Imaginations soar under the lunar conjunction to Venus. Some take it in a personal direction, thinking of all that could, would and should be. But this is the life we're living. Dreaming of alternate circumstances may not be as productive as, for instance, tidying up, getting organized, using what we have and appreciating what's right in front of us.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). The details are so numerous, you couldn't be blamed for feeling overwhelmed. Step back, squint your eyes, and let things blur into one overall tone. That's the thing to protect: a certain level of levity, a feeling that all is well.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You may not be aware of the acknowledgments you would most like to hear, but take a guess. Write it down, say it aloud. Because knowing what you long for is a step toward making it happen.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Preparation will be the most obvious contributing factor to your success, but there's something else about the win that is much harder to detect: your subtle instinct for knowing what will interest this particular audience.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Switching tasks isn't like turning off one lamp and turning on another. Your brain has to shut down the first task's rules, details and unfinished decisions, then load up the next thing and decide where to begin. Give yourself grace in the in-between.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The goal has lost its shimmer. It's really OK to privately focus on the ego-boosting part, such as the prize, the game or the story you get to tell afterward. Wanting it badly will give you the energy you need now.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You'll make something intricate with your own hands, and one tiny detail will have people leaning closer to ask how you did it. There will be praise from someone hard to impress.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Sometimes you forget how socially versatile you are! Today it will be important to choose the right mode — professional, formal, friendly, accommodating... in some situations you're breaking the rules if you don't break the rules.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It's fine to work harder than those around you. You're raising the bar. Nothing changes when everyone puts in the exact same amount. You'll keep track of your own effort and feelings and that's enough.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You know there's more than meets the eye, but it isn't necessary (or nice) to declare "that's a costume!" or "this movie is fake!" or to poke your finger through the paper scenery to see the other side. You're right to respect the fragility of people's constructions.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The naysayers serve an important role. They find the holes in the plan, point to what needs improvement and highlight the risk. The question is: Are you secure enough in the work to discuss your ideas with a pessimist?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). In matters of surgery or space travel, perfectionism is a must. But in most other endeavors, it's just fear. Be bold today. Risk the mistake. The worst that can happen is that you'll learn what to work on next.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Analyze the scene carefully before you make a single change. Maybe nothing needs to change. Maybe you just need to wait a little longer. Remember that inaction is sometimes the best action, and today fortune favors the judicious.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Sept. 14). It's your Year of the Cumulus Clouds in which life is like puffy white clouds that change shape to delight you in long strings of days filled with whimsy, imagination and emotionally fair weather. More highlights: You'll be awarded, applauded and elected. A new income source overtakes the old. You'll meet the needs of others and get your own met with efficient modernity. Taurus and Gemini adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 1, 30, 33, 12 and 17.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Amy Winehouse's personal belongings have once again made headlines, with handwritten notes, jewelry and keepsakes fetching remarkable prices while becoming the subject of ongoing legal disputes. Few artists leave behind a legacy that extends even to the objects they once touched. A musical pioneer, Winehouse's singularly soulful voice continues to influence artists around the world. Her Virgo Sun, with Venus and Mars in Leo, reflects both exacting craftsmanship and magnetic performance.

For more Holiday magic, visit HolidayMathis.com. To find out more about Holiday Mathis and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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