HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY:
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You got a bum deal and it’s been hard to erase the memory of it. You won’t be able to, so don’t try. The best you can do is reframe the event. It did make you better, introduce you to people and strengths you never knew, and it gave you a good story, too.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You are working in a highly competitive environment. A once-abandoned ambition now comes back into your realm of possibility. In this matter, the only way to fail is to stop trying.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You will act independently, precisely to prove you can — as good a reason to flex as any could be. It’s normal to fear being controlled by external circumstances. You will demonstrate to those around you that you are the director of yourself.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You have talents both common and uncommon. With the second category, the average person may not recognize, use or praise your work. Consider if it would be worthwhile to make your offering more accessible to everyone.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You seek a path that includes an element of danger, heat, buzz or exclusivity — only then does the journey seem worthy of your brave spirit. Risk and adventure are best mates; one seldom travels without the other.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Your requests are reasonable, but it doesn’t necessarily correlate with the other person’s ability to fulfill. Stay on your toes, alert and ready to handle the unexpected. When it happens, you’ll do your best work.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Your powers of diplomacy are legendary. Your natural state is one of cooperation. It’s amazing to you that some people actually thrive on conflict. You can safely move around them.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). There may be things you don’t prefer about the situation, but you won’t dwell there; you either fix it forget it. It’s time to stretch and experiment.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). A treasure of an idea is shimmering in the realm of the in between. You can sense it on the other side of a membrane between reality and the cosmic soup.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). No matter how tight a relationship is, there will always be a distance between two separate beings. The distance might be caused by timing, locality, sensibility or lifestyle. Whatever love can’t bridge, more love can.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Selfdevelopment is alchemy. Just as you can’t bang on lead and turn it into gold, you can’t hammer improvements into yourself to feel shiny new. Fulfill your appetites and curiosities.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You feel a responsibility to acknowledge the people you share a space in time with. Whether friend or stranger, you don’t miss the chance to relax, smile and set aside your own agenda in the spirit of connection.
IF TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: Something you produce will be in high demand. Aquarius and Cancer adore you. Your lucky numbers are 5, 14, 20, 21 and 34.
Dear Abby: My wife is a very attractive 56. For years she has wanted Botox treatments. Recently, it has become more serious because she feels she looks like a grandmother. I (and others) continue to tell her how great she looks, especially when she dresses up.
I also tell her Botox is a short-term fix and will require subsequent treatments. Additionally, with each treatment, she will risk potential problems of infection, allergic reaction or medical mistakes. I remind her of the treatments that have gone wrong and that none of those women went to their doctors asking to look like a retired boxer.
At this point, I’m concerned she may be depressed about aging and wants to do something to improve her looks, but I’m standing in her way. I love her just as she is, and I don’t want her to do anything that ultimately could do damage. To me,