When I read about singer Katy Perry planning to give her brand-new fiancee, Russell Brand, a lilac Bentley for Valentines Day, I thought, “wooah, there, girl!”

They got engaged very romantically on the Full Moon of New Year’s Eve in India after dating since only September 2009.

Whichever way you cut it, after barely five months, they still don’t know each other very well. Yeah, yeah in THAT sense but it takes time for a person’s chart to unfold.

The strongest aspects around their chart have to do with Uranus (no jokes, please) which indicate sudden, enormous attraction, crackling electricity, independence, unconventionality, friendship, but also a definite on-off quality to their relationship.

The sign your Jupiter is in is where you find fun, joy, generosity, and optimism. Katy has hers in Capricorn. While the Mars-Jupiter conjunction that she has is renowned for being super-impulsive (compulsive, even), Capricorn is not known for being splashy with money and prefers to climb the career ladder, building a solid reputation. She also has the Sun, Moon and Mercury in Scorpio which means she is completely passionate - yet also highly strategic.

While I don’t doubt she fancies Russell’s pants off (his Mars in Aries trines her Venus in Sagittarius - lovely for a romantic, sexual attraction), she’s no fool and knows her flamboyant gesture would get publicised (which kinda ruins the surprise for him).

I’m not convinced that these guys can make it last the distance however. Russell has his Moon, Mars and Jupiter in Aries which means he feels, acts and has fun spontaneously. Plus he’s a Gemini and boy, are they hard to tie down! Katy’s more of a planner so his impulsive proposal may come unstuck as transiting Jupiter and Uranus in Aries (mid-year), Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Libra hit their charts over the next couple of years.

Better keep the receipt for the Bentley!!!

A survey of 9,929 US consumers found that the average shopper had done less than half of their Christmas gift shopping as of 12 December. (Have you finished yours?)

Showing we’re a little less organised than last year, the survey by the National Retail Federation found the average shopper had done only 46.7% of their shopping by the end of the second week of December, compared to 47.1% in 2008 - and it was the lowest level since 2004 (back in the good ol’ days when people planned ahead). Thirty-five percent planned to finish their shopping by Saturday 19 December.

The analysts think that shoppers are waiting for last-minute bargains at the department stores and online. Unfortunately, the things you want the bargains for are rarely the things on sale!

The survey also found that a further 42 million people hadn’t even started their shopping as of 12 December which means, oh, complete bedlam at the mall next week. That is, unless they’re taking advantage of Free Shipping Day (17 December)?

I hope so! There’s a “challenging” Sun conjunct Pluto aspect on 24 December, which suggests everyone might get more than a little nasty then as they battle with lack of co-operation, excessive bullying, and control and power issues (sounds like Christmas to me). Count to ten if you feel things are getting out of control, such as other customers abusing sales staff (or vice versa). There could be waaaaaaay too many “”I saw it first!” type punch-ups going on at the mall.

If you’ve got a diamond ring burning a hole in your pocket (or just the urge to propose), Wednesday 28 October 2009 is a lovely day to get down on a bended knee to pop the question!

Venus (the Goddess of Love and Beauty) will be in Libra (the sign of balance, harmony and relationships) which will make a gorgeous trine to Jupiter (the Santa Claus of the zodiac) in Aquarius (friends, hopes and wishes) that day. There is probably no other combination as romantic, lucky, prosperous, abundant and joyous as this aspect!

On the same day there is also Mercury (communication) in Scorpio (sex, insight, psychology) sextiling Pluto (the planet of transformation) in Capricorn (stability, longevity, conservatism). This combination is fantastic for putting a metaphorical jigsaw puzzle together in a long-term way. Hopefully you are the one who “completes” them.

Plus, Saturn (the Pillar of the Community guy) moves into Libra (see above) the very next day. He WANTS you to get married and to make a commitment! How cool is that?!

If your favourite Virgo is celebrating his or her birthday, I hope you’ve marked it in your diary/Outlook calendar, have left enough time to get their present there on time AND call them on the day. Well, they would do it for you! Most Virgos have an amazing memory and mentally file away everyone’s birthdays, anniversaries etc so they can deliver a gift on YOUR day. You might be surprised to know that they’re secretly wounded by people forgetting their birthday and quietly, desperately need you to prove that they’re special.

So, what to get them? One of the nicest things you can give them is a break from the housework that they tend to feel overwhelmed by. When too much is going on in their lives - and it has been thanks to Saturn in Virgo putting immense pressure on them since August 2007 not to mention Uranus in Pisces freaking them right out with undependable partners - they tend to clean, polish, sweep, vacuum, scrub, and wash etc to get some sense of order back. So as you might imagine, they have been cleaning up a storm for a couple of years…Give them a well-deserved break.

They also love a good de-cluttering. They have Pisces on the seventh house of relationships which can make them hate to throw things away that their loved ones have given them and have Sagittarius on the fourth house of home and family which suggests they live with complete grots (sorry, disorganised people). Call in the professional organisers - it will make them silly with happiness!

