Venus and Mars trade moves as though they were playing a cosmic game of chess. Action-oriented Mars ultimately wins this game, but Venus insists that winning is not the point. It's the beauty of the game and the love of the players that matter most. The Sagittarius moon agrees, spurring us on toward future adventures.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You get the sense that your talent and skills are being used in the wrong way. Pull back to get perspective. Nothing good comes of forcing yourself into a situation to please those around you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). The latest research suggests that improving your weaknesses, while noble in intent, may very well be a waste of time. Finding out your strengths and focusing there will make you more effective.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You carry a question around with you now. Your mind will find a way to answer it. Believing this will help to relieve the degree of anxiety that goes along with not knowing.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You'll be excellent at motivating yourself. Time pressures can really work for you now. You'll excel with the creative tension that happens when you're close to a deadline.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Self-discipline isn't fun. In fact, it can be quite uncomfortable, which is why many people don't have as much of it as they want. But you'd rather suffer the discomfort of self-discipline than the pain of regret.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Steer clear of dented cars because they show their history of collision. Similarly, be wary of people who talk of old battles and of being victimized, hurt or wronged.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You're a splendidly expressive conversationalist. So what if some of the things you say don't come out quite right? What counts is that you are contributing. You're a giver.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Determination and resolve will pay off, though it would be nice not to feel that life is an uphill battle. Everything you do shouldn't require such a great deal of energy.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Ideas bounce around in your head, and you want so badly to be able to pursue each one to its natural conclusion. But you can't. You have to prioritize and let some of it go.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You may value someone's opinion and still not agree with it. You'll run into a case or two like this today. The important thing is to stay humble, appreciative and diplomatic.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You want to spend time playing with your loved ones and creating fun memories. Remember that working together builds a bond, too — maybe one that's even more powerful than leisure-time glue.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Sudden changes are around the corner. In order to get ready, build up your strength, flexibility and stamina. This calls for exercise, reading, meditation and extreme self-care.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (March 14). People are only as young as their dreams. Yours happen to be particularly youthful, lofty and colorful and extremely possible. There will be a surprise twist in April that sends you in a new direction. Friends, allies and partners help you with an important project from May through July. Refreshing domestic renovations happen in August. Leo and Virgo people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 40, 7, 1, 33 and 18.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "I'm a Virgo whose self-esteem is really low, and I'm depressed. My husband works all of the time. I'm a virtual assistant by day, and I take care of our school-aged son in the afternoon and evenings. All of the housework and bill paying falls on me, and I don't think I do a very good job of it. I love my husband, and I know he's doing his best so we can keep our heads above water financially. But it doesn't change how tired, hopeless and lonely I feel most of the time. What can I do to get through this strange time?"

Virgos are among the finest caretakers of the zodiac, though they sometimes forget to take care of themselves first. They often take on too much, with too high of an expectation, and succeed nonetheless. But at what cost? It is particularly challenging for Virgo mothers to make their own needs a priority. But if you're not loving life, you're not setting a good example for your son. You need to make yourself happy every day, no exceptions. So make a list of what you love and what makes you smile and gives you pleasure, and do something from that list every single day, no exceptions.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Happy birthday to legendary impresario Quincy Jones. Through his creative orchestrations and spot-on intuition about people and art (his sun and Venus in Pisces), Jones has been a creative catalyst for more than 50 years of pop culture. Born under the harmonious Libra moon, Jones cultivated the talents of Michael Jackson and introduced the world to stars such as Oprah Winfrey and Will Smith.

If you would like to write to Holiday Mathis, please go to www.creators.com and click on "Write the Author" on the Holiday Mathis page, or you may send her a postcard in the mail. To find out more about Holiday Mathis and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.