HOROSCOPE
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2018
Mercury Change
All things come to an end -- good, bad and otherwise. The Mercury retrograde hasn’t lived up to its experience as a negative omen, and anyway, it’s coming to a close. What is your takeaway from these last few weeks? Do you feel you can communicate better or worse with your loved ones? Do you feel better or worse off for the mishaps?
ARIES (March 21-April 19). The price of a thing is not money. Money is only a representation of effort -someone’s effort, though maybe not the person exchanging the money. Things are worth the life that’s been exchanged for them.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). A visit is in the works. Having some time to prepare will give you an advantage. Of course, what happens in the moment is all that matters. But preparation relaxes you, and that makes said “moment” all the more pleasurable.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Being surprised or startled might be fun for some and a lot less fun for others. When it comes to control, people have varying needs. Life might startle you today -- not your favorite thing, but you’ll do something good with the rush.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Though you live in the midst of an interesting and ever-active crew, you could only describe this existence from a distance. It’s why you owe yourself, and everyone, really, a vacation.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). This existence is one of interpretation. One thing can mean many things, depending on whom you ask. The truth is often a soft blend of many different interpretations, which is why it’s important to stay open to ambiguity.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). There are things you’re compelled to do. It feels as though providence is pushing you toward them in spite of rationality. What makes no sense and is costly and, by all objective opinion, rather dumb might actually be just the thing.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). It doesn’t have to be an official party to be a “party.” There will be quite a lot of details to tend to in the name of making a gathering memorable. Remember, a party is only as good as the people attending it.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind, or so they say, although maybe it’s just a matter of being kind and truthful upfront instead of letting untruths linger, stagnate and become toxic.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You wake up thinking about a thing then fall asleep thinking about it and then wake up again with it on your mind. Time to do something about that, as it’s taking up more room in your brain than is fair to the other things.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Don’t concern yourself with the comings and goings of other people. Concern yourself with your own happiness and most of that will, by extension, be settled.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). There’s almost nowhere you can go to air your opinions without offending or delighting someone. Take care in your choosing of confidantes. The walls have ears.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). It’s no fun to watch someone doing the thing they know they can do. The fun is in watching a person do the thing they think they can’t do. Internal conflicts are more real than external ones.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 18). It’s a power year. You will weave a mystery in November. Maybe you don’t start out trying to do this, but it happens, and your life story gets very interesting with this bit. Professions of love happen in March and June. The financial picture gets more to your liking in September, and a deal in January makes a difference too. Libra and Cancer adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 50, 1, 27 and 14.
ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS:
“I’m a poet. I never show anyone my poems, though, because it’s embarrassing. Also, whenever I think I might show someone, my heart starts to race and I start to sweat and it’s so uncomfortable that I know I can’t do it. But how will I ever be successful as a poet if I can’t show anyone what I’ve written? Also, I’m an Aquarius. I’m supposed to be outgoing, and that’s not me at all. Why?”
Sigmund Freud wrote, “Everywhere I go I find a poet has been there before me.” Aquarius artists have a way of pulling from many disciplines and areas of study, including science and religion, to create their art. And because your inner world is so rich, originality is a strong suit for your sign. Your imagination constantly sparks unusual associations as your keen intellect draws ideas from a wide variety of experiences. It’s true that a friendly, outgoing personality is usually associated with Aquarius. Would you like to have greater social ease? Developing this aspect of your personality, though challenging, will lift the mental blocks that keep you from sharing your work with others. Investigate the concept of stage fright and social anxiety to get to the bottom of this obstacle.
CELEBRITY PROFILES:
Sundance Film Festival founder and movie star extraordinaire Robert Redford was born when the sun was in the last degrees of Leo and passionate Mars was also in this chivalrous part of the sky. The strongest force in his natal chart, though, is Virgo: Redford’s moon, Mercury, Venus and Neptune are all stationed in that down-to-earth, detail-oriented, nurturing and hardworking sign.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2018
Mercury Goes Direct
The idea that animals can predict earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and the like has gained a level of acceptance among scientists. When animals behave out of character, they have their reasons. Humans are typically less predictive, but at least the direct turn of Mercury should lend some instinctual intelligence worth heeding today.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). People will find out who you are through your actions, your stories or because you share your preferences. So you really don’t have to worry about telling them who you are. You’re already showing them.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You’re gutsy. You forget that sometimes. Or rather, you take it for granted, believing that everyone else is gutsy, too. Not true! You’re lucky when you recognize the quality and make it count today.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Before a mutually satisfying deal can be struck, the others will want to understand your story. So let them know where you were, what happened, and why they need to know. That should do it.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Self-sufficiency is among your many attractive qualities. You won’t ask your friends to help you unless you truly can’t do on your own. In that case, a Taurus is your ideal support.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Like the cat your sign is named for, you are choosy about who you like, and then obsessively loyal to your chosen ones. Also like a cat, curled up and cozy will be your default mode today.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). People have their own agendas, but they might adopt yours if it is appealing enough. People are usually willing to forgo their plan when there’s something more interesting, attainable, lucrative, fun, urgent or important to do.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). If you stop saying yes so often, people will take notice. They will value your time and services a little more, seeing them as limited commodities that others also want.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You love to know what’s really going on in people’s lives, but mostly they show you what their lives look like instead of what they feel like. Good thing you never go strictly by appearances.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Your compassion is an enormous strength. You will ideally use it to be helpful, to teach others and/or be the catalyst for their growth. What you don’t want is to enable others or “fix” them, which never works.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Aim for the middle of the road. You’ll hit the perfect note: surprising, but not obvious; spontaneous, but not impulsive; romantic, but nobody’s fool.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). If “play” is an art form, you’re a fine artist indeed today. You’ll be so involved in your process of curious enjoyment that you won’t even think to stop and commemorate it. This is living.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). In friendship, you’ll deal with the other person’s flaws or be kind enough to look the other way. But you’re stricter when your heart’s on the line. There are standards that must be met before you give your trust.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 19). “We are all lions,” said the poet Rumi, “but lions on a banner: because of the wind they are rushing onward from moment to moment.” This solar return, you’ll seize your moment, marching forward for your cause, a purpose that brings out your most regal characteristics. Windfall months: September and June. Cancer and Capricorn adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 5, 30, 2, 21 and 16.
FORECAST FOR THE WEEK AHEAD: We can learn a lot from the insects of the world (who have been a force on the planet for about 480 million years and who may currently outnumber humans somewhere around 200 million to one) about things like resourcefulness, team spirit and work in general.
Take, for instance, the ant. The role of an ant varies with what’s needed in the group. Ants can be warriors, builders, milkmaids, teachers and more. Ants are strong, patient, self-sacrificing and intricately connected to their group, fulfilling what’s needed to further the survival of the species.
As a relatively young species, humans still have a lot to learn about working together to forward the human family line. Many humans generate several thousands of pounds of trash in a lifetime without giving too much thought about where it all ends up. But as the sun enters the earth sign Virgo this week, these thoughts will come to the forefront of their minds. Virgo solar energy is bent on improvement. Virgo is the sign of cleanliness, nurturing and hard work. If Virgo’s fair maiden symbol were instead of the insect variety, perhaps it would be best characterized as an ant.
CELEBRITY PROFILES: At the turn of the 20th century, the race for human flight was people by serious scientists across the globe, including some highly educated and funded individuals. But it was the indomitable will and tenacity of the Wright Brothers that cracked the code, and without funding or education. Leo Orville Wright changed the world forever by flying toward his guiding star -- the sun.
Write Holiday Mathis at Holidaymathis@gmail.com. COPYRIGHT 2018 CREATORS.COM