FOR RELEASE: TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2010 by Holiday Mathis on Creators.com

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FOR RELEASE: TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2010

Mercury, our cosmic messenger, will be in an exceptionally wonderful mood — a mood that will continue for months to come. Mercury enters Virgo, the realm of the sky it rules and also the sign where it is exalted. The ancient Babylonians would be pleased with this planetary aspect, which was celebrated in their day as an auspicious omen.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Everyone has something to say, but you are wise to ignore all but the most loyal. Seeming friends have their own agendas. Meanwhile, your heart has not once lied to you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Getting dressed up will be a tremendous confidence-booster. So what if the occasion is casual? You find a way to look amazing in a T-shirt. The good things that happen are a direct consequence of your self-confidence.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). A romance is heating up. If it's not yours, it's that of someone you know. Either way, it's going to be an interesting couple of weeks. Just don't let any of the parties involved get too carried away.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). An unexpected invitation flatters your vanity. You didn't know this person thought of you as a friend. Take him or her up on the offer. This could develop into an extremely enriching connection.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Break out the good dishes — you have some special company to look forward to. A gathering of good friends is a melting pot of future possibilities. Eat well and enjoy.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). In the past, you have often waited until the last minute to do something important. The time crunch put you in a panic and made you work harder than you would have had to otherwise. Here is an opportunity to do differently.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Reach out to family members. They've been thinking about you, and you've been thinking about them, too. You'll be surprised at the amount of good that will come of a single phone call.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). A friend's slip-up discloses some information you weren't meant to hear. Nothing too crazy, but it still bothers you. Consider letting it go. Now is not the best time to address it.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You are a fierce competitor. That's why most people think you're headed straight for the top. With your combination of natural talent and discipline, you'll prove them right.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Taking the long way home isn't a matter of choice.

It will be necessary for you to go a great distance, either physically or mentally, before the day is over. Thankfully, you won't get lost, not even once.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The stars seem to stand still for you — a perfect backdrop for your busy life. You're like a comet: gleaming in the sky but moving fast and focused toward the places you want to be.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Your friends are there for you as a fallback, but this is a moment when it benefits you most to go it alone. You'll make it through with flying colors and will have a great story to tell at the end.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (July 27). Your confidence grows this year. You'll act because you have to. In the end, you'll realize you are better off because you had to rise above circumstantial limitations. A devoted love will go where you go. Singles meet fantastic prospects through friends or a computer dating service. Finances improve in January. Aries and Cancer people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 31, 44, 39, 27 and 20.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "I'm dating the prettiest girl at my school. And since I am new at this high school, I think it's especially awesome that someone so popular thinks I'm cool. The problem is that she sometimes keeps me waiting for days to see her. She'll say she wants to get together, and then we text and try to get a plan together, and then the day goes by and the next day and sometimes the whole weekend, and the date doesn't happen. This is how it usually goes, but the times when we do wind up getting together make it all worthwhile. My parents say she's playing me and I shouldn't let anyone string me along. What do you think? She's a Gemini, and I'm a Taurus."

I'm inclined to side with your parents. Taurus and Gemini can be a good match, but things clearly aren't working in this relationship. Taurus needs stability, not games, promises that don't pan out and general flakiness. And while you pine away for this girl, there are probably a dozen others who would treat you with more consistency and respect. Make some new friends. Your high school experience will be greatly improved.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Academy Award-winner Helen Mirren recently confessed, "I don't really like romantic movies very much, and I hate talking about feelings, so I'm definitely a man in disguise." Mirren's Leo sun is accompanied by intellectual air sign influences like an Aquarius moon and Venus and Mars in Gemini. This British beauty is all the more attractive for her feminine strength and intelligence.

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.