Didnt mean to imply that Equal house was the only valid house system, but that's where i'm coming from. I have persoanlly known lots of people that have studied Placidus and other house sytems, only to finally accept through their own studies that Equal house simply works...... not just my opinion then.

Plus seems very little mention if any is made on this site of alternatives, and I just want people to be aware of the alternative and not get just a one sided viewpoint  

Yes, I agree that the House systems (all of them) are rarely mentioned.  I'm sure you're aware of how/why Placidus got top billing for so many decades.  But now, with computers, there is no longer any reason to use only Placidus.  I use Equal House systems for some applications, other House systems for other applications, so I switch and end up using them all at some point or another.  

My only comments about Equal House is the same I would give to Placidus...that there are other House systems available and not be mis-educated to think that there is only one.  To say that this or that House system is used by this or that astrologer, or that this or that House system has many followers from experience is really just a matter of preference, and not an endorsement to use this or that system above all others.  If someone after decades of experimenting, as yourself, has a preference, then I would consider it an educated preference for you...but every serious student of astrology must take the time, as you did, to discover which works best for himself, and  not follow the leader to avoid the effort required to learn about all of them.

Just out of curiosity what is the name for the Sag/Cap cusp. I was born on 12/21 and have always read both scopes. I find that each sign description fits me equally. Although some days I definitely feel like I am one over the other, but it changes from day to day.

If you go to astro dot com and get a free chart, you will see that the sun changes signs at a given moment in time. The problem being that the majority of people don't know their time of birth or can't be bothered to find out. Your comments suggests you know very little about astrology. You are far far more than just your sun sign. That is just the tip of the iceburg.

How then does an astrologer choose a house system? Well, the individual studying alone is more than likely to use Placidus Houses. The reason for this is simple - he has to consult an ephemeris in any case, and Raphael's Ephemeris is the most widely used, which gives the information needed for Placidus Houses.
Students who study with a recognised school are usually introduced to all of the house systems, but taught to use one far more than the others. This is usually the Equal House system, which incidentally is also the oldest one. In this house system, the twelve divisions are very much like spokes of a wheel, equally spaced at 30 degree intervals, with all houses being the same size. This is the easiest of the House systems to use, as it requires no further calculation. Once the Ascendant is known, one simply divides the rest of the chart using the Ascending degree as a starting point - so if the Ascendant is at 22 degrees Leo, this is take as the cusp of the first house, with the second house beginning at 22 degrees Virgo, the third at 22 degrees Libra and so forth.
The Equal House system is conceptually valid within today's astrological standpoint that every individual is free to become what their birth chart symbolises as their ultimate talent. The Ascendant has been shown to correspond to the way the person automatically approaches their environment - the 'persona' in Jungian terms. This person is therefore likely to approach every field of life in a specific way. A person with an Aquarius Ascendant, for example, will approach money-making and material values (2nd house) in a Pisces manner, will learn (3rd house) in an Aries manner, deal with family (4th house) in a Taurus manner and so forth.

The biggest criticism of the Equal House system concerns the position of the MC, which, using this system is more often than not the cusp of the tenth house (or any house) but rather is found within the 9th, 10th or 11th house.

The MC, being the highest point at birth, symbolises the aims and ambitions one works towards, and, by extension, one's career potential and public image. But these areas are also 10th house matters, devised, because of that house's association with Saturn, to show precisely these areas of life. It is therefore conceptually necessary (so goes the argument) that the MC be the cusp of the 10th house. For this reason, the Equal House system has a limited following outside the UK, although it is still the commonest House system within the UK.
http://www.astrolozy.com/article19.asp
http://www.aquamoonlight.co.uk/systems.html


There are free lessons on here if you wish to study online and I welcome any serious enquiries.

Well I've always been somewhat mixed on my views surrounding cusps. I definitely believe that the flow of the signs is fluid; there are no stark chops in their transitions. I was born on March 26, the Week of the Child, but I have read here and there that I am still 'included' in the Pisces/Aries cusp. I got curious and read some articles regarding the cusp, and have to say that to an extent the descriptions of a person who has trouble balancing artistic sensitivity with brash forwardness ( and a touch of immaturity ..) is somewhat accurate. While I don't "feel" Piscean descriptions the way I do Aries ones, I still can't let go of the fact that I'm not a 'typical' Arian, especially in comparison to April Aries, whom I feel are a stronger representation of the archaetypical Aries. Bottom line is that while I value the cusps and their support of sign transition as fluid, I have to say that the zone of a cusp is probably very narrow (in opposition to astrologers who give it a few days or even a week!), and probably about a day or two's worth from sign to sign.