TODAY’S HOROSCOPE

IF DEC. 31 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY:

Don’t believe everything you hear or rely on people from your past to keep promises. Be ready to walk alone and to bask in the rewards you receive for whatever you accomplish. Secret information can be damaging. An honest and open attitude will help you avoid trouble.

(Dec. 22Jan. 19): Uncertainty shouldn’t ruin your plans. Do your own thing and don’t worry about other people. An interesting offer from someone unique will take you by surprise. Don’t share personal information.

CAPRICORN

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19):

Open your doors to friends and relatives. A heart-to-heart talk with someone you are emotionally attached to will give you clarity regarding the best way to make the most of next year.

AQUARIUS

(Feb. 20-March 20): Problems while traveling or dealing with authority figures will crop up if you haven’t made proper arrangements. Abide by the rules and avoid heading into the new year with unwanted baggage.

PISCES

(March 21-April 19): You’ll come up with some good ideas and alternatives that will help you smooth over some of the problems you face. Discuss your long-term plans with someone you love.

ARIES

(April 20-May 20): Stick to your budget and head into the new year feeling good, healthy and ready to conquer the world. Don’t leave possessions or money out in the open. Protect against

TAURUS

(May 21-June 20): End the year on a high note. Implement the changes that will lead to a better life and new beginnings. Speak the truth and follow through with your plans. Celebrate the future.

GEMINI

(June 21-July 22): Welcome the new year with family and friends. Sharing information will result in an unexpected offering that will help you move forward in a positive manner.

CANCER

(July 23-Aug. 22): Be responsible. If you are going to ring in the year in an indulgent fashion, make sure you have arranged for a designated driver. Stay safe and you’ll have no regrets.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Don’t sit around when you should be getting out and having some fun. Do something you don’t do often and see what transpires. Go where the action is and join the fun.

VIRGO

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23): Have an emotional chat with someone you trust. Find out the best way to go about making changes that will bring you closer together and encourage a better future.

LIBRA

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22): Be cautious with your money and possessions. Don’t leave personal information out in the open. Someone is likely to renege on a promise. Do your own thing.

SCORPIO LEO

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21): Share your feelings with someone you love. A romantic evening will change the way you move forward in your personal life. Make bold plans.

SAGITTARIUS

Dear Abby: I am president and co-founder of the Wildlife Center of Virginia, one of the leading teaching and research hospitals for wildlife medicine in the world. We have treated more than 70,000 wild patients since our organization was established 35 years ago. Like the reader (“An Apple a Day,” Aug. 11) who is under the impression that throwing an apple core out the car window is doing something positive for the Earth, many individuals make “little” decisions without considering the unintended consequences.

Before throwing that apple core out the window, people should consider what will happen if the animal coming to eat their scraps happens to be on the other side of the road.

Throwing out that apple core will lure that creature into harm’s way. Countless opossums, raccoons, skunks and other small mammals are killed every day because of human food waste on the shoulder of the road. And it doesn’t stop there. Predators like owls also suffer. They hunt along the side of the road because they eat the mice, voles and other small animals who are attracted to feed on that apple core. Then, when the opossum, raccoon or owl is killed by a car, scavengers are attracted to the pavement, where their lives, too, are at risk.

If readers want to help the Earth, they should take their waste home and dispose of it or recycle it properly. — Edward Clark, Waynesboro, Va.

Dear Mr. Clark: Thank you for writing so eloquently to educate my readers — and me. Lesson learned.

Dear Abby: I’m 29 and I’m having trouble holding down a steady job. My problem is I have a strong personality and I tend to butt heads with management. Do you have any suggestions about positions for someone who can’t handle having a boss? — Miss Independent In The Bronx

Dear Miss Independent: No. Unless someone has rich parents or a magic lamp, most people have to work for — or with — others until they build enough capital to start a business. Even then, business owners must interact with clients they don’t always agree with. Because you tend to butt heads with those in management positions, you would be wise to start working on becoming more patient and less dogmatic.

Dear Readers: Well, 2017 is at an end. Please accept my heartfelt wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2018. As I caution ever year, if you are partying tonight, please be safe! Appoint a designated driver and remind that person to drive defensively. — Love, Abby