If patience is one of your virtues, it will be a huge asset this week. We've got the Moon making quincunxes to all that Aquarius stuff in addition to making an opposition to Uranus and a square to Saturn and Pluto. People are apt to be ready to try anything once, and may not take kindly to queries as to whether or not they know what they're doing. Intentions are good, but we know what the road to hell is paved with, don't we? As with those weight loss adds on the home shopping network, results may vary. Some will no doubt be fantastic, but others are apt to fall rather short of the mark. Either way, what people think they're doing may be quite different from what they actually accomplish. If you can stay focused on the desired goal and not be sidetracked by extraneous antics, you'll be fine. Trust your intuition, be aware that knowledge and wisdom are two different things, and be on the lookout for unusual beliefs that may or may not have an impact on where you're going and what you're doing. Things could definitely be a bit crazy-making in spots, but if there's a method to the madness, it just might be the breakthrough you need.

If you've been patiently waiting for the SOTA flyer and for PayPal to be up, your patience is hereby rewarded. The flyer is attached, along with a couple of course flyers for those of you who are local. And if you're ready to try anything, once, SOTA is for you, whether you're a regular or a first-timer. We've got a new venue in Buffalo, a lot of new speakers (along with some old favorites with new information), and more. At the moment, we're working on the trade room, where we hope to have as many as 10 readers in addition to software, books, and jewelry. And we hope to have special rates for those of you registered for the conference and staying in the hotel so you can get one half-hour reading at the reduced rate of $25. How many discount reading tickets we will be able to give out depends on the number of readers we get, but we will have to cap it at 60, even if we get a full contingent of readers. So they'll be first-come, first-served. Early registration --- both at the hotel and for SOTA is therefore strongly advised if you want to be in line for one of these tickets.Also note that the trade room and reading room is open to the general public, so if you have friends in Buffalo or environs, let them know. There'll be something for everyone, even if astrology isn't their thing.

A number of people have asked about the post-conference workshops, so descriptions are below. Both presenters are fantastic speakers, so you can't go wrong.

SATURN AND ECSTASY ---Michael Lutin
The place that causes you the greatest heartbreak in your chart
is really the place where you find the greatest happiness.
Visual imagery and full participation on the part of the attendees.

Astro*Carto*Graphy and Beyond ---Madalyn Hillis-Dineen

Madalyn shares her knowledge of astro*carto*graphy and other locality techniques using fascinating examples from the charts and lives of the famous and the infamous. The concepts of planet angularity, parans and local space will be examined. You'll also learn how to integrate planetary pictures and hypothetical planets into Jim Lewis’ traditional methods. We’ll explore new techniques that expand on the concept of oblique positions, the foundation of Jim’s work in astro-locality. Midpoints, planetary pictures, and parans will be viewed on both maps and dials and explored from both a natal and dynamic perspective. Madalyn will guide you to a new understanding of locality techniques and help you to integrate them into your work as well as looking at the charts of workshop participants to find the best locations for their personal fulfillment.

Both Michael and Madalyn will also be presenting 2-hour lectures on Friday, October 22. Michael's lecture is on transits and is entitled "Wait! Don't Kill Yourself Yet! There's Hope!" If you've heard Michael lecture before, you know that he combines humour and insight in an amazing way. Madalyn's lecture is on "Forecasting Tools and Techniques" and since she is one of North America's best Uranian astrologers, you can expect to get a bit of an introduction to trans-Neptunian (Uranian) planets, planetary pictures, antiscia, and more in addition to good old transits and other familiar tools. And no, you don't have to choose between these. They're in different time slots, so if you want to go to both you can!