Horoscopes

Aries (March 21-April 19): The end of this quest will be the start of the next one. In this light, there’s really no reason to rush to the finish. In fact, you’d do well to slow down so you can absorb the lessons in this stretch of the road. Taurus (April 20-May 20): No one seems to want to say, “I don’t know” today, least of all the clueless. Show up sponge-like. It really is possible to learn through osmosis if you’re open enough. Gemini (May 21-June 21): When we were children, more seemed possible. We had yet to learn the limits, so it seemed that what we’d later call “magic” was just another way that things might happen. Can you return to that mind today? Cancer (June 22-July 22): Honor your flaws. You wouldn’t be you without them. Besides, you’re not going to live with them forever. Some are dropping by the wayside as you read this. You may as well appreciate them while you’re waving goodbye. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): Someone is helping you behind the scenes. You can feel the good will even if you don’t know who it is. You may never know the secret angels who are on your side, which speaks to the purity of their generosity. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You may give someone you love a little breathing room, but you can’t help but check back perpetually, as it seems written in your love clause. “I tried to throw a yo-yo away; it was impossible.” — Mitch Hedberg Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23): They say you can’t go back, because it’s never the same when you do. If you physically return, you’ll find the old place has been either updated or ravaged by time. Go back in your mind instead and it’s just as you left it. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21): Historians rarely agree and can theorize endlessly about how things really happened. You’ll be in a similar quandary, with evidence that adds into quite a different story than the one being told to you. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Stars smile and wink at you as if to sanction your more daring (possibly selfish?) choices. Then again, why shouldn’t your own fun be a priority? Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Owning is overrated. What you own, you have to find a place for, organize, maintain... and it’s a bit much when all you want to do is move around the world unfettered. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The information you’re given is incomplete. Ask for more. What’s the plan? What’s the reason? What’s the backstory? The more you know, the more powerful you’ll be in the situation. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): Your work hasn’t received the deserved accolades. This might take some time. What you’ve accomplished will stand the test of time. If you need acknowledgement sooner, just draw more attention to what you’ve done. DEAR ABBY >> I read that there is a suicide somewhere in the world every 40 seconds. Numbers rise at holiday time. Feeling like a child whose nose is pressed against a window, seeing others from the outside as they enjoy the warmth of the moment, can lead to thoughts of abandonment and despair. That’s why I have a mission — I set an extra place at my table.

I can attest that it works. One year I announced in church that my home would be open to anyone who didn’t have a family. A woman came forward and accepted my invitation. We spent the day getting to know each other and bonded in friendship.

Please encourage your readers to set an extra place at their holiday table. My brother committed suicide. I move forward in his honor.

— Full of gratitude in Phoenix

DEAR FULL OF GRATITUDE >> Please accept my sympathy for the tragic loss of your brother. I’m pleased to help spread the word. Isolation can be a killer, and inclusion can be a lifesaver. Bless you for what you are doing. I hope other readers will consider it and follow your example.

DEAR ABBY >> I have a dilemma I don’t know how to maneuver through. I have been working as an intern at a company for about 18 months. During the summer, I completed a test I needed to become fully licensed in my field.

However, I’m still working in my current position at intern wages, although I have repeatedly requested a meeting with my employer to talk money. He continues to say he doesn’t have time, and we will discuss it later. He even agreed to a time on a certain day but failed to show up for the meeting. When I emailed him the amount I want, he replied, “We’ll talk about it later.” Should I continue to press the issue? Call him? Email? Or just look for other work?

— Concerned about money

DEAR CONCERNED >> You have done enough. Pushing your employer further won’t help. The ball is now in his court. Start quietly looking for another job — one in which your skills will be appropriately compensated.

DEAR ABBY >> How can I tactfully tell an elementary school teacher in whose class I assist that she uses poor grammar and words that aren’t words (i.e., “I boughten this yesterday,” or, “Her and me went to the soccer game.”)? I am fond of this teacher but feel she’s doing a disservice to her pupils. Other than that she’s a devoted, energetic teacher. It is really difficult to bite my tongue.

— Tactful in the East

DEAR TACTFUL >> Children model their behavior after the example the adults around them provide. That a teacher would consistently do what she’s doing in a classroom setting is shocking. How could she have become a licensed educator with such poor English skills?

Politically speaking, I don’t think that as her subordinate you should take it upon yourself to correct the woman. I do think this is something you should discuss with the school principal.

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