Horoscopes by Holiday by Holiday Mathis

Like an older brother who got into an Ivy League school on a full scholarship while training for the Olympics and researching the cure for cancer, the Capricorn moon sets a standard that's as inspiring as it is impossible to live up to. Don't get discouraged by the success of others. Judge yourself by your own standards and you'll excel.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You have the right attitude, so even when you have the wrong answers, people want to work with you. Mistakes can happen to anyone. The people who deal with them gracefully go the furthest in life.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Be careful not to respond to others before you have a full grasp of what they need. If you make assumptions, they are likely to be incorrect. Listen and ask questions to clarify what you are hearing. Then listen more.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You will attract opportunities and, perhaps more importantly, recognize them when they come along. Your combination of street smarts and practical financial savvy will help you turn a profit today in an unconventional way.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). There is little standing between you and a truly wonderful connection with that person who has your heart. You might have to forgive some petty grievances to get to that place, but it's definitely worth it.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You're in the middle of a learning process, and this is the part where it gets very frustrating. You may even wonder if it's time to quit. It seems like this is not what you signed on for, but hang in there. You'll be glad you did.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). When you think the best of everyone you meet, you're bound to be wrong sometimes. However, it's a far more pleasant mindset than thinking the worst of everyone and usually being right.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Instead of looking for your four-leaf clover, you look at your current resources and your life the way it is right now and find outstandingly lucky opportunities therein.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It will benefit you to relate to one who moves much more slowly than you do. It will take a great deal of patience on your part, as this person cannot be rushed. But the payoff will be well worth it.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). A certain aspect of your environment shifts to remind you that people are always more important than things. You'll put relationships first and will be successful on all counts.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). There's someone you want to reach out to, but you're not sure what the response will be.

There are many indications that you will be immediately accepted. Go forward with that assumption.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Your idea of what's fair might not match up with the ideas of your cohorts. In order to be understood, you'll have to articulate in detail what it is that you're contributing to and what it is that you're taking from a situation.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You'll consider what another person is doing, and that will inform your own path. But don't let it dominate your decision-making process. Remain careful and judicious.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Feb. 28). You command respect and influence others. Your professional status rises in March. April features declarations of love. May is your chance to be on stage in some way. You will sell a group on your ingenious idea or clever solution. Improvements in June make your environment attractive and peaceful. Sagittarius and Aries people are avid fans. Your lucky numbers are: 30, 5, 11, 24 and 14.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "I have been dating a Scorpio man for six months. We see each other just about every weekend. Two weeks ago, he said he wanted to take it slow because he's not ready for a serious relationship. I feel so insecure now, like I don't know how to act around him. Obviously, there's something he doesn't like about me or something that makes him uncomfortable. I'm afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. I feel like I should just break up with him, since the whole thing is ruined now. But my mother says that's a bad thing for someone like me — a 50-year-old woman — to do because my chances of meeting someone else are slim. What should I do?" — Aging Aquarius

You are NOT too old to meet men — just too old to take bad dating advice from your mother. Start having some fun of your own without this Scorpio. His sign is very sensitive, and he probably feels you psychically leaning into him more than he's comfortable with. The remedy is simple: Date someone else, or just date yourself. Have fun, and maybe he'll come back around, maybe he won't. Either way, you'll be fine.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Tony Award-winning "Broadway Baby" Bernadette Peters is a soulful Pisces born under a sensual Scorpio moon. Mars, Saturn and Pluto were all in Leo, the sign of show business, on the day she was born. This indicates that the entertainment business brings Peters both profound fulfillment and important life lessons. Peters is also a bestselling author of children's books, the proceeds of which support her animal charity, Broadway Barks.

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.

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