Mercury, the communication planet, and Jupiter, the mack daddy of the zodiac, conspire to bring pleasing interactions. Why settle for win-win situations when you can have win-win-win-win situations? What's good for one person is good for a multitude. Design your own pay-it-forward experiment, and watch fortunes improve everywhere.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Here are the choices: You can be against something, or you can be for something. Note: What you're against will be working against you. But when you're for something, you're being supportive and supported.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Once again, you make an appearance as the calm one. They need you to be stable — oh, do they ever. You respect the intensity of your loved one's feelings even though you don't share the opinion or issue.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). If you hang back, someone else will grab the glory. Get noticed. Take up space, and speak up, too. Tonight, if you drop your guard, a darling Aquarius person or an intense Sagittarius person could steal your heart.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Communication happens well when you're sure the other person has an open mind. Discuss issues upon which you both agree before moving on to a topic of potential conflict.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Keep your original commitments. You'll have more fun, and you may even change your whole way of viewing the world. Rich experiences arise from something you think will be run-of-the-mill.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (April 21). Be specific, because you're going to get what you want this year. Next month brings renovations you've been meaning to make for a long time. In August, new investment opportunities require quick decisions. You could strike it rich! An October vacation is exotic. Romance makes the holidays giddy! Libra and Capricorn are star connections. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 25, 49, 1 and 39.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). A possessive relationship can make you feel incredibly important and insanely restricted all at once. It's lucky to stop and wonder what this person is so worried about — could there be a basis for that fear?

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Casual circumstances are nonetheless crucial to your future. Be on time. It's important, especially this afternoon when others are judging your level of respect for them by the timeliness of your attention.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Blow off the main attraction — the side stages have all the interesting new "acts." Be a fan of what is new, groundbreaking and novel. You're inspired by characters who communicate in a colorful language.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You see what you want for your future. It's vivid, vibrant and juicy enough to entice you to drop anything holding you back. Note: Though you're in a competitive mood this afternoon, avoid high-risk situations.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Carve out — possibly even fight for — hunks of unstructured time to yourself. An hour spent dreaming, planning and visualizing your success prevents you from spending three hours on a futile activity.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Oh, the scandal and mischief that's afoot on this spring day! So much to dish, so little time! The socialite Alice Roosevelt Longworth said it best: "If you have nothing good to say about anyone, sit here next to me."

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). When the question is "Should I stay or should I go?" you're better off staying. There's too much to do in your corner of the world. Any improvements made now have a far-reaching effect.

ASTROLOGICAL TOPIC: Tarot and the zodiac: Capricorn through Pisces

Walking the tarot through the eyes of the zodiac really brings home how little the cycle of life changes. The same things that came up for people hundreds of years ago are still relevant today! Each card relates to a specific zodiac sign. CAPRICORN CARD: The so-called Devil card is nothing to get spooked about. The true devil is one who represses your authenticity by stealing your humor and fun. Humor and surefootedness clears Capricorn's path. AQUARIUS CARD: To make a contribution to the world, you need self-esteem and confidence. There's no other way to become recognized as an individual! Your inner star is your outer star. When you learn to trust that guidance, you're the Star card, and Aquarius. PISCES CARD: The Moon card is given to Pisces. The Moon is the experience of working out our karma through everyday choices. Through choice, we can create a new reality or stay in an old one. Choosing from a place of duty perpetuates old karma, but choosing self-integrity changes history.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Taurus actress Andie MacDowell is ruled by the planet of beauty and love, Venus — as are all Taurus folk. MacDowell has publicly lamented about the lack of choice roles for aging actresses. Taurus men and women prize career stability and are always at their best when hard at work. MacDowell could make her own wishes come true when she writes an edgy script to star in.

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.