Horoscopes

Aries (March 21-April 19): The general public may not be your best audience. Niche down. Once you aim your talent where people are likely to be responsive, you’ll find many to play along. Taurus (April 20-May 20): It’s a fine day to, as Ralph Waldo Emerson suggested, “Chant the beauty of the good.” Other sorts of discourse, like complaint sessions and venting, have unusually high levels of toxic potential. Steer clear. Gemini (May 21-June 21): The flower doesn’t worry about whether it is free to bloom. When the weather is right, it just does. If you’re worried about opening up, maybe it’s time to move to a different emotional climate.

Cancer (June 22-July 22): Mistakes will be made. The way of progress is to admit to them, deal with the problem, learn from the sequence and either build on that or move along to the next thing. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): To keep from falling behind, look ahead. Figure out what you might need up there. Grab it and keep walking. Soon, you’ll be looking back and offering advice to the people who stand where you are now. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You don’t like to feel as though other people know the plan and you don’t. But you’ll either get comfortable with that, or you’ll ask for the schedule, the sequence, the inside scoop, the map, the numbers, the recipe.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23): Your guide will be a strong inner will that has always been there, though not always as assertive as it is today. If you’re not acting in your own best interest, it will pipe up with loud complaints. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21): Virtue is best delivered with humility, talent with vulnerability, might with mercy. The cosmic packaging doesn’t always team the right qualities together so you’ll do some intentional pairing. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Boats that beat against the current may expend great effort only to be borne back. Distance will only be achieved in accordance with the wind and tides.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’re relentlessly positive. You don’t want anyone to feel bad because then you’ll feel bad. But not everything can be done in cheery tones. When serious, be brief. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Discretion is linked to honesty and acceptance. If it’s normal to you, then it will be normal to everyone. Trying to hide a thing often makes it more conspicuous. Plain sight can be invisible. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): Worry helps no one, least of all you. Think about how you want things to go, and then prepare for that. Direct your positive thoughts and energy to the situation and all will be well.

DEAR ABBY » Something has been bothering me for a long time. When I attend family functions, I become extremely bored. Whether they are birthday parties or Christmas Eve celebrations, they bore me to tears. To be honest, I would prefer not to attend, but I don’t want to offend anyone. Must I continue to be polite, or can I just stop attending? If I had more money I would move farther away. Please offer an opinion.

— Bored in New York

DEAR BORED » Gladly. You don’t have more money, and moving away is not an option. I’m sure this has been less of an issue recently because of the pandemic. Family celebrations are more about support and solidarity than scintillation. While it would be understandable that you might not be available for each and every event, if you skip more than you go to, there WILL be hurt feelings. So, in my opinion, once the pandemic is behind us, you should go. Rather than dwell on being “entertained,” concentrate on making the occasion enjoyable for others. You might also consider doing what I have observed politicians doing, which is making an appearance at these gatherings and leaving early.

DEAR ABBY » I’m recently divorced. Because of my work schedule and moving to a smaller place, I no longer am able to properly care for our family cat. My kids (all under 10) barely acknowledge her, so I put an ad in the paper. A family called, came to see her one day and took her home with them while the kids were at school. I told them that “Frisky” was going to go to a new home, but I didn’t know when until the day it happened. Now I’m the bad guy since the kids never got to say goodbye.

I contacted the new family and asked if we could come visit her to say goodbye. They reluctantly agreed but won’t be available for a few weeks. Their young daughter has bonded with Frisky.

In your opinion, which is better for kids — to visit Frisky in her new home and say goodbye, or just let time heal this wound?

— Bad mom in Minnesota

DEAR BAD MOM » Losing a pet is something children never forget. The pain of losing Frisky will heal more quickly if your children see for themselves that their pet has a home in which she’s well taken care of and a family that loves her.

DEAR ABBY » I’m a 63-yearold reader, widowed for eight years. I’d like to date and marry again, but I have one concern. Many men lose sexual potency with age. (I believe in waiting until after marriage.) At what point is it appropriate to address this issue? I don’t want it to seem as if I wish to remarry only for sex. I might consider marrying for companionship if everything else was good, but I think it’s something I should know before marrying.

— Kay in west virginia

DEAR KAY » I agree with your last statement. It’s important to know what you’re buying into before taking on the challenge of marriage. That’s why, in order to avoid any surprises, you should ask your question as soon as the relationship starts to appear serious.

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.