The precarious angle of the Sagittarius sun to good-fortune planet Jupiter is a promise of eventful times. At least you won't have to worry about getting bored. On the positive side, handling conflict well builds character. Also, circumstances could push us to find new and healthier means of discharging stress and tension, which will ultimately make for a more graceful experience of life even after the drama has blown over.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Names have karma. They are the past, present and future packed into a few organized letters. They are codes. Maybe a rose would smell as sweet if it were called "rancid garbage," and yet who would be smelling that rose? You'll name something this week. Put deep thought into this. A name can change destiny.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). What if you're too tired to follow through? Well, then don't. Why should you beat yourself up over it? Do it; don't do it. There's no reason to be angry, either way. In general, you've been rather harsh in your conversations with yourself. Once you stop the you-to-you bullying, you'll suddenly have more energy.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). There are more than seven billion people on this planet. If the ones around you aren't showing signs of support and acceptance for who you are or for who you want to be, move on to the next 10 people and the next and the next until you've found the team to help you make your dream come true.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Whether you're breaking a bad habit or adopting a good one, give it time. Change happens slowly these days, and that's a good thing. Remember the tortoise. He took small, slow steps and still won the race because he was consistent. With unhurried persistence, you'll get to where you want to be.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You are another person's security — several people's security, actually. An unpredictable thing will happen to mix things up, and you'll learn how they depend on you. Ultimately, these wacky events will put a smile in on your face. You'll be laughing for years to come about the way things unfolded this week.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You need the same things most other humans need, but you'd like to think you're above that. It's not that you want to be superior, just that you don't want to look at your vulnerabilities. You feel somewhat impervious to the little bothers, but the little bothers will be big bothers if you don't start paying more attention.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). When you have a system you can move from one thing to the next with quickness and ease. Methods take a while to develop, though. They require trial and error and use up your patience in the process. Paradoxically, the methodical approach will allow for greater spontaneity in your life. It will be worth it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). When you want to get stronger physically, you go to a gym. When you want to get stronger emotionally, you do the thing you're afraid of doing, have the hard conversation, move forward with courage. There's emotional work to do this week — not your favorite, but you'll be in the right mood and mindset to take it on.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). The project is getting tedious. Quitting is out of the question. Instead of pressing on in a joyless way, dig in and find new purpose. How could you make this fun for you? How can you build on what's already working? There's plenty of work to do, but doing it doesn't have to be such a grind.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You'll mix with those who have experience in the realm in which you want to succeed. The ones who have "been there and done that" may be too cynical for your taste, but they do have good advice. Learn all you can. This is more rare an opportunity than it appears to be.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Strike the deal. Note that you don't have to be heroic in your commitment. It will be better to structure things so that your end is easy to hold up. This will be a kind of counter-weight to the unforeseen complications and difficulties that may arise. Make a lighter commitment now and thank yourself later.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). It's troubling how many people seem astonished when they witness someone do the right thing. If your correct actions inspire awe and bewilderment, you may be running with wolves. It's a good week to re-evaluate. How do you feel about the people around you? Is your social group really the best match for you?

THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS: You have talent; you use the whole of it, and you succeed gloriously. This is the main cosmic gift of the year — that you're able to make good with what you love to do. A relationship that has caused you trouble in the past will take on a different tone in January. By March you'll feel ready to kick a bad habit and your domestic life will take on a new sheen as a result. You'll be in a position to be generous in April; the giving you do will bring emotional bounty and new relationships into your world.

To write to Holiday Mathis, visit www.creators.com and click "Write the Author" on her page. You also may email Holiday at [email protected] or visit her website at HolidayMathis.com.