Oh, My Stars! by Lilly Roddy Lilly Roddy looks to the sky to give us a special sneak peek into our astological future.

This is going to be an especially active year for the mutable signs: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. So, if you are one of these signs or have a planet in one of the signs, you can expect your life to be anything but boring. The reason is that most of the outer planets are going to be in mutable signs this year. This will keep most of you dancing long after the music has stopped.

Also, we are going to have Venus and Mars retrograde this year, in addition to Mercury’s retrogrades, which it normally swings into three times a year. Mars and Venus go retrograde about every two years, but not necessarily in the same year. In particular, Mars will be retrograde in Sagittarius, one of the mutable signs–which only adds to the mix of energy around those mutable signs.

Venus will be retrograde March 8—April 19 in the sign of Aries. When Venus, planet of commitment, is retrograde, it makes for increased focus on problems that exist in relationships, bringing to the surface all that junk that you normally ignore. Mars’ retrograde in Sagittarius is May 11—July 19. Not a good time to start new projects ... or to repress your anger. Physical problems can show up at these times, especially if you are a mutable sign.

Our good friend Mercury will be retrograde February 3—25 in both Pisces and Aquarius; June 4—28 in Gemini; and November 1—22 in Libra. Mercury retrograde is always about reviewing your previous decisions. If you are one of those signs or have planets in those signs, you will be even more strongly affected by the Mercury retrograde. And for you mutable signs, take note that Mercury is retrograde in Gemini, its rulership sign and one of the mutable signs. This will add to the mix of craziness that I mentioned earlier.

The eclipses this year are January 9 in Cancer, June 21 in Cancer, July 5 in Capricorn, December 14 in Sagittarius, and December 30 in Cancer. Having the eclipses in Cancer and Capricorn tend to indicate issues around family, career, and the unconscious psychological motivations that create security in our lives. You know the nagging questions: What will my mom, dad, neighbors, grandmother think? Will they still love me?

In looking at the planets, know that Jupiter brings growth and optimism (which can veer into exaggeration and overindulgence) . Saturn is concerned with career, social obligations, and responsibility; it’s the planet of doing the right thing, as well as repression and even being paralyzed. Uranus seeks the unusual and eclectic, while Neptune seeks the spiritual ... universal love. Pluto explores the depths and involves the realization of power and rooting out of decay.

At particular periods this year the planets line up and make connections to each other–these times are definitely going to be intense for all of us, but especially those mutables: Be on the lookout during the first half of March, the early part of May, the middle of July, and the beginning of August. These times will certainly affect the Internet, Internet-related businesses, magazines, newspapers, courts, lawyers, schools, and all of the medical industries and their peripherals. People may feel very disenfranchised or that they are not being heard. The truth will come in many forms this year. And truth may contradict itself, especially during the times I have mentioned. Expect to hear more from all groups–mainstream, religious, GLBT, street gangs, skinheads, African-Americans, women, and anyone who feels that they have been left out of considerations by the groups in power. As Bette Davis said, "It’s going to be a bumpy ride."

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22—Jan. 19)

JUPITER Your work life is going to be extra busy this year–you are getting everything in its place and looking for ways to improve how your office or workplace runs. You are open to new ways of doing things, and especially with connecting to the global culture in your workplace. You will be the elf of good cheer and optimism–as well as a candidate for manager of the year. This is a great time to seek promotions. After mid-year, your interest turns to relationships. You are open and ready to have one. If you are in one, then you are ready to renew those embers. If you are not in one, then you will be hungry to commence. Get out your best hat–you will be noticed.

SATURN The motif of making the workplace more productive and efficient is continued here, and likely to intensify at the end of April. Even if you are not the owner of the business, you will have a leadership role. Part of your motivation is to reduce the stress in the workplace and in your life in general. If health issues arise, please address them as soon as possible. You are more physically sensitive right now; you are affected by things you could normally ignore. Just as you’re getting the workplace in order, you may find yourself strongly motivated to get your physical body into efficient running order. Since Saturn is likely to be in this area of your life for the next two years, you will have plenty of staying power to finish any diet or health program.

