Horoscopes by Holiday by Holiday Mathis

In a sense, dying is what keeps us alive. New cells take the place of expired ones, and our organs and tissues are also regenerated. Why shouldn't our spirit echo the cycle? Yesterday's eclipse and new moon in Capricorn invigorated the atmosphere. Darkness gave birth to sunlight, and that's as good an excuse as any to feel brand-new.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Tabulate your debts. Whether financial, psychic, emotional or karmic, this is a good day to review, assess and bring it down to the bottom line. Determine a total, and close the books.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). It may take a bit of mental coaxing to get your mind flowing in the direction of good fortune. But when you really think about it, there will be much in this day to make you feel like the luckiest person on earth.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You may feel that you lack the control you once had over a certain part of your life. Your professional life seems particularly whimsical these days. Assess what you do have control over, and go from there.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You will soon make a difference in a scenario that is not so easily managed. The skills you need to be successful in this matter cannot be acquired overnight, so make a commitment to keep working at it for the long term.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You'll test yourself to see where you stand. The problem is that you are also the one scoring the results — and you would be hard-pressed to find a harsher judge. Soften up!

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You don't have to look at your watch to know you are hungry. Mentally scan your body and feel its messages. Tune yourself in to the silent language and natural rhythms at work within you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Take action to benefit your future. This is different from trying to escape into the future. By endeavoring to make the future you more comfortable, healthy and happy, you will do the same for the present you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It would be dangerously unwise to drive while reading and eating a sandwich. In some way, you are trying to do this in your life — trying to simultaneously take on incompatible tasks.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Part of the appeal of travel is that you don't know what to expect. You can choose your destination, but you can't choose your adventure because much of it is out of your control. Plan your next trip.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You have been given a plan to work from, but think of it as a guide instead of a hard-and-fast set of laws. Trusting your judgment will be more fun than adhering to a strict schedule, blue plan or list of rules.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). What you really want is doable, but something has to give in order to make it all work. Assess the situation, and determine what you can drop. It won't be hard to decide.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Your body wants something different from that which your schedule currently allows. Perhaps it's more sleep or more exercise. Pay attention to what your body wants, and reconfigure your schedule.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 5). You hold the recipe for happiness, and all you have to do is follow it. You'll have a cheering section this month. February brings better structure to your schedule. April is your chance to commit to a professional goal. There's a big celebration in May. Invest in yourself in June. A dear wish is fulfilled in July. Leo and Virgo people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 40, 15, 32, 12 and 45.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "Why can't I ever seem to keep my New Year's resolutions? I make them every year, and by February 1, they are always broken. Some years I've made 20 resolutions, some years five or six, and one year I only made one — all to no avail. I don't seem to have the self-discipline necessary to do what I say I want to do or be who I say I want to be. Should I even bother?" — Undisciplined Aquarius

Aquarius is often extremely focused on doing good in the world and helping others to the exclusion of his or her own desires. I'll bet that a lot of your resolutions are at war with your actual priorities. For instance, you may have a resolution to lose weight, and yet it's also important for you to feed your family and you wind up eating what you feed them, which isn't supporting your diet. These things take time and commitment to work out. I suggest that this year you make only two resolutions, the first being your No. 1 goal and the second, a commitment: Every time you fail at No. 1, get back on track and try again.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Capricorn movie star Bradley Cooper has the resume of an intellectual, an adventurer and a philanthropist. He's a Georgetown University graduate who has traveled the globe and taught classes to inner-city students — all accomplishments that contribute to his special charisma. His moon in Libra indicates a love of elegance and a desire to charm everyone he meets.

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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