Can you imagine being so happy with your job that you wouldn’t want to retire – even at 95? To round out my trilogy of extraordinary women who embody the current planetary theme of female power, I give you spunky Elinor Otto, the last working “Rosie the Riveter,” who answered the call for women factory workers during World War II – and has continued to build airplanes at Boeing ever since.
The 95-year-old great-grandmother is finally retiring, not because she wants to, but because the C-17 planes she has always worked on are being discontinued. A vivacious redhead with provocative purple nails (watch the short video here), Otto remained every inch the lady despite wielding a riveting gun. “I thought, well, I’m going to do men’s work, but I’m not going to try to look like a man,” she explained.
Otto’s colleagues say it’s her larger-than-life attitude (a hallmark of her upbeat Sagittarius Moon) they will miss most. “She’s an inspiration to keep people moving forward,” said Sal Gutierrez, a Boeing production manager. “She’s a trooper,” he added (which reflects her loyal, determined Scorpio Sun.)
Lovely Venus just sauntered into Sagittarius, where she will join the Sun and Moon next Saturday for the New Moon (Nov. 22, 4:32 a.m. PST), to lighten spirits all around. Yet another lunation catalyzing Venus! While the last two involved life-or-death Scorpio, this one inhabits the cheerful, adventurous sign of the Archer. Anyone up for a little travel, or learning something new? This Sagittarian emphasis foreshadows Saturn’s entrance into that sign on Dec. 23, where it will remain through 2017. Saturn’s shift tells us to start taking a long-range view. Whether it’s, “What can I do to help arrest climate change?” or “What steps do I need to take to improve my business?” being a visionary is now the cool thing to do.
This is especially true for women, with Venus in Sagittarius through December 10. Let’s take our cue from Elinor Otto, who embodies the iconic “Rosie the Riveter” image – long a symbol of female power. Yet becoming an icon was never her intention. “We just knew this war had to be won and we had to help because the men were gone. Not until years later did we think we did anything special.”
Treasure-Mapping is a fun way to engage your subconscious mind in envisioning your future. For inspiration, check out this Sagittarius New Moon ritual from my book, Astro Feng Shui, Making Magic in Your Home and Life.