I can talk for hours.
Well I do like astrology, but I’m a mess for a Cancer – I LOVE to party. Course I love being at home too – on the puter. What can I say? I’m ill in my stupid head. 🙂
Oh yeah – and I also meant to say that I can’t wait to talk your ear off at BlogHer too! 🙂
I’m a Virgo with Gemini rising. All I can say is I know how ya feel. I can be very introverted or very extroverted. It just depends on the situation. I’m hoping BlogHer will be an ideal situation for my fun-loving Gemini-influenced party girl to come out and play 🙂
You share a birthday with my mom! I’m a Gemini. As is the newest member of our family. Hee! I’m really really NOT a party girl, but *am* rather outgoing and very talkative.
I love hearing how these things turn out – how parts of you are like each sign’s characteristics. I often think that that sort of thing is also incredibly vague like daily horoscopes, in a way that makes everyone like every sign – but that’s not always true. I just think there are very few people who are COMPLETELY like their sign’s description.
Hey, I’m really, really hoping that you’re still planning to come over after BlogHer! We will still be in San Jose, just a short drive from downtown. I was going to say I can even show you my Ren Faire costume – ha ha ha! But all of it except for my bodice is in storage. But we have Faire pix, including our wedding pix. We must Ren geek together. grin.
Hey ~
I think we are all having thoughts about how blogher will be. But us crazy Taurus and outgoing Virgo types will wrangle you up and help you let loose.
And my daughter is a cancer (Tauruses and cancers get along great) – however, she is VERY quiet/shy in public, emotional, maternal – classic cancer – and it’s hard for me since I’m the polar opposite. I’ve been challenging myself not to do the horse and pony show for her everyday to try to “cheer her up” as it’s just how she is.
As for signs, I’m not a freak about them, but I think there is some truth. My best friend, husband and best folks I know are Virgos.
I don’t believe in the portion of astrology where it claims to know your future, but being a gemini through and through (dual personalities and all, lol) in the “gemini” description…I do believe at least a little in your sign predicting your personality a little bit. I’m actually a cusp baby too. Cusp of Gemmini and Taurus – the only Taurus trait I have is the stubbornness- that and a Mercury Sable (which is also called a Taurus) LOL.
My sister and I used to buy those 99 cent astrology scrolls at the local Rite Aide after church. It was pretty vague at best. Cheap entertainment if nothing else. I’m a bossy, bitchy Aries. It fits.
I feel you with the social akwardness. I much prefer to socialize in very small groups and have deeper conversations. And if I knew no one else there…forget it. I did find that in college, a little booze really served as liquid courage. Okay. Nothing about my college years involved a LITTLE booze. I was usually tanked.
I am so glad you are going to meet us next Wednesday. That is something I could never do. We will warm you up for BlogHer!
Hello, I’m a Sagitarius and I’m terrified of Blogher. Please talk my ear off.
I’ll admit that I’m actually not all that jealous of all you girls going to BlogHer. I’m looking forward to hearing the reports – I know you’ll have a fabulous time – but it sounds too overwhelming for me. I can be talkative in smaller settings, with two or three other people, but larger gatherings intimidate me.
Not much of a believer in horoscopes, though. I’m an Aquarius, supposedly, but I have never read any description of that sign that sounds remotely like me.
Being born on the cusp should mean you have the ability to be anything you want to be.
Im a cancer and it fits me to a T.
I believe there are traits that we share with other’s born around the same time, but not sure about the whole predicting the future thing.
I am a Scorpio, tride and true, but my son is born on the cusp of two very different signs, Taurus and Gemini. I am very curious as to what his personality will be like as he grows up because he doesn’t show many signs of the bull, yet.
StupidnotgoingtoBlogHer.
I don’t really believe much in astrology; I don’t check my horoscope. But let me tell you something: I’m a freaking Taurus. I’m stubborn as that freaking bull and just about as hard-headed. I’m down-to-Earth though I enjoy spending money. (WOO! SHOPPING!) I’m passionate. And did I mention stubborn. I somehow got a shy streak thrown in for confusion.
As for sororities, I was also mostly quiet but rush was a blast for me. I loved trying to get to know someone to see if she was a match in, as you said, fifteen minutes.
Anyway, I’m rambling in your blog. And PS – It’s okay to be a midwestern farm girl. I promise. Even in the blogosphere.
I think that being born on the cusp gives you the best of both signs. In astrology, it’s not so much your astrological sign that matters, it’s your rising sign. For example I was born March 17th making me a Pisces, but my rising sign is Aries. None of us is all one sign. Our birthright includes traits of our parents signs, too. Interestingly, my mother is a Scorpio, my dad is a Cancer and I’m a pisces, all water signs, and we all share similar traits. But what makes us different is that damned rising sign. Being an Aries rising brings out my wild, crazy, witty self and not just that introverted shy Pisces.
Either way, you have great qualities, Christina, and the BlogHer gals are gonna love you!
Have fun! I hope to make it next year!
I’m a Pisces, but I was born just after the Aquarius/Pisces cutoff.
(Can you tell that I don’t know shit about astrology, besides my sign?)
I don’t really fit the typical Pisces traits, and I’m a skeptic about all of that stuff anyway.
BlogHer will be great. No freaking out allowed. And absolutely NO hiding in your hotel room.
You and I sound a little alike. I’m pretty quiet at first and have always been on the shy side, but I tend to warm up and become more social after I’ve gotten to know people a little better.
I am pretty nervous about going to BlogHer because it means I’m gonna have to TALK and be outgoing and social and all that stuff. And I’m usually better one-on-one or with a small group. But I’m going because I need to get out of my shell a little AND I can’t miss a chance to meet some of the bloggers I’ve been reading for a while–you included! See you in San Jose!