Before going retrograde tomorrow, Mercury knocks on the door of Mars to pre-negotiate his terms. Do we hold ourselves to the same standards we hold others to? Is our thinking balanced? Do we even agree? Even though we may have a strong opinion, conversations can't afford to be one-sided now. For Libra, everyone's opinion matters.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Creative collaborations yield lucrative results. You now resonate best with those of their own element, which is to say they get along with other fire signs, which are Leos, Sagittarius and, of course, fellow Aries.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You are holding in the emotion that needs to come out. A movie or book may be the perfect release. So if you're drawn to a piece of entertainment, investigate. Let out the laugher and the tears.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Everyone is feeling territorial and diplomacy is of utmost importance, especially in the workplace. Be modest and extremely careful not to take too much credit for joint efforts, lest you invite criticism.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Dare to tread lightly into other people's conversations. You shed an innocent perspective on matters and your good-natured curiosity could elevate the tone of communication for others.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You'll be delivering news that has the potential for an uncomfortable reception. There's no easy way, so the best you can hope for is to be quick and brief. Go in, state your case, then get out.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (SEPTEMBER 23). You have big questions and the answers you find are marvelous. Mostly they come from your own mind as you learn to relax. Your curiosity is so attractive that you'll have to fight for alone time — old and new friends are eager to spend time with you. New income sources arrive in January. Sagittarius and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 51, 4, 13, 11 and 15.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You are in tune with what's around you, especially what's above you. It's obvious that you are being divinely guided. You are inclined to treat the impulses you feel as gifts from the heavens.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Your work environment offers new options. Choose the new and exciting one, even if you're not sure you're qualified. If it isn't fun, don't do it. But if you have to do it, make it fun.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). No matter how counterintuitive it seems to detach yourself from the outcome of a situation that's of premium importance to you, no movement will happen until you let go. Release and trust.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Like Scorpio, detachment seems counterintuitive to getting what you want. How can the key to getting what you want be not caring whether or not you get it? It just is. Hold your intention and desire, but let the outcome be what it will.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). When you take action, your stress and worry immediately disappears. You're not responding to your fate, you're designing it. A Pisces will help you recognize which of your ideas is the best.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You are busy helping others feel good about their contributions. With your kind words and encouragement you are making deposits into their emotional bank account, and your own balance goes up as a result.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Your awareness grows, allowing you to seize opportunities you would have missed only a month ago. Consider turning your hobby into a business, or pursuing paid work for one of your creative talents.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "My birth date is March 31, 1974, and my husband's is Aug. 1, 1975. We are having a lot of problems and one of them is his illogical jealousy over a co-worker of mine."

Jealousy is a natural emotion that can enter a relationship at differing times, for various reasons. But if unresolved jealousy sticks around, it can be destructive. Leo men, often out of insecurity, can sometimes feel the need to control their partner. Who doesn't at one point or another want to tell another person, indirectly or directly, what to do, think or say? However, for a relationship to remain mutually supportive and loving, this tendency must be tamed. The easiest way for anyone to do this is to let go and realize that just as you can't make a person love you, neither can you control whom they interact with all the time. Possessiveness, the idea that once in a relationship, a person owns another, is often the uglier truth of jealousy. With Mars in possessive Taurus, he may need to work this out in a counseling situation. Meanwhile, the best reassurance you can offer is just the facts: that you're with him and no one else.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Will Smith has a knack for creating instant rapport. This is because it's in the nature of Will, and all Libran-born, to want to put others at ease, and does so by making another person feel valued, appreciated and understood — which tends to bring out the best in any person. Herein lies the secondary gain of this gesture. The ensuing relaxation increases the possibility for a relationship to form.

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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