URANUS/NEPTUNE Money and resources are influenced by these two planets this year, and how you respond will depend on how flexible you are. These planets stimulate you mentally and spiritually–they generally want you to look at your talents and resources and come up with innovative and ingenious ways to improve. Taken from that viewpoint, how could you possibly resist? If you are not very flexible and responsive, you may find the things you counted on slithering through your fingers as you try and tighten your grip. This would be a great time to re-market yourself or your business. You may want to look into a business coach to help you renew your game plan. And remember, asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Not asking for help is the real sign of weakness.

PLUTO You are on a long-term spiritual search, seeking ways to add meaning to your mundane life. This is especially intense for those of you born January 2—6. Some of you may even decide to dedicate your life work to improving the planet–such as improving the healthcare system, making the stock market more assessable, putting the government on the Internet, or challenging rigid and excluding religious tenets. On the more mundane level, you might consider working on a newsletter: Your thoughts and ideas need to have a broad reach this year.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20— Feb. 18)

JUPITER This feeling of creativity that has been surging through your body continues through the first half of the year–in every area of your life. In relationships, you are finding interesting ways that you and your lover can relate. In business, you are creating new ways to market your products or your skills. In therapy, you are able to feed your inner child (and for sure, she is plenty hungry). By mid-year, you guide all this creative energy into becoming the cheerleader for improving work conditions and creating healthy work environments. You will be able to get lots done because others will want to help you. This is a great year to engage in exercise and new health plans. Or you might teach others how to improve their lives through health with a spiritual content.

SATURN This year you and your children come to a new understanding. You are going to construct a new set of boundaries that you both can live with. You will expect them to be more adult and they will expect you to let go of that early parental role that has you in charge of their life decisions and see you as more of an equal. This is connected to using your creative skills in another way. You will want to take what you do and put it out in the real world so that it can be examined and judged. This is the year to make an investment and take a risk in yourself. You normally shy away from what the public thinks because you like us to believe that it is not important to you. This year, that idea will be hard to sell even to yourself. You’ll be seeking tangible results from projects–if they don’t produce substantial consequences, sayonara.

URANUS/NEPTUNE Let me divide this into two sections. Uranus is influencing those of you born February 8—14, which means increased awareness will lead to boredom, which will instigate some necessary change. So, you don’t have to be an astrologer to see the sacred symbols on the cave walls. Embrace growth and change ... or have it thrust upon you. You are especially resourceful and can really let people see just how smart you are. Those of you born January 25—30 are taking a deep dive into the ethereal pool of cosmic oneness. You are seeking and will find your connection with the goddess, god, the monad, the crone, or whatever you call it. Don’t be surprised by your hermit-like periods. This is normal even though your friends will wonder what has happened to you. You are extra, extra, extra, extra, etc. sensitive. It will not be possible to ignore things you normally could. Consider a trip to a mountaintop, beach, or isolation chamber.

PLUTO Friends and groups who once were important to you are under review and maybe, just maybe, renewal. You are really wanting to find a common connection of truth with those people with whom you spend your valuable spare time. Your bull-manure factor will be exceeding low this year. This is most true for those of you born February 1—6. You may be in charge of exposing the rotten undercurrents of a group that supposedly does good things. Cutting off the decaying limbs and preparing for the re-growth. And ultimately, that is the real purpose of your work. You are to help with the rebirthing process of the organizations and friends that you have. You are showing them a part of themselves that they have always avoided seeing. Some, unfortunately, will not survive the surgery.

PISCES (Feb. 19—March 20)

JUPITER The first half of the year is the time to spend with your family, healing any problems or issues from the past. Everyone–even Uncle Bill–is ready to make amends. This is just a good time to get your home and family into better shape. Under this planetary influence, you could move, redecorate, or add on to your existing dwelling. You will want to travel and add to your knowledge base of other places on the planet. The later half of the year, your creative cycle is very strong. For some this could show up as more projects at work, more writing, painting, and even the possibility for children in your life. This will help to bring some sense of hope and acceptance to any part of your life that seems to be lacking.

SATURN The lovely lady of responsibility enters the area of home and family for the next two years. And your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to find out just where your boundaries are. Typically, I say that the mermaids and mermen have large boundaries. You feel drawn to help others even if these others don’t ask for your help and try to resist–and this is not really the problem. The real problem is not knowing how much to take on and when to stop. This year, exquisite Saturn will show you the fences that you need to construct in your life and to clearly remember that the reasons that you help others is so that you feel better. Oh, they feel better too, but that is not the core motivation for your actions. Just a dip in the pool of selfishness for those fish types. Come on in, the water’s great! No, really!

