August 18, 2003 (Monday)

Leo’s fire-sign fuel keeps the atmosphere revved up with interest. There’s a competitive air (especially this morning), and the game is: Who can be the funniest? Whose story will bring ’em to tears? Who can keep up the drama the longest? This evening features a new moon in Leo, which serves to refresh our emotional palate.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Look on the bright side, and that’s all you’ll see. This is a terrific way of bringing good news into your world. You’re a step ahead of others at work. Check e-mail every couple of hours.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You make solid gains on the financial front when you do your job well. It’s not who you know but who knows you. Take steps to raise your public profile. Savvy socializing means working the entire room.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). This is a lucky day for putting together your dream team. Remind friends, family and colleagues about the thing you’ve been wanting to do. They’ll have resources for you that they didn’t have before.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’re gaining a reputation for being the one to call when people have a certain problem. Someone in your circle will move up into a pretty influential position. Send a card of congratulations. A loved one is crazy about you.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). This is the day to dispel the myths in your own life; you must slay the proverbial dragon. If you can be honest with yourself, you will have power over your own life story. A Scorpio or Pisces tells you the truth.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (August 18). Present your ideas, and sell them this year! Productivity and loyalty are rewarded in the next three weeks with a lucrative opportunity. In September, a long-awaited decision is made. Travel in October has a surefire romantic outcome. A relationship with a young person calls for more patience until November, when you will be proud. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 29, 45, 36 and 31.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Grow your business, or get a new job. The average person knows 250 people. Since each of these people also knows 250 people, you’ve got access to 62,500 people. If you don’t have an excellent way to keep track, start now.

LIBRA (Sept.23-Oct.23). You’re smarter and much more tuned in to what others want. The fastest way around your obstacle is to give a little more. Ask someone successful how he or she did it. Don’t tell what you don’t want others to spread.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Formidable tasks must be handled in order to get to that paradise you’ve been dreaming up. You know that once you get to Easy Street, you’ll be struggling with the boredom factor. So you may as well enjoy the challenge.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). There’s a clinical tone to the start of the day, as you find yourself troubleshooting, examining your options and homing in on one solution. There’s no reason you can’t have fun along the way.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Being shown how much you are appreciated makes you feel compelled to do something pro-active, springing ideas into reality. How to go about it is the question. Discuss your goals with youngsters and elders alike.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You can obtain even your most ambitious career goals. Everyone has dues to pay, but don’t you think you’ve given enough? Time to lay down the law. Refuse to go along for the ride – you are the driver now.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Though you’re in the mood to retreat, do just the opposite, and you’ll win. Your ability to be persuasive will help you handle career pressure. Charm and enthusiasm put someone new under your spell.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "I have a date tomorrow night with a former love. He’s a Libra, and I’m a Scorpio. As a 33-yaer-old single mother, I must admit I worry about some of my decisions when it comes to dating. This is the first time I’ve been a single adult. I was with my husband since I was 19, and we just divorced a year ago. I don’t believe in going backward. Is it a good move to date someone from my past?"

What past? Your dating history is so minimal that if you gathered all the guys in one room, you’d hardly have enough for a game of Monopoly. Dating this Libra ex is just the move to ease you into the world of dating. And he’ll help you lighten up, too. Scorpio people are a serious lot and often take relationships to an intimate level too quickly, missing out on all the friendly flirting and fun of early love. Since your experience is limited, you tend to put too much weight into every connection. Lay some ground rules down for yourself: Friendship only for the next six months, and nobody gets to hang out with your kids until you’re sure it’s going to be a regular thing.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Billy Bob Thornton has had his share of wives and has more than his share of talent. This year, the writer/director/actor could come out with a non-fiction best seller about getting the success you deserve. He really knows how to hit a dramatic message home with his writing, and this book would showcase his talents. The semi-motivational tome could bring a cowboy sensibility to the self-help industry.

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Copyright 2003 Joyce Jillson