David Sedaris

I'm listening to David Sedaris' new book When You Are Engulfed in Flames. Supposedly it's about Death, there's a picture of a Skeleton with a Cigarette hanging out of its face. Maybe it's just a story about my parents who both died from Lung Cancer. I think it may be just a story about quitting smoking. I heard Sedaris speak once and without answering questions he ran out the door and lit up. So I know he needed to quit. I think that chapter comes towards the end. What I am liking a lot so far are the descriptions of women. They are unbelievably accurate descriptions of the types of women that nobody ever talks about. No virgins, no sluts. Bitches all (he's Gay so it's ok) (and his Sisters come across as normal, which is odd considering one of them is Amy Sedaris).

David Sedaris
b. Dec. 26, 1956, Binghamton, NY

Sun 5 Capricorn; Moon Libra or Scorpio; NN 29 Scorpio

I looked up Sedaris' chart. He's a Capricorn. That explains the dry wit and the genius and the earthy faking of the humility. He also says he went through an astrology phase at some time or other which is really exciting to hear about at all times except when idling at a 4 way stop (got honked at). Sedaris has Moon in either Libra or Scorpio. A noontime birth places his Moon in Scorpio conjunct Neptune which would explain his references to much drug taking and dealing with addiction problems in general. He also has Pluto square Scorpio North Node and trining his Sun. That adds up to a very sensitive, psychic character but a need for control (and self improvement/transformation) which isn't natural for addiction.

Since he's a writer I thought I'd look at Mercury and Jupiter. I suppose that many astrologers look at Uranus for a Sense of Humor. Once I started thinking about it I realized that all the planets express a funny side, at least on their good days. Uranus is surprise and ability to connect unrelated ideas in new ways. Moon is goofy humor. Saturn is dry humor. Mercury is quick wit. Jupiter is just too fucking funny. Why is it then that most of my favorite comedians are Tauruses and Scorpios? That brings in Venus and Pluto. That's the entire Solar System except for the Sun. Leos do melodrama and just don't know when to stop. I have 3 planets in Leo and simply hammer ideas into the ground. Sometimes it gets a laugh...

Sedaris has a very prominent Jupiter. His Jupiter is at 2 Libra. That's an Aries Point which brings all things Jupiterian (too fucking funniness along and publishing) to the public attention. If his Moon is in Scorpio then Jupiter is also prominent as a Singleton in Air. Can't know for sure without a birth time. His Jupiter is also the only planet aspecting his Capricorn Mercury and this is a great aspect for a writer. And Jupiter squares the Sun, self expression and creativity. They always share a transit at the same time.

Progressed Jupiter is also interesting. It has been Retrograde by progression since the 70s so has been hanging out on the birth spot (Aries Point) for the last 30 years.

Mercury in this chart is in Capricorn at 25 degrees. Mercury rules communication. Sedaris can write his humor and he can speak it. He's a master of telling anecdotes. Capricorn is a very intelligent, observant, sophisticated and dry sense of humor.

Progressed Mercury in Sedaris' chart is really interesting to observe because it was Retrograde up until the early 80s. He says that he started out wanting to an artist and then turned to writing at age 21 (around 1977?) because he wasn't comfortable with his creations. That insecurity about one's expression is so Mercury Rx and it's very interesting that he turned to writing right before Rx Mercury stationed Direct. By the time that Mercury returned to its natal spot, around 2000, Sedaris was very famous and successful.

At Age 21 there are a number of other transits as well that would have indicated turning to writing: p. Sun c. n. Mercury; p. Venus c. n. Sun (well, that can indicate marriage and/or suicide as well, if he's got a Moon-Neptune conjunction in Scorpio one can only imagine what was going on); t. Neptune c. natal Venus/Saturn in Sagittarius and opposing t. Jupiter; and t. Saturn c. n. Pluto (and squaring n. Nodal Axis and n.Sun).

I think that enlivening these incredibly talented writer placements is the Fire Grand Trine in Sedaris' chart. Fire gathers no moss and its great for keeping a story line going. He's got a conjunction of Venus to Saturn, both at 8 Sagittarius which is trining Uranus 7 Leo and Mars 11 Aries. Venus is also parallel to Saturn which doubles its conjunction influence. This combines discipline with aesthetics but also perhaps some fear. The Grand Trine is overall, a great aspect for making fun (Venus & Mars) of reality (Saturn & Uranus). The Pluto aspects explain the darkness behind some of the humor.

Rambling on, it's interesting to see how Saturn-Pluto transits have affected Sedaris' career. He was going through a conjunction of t. Saturn to n. Pluto when he started writing. And t.Pluto was passing over his natal Saturn right as he was becoming extremely famous (2000). Since I've been going through the double whammy Saturn-Pluto conjunction last year and continue with Pluto on my natal Saturn I enjoy finding examples of people who survived this. Usually the ones who do well are workaholics and enjoy the extra fight that Saturn-Pluto demands. That explains why they get rewarded. The rest of us get sucked under.

I recommend this audiobook, in case anyone's interested. I can't wait to see what Sedaris writes as Pluto transits over his Sun. It will be squared by the Saturn-Uranus opposition and so will set off his Saturn-Uranus-Mars-Venus Grand Trine.