What About April?

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Some people say that one should not use tarot as a predictive tool for oneself. I disagree. I need to know what is going to happen in April when teacher contracts come up for renewal. It has been on the news that each school in our county will lose three to six teachers. I have only been in county for two years (this is my third) and I am up for tenure at the end of this year, April. Needless to say, I am anxious whether or not I will be laid off due to budget cuts.

I drew the Ace of Wands and IX Hermit.

To be honest, this is not the first reading I did on this situation, of course. When I first heard about it, I immediately got my mini-Visconti tarot out of my desk drawer (when my students were at PE) and did a 4-Square. Long story short, I am seventh on the short-list of layoffs and the Principal will do what she can to keep me where I am. This was overall good news. The cards also told me not to worry. Since then, a seven has come up twice in different questions surrounding this issue.

What these cards tell me is that I will be alone in the group of teachers that started teaching at this school with me. A few will be moving on to other schools, as I know they are unhappy with us there. And, a couple signed their annual contracts after me and will be required to leave, by law, before I have to.

The Ace of Wands signifies the tenure contract itself, and the Hermit means that I will stand alone from those who will be forced out.

I feel a bit better, but there will be a sword hanging over all out heads until April. It will be a long wait.

Card images © Lo Scarabeo ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Used by Permission

Tattoo Work Today?

My query was a simple one, and it wasn't really a question (nor even a complete sentence), "Tattoo work today?" I wanted overall feeling and/or advice about having my sleeve finished, once and for all. My friend who happens to be a tattoo artist has agreed to do it for $250. I want to have it done and over with!

I did my 4-Square Summary Spread:

1 - 3

2 - 4

1. What is known
2. What is unknown
3. What should be done
4. What should not be done

9 of Cups in the position of "What is known" indicates that this is the very end of an almost eight year long wait to have this tattoo finished. I started to think about getting this tattoo in the late 80's, got the work done in 2001. And now at the beginning of 2009 I am finally getting it completed. This card here is the very end of a long journey in body art to say the least. I like to have this positional meaning for the simple reason that it confirms that the reading is actually about what I asked, and not some other matter.

III Empress in the "What is unknown" position implies that the procedure will be more comfortable than I anticipate. I say "more comfortable" here because clearly it will be painful, as the artist will be digging needles and ink into my flesh! But look how laid back she looks. The person doing the work is a close personal friend and, I must admit, I do get pleasure out of the pain involved in tattooing, particularly when he is doing it.

8 of Pentacles in the "What should be done" shows the tattoo artist working diligently. It is suitable that the figure, a "fox," is doing the work. There is even a table there, much like the one one lays on to have work done. This is a positive affirmation that I should indeed have it done today, at least worked on. The implication is that it won't get done completely, at least not in one sitting, but it will be worked on throughout the day.

3 of Wands is "What should not be done." Ha! Just look at the character, standing forelornly on the shore as his ship sets sail. The intuitive flash I got when I saw this card was, "Don't wait! Strike when the iron is hot." I was told to phone at 12 noon today so that he could check his appointment book (we texted back-and-forth last night) because he couldn't think off the top of his head what his schedule was like. But since I have a tight schedule today and working late afternoon, everything is telling me to just show up at the tattoo parlor and have it on with.

If only all tarot card readings could be this direct.

Card images © Lo Scarabeo ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Used by Permission