Horoscopes by Holiday by Holiday Mathis

Do you have a business idea you've always wanted to pursue? A product or invention that you believe would be helpful to others and perhaps lucrative for you, as well? Your thoughts on the matter will be rather loud during this conjunction of the sun and Mercury. Take practical steps to investigate your ideas and give them voice.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You have never doubted the power of beauty to inspire people to greater heights, so it's only a small surprise that someone else's loveliness has affected you so much. You'll be walking on air.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Your presence refreshes and rejuvenates others. Your friends will be happy to see you — you always make them feel good. What's even better is that the feeling is mutual.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You are a modern wonder. You can handle the demands of multitasking your way through the day and yet maintain a perfect focus on what you are working on in any particular moment. Others watch and learn from you.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Physical labor is one thing, but quantifying "thinking work" is subtle. Sometimes it's hard to tell whether you're getting anything done. The ambivalence you felt this morning gives way to a groove by the day's end.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You are quick to compliment people where you see fit. You don't expect reciprocation, but it's nice when you get it. This afternoon you will be praised in exactly the way you want to be: subtly.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). If today you had a personal sound effect, it would be the sound of tumultuous applause. Your work is met with overwhelming approval. A promotion beckons. Watch for ticker tape.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You'll feel like you're taking a leap into the dark, and in many ways you are. All growth is like this. Trust in the process, but also choose a mentor. Someone with experience will help you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Though there is something you dearly want, the truth is that you'd keep going along this path even if you knew you would never achieve that milestone. The true reward is in who you become because you dared to go for it.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You forgive someone, but that doesn't mean you'll go back to the way things were before the problem came up. You may not choose to continue your relationship with this person. However, it's still important to forgive.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19).

You will ask a lot of others and feel no guilt in doing so. It is perhaps because you will not ask anything of them that you would not gladly, proudly, do yourself.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You have been able to slide through a sticky social situation without choosing sides. However, you will not be totally spared from the world of politics. A diplomatic mood will be the key to your success.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). An intimidating person inspires many around you to show a measure of reserve and self-preservation. But you're not in the mood to hang out in the shadows. You'll surprise all by choosing to stand out instead.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 4). You'll find success with a team of people that operates along common lines of agreement. Your work is so fascinating that you'll find it hard to do anything else through February and March. In fact, it must be moderated to avoid burn out. Romantic getaways happen in April and August. Investments pay in June. Libra and Aries people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 20, 5, 33, 21 and 18.

JANUARY MAKEOVER MADNESS — NEW YEAR, NEW YOU: Go ahead — let yourself get caught up in the fresh energy of the new decade. What better way to celebrate who you are than to commit more fully to who you are becoming? And makeovers aren't just for faces, you know. Each sign will have a unique focus in the area of self-improvement in 2010. Aries will be particularly drawn to sparkling up the domestic side of life. This could translate into something as extravagant as a bathroom remodel to something as simple as a new cereal bowl. Furthermore, Aries will be hard-pressed to say which of those two examples would have a cheerier effect on Aries' mood — but it could very well be the bowl, since the small things make a huge difference and come without the hassle and headaches of larger projects. For the Aries who is daunted by matters of design, magazines will be enormously helpful in the process. Aries will enjoy learning more about what he or she likes. Aries should consider starting an "inspiration board," which is essentially a corkboard to be filled with images, text, fabric, etc., that excite and inspire the passionate ram.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Emmy-winning journalist Katie Couric is known for her charming and disarming style, which serves her well when interviewing the world's most newsworthy individuals. Her natal sun and Mercury in Capricorn indicate a person of great discipline with a stellar sense of responsibility. A Pisces moon suggests terrific instincts and a sixth sense. She knows people and understands human nature.

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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