HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY by Holiday Mathis on Creators.com

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FOR RELEASE: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012 This week the sun and Neptune are exploring the early degrees of Pisces, the sign of faith, spirituality and deeply held beliefs. A conjunction of these dreamy influences will inspire contemplation and new insight regarding belief systems. Soul …Read more. FOR RELEASE: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2012 It's the last day of the Aquarius solar journey of 2012 and a perfect moment to push for the future of your dreams. The possibilities are limitless. Neptune and the sun come together in an inspiring conjunction to bring about imaginative vision as …Read more. FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2012 The Capricorn moon is a doer. The energy of this determined lunar placement reminds us that action speaks louder than words. The alignment of word and deed builds reputation. Because Capricorn is also the station of social standing, you may be ultra-…Read more. FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012 For an instant lift, count your blessings in all areas of life. The expansive Sagittarius moon helps you get a perspective that's as optimistic as it is broad. The Aquarian solar transit is wrapping up this week, and there's pressure to get as much …Read more.

Horoscopes by Holiday for January 20

The nebulous quality of the Pisces moon guided last night's dreams in strange and fantastic directions and there is rich knowledge to be mined in that soup of subconscious imagery. Try and remember your dreams. If nothing comes immediately to mind, try writing about your dreams, or making one up. Self-discovery will be sweet.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You will apply your creativity to work to positive effect. Even though you are not thinking about setting a fine example, you will inspire your colleagues to raise their standards.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Some of the fun will be spontaneous. Still, it springs out of the right kind of environment. And getting yourself to the place where fun can happen takes planning.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Give yourself instruction and then follow it. Your directives don't have to be difficult. Ask yourself to do specific, simple tasks. The point is to put your higher self back in charge.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your recent victory was impressive. But how are you going to follow up? Stay positive and ward against self-sabotaging behavior. This is your new job. Avoid thoughts and deeds that conflict with the winner's way.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You will express yourself well. Your efforts will go straight to the heart of the matter. With a little bit of extra thought and practice, your work takes on great sophistication and flair.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Think proactively. If you respond to every problem you are presented with, you'll spend the whole day putting out fires. Fill your schedule with your own projects, goals and wants, and the problems go away.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You'll get the sense that you are supposed to know someone and that your connection will be important in the future. For now, small talk is important in establishing rapport and trust.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You do well in competitive environments so you may not even notice how tough it is for others. The workplace is a bit of a jungle where only the strong can thrive. Be kind to those who are still learning.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). On the subject of romance, stay open-hearted. It is possible for people to change. Even a very minor shift might be enough to make a relationship work. There will be a chance for love gone bad to go good once more.

CAPRICORN (Dec.

22-Jan. 19). The creative energy leads you down strange paths and you are likely to be a willing follower. As you go with what's working, an adventure takes wing.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You've slipped behind on a deadline. You expected a project would be finished by now. Maybe it was an arbitrary date that you assigned to yourself, but that doesn't make it any less important. Try again.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Allow yourself some fantasy. If you can dream it, chances are you can do it. The converse is also true. Your visioning skills are remarkable tools. Keep them sharp by using them often.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (JAN. 20). You are more in touch with your own specific needs and wants than you ever have been and will take pleasure in the life you create for yourself. You'll be swept into an adventure in March. New allies and mentors come into your life in May. April brings many romantic nights. Family makes you proud in July. Gemini and Sagittarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 11, 4, 39, 15 and 20.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "Is there a reason why the planets are all named after Roman gods? And what god is Earth named after?"

As a species, humans currently spend much less time star-watching than we used to. To an ancient Roman, the sky was the equivalent of primetime network programming. "As the Heavens Turn" was the favorite nighttime drama. And after a few weeks or months of star-watching, it becomes apparent even to the untrained eye that some celestial bodies are changing as the others seem stationary. The ones that move are the planets. Romans imagined that they were the gods driving their chariots through different constellations and having various dramatic encounters along the way. The storytellers spun one tale after another, many of which are meant to explain our earthly existence and help us understand why things are the way they are. Earth is the one planet that is not named after a god. It is named after the surface that we stand on. It is literally the name of dirt — ground, soil or dry land.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: "Office" bad boy Rainn Wilson plays the megalomaniacal Dwight Schrute on the hit television series. His chart shows a balance of Capricorn and Aquarian energy, with his moon and Mercury in responsible Capricorn and his Venus and Mars in bright Aquarius. To know whether his sun sign is Capricorn or Aquarius, an exact time of birth is needed — the sun was in both stations on his birthday.

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.