I’m here

Even I am impressed with how well I am transitioning considering all the variable factors of leaving behind so many loved ones, extreme anxiety in regards to my financial situation, et al.

You’ll love to hear that my plane had a “hard and fast landing” because some flap wasn’t flapping. Yeah. For a few minutes there I thought I might actually die. When a pilot says, “Uh . . . I’ve done this . . . before . . .” I start imagining my funeral . . . and I’m not so much worried about losing my life so much as I’m like, “Shit. This would devastate my family and friends . . . all this anticipation for this big trip and then I die before I even get started?” Luckily, the universe didn’t have that planned - - we landed safely, applause all around for the pilot and just as soon as I turned my phone on I had three different text messages from friends checking in to make sure I made it in okay.

Ah friends. What would I do without you? Sigh. Swoon. You welcome me with ice cold Coronas, America’s Next Top Model, a free couch for a month, a night of birthday drinking WITH CAKE AND CHEESE, a part-time job with the most adorable children in all of New York (I’m reconsidering my whole “I’ll never raise children in NY” rant . . . these kids are amazing! So smart and they are exposed to so many different cultures and languages . . . hmmm. Put that one on the biological clock back burner) . . . the list continues on forever.

So no worries about me - - I know that is perhaps the scariest thing about having a friend move away - - you worry they’ll be upset or going through a tough time and you’ll be too far away to do anything more than a few phone calls or emails . . .

Please know I’m doing fine, I’m taken care of and having a great time so far. Don’t believe me? Check my Susan Miller forecast for May:

The past few months have been strenuous, but May will be all you want it to be, even exceeding your greatest expectations. It will be chockfull of fabulous opportunities on so many levels that you may be amazed at how things can so dramatically turn to your favor. A “grand trine” - considered the most harmonious, happiest aspect possible - will be shaping up in the heavens, and as a Virgo you will be front and center, perfectly positioned to enjoy all of them.

This golden triangle that will appear in the heavens near May 5 will link the energies of Pluto (transformations), Venus (love, happiness, and fun), and Saturn (stability and longevity). All these planets are in earth signs. The houses that bring you your greatest luck are the ones these planets are visiting. The three planets will form a bond between your fifth house (creativity, love, and children), your ninth house (foreign people / places, study, publishing, and broadcasting), and your first house (ruling the power of your determination and unique personality). All these areas will work together to create a magnificent month of opportunity for you.

The fact that the first house is included in this grand trine signifies that you should feel free to be “you” inside and out. As they say, let you be you. The most unique parts of you will be deeply appreciated now in a very genuine way, and your fresh perspective will be lauded.

If you are in a creative profession (and that would include writing) you should voice your ideas, for they will be heard - they may now bring you through a new door, one that you find infinitely right for you. There will be a sense of freedom and liberation, too, for others are finally “getting” what you are and what you want, and they will want to help you succeed. If you’ve wondered when to launch a major project, it’s now!

What makes this month even MORE special is that the new moon and Sun will appear in a fellow earth sign, as well - Taurus - and send exceptional vibrations to Jupiter, giver of gifts and luck, also in a fellow earth sign, Capricorn. Jupiter is in the same house as Pluto (although too far from Pluto to be called a conjunction). That house is the house of love, pregnancy, and the care of children. This same house rules creativity as well, and this month you should have no shortage of breakthrough ideas!

The fact that Saturn goes direct this month after having been retrograde since last December is another sign of good things to come. Saturn governs your house of true love and creative expressions, and will switch on full power on May 2. Saturn is not due to retrograde again until December 31, so to say your romantic outlook is good is an understatement!

All the goodness of the month will begin at the new moon, May 5. That’s your key date to watch, for news and opportunity should come up starting then. This will be a very refreshing influence, one that will open up for you, and bring you in contact with distinguished big thinking people such as professors, learned instructors, ambassadors, diplomats, and those who work on humanitarian projects on a global scale. You may also be introduced to successful people from foreign lands or come into contact with journalists, producers, and other people who deal in ideas and concepts.

