Mercury enters the earth sign of Virgo today and we notice the particulars. As the mind dons the costume of a scientist or editor, we're looking for the real deal, the empirical truth in all things. You'll be questioning all sides of a story, and others are doing the same. The facts will be checked and re-checked. Thoroughness gets the prize.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Heated situations crop up and you seem to be in the center of it all. Your opinion is very different from others around you, and you may stir up some controversy because of this.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Beauty comes with the cost of maintenance. This is the perfect time to zero in on what requires attention, both in regards to physical appearance and more importantly, inner beauty.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Honor the power of your words and wield them carefully. As you talk about the future, it seems to exist already — your attention makes it so. Things play out as discussed almost exactly.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). The issue seems to be about money, but that's just a smoke screen for what's really going on. Upon closer inspection, it's about the exchange of energy, what you're willing to do and what you're not.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Someone is running to catch up with you as you clip along at the fast pace you are accustomed to. Adjust for others, if only to be polite. Sweet exchanges happen when you slow down.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (AUGUST 10). You're playing a bigger game this year. Making a name for yourself is a matter of doing "your thing" better than you ever have before. Money follows your stellar reputation. You're often busy, though August and November find you footloose and fancy free, moving with the dictators of your roving heart. Gemini and Pisces adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 30, 14, 33, 29 and 20.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Is it really true that there are plenty of fish in the sea? Sure, there are billions of people in the world, but the ones you choose and the relationships you forge with them are special and unique. Stay mindful.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You take your style seriously. After all, you live your life in your clothes, and your home is a reflection of you. Dressing and decorating for some might be a momentary caprice, but for you it's a responsibility.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You're very attractive now. The hardest thing to do in order to maintain your attractiveness is to do nothing at all. Don't try. Stay out of your own way and let your natural powers radiate without interference.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). As with other kinds of storms, brainstorms can be messy. Stay open to the good ideas. This will require you to patiently suffer through the deluge of bad ideas that come with it.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Your thinking keeps going back to the same thing. This is difficult, if not really impossible to control. So go deeper into the thought. Ask questions. Shed more light on the whole scene until you see thing differently.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). No matter what age you are, you'll be acting like someone much younger. You'll look with new eyes at unexplored parts of your past. Tonight, mine the potential of your creativity.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You are admired for the way you gracefully connect with others. Sometimes you get deep, and other times you're playful and silly. You know just the tone to take with each different personality you meet.

FORECAST FOR THE WEEK AHEAD: Do you feel that you're ahead of your time? Are you coming up with ideas that seem to fit into an idealized future? If so, you're already starting to resonate with this week's full moon eclipse in Aquarius. Imaginative visions are brought to light. Revelations and new ways of thinking are delivered. This may be inspired by our kinship with others who see a collective predicament clearly and present a solution for it, or through our own unique ideas. Aquarian lunar energy links to our tribe of friends, those with whom we share common goals, and forward-thinking friendships will be forged across boundaries, inspiring radical paradigm shifts in the collective, which, carried on the sea of other like minds, has a ripple effect. The constellation of Aquarius is the water bearer, a jug carrier of inspiration, whose cosmic job description is pouring personal "aha!" moments into the sea of humanity for the benefit of all. This week, consider that you're part of an interrelated consciousness, a new movement. You are the change. Visionary Alan Watts said, "The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance." Join in!

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Is Antonio Banderas a descendant of royalty? Yes. Ancient cultures worshipped the (Leo) sun gods — like Ra, Apollo and Helios, for example — for their admirable qualities of nobility, integrity and kingly leadership. Antonio certainly looks the part, with his strong, virile appearance, handsomeness and sunny disposition. Now you know why Antonio, or any Leo for that matter, actually rules!

Holiday Mathis is the author of "Rock Your Stars." If you would like to write to her, 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.

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