The last quarter moon in Taurus is a sensual beast, craving luxury in every aspect of life. And though luxuries are often expensive, today's focus won't be on material things. Venus in Cancer forms a trine with Neptune in Scorpio emphasizing the spiritual nature of our attractions. We'll feel deep down that the best things in life are free.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). A strong inner will guides you, and it seems to be making plans so secretive that you do not even know about them until you are in full swing. Surprises are in store.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You celebrate the obvious, and you also celebrate for no reason at all. The latter will involve your loved ones today, and they will know that you truly appreciate and love them.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Though you work to get to a place of "no regrets," there is something good about regret to consider. Whatever you wish you would have done differently you can use to inform your next move.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Where many would grow impatient, you'll excel. It's because you are willing to invest great attention in things for their own sake without expecting an immediate return.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You may come across work you did long ago and discover that it makes no sense to you now, or you may be utterly baffled by a decision you made way back when. See how far you've come?

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Some people are fond of saying "the time is now" at any ol' time. But you've learned through the years that the time is not always now for everything you want to do. You have the maturity for deep strategy.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). All snowflakes are about the same color and melt at the exact same temperature, and yet each one is completely unique. Someone will appreciate your originality this afternoon, which may make you melt a little, too.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). There's little to be gained from speculating about someone's odd behavior. The only way to get to the bottom of it is to ask. If that seems impolite to you, it probably is.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). It may seem rather glamorous to be "in the loop," when in actuality it could be much better for you to stay on the outside of said loop, where there's little chance you'll be tainted by the residue of drama.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You'll listen to others to try to understand where they are coming from and what they are going through. It's because you care, but also because you want to know their motivation and what they want from you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Nothing is predetermined. Considering the glorious flexibility of human consciousness, there's no telling what any one individual will do to maximize opportunities or overcome disadvantages.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You'll spend many hours of highly focused attention on productive and practical activities. By evening, you may feel like you have very little psychic energy to invest in your loved ones. Then love will recharge and empower you.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 9). This year brings a breakthrough. You'll feel that you've finally passed into a realm you've long wanted to know. The sensation is that of trumpets announcing your arrival and your being warmly presented and accepted. There's extra money to be made in August, October and November. Wedding bells ring in June. Pisces and Sagittarius people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 5, 9, 25, 41 and 10.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTION: "You write about how Leos are so creative and entertaining. I must not be a true Leo, because I have absolutely no artistic talent that I know of. I'm still trying to find out what I'm really good at. I do like science. Do you have any suggestions?"

If you do not consider yourself to be a creative person, perhaps your definition of creativity is too limited. Being creative isn't limited to having a talent for drawing, painting or writing a song. Some of the most creative people aren't in the arts at all. Consider how much imagination and original thought it took to put people in outer space or to connect the entire globe with the Internet. All invention, by definition, takes creativity. Instead of wondering about what your talents might be, give yourself permission to try different things to see how you like them. With most talents, the deep desire to be good at something is more important than your initial aptitude for the task. Follow your interests. They are your biggest clues as to where your talents lie. Also, note what you're not interested in so you won't waste your time there.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Whitney Houston will be missed by friends and fans on what would have been her 49th birthday. One of the world's bestselling music artists, Houston sang from her heart, which happens to be the organ that Leo rules. Houston had Venus in Leo, as well, indicating a genuine love for the entertainment business and all the glamour therein. Her moon was in fiery, passionate Aries.

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