If you have thought about going to summer school (or if you live “down under” going to school over June, July, and/or August) the answer is probably yes! This new moon is encouraging you to grow and expand your vision of the world around you, as well as to delve more deeply into subjects that interest you. If you are considering the idea of studying or working abroad, you may be very much involved with getting all the paperwork done so that you can go now or later.

Romantically, male or female, you will be one hot tamale in May. If you are single and hoping to meet a new person to love, the fifth house, due to receive brilliant vibrations from Venus and Pluto at the new moon, will give you several weeks of exceptional opportunity (until May 24, when Venus exits Taurus) to meet that special person. You must be out and about to allow the cosmos to deliver your goodies. Venus is known to set off sparks of new love and will move through Taurus this month, a sign that is divinely compatible with yours. You will almost literally magnetize this new person to you and you won’t have to try all that hard either. You may meet at a party, on a trip, at a university or other seminar / training setting, or simply during your daily rounds.

June will be an important career month, so you won’t likely be able to go away then. August brings eclipses in Leo and Aquarius, and possibly action in your daily work environment. That means if you want to take a vacation, May and July would be best. See if you can make arrangements quickly now, even if you can only stay away a few days. You and your partner deserve romantic time together, and it’s been very hard to find quality time to do so. Now that you have a rare window of opportunity, enjoy it to the fullest!

If you were born on September 7 or within a few days of this date, you should find this month almost miraculously beneficial for you. That’s because the new moon and Sun will be perfectly angled to the Sun, new moon, AND to Jupiter.

Your very best romantic evenings this month, no matter when your birthday happens to fall, will be: May 5-6, 8-9, 12-13, 17-18, 23, and 31.

By the third weekend, May 17-18, another shorter trip could be on your agenda, and if so, it looks like you will decide to go quite spontaneously. Jupiter will be beautifully angled to that full moon, so you should find your accommodations luxurious. This will be the time of the month of the full moon, and it will reach apex on Monday, May 19. You may want to take that day off too, and extend your weekend into three days - a good idea. Even if you go to a place nearby, your time away will prove to be very refreshing.

The same part of the month - near May 19 - you may sign a contract or other important paper. It’s a good time to do so. Hurry, however, as you don’t wait to dally. Mercury, your ruler, will be retrograde from May 26 to June 19. You won’t want to sign anything then, nor should you. You won’t have all the facts as conditions are in flux, and no one could possibly tell you precisely how things will work out.

I should add that Mercury retrograde is not a good time to make any big purchases. If you have had your eye on a new camera or flat screen TV, get it in early May - don’t delay. If you are buying a gift for a friend or relative, the same holds true. You never want to spend a lot of money when Mercury is retrograde, and never, ever on an electronic item. It would turn out to be the wrong choice or worse, a lemon, and you certainly don’t want that!

Mars is due to duck into Leo on May 9 through June 30, and during that time it looks like you’ll decide to work more in solitude than you have in the past. If you have to finish a thesis, term paper, or proposal, or finish writing or editing a book, you have the perfect time to settle down and do so. It’ll also be an ideal time to study for a major exam (like the bar). You will make a lot of progress.

This same position of Mars may put you in touch with medical personal, whether for yourself (because you are going into the hospital to have a procedure done) or because you have a close friend or relative who needs one. In the latter case, your smiling face will be appreciated each time you come to visit.

Career-wise your work is leading you into a high profile position, something you’ll see for sure early in June. If you need to ask your boss or client for a favor or higher fees, don’t do so on or near May 22. Saturn will be in hard angle to the Sun then - not a day to speak up because you are less likely to walk away with the answer you want. It’s also possible that more work will come your way this day.

