Horoscope, Friday, September 21, 2012

Awkward socializing can make people wish they had stayed home alone. But the people who do stay home alone are the ones most likely to perpetuate awkward socializing, as interacting breezily takes practice. The Sagittarius moon urges us to sharpen our skills, circulate and see relationships for what they are: a lot of work!

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You don’t need to branch out to strangers now. Shake down your current circle of friends first, and get personal recommendations. Also, your friends will recommend you to others and speak of you in the highest esteem.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Problems spin in your head for a reason: so that you can experience them from all angles. Your subconscious process is magnificent, and there’s no reason why you should try to make it conscious at this point. Trust.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). There will be very few instances in which it will be appropriate to share your opinions — e.g., not in someone else’s house, nor in general assembly. Share only when asked sincerely and in private.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Even the most adamant rules followers will thrill to the reckless way you abandon certain constraints. You act as if you don’t care what anyone thinks, and for key moments, this will be true.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You can talk about your experiences and gain insights from others, but when all is said and done, you learn best from experiencing life first-hand. There’s really no substitute.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’ll be made more aware of what brings you down and also of what brings you up. An air sign (Gemini, Libra or Aquarius) will live up to the reputation, bringing lighter spirits.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Each person you meet is a world connected to the world of other people on an endless chain. You’ll consciously work to keep your reputation in line with who you really are, knowing how quickly word gets out.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Wholesome aspirations hang low in the air inviting you to grab on, but so do a few other less than wholesome temptations. As the shorthand version of St. Augustine’s prayer goes: “Oh, God, please make me a saint, but not yet.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Just as nutritional needs are different from person to person, so are other kinds of needs. It takes emotional maturity not to impose your own requirements on others.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You want to be able to help everyone, and yet if you were to try, then the people who most need your attention wouldn’t get very much of it. Focus on your inner circle today.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). It’s not so strange that other people read your responses before you even realize you are responding. You are unselfconscious today, and you’ll give your unguarded self.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The universe seems to test your ability to keep your cool, but only because it’s preparing you for something bigger, something that will require the utmost patience. To the patient go the spoils.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Sept. 21). Over the next five weeks, a healing power soothes your sensitive soul. In November, you’ll be ready to play a bigger game professionally, and this affects lifestyle choices, too. The chance to commit yourself contractually comes in January. March amplifies your passion, and you’ll race to a finish line in May. Leo and Capricorn people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 6, 1, 3, 24 and 19.

WEEKEND LOVE FORECAST: ARIES: Remind yourself what you are curious about so you’ll be ready when someone wants to talk about your interests. TAURUS: Because you want to live life and not have regrets later, you might agree to an adventure you’re not so sure about. GEMINI: You’ll demonstrate that you can solve someone’s problem, and that person will love you for it. CANCER: Loved ones make ridiculous requests of you, and you’ll oblige out of loyalty. LEO: You might think you’re being judged on how successful you are, but really you’re being judged on how well you empathize. VIRGO: Love is mostly guesswork. You guess right, or you guess wrong. Support yourself, and be on your own side either way. LIBRA: You’ll capture the imagination of your target. SCORPIO: You will be successful on a date precisely because you have better things to do. SAGITTARIUS: You’re popular — or at least people think you are, which makes you popular. CAPRICORN: You’ll get your wish. AQUARIUS: You seldom evaluate your social performance the way you might in a work situation, but it would help you to do so now. PISCES: Your unlikely question will open new possibilities with someone you don’t know well.

COUPLE OF THE WEEKEND: On this eve of the autumnal equinox, Virgos experience the last bits of energy of the sun in their sign. Tomorrow, the attention turns to Libra. These signs come together now to pass the torch, and for a brief while, they will both be holding the same light, testing each other to be sure that the other can be relied on to do his or her part. Couples of these signs will be aware of the power shift.

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