Hi Inside Out Orange and Allie,
I think what you have both written is verrry interesting. I too have a prominent Saturn in the 1st house, and have had alot of confidence issues. I agree with what both of you said:
self-esteem, karmic issues, hardship, restriction, and characteristics would be: mature, strong/clear boundaries and viewing things seriously, perhaps gloomily, things along those lines.
and
(e.g. rules-bound, materialistic, struggles with feelings, goal-oriented),
The only thing I disagree with is the struggles with feelings bit, as Allie said. But I do think that Saturn is goal orientated, as I think this is connected to the maturity and seriousness of the planet, as well as its practical streak. It wants to know what practical difference something can make, and what will actually change. That is very similar to being goal orientated.
I can see how that is the opposite to the Neptune. Lots of people in this thread have said their Neptune gives them no sense of direction. I think this aspect of Neptune is actually a slightly negative influence on a chart. That crippling procrastination and indecisiveness, I have felt it too. I often like to sit and do nothing, in fact it is a Sunday afternoon and I am having a cup of early grey and watching the sun start to set. A part of me says 'what are you doing you have 100000 things to be doing (which I do)' and another part says 'this is nice, this is beautiful, everything else will work out.'
So which planet is good and which planet is bad? I can see them both as being good and bad, but there is this element of deceptiveness with Neptune here I'm not entirely comfortable with. It seduces me, lulls me into contemplation and inaction.
EDIT Neptune is currently on my Mars and square my Sun. But nothing in my chart gets past Pluto. So I know exactly whats going on, even if I feel I can't change it.