Horoscopes by Holiday by Holiday Mathis

The Greek philosopher Epictetus was keen to point out, "We have two ears and one mouth, so that we may listen twice as much as we speak." And though this ratio of listening to talking does not always come naturally, it will more so as the communication planet transits the realm of Virgo, the sign where he feels most at home.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You are in store for a surprise. No, it won't be of the you-just-won-a-million-dollars variety, but it will be pleasant. Just a little something to make you smile and smooth the wrinkles of your day.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). It's simple, really: To get more problems, dwell in the problems you already have. Complain about them, and get into the nitty-gritty details of why they are so bad. For fewer problems, do the opposite.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You'll come across one who is simply irresistible. The one who charmed you once will do it again. But this time you're a willing participant, reasonably sure of the kind intentions of your enchanter.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Get clear about what you are doing, and don't worry so much about how it will happen. As you focus on the effect you want to have, the details work themselves out.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Life won't be so easily organized. You'll try to make a schedule, but things will change. Don't worry about variables. Make the schedule anyway. Nothing will happen without it.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Even though you will probably have to compromise in order to fit into the group agenda, you will get a charge from working with others. You'll be invigorated by the group process.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Something new will put the swing back in your walk. This will not be a big-ticket item, like a new car. What will really do it for you will be relatively small, like an unlikely lunch item or a haircut.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You will be driven by a fire in your belly. That is why you will hardly notice the hard work, unpleasant risk or less than perfect conditions around you. Your passion keeps you unfazed by the happenings that bother others.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You will find a certain fondness for detail-oriented people — finicky eaters and meticulous dressers suddenly gain your sympathy. After all, our preferences make us who we are and not someone else.

CAPRICORN (Dec.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). This is a long journey you've chosen, and that's the fun. In order to prove that you are committed to your dream, you will have to choose in favor of it every day, most especially this one.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Your instincts are spot on. You have an inkling about what is going to happen, and the more you think about it the more likely it will happen sooner rather than later.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (July 28). You will be courageous. You'll push yourself to accomplish something daring that you've wanted to do for years. The task will push you to the edge of your fear. In the process, you expand and become stronger. You'll win or earn a hefty sum in August. October brings camaraderie and support — even fans. Taurus and Capricorn people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 50, 1, 24, 14 and 39.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "I like him, and he doesn't like me. And yes, I know I sound like a 12-year-old. And what makes all of this worse is that I'm not — I'm a 42-year-old Leo. I should know better. I've loved and lost, loved and won, and then loved and lost again. Well, this schoolgirl crush is just ridiculous. I've pretty much figured out that he'll never feel the same way for me as I feel for him. So why can't I just get over it? He's a Pisces."

Leos can be so fantastically imaginative — you are really falling in love with your own imagination! Anyway, you're in a good position. The wise one inside you knows that this is an immature and possibly inappropriate relationship for you. On some level, you realize that you don't love him — you love the idea of him, the fantasy of who he is. So all you have to do is get to know the real him. Be a friend. Keep your feelings to yourself. Think of this as a reconnaissance investigation. Sooner or later, all the discrepancies between the real him and the him in your head will emerge, and the fantasy bubble with burst.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Rising star Taylor Momsen is pushing buttons and causing a commotion with her new band The Pretty Reckless. This star of "Gossip Girl" expresses her fashion sense in ways that shock and disturb the public. This astrologer thinks she should blame it on her creative Leo sun and a Scorpio moon that pulls her toward all things brooding, intense and provocative.

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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