TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Aries (March 21-April 19):

The next 48hours will provide you with exceptional social opportunity, which you can parlay into other sorts of opportunity if you so desire. Of course, to take advantage of this you still have to go out and meet people.

Taurus (April 20-May 20): Safety is at the crux of closeness. People only fully engage with each other when they perceive the relationship as a safe place where support, positive feelings and encouragement flow freely.

Gemini (May 21-June 21): When it’s unclear what words would unlock the potential of the situation, the wise say nothing. This is best accomplished while looking like you’ve lots that you could say and are just choosing not to.

Cancer (June 22-July 22): You’ve developed a set of rules for each sort of relationship you’ve known. Yes, the rules are mostly subconscious, but you closely abide by them nonetheless. That is, until today, when the rules don’t seem to apply.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): When the work you’re doing absorbs your entire energy, you neither reminisce about the past nor fantasize about the future. There’s no need to wish you were anywhere else.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The two main causes of human suffering are malice and ignorance. So anything learned is a counterbalance to human suffering, and any love given or received lessens the world’s misery.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23): Define “better” for yourself. The typical metrics (richer, more powerful, etc.) are too generic to motivate you. Think deeper into the matter. What is it you really want to feel that you’re not feeling now?

Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21): The view from inside the thick of it is nothing like what anyone else is seeing. And so it goes with driving, football, movies and almost everything else in life, it’s easier to observe what’s going wrong from the seats.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You’ve set your own feelings and agenda aside to take care of people who really did need the care. It’s time for that to stop. However unnatural it might feel, it’s time for you to treat yourself as well as you treat others.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’ll experience the particular kind of tension that comes from feeling like you should say something, but not being sure what. It’s a signal to go off by yourself and sort your feelings.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Actor Peter Lupus is 87. Movie director Ken Loach is

83. Actor William Lucking is 78. Singer Barry Manilow is 76. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is

76. Comedian Joe Piscopo is

68. Actor Mark Linn-Baker is 65. Actor Jon Gries is 62. Rock singer Jello Biafra is

61. Movie producer-directorwriter Bobby Farrelly is 61. Actor Thomas Haden Church is 59. Actor Greg Kinnear is 56. Actress Kami Cotler is 54. Olympic gold medal speed skater Dan Jansen is 54. Actor Jason Patric is 53. Rhythm and blues singer Kevin Thornton is 50. Actor-comedian Will Forte is

49. Latin pop singer Paulina Rubio is 48. Tennis player Venus Williams is 39. Actor Arthur Darvill is 37. Actress Jodie Whittaker is 37. Actor Manish Dayal is 36.

There are many ways to get attention: shout, whisper, wave, bribe... the list goes on and on. The bottom line is that people pay attention to the things and people who have what they want.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20):

You’re after the things that are important on their own and not merely stepping stones, tools and methods for getting to the next thing. Also, the only friendships worth pursuing are the ones that fit this description.

Today’s birthday (June 17):

To know what you want isn’t so hard. Lots of people can do it. But for that want to also happen to be the thing that will make you very happy is much trickier — and more rare than it seems. You’ll nail it this year! Furthermore, you’ll find a way to make others want your objectives as badly as you want them. Sagittarius and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 49, 2, 28, 17 and 9.