STARS

from The Byron Shire Echo – Issue 37.35 – February 8, 2023

by Echo Publications

7 DAYS OF ENTERTAINMENT

BY LILITH

Quick Clues

ACROSS

1. Within a building (6)

4. Scribbler (8)

9. Prison cell (7)

11. Noble gas (4,3)

12. American author … Wolf (5)

13. Fortify (9)

14. Horse-drawn carriage (10)

16. Hunk (4)

19. Span (4)

20. Uranologist (9)

22. Must be known before a transfusion (5,4)

23. Era (5)

25. Ornamental shoulder piece (7)

26. Backstabber (7)

27. Work in addition to regular hours (8)

28. Scarab; cockroach (6)

DOWN

1. Our Asian neighbour (9)

2. Native Australian dog (5)

3. Biased (3-5)

5. Acute coronary syndrome (7,6)

6. Unmoored (6)

7. A number expressed as a power of a chosen base (9)

8. American comedian … O’Donnell (5)

10. The brain, spinal cord and nerves (7,6)

15. Harbour (9)

17. An unexpected winner (4,5)

18. Precede in time; come before (8)

21. An incomplete or random group (3,3)

22. All right (Spanish) (5)

24. Eight musicians (5)

Last week’s solution N476

IMPOSSIBLEPAGE MATANOR PASTORALINTUIT ASUAGEM READMONUMENTAL TTPCATC ISOSCELESWILES ATTORAP LIBRAAFTERLIFE MUCTDTE BANGLADESHICED GGNREHI TILLEDREALTIME NEIODES MESSDARKSECRET

I have a disorder that is incompatible with living a comfortable life in the current system. Unfortunately it’s becoming less common, but there are people living in your street who will have it. Maybe even your friends, or someone in your family. Maybe you. It’s my deep shame. It’s why I will never be rich and successful. But probably why I am so deeply happy and why I am so full of love and care for other humans.

I have nicessism

It’s defined by having no sense of entitlement, too much empathy and a failure to enjoy what you have without an awareness and a sense of responsibility for the suffering of others. It makes surviving in our capitalist system almost impossible. In fact a nicessist is completely at odds with the ‘take, take, take!’ approach encouraged by our economic model.

Nicessism makes you acutely aware of the impact of your choices on other people. It tells you that you can make a difference, and you should, and that profits don’t come before people. Nicessism is why my husband and I will work until we die. Nicessism is exhausting; if you see something you must act – you cannot close your eyes to what is needed. When someone calls for volunteers you must step up. When someone is in need you must give. It’s a constant sense of connection and responsibility. You cannot take the parking spots of other people, even if you saw them first. You cannot drive past a hitchhiker if you have a space in the car. You cannot see someone fall, and not stop to help them up.

Nicessists don’t put their seat back when they are on a short domestic flight. They are aware of the discomfort of others. Just because there is a button doesn’t mean you are entitled to use it.

ARIES: While Jupiter’s feel-good vibes won’t heal unresolved issues, they will boost the benefits of Chiron in your passionista sign to soften the scar tissue of the past and reopen your tender heart. Jupiter and Uranus are currently urging you feed and nurture yourself with more joy, creativity and adventures into exciting new territory.

TAURUS: Taurean Jean Houston, says it best for this week: ‘Now is the time we must live as if we and all of life is sacred, as if everything we do makes a difference. The ecological crisis is doing what no other crisis in history has ever done: challenging us to a realisation of a new humanity.’

GEMINI: Gemini Shakespearean actor and British national treasure, Sir Ian McKellen, has an easily accessible approach for Valentine’s, and every other, day, which is just to address everyone as ‘love’. Check out tinyurl.com/3s9sp4d8 for his full story.

Nicessists don’t take the last cupcake. They go without.

Nicessists give their time. When they are asked to help they say, ‘Yes’. So they get asked to help all the time. This gives them less time to make money. Which they are shit at anyway. They can’t invest in anything unethical so they suck at the stockmarket.

Nicessists tend to work as teachers, nurses, paramedics or in aged care. Places where they do 16-hour shifts and don’t get paid properly. And when they complain no one listens because everyone knows they are niceissists and they’ll keep doing it until they burn out and die.

Nicessists don’t feel okay about 26 January being Australia Day. They don’t fly the Aussie flag on their front lawn.

