No, really. I'm interested.

I'll explain: Sometimes I get nervous around people who fully subscribe to the ebb and flow of life surrounding the zodiac signs. But a major side of me believes in astrological references. For years I've read Susan Miller's monthly forecasts. Occasionally, I flip through Sally Brompton’s NY Post Daily Horoscopes, and I also have a secret friend, Lexa Roséan, psychic and astrologist who’s done my chart.

In order to have your natal chart read and calculated, you need to know the day, year, exact time, and city of your birth. The results yield fascinating, if not wholly fanciful, information regarding the orbit of each planet on your birthday. After reading the chart, you're then able to identify what your star sign, rising sign, and moon sign are. I'm a Taurus with Leo as my rising sign and Cancer as my moon. To break it down, I'm a showy, determined, and sensitive person who often opts to dance, stand up for friends, and cry. For certain, I can attest, I am stubborn, loyal, and a lover—all personality traits labeled Taurus. If you tell me I can't do something, I'll do it, which is a good and bad thing. If you need me to help you move your apartment, I am there at a moments notice. When I love, and no matter who it is, I love hard.

In Miller's astrological history lesson she notes, “We need to emphasize that astrology isn't predestination or fate. Man has free will.” For me, astrology is a guide to understanding the planets (sort of), how we are connected to them (potentially), and most importantly, how we relate to other people who are on different paths in terms of communication, love, money, change, growth, conflict, etc.

And then there're the retrogrades. If you're unfamiliar with astrological lingo, you've at least heard the term retrograde. Or seen this meme. Mercury and Venus are the most newsworthy of the retrogrades. By definition, it means “moving backward.” So when a planet retrogrades, things go awry. Matters of the heart, looks, and appearances are in flux. Backwards. Beware.

Right now, Venus is in retrograde. Venus rules love, appearances, beauty, gifts, creativity, and deep connections between lovers, friends, and even work. Right now, in astrological sensibilities, it's wise NOT to get your hair cut, buy expensive art, breakup or start dating, change the course of life related to any passions...That being said, acknowledging this information may just be enough to keep you on track. We run our own lives and do want we want, so maybe get bangs tomorrow.

Either way, I'm still interested—and looking for new insights as to how horoscope angles inspire you. Leave your thoughts, opinions, and stories below.

—Jen Steele

Illustrations by Lucy Han.

So now that you know it's better to stay away from your hairstylist this month, here's how to maintain mid-length hair.