HOROSCOPE

Cosmic Fighting Words A square of communication planet Mercury and impulsive Uranus recalls the power of words, some of which seem to be loaded with far more incendiary potential than the sum of their letters. The context in which words are used and the audience for whom they are aimed is as important as the actual word choice.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You wanted someone’s love, and you weren’t the only one trying to get it. This taught you more about competition than anything you’ve done since. There’s an art to getting the right kind of attention. You’re nailing it. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Practical matters fade back and what comes to the fore is a poetic aspect to the day in which a hope or justice is expressed perfectly to reflect this artistic and emotional journey you are on.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). If your primary value is something quantifiable, then you will always need more of it. But when you value abstract qualities like freedom or playfulness, you don’t have to chase. You just embody the thing and have won.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). It is natural to go easy on those you love most. Do the same for yourself. When you’re giving your best effort, accept that it’s all you can do. Expecting yourself to do more is not only silly; it’s unkind. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Money has no inherent value, only the value we assign to it. You think you know what gets exchanged inside of a dollar, but give it more consideration today, and you’ll have a new realization. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You have known the joy of surprise and have been knocked out by some big gestures from people trying to impress

you. Even so, the gifts you most treasure have been small and simple. You’ll pay it forward today. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). To experience something new with another person is to create an unforgettable bond. Today, it’s more fun if what you’re doing is novel to you both.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You try to be temperate, but it doesn’t always work out that way, and rightly so. You have a wide range of feelings to express, many loving and kind, and some that are appropriately angry. No one is patient all of the time. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Being close to a person sometimes means that you speak up, or argue even. You love a person, and you want that person to thrive. The moments of conflict that arise are born out of this love. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Like a good story, this day comes with a gradual rise of tension. There’s the temptation to fix it all as you go. Resist. Some things are better left unresolved for now. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The essence of strategy is using time, space and resources well. Consider that resources and space can be renewed, replaced, reconfigured. As for time, there’s no way to make up for its vanishing. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You don’t always choose the enjoyable route, and today you’ll ask yourself why. Many reasons could factor in including ambition, social pressure or fear of an unmet expectation. Tonight is for deciding if it was worth it. TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 10). You give yourself over to the worthiest pursuits and also to people who do not have to do a single thing to deserve your unconditional love. As for the rest, you will be very careful, stingy even, with your attention. Rightly so. This is a year for doing what matters. February and June bring large dividends. Libra and Sagittarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 1, 5, 30 and 40. ASTROLOGICAL QUESTION: “I’m a Virgo, 42, and still having the same trouble in relationships that I’ve had all along. Can I change? Will I? My type seems to be ‘oblivious narcissist.’ Every time I think I’m veering into different territory, it always ends up in the same place with someone who is too self-involved to really get me.”

You bring up an excellent point. Attraction is based on an assessment. Because we like someone a little and want to like them a lot, we project onto them our set of preferred qualities, expecting that they embody what we have set in our mind. Mistakes get made. Sometimes, we imagine they have qualities they do not actually have. Whose fault is it when they come up short of our expectations? The one who didn’t rise to the occasion or the one who maintained a selfish attachment to a predetermined identity instead of getting to know the actual person standing before them?

Virgos are givers and are often naturally attracted to people who feel comfortable with taking. Virgos also typically have extremely high standards. More on this tomorrow...