September 04, 2004

The sensual Taurus moon reminds us to enjoy ourselves, while the sun in Virgo brings focus to a million small details that enhance our experiences. The result is complete satisfaction, as long as we choose to focus on the right details – the ones that support the idea that you’re really living the good life. Be careful not to spend too much.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). That old saying "No pain, no gain" is pessimistic. Why must everything that’s good for you come at a price? Refuse to buy into the belief that life has to be hard to be righteous. Maybe the most beneficial thing to do is also the most fun.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Intuition is your best ally, but don’t leave your intellect at home. When all your facilities are working together, you’re at your absolute best. Romance must be delicately handled. It’s not fair to string someone along.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Set up meetings – there’s almost no one who won’t take your call. An Aries is a strong supporter. Children manipulate you if you give them the chance. Have a structure in mind before you enter a situation.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). On the one hand, you’d like to push yourself to do all that’s humanly possible, and on the other, you’re not sure how much is humanly possible. Even Lance Armstrong has to recharge his batteries, right? Listen to your body.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Your relationship with money is highlighted, and there are all kinds of feelings that go along with it. Be mindful not to tie your self-worth to the balance of your bank account, as the two have nothing to do with one another.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (September 4). Social prestige and glistening self-image reward your personal growth this year. Smooth public relations this month help you build your career. Sweethearts meet during the holidays. Love signs are Sagittarius or Capricorn. In matters of finance, stable investments are your best strategy before 2005. You’ll remodel or buy property in March. Your lucky numbers are: 5, 40, 11, 9 and 16.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You wake up with a new attitude. Build a margin for error in all of your endeavors, and you’ll feel as though you’ve been liberated! Be on time for all appointments – no excuses, especially not the one about "traffic."

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Serious ideas are brewing. Today’s lessons involve listening, following directions and general compliance. If you can effectively do what someone else instructs you to do, you can do what you instruct yourself to do.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It’s obvious to you what’s right and what is wrong. But feeling you’ve got to be the judge and jury of the world is a heavy burden. If it’s stopping you from communicating with people you care about, just drop it.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You take your fun seriously, and why not? You pay money to experience more than you’d naturally be exposed to, and you want to get the most value for your dollar. Make an effort to talk to people you don’t know.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You have incredible intellectual powers. You learn quickly and have a terrific imagination. These gifts are best utilized when you’ve also got people around you who will help you see your projects through to the end.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Success can be simple. Keep your objectives clearly in mind, and the "how" part of the equation is easy. A former flame wants to give the relationship another try. This satisfies your ego but probably not your heart.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Assert your independence whenever possible. Because of your perceived power, a competitor may unexpectedly withdraw, making you the winner by default. You will gain energy in social situations instead of feeling drained.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "My birthday is Dec. 1, 1946, and my husband’s is Jan. 6, 1944. We are both currently unemployed. We are empty nesters who still need to work to support ourselves. We now live in the New England area. One day, we are thinking of moving to another region where we believe we have a better chance of finding work, and the next day, we’re not sure if moving is a good thing. If we sell our current home, we’d be able to buy a decent home in another area outright or at least with a smaller mortgage payment. This decision is making us anxious. Should we stay or go?"

I think you should take an exploration-vacation. As a Sagittarius, you gain insights about your life when you leave home. Pick three areas where you’d consider moving, and visit at least one of them. See the real estate, eat at the restaurants, and take part in the local culture. Your Capricorn husband will plan this trip beautifully. The two of you will be rejuvenated by the adventure, and it will take the scary factor out of this decision. You’ll both absolutely know when you’re in the right place. And don’t worry: Once you decide, you’ll both find work.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Gloria Estefan has announced the end of her touring career, but fans can still look forward to more songwriting and recordings from this Latin queen. Virgos put their all into every detail of their work, and letting go this particular part of her job will allow a new wave of creativity to swoop in for Estefan. I predict a prominent movie soundtrack in her future.

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Copyright 2004 Joyce Jillson