I’m a Leo. A flaming Leo. The descriptions associated with this astrology sign fit me like a glove. Each week I receive an e-mail from Rob Brezsny, Free Will Astrology, with a weekly horoscope that runs from Thursday to Thursday. I’ve always found them to be exactly what I’ve needed to hear, and have even used them as triggers for chapter titles in books I’ve written and as idea starters for articles.

On June 23rd, I received this horoscope for the week starting with June 24th.

Each year, Playboy magazine publishes a list of the best colleges to go to if you prefer partying to studying. In its recent rankings, a top spot went to the University of Wisconsin, which was dubbed “the best beer-drinking school in the country.” As a counterpoint to this helpful information, HuffingtonPost.com offered a compendium of the best anti-party schools. Brigham Young got favorable mention since it has a policy forbidding students from drinking, smoking, and having sex. The University of Chicago was also highly regarded, being “the place where fun goes to die.” For the next three weeks, Leo, I recommend that you opt for environments that resemble the latter more than the former. It’s time for you to get way down to business, cull the activities that distract you from your main purpose, and cultivate a hell of a lot of gravitas.

It stopped me in my tracks. Not so much because I’m an alumna of UW Madison, best party school in the nation, but because I felt like this message had started back in May.

So many things have happened that have “sucked the fun out of my life.” Not being one to write about sad or horribly disappointing situations, I’ve sat on my hands for weeks. Waiting for things to change.

But, I’m afraid they haven’t. Not in the way I would have liked. And, given this horoscope, I’m not expecting the clouds to part any time soon. So, with this note, I’ve committed myself to writing here again. I’ll start with the latest Peyton Place episode (look it up if this doesn’t resonate with you). And then I’ll go backwards and forwards as the situation demands.

Hang I there with me okay? I guarantee the experiences I’ve had aren’t dull. They just don’t make my heart sing.