Horoscopes by Holiday by Holiday Mathis

People need people. And sometimes the needier a person is the greater the love bond grows. For instance, the love of a parent for a helpless infant is fortified by the looming realization that no one can thrive alone. Venus and Pluto conjoin to help us focus our love on those who need us and our need on those who love us.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You can't expect yourself to endure endless hours of thankless work without retaliating in some way at the end of the day. If your pleasure-to-pain ratio is off, everything will be off.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You'll find a way to make a deal sweeter, to make an offer more graceful or to create a stir in an otherwise boring situation. It's a talent of yours, and you'll feel complete when you use it.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). One of your favorite people will reach out and communicate with you. You weren't sitting around waiting for the message, but you'll respond quickly, and that quick response will convey your true affection.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). There's a question in your mind about what you deserve and why. You feel that in many ways you are privileged beyond reason. Yet there's something more you want, and you wonder whether you have a right to it.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Instead of smirking at the establishment, you lean forward to listen. You'll like getting out of your own head in this way. And in listening, you learn a great deal about where your talents might best be utilized.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You don't mind a sprinkle of uncertainty and unpredictability in your day. It makes life exciting — as long as circumstances don't make you feel too tense or aggravated. When it gets to that point, you can always walk away.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You don't have to try to be interesting. You're fascinating to someone as you react to the normal ups and downs of life. Heightened emotions cause you to do something you would not ordinarily do.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). If you take a different action, you'll get a different result. Don't change what is already working well. Just know it's better to be grateful for what comes than to push for more.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Your self-control may wane. Or perhaps the personal influence you wield may not seem to be working as effectively as it did last week. You haven't lost your touch; you just have to work a bit harder to maintain it now.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). A hotheaded person you know may act rashly today. Consider that it might be your steady attitude of stability that allows this person to fly off the handle. You're the safety net.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You'll try to cover a wide base of interests, desires and activities — maybe too wide for one day's work. There's much to be accomplished before the weekend.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Whatever you hope to gain by your efforts is not likely to be what results. What comes will be better — more surprising, complex and engaging. It's truly a good day.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 1). In many ways, you blossom. You become more focused and organized this month. January brings partnership proposals. In February, you will gain a greater understanding of your power, and you will use it to create and control your environment. There's a tradeoff in the spring that leaves you feeling wealthier. Aquarius and Taurus people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 3, 1, 44, 39 and 18.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "I don't know if this is an actual phobia, but I'm afraid to open my email. I'm tired of banking scams and being called on to help a Nigerian businessman recover his lost gold. I've signed up for more shopping coupon programs than anyone could possibly deal with in a lifetime of shopping, and I could fill a library with all the free newsletters I get. I never know how to handle weird correspondence from ex-loves or distant acquaintances, let alone the chain letters and unfunny forwards from well-meaning friends. Is it possible that an old-fashioned Capricorn can drop out of the digital world entirely?"

It is possible, yes. Many have. Although, because you're a Capricorn, and therefore probably trying to grow in power and personal influence, you will most likely need to stay involved the way most people do. Your phobia might therefore be handled with a progressive strategy to keep electronic correspondence in a proper and containable compartment of your life. For instance, pick one time in the afternoon when you handle your emails. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Use the delete key with reckless abandon.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Britney Spears spent the better part of last year circling the globe with her Femme Fatale tour and turning out the chart-topping hits. This birthday will usher in a new decade for the pop princess, and her new work will reflect the change. Born under a future-thinking Aquarius moon, Spears will keep striving for cutting-edge excitement in her quest to create fresh entertainment for her fans.

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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