The last day I would like to leave you with is May 21, when a partner, middleman, headhunter, agent, representative, or other person will be outstandingly helpful to you and prove to be a true gem. Someone really cares about you, and on this day it shows! You may find this to be a great time for romance and for serious personal talks with your partner about your future, or for a creative collaboration. You may even get lucky with a home-related matter, such as to find a new apartment or house. It’s a four-star day, thanks to the rare interplay of Jupiter and Uranus.

These two planets last met on March 28, so look back to that day for clues of what might happen for you now. Perhaps the same theme will come up. Jupiter and Uranus are set to have another conversation on your behalf later in the year, on November 13. After that, these two will say their goodbyes and not meet again until 2010.

It’s all so very good for you, dear Virgo. This is your month!

Summary

Virgo is known to be the hard worker of the zodiac, but fresh breezes are blowing through your life in May. You are being urged to put the “Gone Fishing” sign on your office door and head out of town.

There’s a big world out there, and you’re about to discover more of it. If you don’t travel - even though it looks like you WILL - you’ll find other ways to feed your curiosity and sense of adventure. Seminars, lectures, and calls to people based abroad will keep you busy. You may be investigating publishing or broadcasting projects, too. All in all, there are many ways to keep your BlackBerry buzzing.

Everything begins the moment the new moon in fellow earth sign Taurus appears, May 5. What you see sparked in the days that follow will remain in your life days or weeks, possibly months, ahead. Of all of 2008, May rises to the top as sure to be one of your favorites and most fortunate. Almost everything you aim for this month will be within your grasp.

Until recently, most planets have been in air and fire signs, but the wheel has tipped to favor earth and water - and this will benefit you instantly. You won’t have to struggle as much to get what you want and may even feel a little bewildered this month when things fit so neatly and quickly into place. It may all seem like you fell into a parallel universe, where every day is sunny and rainbows appear after every shower. It is real, and honestly, it’s about time!

On May 9, Mars will leave your sector of friendships and community where it’s been for months and move on to a more private, contemplative area of your chart. From then on, you’ll want to scale down your social life as you ready yourself for the next big chapter to begin at the start of July. In the coming eight weeks, you’ll need to take time to strategize your next move. Friends may not see much of you in May and June, but the time you spend meditating about where to drive your life next will be well worth the time you take to drop out.

Also during that time, you may enter into an intense period of work on a research paper or book, or you may want to study for a big, important exam. This placement of Mars brings enormous benefits from working in solitude. Another concurrent theme that will emerge in early May is the blossoming of your creativity, through any mode, whether it be painting, illustration, dance, poetry, creative writing, music, sculpture, or other means.

Don’t put your suitcase away if you travel far and wide in the early part of the month. There appears to be a second chance to go near the full moon, May 19 (perhaps on the weekend just prior). This time you’d travel to a place much closer to home. If you need a neighbor to keep an eye on your apartment or to water your plants, ask - it’s evident that someone who lives near you would be very willing to do so.

Throughout the month, it appears that you will be mulling over a number of career options. Next month, June, will either crystallize the ones you have or bring in one or two better opportunities. To take full advantage, you’ll need to start laying the framework now. Get word out, and prepare your resume.

As if this month weren’t bursting with enough options and choices, a creative project seems to have captured your full imagination, too. You may need a collaborator in this venture, and if so, you’ll have magical help all month, but never more than on or near May 19-21 when Uranus and Jupiter will help you in near miraculous ways. Work you do with a partner will produce brilliant results.

Romance, to you, is serious these days. With Saturn, the planet of maturity and wisdom, now in Virgo, it’s obvious that when it comes to love, you don’t want to waste time. If you are dating, you want to see something come of the relationship or move on. If you are married, you will want to set new goals together, whether those involve saving for a house or planning for a child, as two examples. We teach others how to treat us, so in that sense, you’ll be pleased with developments.

Your best time to meet someone new will be from May 5 to May 18, but the strongest and brightest days will fall at the start of this phase.