Nicessists aren’t comfortable with offshore detention. They are appalled that we are the only country that does this and that people are suffering because our government prefers to argue about things like ‘jurisdiction’ instead of focusing on things like ‘humanity’.

Nicessists can’t destroy forests for mining or for profit-driven development of any sort. They know there are better solutions. They will tie themselves to trees and stop traffic. They will face imprisonment under NSW protest laws.

Nicessists can’t buy investment properties and put them on the short-term holiday market. Even though the financial return might benefit them, they think about things like: ‘Would I like to have people on holidays having parties night after

CANCER: From Cancerian Anthony Bourdain: ‘Eat at a local restaurant tonight. Get the cream sauce... eat an oyster… Be open to a world where you may not understand or agree with the person next to you, but have a drink with them anyways. Tip your server. Check in on your friends. Check in on yourself. Enjoy the ride.’ night next door to me?’, or ‘If I use a residential house as a hotel then I am taking a house out of the market that someone could have made into a home. I’d be taking away the chances for someone else to feel security. What if a woman has to live in her car because she can’t find a rental and my home could have been hers?’.

LEO: While sweets and flowers are traditional Valentine’s gifts, a more meaningful contribution might be doing just one thing that brings extra heart to each day. In physical astrology Leo rules the heart, and nestled in the centre of that word is the organ of hearing, suggesting a simple commitment to enhanced listening might just be the answer.

VIRGO: What better love instructions for your earthy sign this week than Advice From A Tree? ‘Stand tall and proud. Go out on a limb. Remember your roots. Drink plenty of water. Be content with your natural beauty. Enjoy the view’. From Ilan Shamir, whose name means Protector of Trees.

A nicessist would see their role in the erosion of community. ‘If we don’t keep more of our houses for the community, then who will cut the oranges up for the nippers? Or coach the netball team? Or be a nurse at the local hospital?’.

Nicessists can’t buy houses in towns with the worst homelessness rates outside of a capital city and then rent them out for fast turnover profits. They don’t feel that having money and being able to do such things means that they will. In fact, they think the opposite.

Nicessists think that having money and opportunity means you should be making better decisions; more ethical ones, because you can afford to. When people who have lots of money also have Nicessism, they do some bloody incredible things. Nicessists with money are scary; if there were enough of them all over the world, they could break capitalism. That’s why the system lures the wealthy in and indoctrinates them into the mindset that allows them to justify profiteering at the expense of the environment or community. The system destroys nicessists and keeps them poor.

Capitalism hates nicessism. But fortunately for capitalism people with nicessism understand that.

LIBRA: The celestial setup on Valentine’s Day suggests balancing overthinker Mercury by relaxing your intelligence, exercising your heart muscles and treating yourself to a gift you’ve always wanted. And then extending this generosity to nearest and dearest, and even further to everyone you meet, with the gift of a kind word, encouragement or compliment.

SCORPIO: This week offers a chance to reflect on the many different kinds of relationships. While passion planet Mars fires up desires, Jupiter inspires a broader, more panoramic love picture, as described by Scorpio Kurt Vonnegut: ‘A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved.’

SAGITTARIUS: From Sagittarian, Rainer Maria Rilke: ‘For one human being to love another human being: that is perhaps the most difficult task that has been given to us, the ultimate, the final problem and proof, the work for which all other work is merely preparation’.

CAPRICORN: This week’s day of the heart issues a challenge you might like to consider from history’s most famous Capricorn, Jesus of Nazareth: ‘Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who treat you spitefully...’ which, as anyone who’s tried it knows, isn’t the easiest call.

AQUARIUS: Mercury joining the Sun and Saturn in your communityminded sign mixes an inspired cosmic cocktail for communicating via writing or speaking to groups and organisations. And this sees you at your most entertaining and engaging. Stubborn though, so don’t neglect to exercise the flex – it’s guaranteed to attract more love.

PISCES: Valentine’s advice from Pisces actress Glenn Close: ‘I think everybody wants to connect. There is nothing worse than feeling disconnected. And stories that really move people and make people care are the ones where they feel some sort of connection. A huge part of real love is constant forgiveness’.

+Registered in September 2022, this block is ready for new owners to proceed with their building plans

+The elevated position offers panoramic rural & water views with a 16m north-facing street frontage