Saturn in your own sign is, shall we say, a little heavy-going on one’s self-esteem and attitudes towards one’s looks. Is it time for a professional stylist to freshen up their look with more flattering clothes, a haircut or better make-up choices? They just lurrve those makeover shows!

Pluto in Capricorn entered their solar fifth house of love and creativity in January 2009 and will be there until 2024. Pluto rules Scorpio so anything that promotes a bit of lovin’ and kissin’ - can you babysit the kids for the weekend? - is ideal. Virgos love step-by-step manuals and since there are all sorts of interesting how-to books to do with lovemaking, this could be a a naughty thrill!

Jupiter is in Aquarius is their sixth house of work and health until January 2010. Jupiter is what you find fun. Personally I’d like to steer away the emphasis from work for Virgo - it’s waaaay too easy for them to be workaholics - so please don’t give them leather-bound diaries or desk organisers - yuck! Springing for some new bookshelves for their home office - the Expedit ones from IKEA are very popular - might be OK, as might picking up a cute little handbag-sized laptop for them.

Or let’s consider the health side of things. Perhaps you could spring for a personal trainer, a new gym membership, some cute workout clothes, the Low GI Diet book, a delivery of fresh fruit and vegies, or at least a good, deep Swedish massage. The sixth house also rules pets. Have they been pressing their nose up against the puppies’ window at the local pet store or RSPCA? If a little doggie or kitty-kat could fit into their lifestyle, a pet could make a wonderful surprise gift.

Books are also pretty well-received. Since they love to know how things work and what makes people tick, why not check out the latest round of self-help/inspirational books?

Oh boy! I would love to know what is going on with this family!

An 11-year-old in Britain has been reported as the country’s most spoilt child, receiving approximately $300,000 in clothes and gifts (we’re talking about $2,300 a month, EVERY month, people) since she was born.

Her mother Alison MacKay, who must be the world’s best paid hairdresser, apparently started this insane and revolting spending spree since Brogan was born, lavishing her with Gucci loafers before the toddler could walk, giving her the latest Jimmy Choo shoes, Prada, Louis Vuitton and Chanel handbags, as well as a $1,100 flatscreen TV, iPhone and everything else you could poke a maxed-out credit card at.

Alison apparently “can’t go into a shop without buying Brogan something….She’s always been obsessed with her looks and I’m happy to work extra hours to buy her new clothes.”

Her dad is no better. According to Alison, Stephen “doesn’t mind. He just says, ‘Oh, let her have it.’ We have no savings but he believes in living for the day.”

What a psychological smorgasbord for a future counsellor to pick over.

While I don’t have any of their birth charts, Brogan is currently 11 years old. Allowing for this pre-teen to have just turned 11, or about to turn 12, she was born sometime between August 1997 and July 1998. Throughout this year-long period, Saturn was in Aries (between 20 to 29 degrees). Saturn rules what you’re insecure about, feel guilty about, get criticised for and have lessons in which to learn. Aries rules the physical body and is well-known for its overly healthy ego. When Saturn is in Aries, it can make for a person who is hugely insecure about their looks, yet who is also has guilt about feeling that it is ”all about them”. Brogan is going to be in for some pain if she thinks handbags and shoes can make her feel good about herself.

Her parents seem to be lacking that vital body part: a spine. Alison seems to have Neptune (glamour, illusion, addiction) in overdrive, buying her young daughter endless gifts. She “cannot go into a shop without buying Brogan something”. She really needs help! Her Dad is playing Good-Time Dad, which can often be an overly generous, irresponsible Jupiter at large. Jupiter hates responsibility and certainly doesn’t like the idea of savings.

As Pluto works his inexorable way through Capricorn (he’ll be there til 2024), we’ll all be taking much greater financial responsibility for ourselves. Pluto rules resources (anything from mineral to human) and you have to make the most of what you’ve got.  I think that when Brogan’s Saturn in Aries squares Pluto in Capricorn, (from about 2017 onwards), if she or her parents haven’t addressed this, there could be some real tears to be shed.

No, this isn’t a post about whether Sasha and Malia Obama gave their father soap-on-a-rope for yesterday’s Fathers Day celebration in the US, but about his impassioned speech imploring men to be better fathers.

Barack is a regal Leo who wants to be the best at everything he does and one of Leo’s best assets is their regal ability to inspire others. Leos are also noted for their courage so it was fascinating that he said, “Any fool can have a child. That doesn’t make you a father. It’s the courage to raise a child that makes you a father.”

He has roll-up-your-sleeves Mars in Virgo. This is a classic position for working hard, being dutiful, helping with housework and homework and generally being a hands-on, practical Dad. The Mars position in a man’s sign is his quality of action, activity and energy and since Virgo won’t rest until things are seen to, Barack will work very hard to help inspire a sense of duty amongst America’s fathers. Combined with the slow-burn effect of Pluto in Capricorn until 2024, it’s likely that there will be growing disapproval for social instability as well as a swing to extended families to ensure that the burden of child-rearing is shared in society.

If you enjoy spending at least some of your weekend shopping for gifts, this weekend is probably not the best for it.

