Since April 10th of this year, our distant dwarf planet Pluto has been retrograde in the conservative sign of Capricorn. Today, the planet of transformation changes direction — and so slowly will our ideas of power and position. The energy of Capricorn is status-conscious and ever aware of the precarious political balance we call society.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You are a master persuader now and could do any number of things with your influence. You'll be extra careful to steer people in the direction of their own best interests, and not just your own.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You are polite without being fake, persistent without being overbearing. The qualities you exhibit let others know that you are not to be trifled with. Your will is strong.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You'll make people smile, and they will want to do business with you not because they think it will be fun and games, but because they think you'll "get" them enough to make them happy.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You may still be trying to figure out why you are doing something, and the answer doesn't come readily. Let it be a question mark for a while. Tomorrow will shed fresh daylight on the matter.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The ghosts come knocking long before Halloween. They are friendly and don't want candy. They remind you of a happy part of your past, a time that still adds color to your days.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You are the artist in your life. At some point, the artist must abandon notions of "good" and "bad" and decide not to have a preference between the two. There is something lacking in both.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). It's amazing how many different ways you can show the world what an exceptional human being you are. You'll sense where your talents can be used to turn a messy situation into a winning enterprise.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You would like to be good at something that presently brings up feelings of inadequacy. There is hope for you in this matter. Your humility and willingness to learn will make all things possible.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Cluttered spaces make for cluttered minds. The time you spend organizing and clearing space will align you with the powers of productivity and clarity. Even if it takes all day, it will be worth it.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You don't require special attention in order to feel good about what you're doing. And yet, there's something about getting public recognition that makes you very hopeful about the next phase of your life.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You suspect you have a hidden talent that has yet to reveal itself. Today brings a tug on something inside you, a leaning toward the very action that highlights the signs of this talent.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You'll experience a key moment of interaction. The most important thing about your conversation will be your ability to listen well and thoroughly. Later, you'll be happy you were able to do this.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Sept. 17). Give sweet support and tough love alternately. You'll inspire those you love (including yourself) to greatness. You'll be on the hot list socially from November through January, and the attention is wonderful. Afterward, you'll enjoy a focus on projects and getting your financial picture into a more comfortable range. Cancer and Leo people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 30, 15, 2, 33 and 1.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "Do you think I have it in me to be a public speaker? I'm basically shy, but when I see people giving a speech, their courage inspires me. Sometimes I like the message. Sometimes I think I could do better. But I also might get up in front of people and faint; that's how totally scared I am of public speaking. My birthday is 9/17/1975. What do you think?"

Happy birthday! Your natal chart indeed indicates there's something tugging you into the spotlight. Venus and Saturn in Leo suggests that you might enjoy the attention of an audience immensely, and also that you could learn some of your most important life lessons in preparation for public performance. And though they don't suppose that it will be easy for you, they do indicate that you'll be good at it. Your moon in Aquarius chimes in with an idea: As long as you write speeches that you truly believe serve the public good, you will find support from within and without — and likely enough support to keep you from fainting. So be brave. Your Virgo sun will help you put the work in. Just don't let it also help you analyze yourself off of the stage. You belong there. Believe!

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Cassandra Peterson is perhaps best known for her embodiment of the ultimate vampy hostess: Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Peterson was born when the sun, Mercury and Venus were all in the health-conscious, ever-young and lovely sign of Virgo. Mars and Pluto are in entertaining Leo. When Peterson is not performing as Elvira, the Mistress endures in comics and through impersonators galore.

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