URANUS/NEPTUNE Swimming around somewhere in your cosmic unconscious, these two planets are looking for fun and adventure on the etheric plane. You can think of it as a kind of reordering of your intangible philosophy that keeps you connected to the earth plane. This will probably show up initially as feeling that there is something lacking in what you connect to now, such as your church, worship group, or temple. You will be looking for something much broader that is able to fasten all the religious and spiritual tenets into one package. You ultimately may be the person who ends up doing this for us. Since most groups are not really good at introspection, they may not be able to do it for you. However, this will not keep you from going on the journey. And this is one of those times when the journey is more important than the actual destination. Be sure to bring your party dress. You will need it.

PLUTO Let’s focus this on those of you born March 1—6. This is the time in your life when you are given incredible power to examine what drives you toward the career direction that you have. The problem with this laser vision is that you may well see holes that you didn’t see before. And many of you will feel compelled to seek alternative career paths. Others will wait for the rug to be pulled from under your feet and then you will feel compelled to seek alternative career pathos. In the real world, this looks like the company you’re working for being bought out, downsized, pruned, and reconfigured –and you are not sure you want to stay for the whole ride. Family issues are really tugging at you and those may be the deciding factors that guide your decisions. March and July are really the bugaboo months. Wear your body armor during those times.

ARIES (March 21—April 19)

JUPITER Jupiter stimulates your desire to communicate this year. Although you will want your life to be busy and active, you may be easily bored, particularly with activities that you have been doing for a while. This is a good year to write books, e-mails, letters ... or letters to the editor. In July, Jupiter enters your solar fourth house of family and home, causing you to get energized to make improvements in these areas. You may move this year–or at least move your furniture around. This can help to heal those ancient family wounds that no one has wanted to touch. It will certainly increase your desire to travel and see new places. Contacts with people from other cultures could be especially beneficial the last half of the year.

SATURN Your money supply has not been as fluid as you are used to for the last two years; as the year begins, your normal resources have been cut off and you are trying to find ways to compensate. You will feel a lot more open and financially secure toward the end of April. After April, you will shift your focus to how you use your time and energy. Whatever you spend your time on–whether it be an activity or a person–you want there to be a sense of purpose and even compensation. Simply put, you will not be wasting your time this year.

URANUS/NEPTUNE Group activities will not have the draw they once did in your life. You’re getting bored, and are starting to look for different friends and unconventional activities. In fact, some of what you once liked about your friends could be the very things that drive you away. You may leave organizations you’ve belonged to for years, or at least think hard about their purpose in your life. Your children, no matter what age they are, may seem further away from you. And even if you have young ones, you may question why you chose to become a parent in the first place. You are looking for a suitable place for your ego to feel at home, where your presence makes a difference. You will not settle for less.

PLUTO You are in a mood to learn new things. As you explore different parts of the world and different cultures, you might find yourself feeling drawn to the computer and Internet. In fact, the strong attraction you feel toward such things this year may seem downright obsessive to others. You are probably being pulled in by past-life experiences. This would be a great year to travel, go back to school, or even consider living in a totally new area. You are sure ready for an adventure.

TAURUS (April 20—May 20)

JUPITER You have been doing some intensive thinking about what you want to do with your money and resources this year. You want to get more from your current investments, and also make better use of your skills and talents. The beginning of the year is a good time to think about asking for a raise or increasing the fees you charge your clients. At mid-year, you are much better at communicating than you have been in quite a while. You could be quite busy, so watch your commitments. You will be in a more creative mood and, fortunately, you will have some focus to be able to use that energy.

SATURN At the end of April you really come to terms with what you want to do with your money. You will be using your resources in a very cautious way. You will not tolerate those who take advantage of your good nature or do not appreciate you. Overall, you are evaluating what and how you use your time and money. If you have financial problems, this year you will want to have those problems off your back–and you will work hard to do that. Borrowing money may be more difficult; you may have to count more on yourself and less on others. Watch out for that feeling that you have to prove yourself to others. That is a trap connected to your childhood and getting your parents’ approval. Choose your judges carefully.

