The Mercury retrograde ends, though it might take a while for communication and commerce to return to stasis. Mercury will still be in his storm for another 10 days — a fancy way of saying the planet will be in an unusually sluggish mood and will take some time to ramp up to his customary zippiness. Can you relate? Then you know whom to blame!

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You feel like you're in your own little world, but know that others are very aware of you now. "If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees." — Kahlil Gibran

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). There's so much you have access to, and you're a curious person, ready to learn all you can and experience the richness of life. Self-regulation is, therefore, among your biggest challenges.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You're more concerned with achievement than reward. In fact, the reward, as far as you're concerned, is the achievement. The accolades can be nice, but they can also be embarrassing and cause more pressure than they are worth.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). New research suggests that you might do yourself some good by talking to yourself, especially if you're saying encouraging or compassionate things, and most especially if you're saying them out loud.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Take on the small, easily won challenges. Building up a track record of success will give you the confidence you need to go for the more remarkable and difficult opportunities coming your way in the near future.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Belonging isn't about fitting together perfectly, having a lot in common or agreeing on most things. Belonging is about acceptance. Be inclusive. Set a tone of friendliness and compassion. Foster a sense of unconditional belonging.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The nearness of interesting and well-traveled people or the pull of exotic lands will activate your adventurous spirit. If you make discovery a priority you'll definitely find the necessary resources.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Everyone will bring something to the table, though not necessarily a tangible thing. Some will bring an idea, a talent for receptivity, a custom, a grateful heart and much expressed pleasure in the opportunity at hand.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). For you, adrenaline isn't a hormone that kicks in on an emergency-only basis; rather, it's a daily boost. Your high-energy style will be well suited for the challenges of the day.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You're happy when the people you love are happy. There is one person in particular whose happiness means the most to you, and you're likely to spend a lot of time, money and energy on making this person smile.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Sometimes it is more gracious to have a little of what's being offered to you than to abstain. The gestures and rituals around togetherness will have greater meaning today.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). As artistic and imaginative as you are, you still admire those who lack pretension, are too laid back to strive and too chill to social-climb. Your values are right in line with all that it takes to create meaningful, lasting friendships.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (May 3). Since a person's knowledge only goes as far as his or her experiences, and because your sincere desire is for a wealth of knowledge, you'll open yourself to discovery, dive into mysteries and let curiosity carry you to different parts of the world. The funds come in June and November. August begins a serious bond. Libra and Leo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 40, 4, 47 and 13.

THE ASTROLOGY OF WEDNESDAY: The word "Wednesday" comes from the Old Norse word "Onsdag," meaning "Odin's day." Odin was the Norse equivalent of the Roman god Mercury — the planet of communication, daily commerce and logistics. Today, as Mercury changes direction on a Wednesday, the snags that have kept daily life from gliding smoothly along will start to even out. Mercury will appear to move slowly for the next 10 days, and it may take a while to establish some momentum, but it's important to get started. Favored activities include: meetings; short trips; writing memos, reports and updates; client calls; publicity pushes; stocking up; catching up with friends; and networking. In general, Wednesday is a great day to give a speech, attend a conference, make a presentation or do research. After hours, Wednesday is a great night to network at any kind of professional or personal organization you belong to, run errands, read or check in with distant family.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Outlaw country-music star Eric Church broke ground this year with the very first ticketed full-length virtual reality concert. Church was born when the sun and Mercury were in Taurus, a down-to-earth energy, symbolized by the bull (ideal for cowboys). Taurus is also the sign that rules the voice. Church's moon and Uranus, both in Scorpio, bring the rebellious "misunderstood" energy to the gig.

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