It features a New Moon in Taurus, which in itself is OK - Taureans love their possessions - but which is going to get activated by the Mercury square Neptune aspect (in force until Sunday morning), and then be followed up by a crushingly brutal Mars square Pluto combination lasting until early Monday.

So what this points to is a “need” (the Moon is what you need) around money, finances, posessions etc. You may “need” to go shopping for a birthday gift. 

Mercury (thoughts, communication) squares Neptune (glamour, illusion, escapism) suggests that you could be severely deluded if you think that antique in the market stall is real, the bag on eBay is a genuine Prada, the gizmo actually does what it suggests etc. Lies, fantasies, wishful thinking, confusion are all typical of a Saturday afternoon at the shops - and then of course, there’s this aspect.

Then the real kicker is Mars (aggression, anger, energy, drive) square Pluto (hidden secrets, power, control, taboo). You could be boxed into a very uncomfortable corner, made to agree to something not in your favour or bullied in a thoroughly unpleasant confrontation.

Since shop assistants aren’t allowed to carry on like this, your weekend could go like this: You want to go shopping for something/anything, so you buy something useless, flimsy, or unreliable, and then you get into a big fight about your spending habits which you’ve been trying to avoid or they finally discover your credit card statement. Or something similar.

This might be one weekend not to go shopping…

Gifts and inheritances - as well as deceased estates -  attract capital gains tax in Australia. and death duties in other countries.

I was thinking about Australian businessman James Packer who inherited the very weighty gift of a multi-billion-dollar estate by his father, the late Kerry Packer when he died on Boxing Day, 2006.

Like other mutable signs this year (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) born in 8-18 March, June, September or December,  Virgo James is being affected by the Saturn in Virgo-Uranus in Pisces opposition. Unlike other signs, he also has a lot more to lose - billions, in fact.

On Today Tonight, they profiled the progress of his Crown Casino in Macau, and his yet-to-be-finalised City of Dreams Casino opposite. It seems the only thing that is being hammered is his super-sized wallet. Building has paused thanks to the global financial crisis, and China is cracking down on the exit of funds from its banks.

James has natal Jupiter (fun, generosity, enthusiasm) in Leo (love, children, recreation and gambling). He is a generous-spirited man who really puts his heart into his pet projects. While he is not a actual gambler like his famous Sagittarian Dad, he IS gambling on the casino being a huge financial success.

In February, transiting Neptune (illusions, glamour and addictions) opposed his natal Jupiter suggesting there are elements to his massive casino project that he’s not aware of. In mid-April, his natal Jupiter will oppose transiting Jupiter in Aquarius. Jupiter rarely knows when to say no and stop which suggests his exuberance for the project may get him in trouble.  He could easily “go for broke”.

Also in February, his natal Pluto (power, obsessions, taboos) conjuncted with transiting Saturn (the stern school principal/cop/grumpy grandfather of the zodiac). It’s likely people behind the scenes were warning him to stop or at least reduce his expansion plans (or were secretly undermining his ability to succeed). As Saturn is retrograde until 19 May, he can ”look forward to” a re-run of this in August when Saturn has retraced its steps.

This month, James is also currently being hammered by transiting Saturn in Virgo conjuncting his natal Sun (a prime time when everyone wags their finger at you disapprovingly),  and Uranus in Pisces opposing his ntal Sun (making him incredibly impatient to be independent and blast his own course).

It’s hard enough right now to be a mid-month-born mutable sign, feeling frustrated or disappointed thanks to the lingering Saturn-Uranus opposition effect, but when you’re a famous figure like him with all the world able to see and judge your mistakes, my bet is he cannot WAIT for 2009 to be over.

When I read Prince William finds Mothers Day empty following the death of his mum, fellow Cancerian Princess Diana in 1997, I first thought, “poor guy”, then, “Mmmm, he is a Cancer with his Moon and North Node conjunct in Cancer, so no wonder” and then, “I had no idea Mothers Day was in March in the UK”. 

Mothers Day falls on 22 March in the UK (if I lived in the UK, I would definitely give my mum this as a Mothers Day gift!) while for the majority of countries it falls this year on 10 May.

Cancer IS the sign of home and family so Mothers Day would be a bit of a shocker day for him - every year. It’s interesting that his long-time girlfriend, Kate Middleton, also has Moon in Cancer (when people have the same Moon sign as you, you naturally feel right “at home” with them), and Prince Charles’ wife (and long-time secret lover) Camilla, is also a Cancer.

William and Kate are peas in a pod. They share Moon and North Node in Cancer, and Mars, Saturn and Pluto in Libra which points to some “interesting” times for their relationship in November-December 2010, September -November 2011, and June-July 2012 when William and then Kate undergoes their Saturn return.

They also have a pretty dynamic pair of aspects, Venus trine Mars, and Mars conjunct Mars, in their relationship, which makes for an irresistible tie. Sex is pretty hot! So if for any reason, Queen Elizabeth says he can’t marry her, William might just do what his Dad did, and see her regardless of whom he marries.