URANUS/NEPTUNE There is a continued review of whether or not your career choice is right for you, especially for those of you born April 25—29 and May 9—16, or if you have planets in this area of the zodiac. You are really questioning whether or not your work is fulfilling. If not, then boredom and disinterest are sure to follow. This will be true even if you are making good money. In fact, this is even more true if you are at the top of the hierarchy in your company. Some of you may be withdrawing socially and looking for deeper spiritual fulfillment within all activities in your life. There could be forces beyond your control–such as mergers or buyouts at your company–that are making you rethink your life.

PLUTO You are also looking deeply into what constitutes emotional satisfaction. In this journey, as you re-examine what life really means to you, you are also reconsidering just what relationships are versus what you thought they were supposed to be. This area of your life could feel empty, even if you have an ongoing partnership. On the surface, you might be disagreeing with your partner about money. Or that one of you is holding back on some level of emotional connection. Or that you don’t have the same values in common that you thought you did. Whatever the manifestation, this is just an indicator that you are wanting more for yourself in relationships than you were capable of accepting in the past. Accept the process and upgrade your relationship.

GEMINI (May 21—June 21)

JUPITER Relationships and business have all picked up for you over the past year–and this will continue through the first half of 2001. You could easily think that you have almost no time for yourself, not even for romantic encounters. You are meeting lots of people, but you don’t have the time for anything to really develop. You will begin to get a grip on this situation, but that won’t be till the end of April when Saturn enters the picture. You have not been in the best of places for relationships for the last two years. But this year you don’t want to be alone, and will put a lot of effort into getting a partner. Old lovers from the past could resurface from May through July. Don’t cast them out so quickly. There could be some potential there.

SATURN Saturn enters your sign after a 28-year absence. This will be a time of reviewing long-term goals and directions. You will be ending a lot of things in your life that you have outgrown. You want to be more in control of the direction your life takes, and some of you will end up being your own boss this year. Others of you will be promoted in your current job, becoming more of an authority figure. Be sure that you don’t try to do all the jobs, but become a good administrator. Relationships that you don’t have use for or that don’t serve a purpose in your life, you will get rid of. Relationships that have significance, you will want to renew and intensify. In business relationships, you will want to be treated as an equal. In romantic relationships, the long-term vision has to be renewed. Some of you might seek to legitimize your relationships with public ceremonies.

URANUS/NEPTUNE You are blending your new life philosophies with those from your youth, integrating the new with the old. As you see the world with new eyes, you don’t see a conflict between ideas but bridges that join the two sides together. This will certainly improve your creative potential. And you may have to give up the idea that you are an outsider–you are now a part of the system that you once felt abandoned by. You have more of a public persona this year. Your words will have more impact on others. You may even be called upon to speak to your community or to teach others. Be sure to include some travel and vacation in this year’s plans. You will not be able to work as tirelessly as you did last year.

PLUTO Visiting your relationship house, Pluto continues to transform relationships past anything that you once knew. You are seeking truth here that may well make others uncomfortable. Once upon a time you were the light butterfly that went from flower to flower seeking the pollen from each. Now your sagacious and abstract concepts rise to the surface and you seek union with those rare flowers that bloom once a century. Nothing light satisfies you–even your play has become much more serious. Some will wonder where that scattered girl, that young innocent, that maiden of the fluff went. She is still there but keeping company with the Queen of Darkness and Lilith, wise women of the old world. Now, go out and try and find a date who has those qualifications.

CANCER (June 22—July 22)

JUPITER The first half of the year you are in preparation for a big coming-out party in July. So, take the time to get all your papers, documents, and brain dysfunctions in order. You are looking at how the universe works and it is just about time for you to share that information with the rest of us. Write, take some time to retreat, and get a break from your routines. In July, Jupiter enters your sign for the first time in 12 years. Time for growth, personal expansion, and letting shine that nurturing aura that you have been working on. You will draw positive experiences; people just want to be around your magnetic personality. Be careful whom you let on your magic carpet ride. You will feel like you have the energy to conquer the world–don’t overextend or overcommit yourself. Make sure you want the job.

SATURN It is time for you to put into words just how you think the universe works. You have been considering this concept for quite a while. You will begin to challenge others and their more traditional value system and their effectiveness in the real world. Even though you see the holes in their beliefs, be gentle–you don’t want to make enemies who will seek you out later. The other part of your making order in the universe is that you will start tackling your closets, your files, your whole life, and putting it in order. A lot of things in your life are in piles–it is time to figure out just where they need to go.

