The night before the new moon is an opportunity. The night before the Capricorn new moon is a powerful opportunity. Much of life is handled through practicalities and structured systems. Light a candle; channel your belief in all that is practical. The patron saints of this new moon: Suze Orman, Tim Gunn, Jamie Oliver and Julie Morgenstern.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Like a pair of vintage shoes that perfectly completes an ensemble, your past makes the you-of-the-moment more interesting, authentic and comfortably worn-in.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). There are compromises to be made, and you won't be a lesser person for making them, much to the contrary: You'll be more of a person. More empathetic, wise, experienced — and wealthier, too.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You're a unique individual. The more you realize your quirks, figure out your preferences and honor your dislikes, too, the happier you'll be. The thing to do is to stop seeking societal rewards and replace them with personal rewards.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Take pride in your progress. Maybe you still don't know what you want, but you know what you don't want, and that's even more important at this point. You'll use this information to make a new plan.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The obvious route is too easy for you. Besides, people are starting to expect you to do something different. Also, you'll probably find that the main road is blocked. Everything is aligned to get you to take the road less traveled.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You're so relaxed today that you're practically unexcitable, which makes you a rock for your loved ones. That doesn't mean you lack enthusiasm. It just means that you administer it in measured doses.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). There's a thrill in being a beginner — starting at the very bottom and working your way through each stage. Use the distinct advantages of the starting line. It is a place where everything is still possible.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You don't have to be in an elite group to feel special. You purposely distance yourself from involvement in cliques who enjoy judging others from a "superior" position.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You don't seek trouble. But if it culminates like storm clouds above your head, you won't run from it, either. Adversity, when faced head-on, is precisely what will make you strong.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Deconstruct a situation to understand it better. Cause problems on purpose to test your skill at fixing them. Like a child learning the world, you are naturally inclined to experiment.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You're in charge of you. Others might be bossy today, because you've attracted people want to be a part of your next move. Get distance from the crowd. Let your next move be all you.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Here's one thing certain about your future: You can and will rise to the occasion. Part of the reason is that you're practicing for it: You are practicing for it, aren't you? If not, this is a fine time to start.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 27). This year represents a clear "before-and-after" scenario. Your year will be the bass note of the chord of your life. In the future, you'll reverberate against it, resonate with the memories, speculate on the implied trajectories. Love is the focus of the first quarter. Business is the focus of the next. When in doubt, go with less. Leo and Taurus adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 1, 3, 28, 44 and 6.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTION: "I just got a new job. I had one week to learn my job, and then 10 days vacation — a pre-planned trip the boss agreed I should go ahead and take. The first week went well. But when I came back from vacation, so much work had piled up that it made me nervous. I forgot how to do the tasks I learned before vacation. The boss was over my shoulder, which made it worse. I felt like running out on the job because of the pressure. I had a panic attack right there in front of my new boss. I'm humiliated and worried that I'll get fired, that my boss thinks I'm a freak or a problem and, most of all, I'm worried that it will happen again. What should I do? I'm a Cancer."

Lighten up. You're putting this pressure on yourself. No one else is doing it. So, you need to relearn some of the tasks at your new position — big deal. It usually takes several weeks in a row for a new position to be comfortable, and since you're a sensitive Cancer it may take even longer to make your new job part of your routine. Stop psyching yourself out.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Paramore singer Hayley Williams knew who she was as an artist even as a teenager. When record labels wanted her to be a solo pop artist, she suggested she stick with her alternative-rock band, and the rest is history. With her sun, Mercury, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune all in Capricorn, Williams is grounded, driven and focused. Blame her wild-colored "mane" on an entertaining Leo moon.

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