In the age of deepfakes, mass acceptance of obvious lies and general deception running rampant, a message that sticks to the facts stands out. But Mercury in the early degrees of Leo stirs up a craving for a good story. Ethical storytelling delineates the line between fact and fiction. It's more fun to surrender to the fantasy when it's not trying to trick you.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Don't drive yourself so hard that you hurt the tools you're working with, including your own healthy body and mind. Rest is part of the work. You know you've done enough for today when continuing would make tomorrow harder.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). What you want today you won't want a month from now. It's like a craving. Served timely, it's so delicious — but far less so when the craving has passed. To have the experience before your interest wanes, put it on the fast track.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). The right conversations reflect your strengths and sharpen your ideas. But how do you find the "right" ones and avoid the rest? Head toward the people who make you think bigger, laugh harder and stay longer.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your imagination is wild, but your practical sense is as poised as you need it to be. What a winning combination. Today, you can use it to turn a long shot into a real plan with exciting potential.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You're a dreamer with a vision and a leader with a mission. Lately, it happens to be a rather lighthearted and fun mission, and that could be why you so easily gain the cooperation of peers.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). While biting off more than you can chew is a choking hazard, nobody said you couldn't use a knife. Your project management skills are top-notch. Cut the challenge into smaller pieces and enjoy the feast.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). New voices and unfamiliar places will widen your view. You'll discover that people halfway around the world have already solved a problem you've been puzzling over. You'll give credit where it's due and put your own spin on it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You know you're working at the right pace when it doesn't hurt to imagine doing the same thing again tomorrow and the next day and the next. You don't have to hurry. You only have to keep going.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). The current situation isn't perfect, but it beats repeating the old chapter. You've learned too much, built too much and become too interesting to circle back now. Keep facing forward toward the next surprise.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). What works for someone else might be wrong for you, but you'll get closer to the right thing by investigating it anyway. And the good news is, options abound. With a little persistence, it's only a matter of time before you find a good fit.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You can tell a lot about people by what they consider exciting. If someone's favorite hobby is stirring the pot, leave them to it. You'll have much more fun with your own favorite hobbies and a "no-drama" policy.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). It feels good to be generous with the appreciative, but often the ones who most need generosity are incapable of appropriate expressions of gratitude because they're too busy surviving. Real generosity doesn't depend on applause.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 10). If you think you know a lot of people now, buckle up for your Year of the Social Swirl. The introductions will keep multiplying until your network of friends and professionals becomes massive, useful and so interesting. More highlights: VIP treatment becomes normalized. Your talents merge into a rewarding new role. You can count on love to be constant and buoying. Virgo and Aquarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 21, 3, 18 and 44.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Like a theatrical Leo, Antonio Banderas brings larger-than-life charisma and irresistible emotionality whether playing Zorro, a desperate lover or voicing Puss in Boots, a cat. With an Aries moon and lucky Jupiter in Sagittarius, he's all fiery passion. Banderas is currently filming the sports drama "Armadillo United" about a fictional soccer team's ride to the World Cup of Youth Soccer.

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