URANUS/NEPTUNE This continues to be a thought-provoking year for the Moon Kids. You are redefining just what real intimacy means to you and facing your own illusions and rationales. What makes you get up every day? Although resources may seem distant or just out of your reach, you are tapped into a deeper sense of consciousness. You need to find a transcendent connection, as the previous influences will not drive you around the block as they used to. Unresolved conflicts will come up so that you can unravel them. Relationships, personal or business, are not so easy. You are called upon to give more support than you ever have in the past. And you are not as detached and separate as you once were. You can’t hide your feelings ... and you should not even try. Can you just let your partner peek at you without your Cancer mask?

PLUTO Every day the journey begins with a whole new map and new set of destinations. You are more conscious of every detail in your life, reviewing your habits, sorting out what you want and why. It is as though you are watching yourself be yourself in a mirror. Your life seems surreal. At work, there is a sense of constant change around you. This could grow even stronger toward the middle of February. Work conditions could be tense if you are trying to figure out the best plan for everyone. What is your responsibility to others and them to you? Unfavorable conditions will turn up very quickly this year. Because these work tensions may take their toll on your body, take care to keep a good handle on your health.

LEO (July 23—Aug. 22)

JUPITER For some of you, this year can be a great time to get back into groups and organizations. Most of you have been guarding this part of your life and have pulled away from groups and friends over the last couple of years. Now you are feeling the need to get back in. You had lost your sense of self over the last couple of years trying to be a pleaser to everyone you met and then feeling resentful because you were not appreciated. You have been considering each person, every employer, client, or boss with a very discerning eye. You have seemed more distant and grumpier. Now you will be better at nurturing those groups than ever before because you will not forget to nurture yourself first.

SATURN The theme of group leadership continues with Saturn making her presence known at the end of April. You have been establishing yourself as a tough cookie over the last year. You have had some confrontations with your superiors and really questioning why you need to prove yourself. Hopefully, you got the lesson that the proof was for you, and not them. You may have even decided to take your career direction in your own hands. In May, it becomes time to promote yourself and your work. This is a great time to put yourself out there in front of groups, join community organizations, become an activist. At work, don’t be afraid to take on those tasks and chair those committees. Your actions are visible and others are watching.

URANUS/NEPTUNE For sure, these are the planets that have been keeping your relationships vacillating. You are on a roller-coaster ride and you might as well enjoy it because you are not getting off. Your BS levels in all relationships, business or personal, are at an all-time low–just forget about doing any pretending about your feelings this year. This can be a very threatening time in relationships that you have a long history with. They have to change or they will come to an end. This will require participation of both partners to make it better, which means you have to be more open and let your partner know exactly how you feel. Otherwise, you will continue to be in that controlling role that you complain so much about. It is an especially confusing time about relationships in general. You are looking for a stronger mental and spiritual connection. I hope you find it.

PLUTO Your children are going to want to grow up this year and be on their own; they don’t want your guiding hand on top of their heads any more. I know you do it because you love them and don’t want them to step in the same holes that you did. But how will they learn to believe you know what you’re talking about if they don’t conduct a little first-person exploration of those pitfalls? You are not supposed to be directing the path of others, but activating your own creative forces. This same analogy applies to your businesses, your ideas, or your employees. You have to let them go this year and see if they have learned what you taught them. And take that same energy and apply it to your own personal projects. Otherwise, you will be in combat with those who you want to help the most. Look for this test to come up between May and July. And don’t stay up all night studying for it ... it won’t help.

VIRGO (Aug. 23—Sept. 22)

JUPITER Career is a major theme for you this year, with help from two different planets. One is good old Jupiter. Jupiter, planet of growth and expansion, enters your career sector after a 12-year absence, bringing lots of opportunities. You may just want to consider starting your own business this year. Even if you stay with your current company, you can expect promotions and raises–as well as some rather large projects that will test your skills and abilities. Travel associated with business will be favored this year too. Some of you will even consider going back to school to be a student or a teacher. By mid-year, you will be more oriented toward a community- or business-association; you may be asked to take on a leadership role. This is a very opportune time for you–if there is a knock, answer the door.

