November | 2025 | Papa Gringo

Something exciting is happening Thursday, and it’s not Thanksgiving.

The planet Saturn, the CEO of the zodiac, is about to turn direct after four-and-a-half months in retrograde. When a planet goes retrograde, its symbolic elements begin to go haywire. That means, since last July, our individual astrological CEOs have been going bonkers to some degree.

What’s more, Saturn has been retrograde in the sign of Pisces. That means, the CEO of the universe has been swimming in a sea of emotional uncertainty. Its intuition has backfired. It’s been drowning in empathy, feeling everyone else’s pain while ignoring its own.

That all ends on Thursday night.

At that time, when Saturn turns direct again in Pisces, our celestial CEO will awaken as if from a horrible dream. However, the details of that dream will linger; and, as Saturn regains its forward motion, emotional uncertainty will stabilize, intuition will clarify, and daily life will provide calm waters for smooth sailing.

Come mid-February, Saturn will leave Pisces and enter the sign of Aries. At that point, the direct and impetuous energy of the cosmic Ram will likely promise an exciting spring fueled by youthful enthusiasm and eternal hope. Recent anxieties from the past several months will soon be forgotten as Saturn puts our dreams into action.

Careful, though: Saturn turns retrograde again next year in late July. When that happens, expect surprising conflicts to quell the Ram’s excitement, at least till Saturn turns direct again in December 2026.

Personally, I’ve been expecting a big stock market crash this month. While a crash has not occurred, a long-term correction may have started on November 12th. Its trend may continue downward but turn bullish in mid-February, giving investors hope for future gains. But that may all come crashing down again next August.

I’ve got my own new plans to act upon once Saturn goes direct.

Starting in early December, I’ll be taking a stand-up comedy course and will likely perform a short bit for graduation around mid-February. After that, I may attend a bunch of open mics, enjoying them and improving my sets — at least, until mid-summer.

Time will tell.

How about You?

Have you been feeling out of sorts this autumn? Have your dreams seemed to have stalled? Tell me all about it in the comments.

Last summer, the Tao kicked my butt, reminding me that retirement’s coming soon, that I should start thinking about life post-teaching. One idea was to start this blog. I liked that idea. I still like that idea.

But now I’m getting kicked in the butt again.

Earlier this month, while replacing a burnt-out bulb in the kitchen, something sparked in my mind. I suddenly thought of pursuing stand-up comedy.

Thirty-five years ago, back in L.A., I had taken some stand-up comedy classes. I did a few open mics. I had a couple good shows. But I never took it beyond that.

I didn’t like the late-night hours or the waiting around for my two-minute turn. Instead, I went to grad school, got myself a masters, moved to the Bay, then started a career teaching college writing.

The teaching path has served me well. I’ve been blessed to have served as a Bodhisattva for so very many students. Standing at the front of all those classes even allowed me the chance to dabble around with standup skills.

However, even today, the thought of attending late-night open mics, of waiting around for a sixty-second spotlight, just doesn’t sound appealing. Still, I’d like to start a regular joke-writing practice. I recently got a couple books and found some writing tips online.

Writing jokes could be fun. Like solving crossword puzzles, it can keep my mushy mind sharp. And I can start an Instagram page and a YouTube channel, both featuring brief video clips of me reciting one-liners or extended little bits.

Writing bits and putting them online is something I could do from anywhere — not only here in San Francisco, but also down south by the Rio de la Plata or up in the hills of Guanajuato.

To be honest, the thought makes me feel a little nervous. I’m afraid I won’t have the talent to write or create consistent funny material. I’m afraid my videos will suck. But even if they do, so what?

It’s fun to try and go with the flow, especially when the Tao is running like a wild summer stream.

What About You?

Have you got any crazy dreams you might be afraid to pursue? Let me know in the comments. I could use a little empathy.

Saturn Goes Direct in Pisces

How about You?

The Tao of Trusting the Tao

What About You?