Last word on astrology
Wednesday, JULY 6, 2022
Happy Birthday: Take your time, think matters through and keep things in perspective. The decisions you make will impact your life as well as other people. Show compassion, and put thought and energy behind your promises. Precision, attention to detail and quality will determine your success. Have a solid plan in place before you share your intentions. Your numbers are 2, 14, 22, 25, 34, 37, 40.
Aries (March 21-April 19): You’ll find it difficult to say no to a persuasive talker or someone who’s trying to sell you something. When temptation sets in, rethink your steps and set your sights on an educational or constructive path. Personal improvement will pay off and encourage rewarding friendships. ★★★
Taurus (April 20-May 20): You’ll be quick to make decisions. Put a hold on voicing your opinion or making promises you haven’t thought through. ★★★
Gemini (May 21-June 20): Seize the moment, do something you find inviting and immerse yourself in mastering what you set out to achieve. Don’t wait for someone to take charge; set expectations and achieve your goal. Self-improvement and romance are encouraged. ★★★★★
Cancer (June 21-July 22): Exhaust all your options before making a move. Getting along with others will be mandatory if you want to get things done on time. Stick to what’s feasible, and avoid overreacting and overspending. Moderation and discipline are encouraged. ★★
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): Pay attention to presenting yourself properly. Your image will make a difference when networking. A chance to impress someone you feel drawn to will give you the edge you need to outshine anyone who wants to compete with you. ★★★★
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Keep your emotions in check. Refuse to let someone upset you or back you into a corner. Look for ways to improve what you can offer, and move forward quickly. ★★★
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Keep your thoughts to yourself. Focus on selfimprovement instead of trying to change someone. Look for a chance to nurture and improve your relationships.
★★★
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t shun your responsibilities. Take care of duties before moving on to more enjoyable or creative tasks. Having a clear mind will make it easier for you to develop an original plan that will help you expand your interests. ★★★
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Put your strengths to the test, and don’t stop until you reach your goal. Selfimprovements will fetch compliments and encourage talks about intentions and plans with someone you love.
★★★★
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Keep everything in perspective. Too much of anything will leave you in a quandary. Concentrate on positive changes at home, and nurture relationships you have neglected. Reaching out to the people you care about will bring you closer. ★★
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Put everything you’ve got into making your environment better. Spend time at home going over pending matters and cleaning up unfinished business. What you accomplish will buy you the freedom to follow your heart without feeling guilty.
★★★★★
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): You can think big, but when it comes to putting your plans in motion, do so from a minimalist point of view. Use only what’s necessary to reach your target. Waste not, and you’ll have no regrets. ★★★
In 1984, George Michael released a song called “Freedom” with his pop duo Wham! Six years later, he put out one of his own called “Freedom! ‘90.” And six years after that? A song called “Free” closed his third solo album, “Older.”
The specifics of the liberation he’s describing in each tune vary; so too did the shape of the British singer’s stardom at the time he wrote each of them. But to listen to these songs now — half a decade after Michael’s shocking death at age 53 and amid a swelling of interest in his work tied to several new retrospective projects — is to confront the fact that the reason he kept singing about freedom is because he kept not finding it.
“George’s life was shot through with disappointment,” says James Gavin, author of an exhaustive and empathetic biography, “George Michael: A Life,” published last week. “For all the tragedy I uncovered in writing this book, though — for all the childhood sadness and the unhealed wounds from his relationship with his father and from losing the great love of his life to
AIDS — none of it in the end overrode the joy in his music.”
Gavin is right about that: From “Wake Me Up Before You Go-go” to “Faith” to “I Want Your Sex” to “Fastlove,” Michael’s classic songs practically vibrate with exuberance, his from-theguts singing pitched between a snarl and a coo, the cleverly detailed grooves (which he devised as his own writer and producer) pushing ever forward. Even his slow, sad ones — “Careless Whisper,” “One More Try,” “Praying for Time” — have a kind of mournfully ecstatic quality, as though he couldn’t bear to stop luxuriating in their melancholy.
The purity of emotion in Michael’s music, not to mention his good looks and quick wit, is what made him a superstar in the ‘80s and ‘90s, with 21 top-10 hits (including 10 No. 1s) on Billboard’s Hot 100. In 1985, he and his Wham! partner Andrew Ridgeley became the first major Western pop act to play in China; in 1989 Michael’s solo debut, “Faith,” won album of the year at the Grammy Awards.