Diligence, attention to detail, hard work, learning a trade -- this is what the Eight of Pentacles symbolizes. A young man sits on his work bench, all his attention on his work. Traditionally, the Eights symbolize re-evaluation, making changes, and the Eight of Pentacles symbolizes the hard work necessary to make those changes. In descriptions, it is often called the apprenticeship card.

Joan Bunning says:

Sometimes blessings fall into our laps to be enjoyed. Other times we must put out great effort to obtain them. The Eight of Pentacles represents moments when you must give 110%. Just buckle down and do it. Fortunately, this kind of work is invigorating and leads to superb results. The labor of the Eight of Pentacles is deeply satisfying and productive.

Aeclectic Tarot says:

An apprentice works on eight pentacles. This is the apprentice card. It is a card of starting over, doing something new or perhaps just expanding. Apprenticeship can be scary or demoralizing, like in all those cliched movies where the Kung Fu youngster has to carry water and sweep floors before he can do the real stuff. Similarly, this card predicts, if not a tough time, a time of learning and mistakes, doubts and just hard work.

I don't know if I agree with that description, necessarily--the hard work, certainly, but maybe not the mistakes and doubts. This card tells me that a time of hard work is coming, and that it is necessary to buckle down and just do the work, which is perfectly apropos to this particular moment in time for me.

I'm reaching the end of a huge project at work. There are a lot of loose ends to tie up, a lot of details to be handled, and the only way to do them is just to keep my head down, develop tunnel vision and stick to it until it's done. And then I can go on vacation. :)