Horoscopes by Holiday by Holiday Mathis

Done with tricks and satisfied with the amount of prankish tomfoolery accompanying Halloween treats, Mercury in Libra moves direct today. The origin of trick-or-treating isn't clear, but it may date back to the Middle Ages when the poor would go "souling" door-to-door, offering redemptive prayers to the dead in exchange for food.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your business is an extension of yourself, and you take full responsibility for how smoothly or roughly things go. Because of this, things go smoothly. Tonight, you'll meet people who need your compassion.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Checking constantly to make sure everyone is still "OK" gets tiresome. This week, you say goodbye to being Mr. or Ms. Nicey and seek companions who are tough, energetic and secure just like you.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Feel like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed? It's a temporary mood. By noon, you'll feel lucky again. At work, they're finally taking notice of all you do. Now that's something!

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your artistic nature is highlighted. You're the poet's poet, creator of divine illusions and mystical myths that bring others into contact with their own subconsciouses.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You've come so far, and you seldom stop and give yourself credit. Seize the chance to acknowledge and reward yourself privately. Tonight: Old friends call out of the blue.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Nov. 1). Your life is expanding, sometimes at an uncomfortable rate. But this is what you've wanted! So you'll go through extremes of excitement and adventure along with rushes of trepidation. Living large doesn't have to mean living complicated. The simpler you can make your life, the more luxurious you'll feel. Virgo and Leo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 30, 49, 7, 32 and 14.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). The most important thing now is just to relax. When you're in the Zen zone, you take setbacks in stride and move on quickly. Singles: A potential new love is featured. Dress to impress.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You know exactly what you have to offer and exactly what you want. This sets the scene for barter, trade and all kinds of negotiations. The wackiest trades are the ones you'll be the most proud of.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You're a magician. When it looks like you're doing a miraculous deed, you let your audience believe it was an unseen force at work. But actually, a lot of practice and clever preparation went into pulling this off.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov.

22-Dec. 21). As much as you'd like to go blithely ahead, doubts creep in. Be assured, everybody has them. If you articulate your worry specifically, you'll be able to create the remedy.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You'll be uniting with friends in a way that brings you financial gain. Work tip: Find out everything that is expected of you. This gives you mega-confidence when you go above and beyond said expectations.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). There are lots of ways to arrive at the right answer; regard all obstacles as opportunities. Tonight: Adjust romantic ideals to fit reality. Once that happens, you're on the brink of a major love affair.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Today is a lesson in focus. Practical endeavors, like doing dishes, gardening or paying bills, help you stay in the moment. When distracting ideas emerge, write them down and continue on your original task.

ASTROLOGICAL TOPICS: Astrology and the Shadow. The Scorpio sun invites in the invigorating, passionate energy to live our truth. Take the opportunity to activate your deepest strengths and desires by asking for your heart's desire with a magical affirmation. AQUARIUS/VISION: The visionary quality of Aquarius has far-out ideas. When our ideas go against the grain, we can feel like a soul in exile. No one said being a visionary was easy! Aquarius needs the freedom to be weird and authentic. Paradoxically, when we follow our eccentricities, we find others who are remarkably like us. Then we join our vision with others' and experience real belonging. Magic spell: "I follow my unique visions and offer them to the world." PISCES/CONSCIOUSNESS: When Pisces observes the mysterious stream of consciousness, she understands the interconnectedness of all things and experiences feelings of oneness with divine energy. When we're overwhelmed by Pisces energy, we risk willing self-forgetfulness through dependency. We go unconscious to escape isolation and confusion. By vigilantly identifying self-defeating patterns that leave us feeling trapped, we swim free. Magic spell: "I stay conscious by remembering I am not separate."

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Getting up close and personal with a Scorpio can be intimidating. Director Peter Jackson has the scorpion's in-depth methodology, shooting multiple takes (for maximum coverage) and wide-angle close-ups. Peter's Mars in Scorpio joins his sun and Neptune, the signature of a cinematographer who's capable of taking us to unimaginably fascinating and wicked places.

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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