SATURN Saturn is the other planet that moves into your career sector at the end of April, helping you get a handle on the possibilities that come your way. Saturn is concerned with future outcome, getting you the most from the energy you invest. So, you cannot make a wrong decision this year as long as it is associated with taking some action. Saturn can make you act so cautiously that you do nothing. This is obviously the wrong choice. Saturn wants you to not make any wrong decisions. That is why you will be conservative with your choices during this year and even the next. You will want more for yourself at work, and others will expect more from you. This is the year to prove your self-worth. Just make sure that you choose yourself as the final judge.

URANUS/NEPTUNE These planets have been stimulating you to do things differently in your work life. You are somewhat bored with your routines, both at work and home. You might find yourself redecorating your office, getting new computers, or working different hours. As you give up some of the set hours that you have developed for yourself over the past years, you may feel erratic and off base–try to develop a sense of work based on your intuition. Also, your work has to have a purpose to it. It must make the world a better place for everyone to live. This is part of the spiritual connection that is coming through, as you insist on feeling connected to others on a daily basis; this will put you much more in touch with your emotions and feelings. This is somewhat different for the Virgos, but you can learn to adapt. You always do.

PLUTO Your home environment has been undergoing a change for many years, and this year will be no exception. In fact, this area of your life will be intensified from the middle of February through early September. With all this energy, you may move, buy new appliances, or get some remodeling done. Your home could become a social center. Old family issues will come to the surface as you try to stake out your individuality. Those who live with you may show some resentment, especially if they feel their territory is being infringed upon. Take your family on some new adventures and look for new ways to express those feelings. Don’t lock them up. That only makes them more explosive, chiefly in March and July.

LIBRA (Sept. 23—Oct. 23)

JUPITER You should be feeling very upbeat as the year opens. You are good at finding solutions to problems; your intellect and brain are working well. You seem to see how things connect and are creating real balance and harmony in your life, as opposed to just talking about it. You are open to new people and new experiences. The first half of the year is excellent for traveling for pleasure. The last half is good for business travel. Anything that expands your sense of your mundane reality will attract you. You might want to attend some conferences, classes, or seminars, as you are open and ready for learning. In the last half of the year, you begin to focus on your career area–and you should do well. You will be a magnet of sorts, attracting good fortune. If you are interested in promoting your business, getting a promotion in your current company, or looking for a new place to work, the last half of the year is the best time to do that.

SATURN You can get a lot done this year without a lot of effort: Not much is blocking your path. You are in a mood to learn, including subjects that have a practical value. The only really difficult times are from the early part of March through the middle of April, when there may be some relationship difficulties. Most of this is about realigning your goals and plans for the future that you share with your partner. You will have a great ability to see the larger picture and not lose yourself with the small stuff. So, this should not bring an end to your partnership, unless it is agreed upon by both parties.

URANUS/NEPTUNE Children could be problematic this year. They are really wanting to explore different parts of themselves and to express their freedom. So, your kids are not going to do what is expected, but what they want to do. Internally, this is a call from your inner child for freedom and artistic expression. You are trying to connect to that spiritual side which wants expression without intent. Otherwise, your children will have to act as rebels so you don’t have to.

PLUTO Getting your message across clearly, concisely, and expressing the truth as you see it will be important for you this year. You could even be argumentative from February though September if people don’t agree with you. You may feel threatened by others if their opinions differ from yours. Road rage looms. A course in anger management might help a lot. But mostly you will not want to waste your time or energy this year in trying to explain what should really be common sense–you just expect people to understand. This may also bring smarter and wiser people into your life to help you make important decisions. Just remember that your intellect may feel challenged by others; if you get defensive, you may miss the benefit of their good advice.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24—Nov. 21)

JUPITER One of the larger themes that both Jupiter (planet of expansion) and Saturn (planet of contraction) will bring into your life is that of dealing with other people’s resources. Initially, Jupiter will bring you lots of options. This could be new investment opportunities. You could get loans for expanding your business or buying a new home. Your partner may get a raise or promotion that could bring more money into your life. Later in the middle of the year, you will want to enlarge your education and your knowledge base: You will be drawn back to school or adult education classes. You are also interested in expanding your normal social base to include different kinds of people, especially those from diverse cultures.

