Horoscopes

Aries (March 21-April 19): A completely peaceful and quietly powerful frame of mind will allow you to control what you can and ignore the rest. It’s a brief and fleeting state for sure, but take these kinds of lucky breaks as they come. Taurus (April 20-May 20): You envy people who have the luxury of being able to follow their whims. It takes free time, after all, and disposable income. You could make more of both of those things if only you had, well, the luxury to follow your whims. Today brings a lucky break. Gemini (May 21-June 21): Be proactive as you look ahead to the weeks to come. Block out large chunks of time that you can dedicate to what you want to do. If you don’t do this now, your time will be quickly booked up with what you’re only mildly into. Cancer (June 22-July 22): The scientists suggest that the secret to science is asking the right question. Of course, this is the secret to everything else as well. Start with what’s relevant, and expand to the question that covers more than that. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): The situation seems a little boring, but there’s something very important happening here, and if you don’t tune in you’ll miss it and waste time going back to pick up what you missed. So tune in. Awareness now will prevent problems later. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Fear, when channeled well, is better than coffee at keeping you alert and focused. Fear will elasticize time for you. You’ll experience the power of nanoseconds! Your performance will be better for it. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23): Coming up with a good plan means recognizing a bad one. You may blow through hours making plots that fill the wastebasket but it’s nothing compared to what you’d waste following a bad plan. Back to the drawing board. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21): It’s not foresight or hindsight but insight that will serve you the best. Examine your reactions to experience — how you’re interpreting this and what meaning you’re assigning to it. Insight is the easiest kind to change. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): This is an ideal time to clear the air and balance unbalanced relationships. Listen to what’s said: That’s a no-brainer, though it’s even more important to understand what’s not being said. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): People often believe what their friends tell them over what the expert might say. Ultimately though, people believe what they tell themselves. The truth will matter less to people than the source. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Irresistible things are not rational things. They tug at a part of the mind and spirit where logic’s never stepped — a place of magic and memories and happenings that defy the rules of economics and commerce. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): There will be selfish attention-stealers out there — marketers, companies and people who want your focus but will not repay you for it in any meaningful way. Stay self-directed.

To write to Holiday Mathis, visit www.creators.com/ author/holiday-mathis and click “Contact.” DEAR ABBY » Two years ago, I married a kind, hard-working man I’ll call Travis. These two years have been the best of my life, and I couldn’t imagine a better husband. However, I just got some news I feel is threatening our marriage.Travis’ friend from childhood, “Bethany,” wants to start a family with her wife. Travis informed me that he agreed to donate his sperm to Bethany so she can become pregnant. I feel betrayed. My husband will be starting a family with his friend before we have kids! I know it may seem irrational, but I feel like he’s cheating on me.

When I told him how I felt, he said I was being selfish and it was his decision. He also said it wouldn’t matter because he isn’t going to help raise the child. Does Travis really have the right to donate his sperm without my consent? If so, how do I suppress my anger toward him and Bethany?

— Fuming in the Midwest

DEAR FUMING » You are asking some intelligent questions, but ones that should be answered by an attorney. Your husband may be the nicest, most generous man on the planet, but there are contingencies that need to be taken into consideration before Bethany becomes pregnant. Please suppress your anger long enough to convince Travis that he shouldn’t rush into this agreement without legal counsel. He may thank you for it later.

DEAR ABBY » Traditionally, husbands-to-be ask the fiancee’s father for permission to marry her. Why do we never hear about the bride-to-be asking the husband’s mother for her permission?

My husband asked my dad before proposing to me. I think it was a nice gesture, and Dad was delighted for him to be included into our family. Had I asked my MIL for permission to marry her son, I would have known right away she was opposed to it.

Now, three rocky years later, she’s still accusing me of taking her son away from her. She tells him if he ever wants to leave me, he’s more than welcome to come back home to Mommy. (His three other siblings still live there.)

Had I asked, I would have known up front that she hated me (not because of who I am, but because she didn’t want her oldest to ever leave). Would I still have married him? I think I would have, but I would have been prepared for the treacherous days ahead. — Unprepared for the treachery

DEAR UNPREPARED » You have my sympathy. When mothers-in-law from heaven were handed out, it appears you were assigned someone from as far south as one can get. She may be the reason that verse in the Bible about leaving and cleaving was included. Your situation illustrates why it’s important for women — and men — to get to know the family of their intended before taking that trip to the altar.

P.S. Traditionally, women were considered to be the property of their fathers, which is why permission needed to be granted before they were “given” in marriage. The same was not true of sons.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

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