SATURN Saturn joins Jupiter in the same area of your horoscope. Now, Saturn is much more concerned with doing something with the opportunities; she is there with her guilt to make you worry and fret about not using your resources to their fullest extent. In your relationship, the emphasis may be on financial security rather than intimacy. This could be a deterrent to your sexual life together: Just remember to keep the checkbook out of the bed. If you do feel a distance creeping up between you and your partner, address the problem early. If not, it may create some chasms that by mid-year could prove impossible to leap across.

URANUS/NEPTUNE You dream of the possibility of the home you have always wanted. This year your home must reflect the inner security that you have always craved. Your home must be an escape from the demands that society places on you, and a respite from family pressures. Otherwise, you will feel trapped and won’t feel you have any place to go that you feel safe or feel you can get away from the grind of daily existence. So, you could either: 1) Move. 2) Fix up the old same place. 3) Rid yourself of all your possessions and live the life of an aesthetic. You may also begin feeling restricted and enslaved by your family, pressured to conform to their idea of who they want you to be. Just explain to them that you want to be who you are. If they don’t accept it, you don’t have to feel challenged by this. You just may want to find another place to live.

PLUTO This year you really look at how you use your resources and talents. You will be wanting more for what you do and to be appreciated at a better rate of return than before. You may start having problems with some places where you have become comfortable and that supply you with financial security–you may not be able to count on those assets. This may give you some strong impetus to find alternative sources and solutions for your money mysteries. You will also learn just exactly what others think of you and how much value they place on your friendship or love. This may come as a harsh blow to some of you in August or November as you find that you are not as appreciated as you would like to be. Others of you will take this information and find people who do admire you and your talents, some of whom will want to invest in your future and in your businesses. Be sure to be open to those options.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22—Dec. 21)

JUPITER Your relationships and social life are on the upswing the first half of this year. If you are in a relationship, you will find it is easier and that life just seems to flow. Your partner could be getting a promotion at work and adding to the general improvement in your relationship. If you are not involved, this will bring people into your circle of influence. This is a good year to promote your business or yourself. Others will be drawn to you because of your magnetism. You will be drawn to people from different cultural backgrounds: Keep that passport updated. By mid-year you should be ready for a more active sex life. You will want to make those emotional connections that bind at the wrist and ankles. Investments in foreign stocks and currencies could be profitable this year.

SATURN Saturn also repeats the theme of relationships this year, except she wants you to have a solid, committed, socially recognized, future-oriented relationship. If you are in an existing partnership–with a lover, a life partner, a significant other, wife, husband, or a legally binding limited partnership–you will want to upgrade the contract that you originally signed on with. You can look at this as a mid-course correction in your romantic cruise through the Panama Canal. If you don’t have this sense of future happy ports of call with your partner, you will be looking elsewhere. If you are not involved, you will take a serious look at who is around you and evaluate the possibilities. You may even take an intensely pragmatic approach to finding a partner; you are interested in someone who wants to commit and not just someone who wants to date.

URANUS/NEPTUNE Your intellectual interests need to be piqued this year. You are somewhat bored with your routines and normal intellectual intrigues. You may have a strong focus on high-tech gadgets; the computer or the Internet could take you places you have not considered before. And you will be interested in seeing the habitual cycles in your life through different eyes. You will also find yourself drawn to activities that increase your soul awareness of your immediate environment. Tai Chi or yoga might be just the ticket, as you are very interested in finding a sense of the "flow" around you. Religion and spiritual pursuits could also grab your interest. You might want to plan some getaways that have a retreat-oriented approach. A visit to Tibet would be nice ... or a week in Santa Fe. You want to be in a place where you are more in contact with the current rather than having to paddle your way upstream.

PLUTO When this planet comes into contact with your life, you are getting ready for the cosmic enema. She will have the strongest effect on those of you born December 3 through the 10th. It is actually very simple. Everything that you thought you were, that you considered important, or that you wanted to be around forever is subject to intense scrutiny and review. And everything that you have outgrown or that doesn’t really belong to you will find its way out of your life. You can think of this as an adventure or a roller-coaster ride that doesn’t seem to have an end. Part of the good/bad aspect of this has to do with how much you participate in the process rather than being dragged along. March and July could be intense. Try to remember it is not supposed to be stable.