Horoscope (September 14, 2010)

Mars moves into Scorpio, accenting bold facets of our personalities. For those who are already prone toward the impulsive, intense and extreme sides of life, this aspect will amplify the energy. The more passive, neutral or generally cool types may find themselves slipping into an uncharacteristically fervent mood. Surprises abound.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). It’s your turn to be the stable one in a relationship. If the other person is emotionally intense, stay calm. If the road before you is rocky or steep, keep the balance by maintaining an even keel.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Shopping is dangerous now, as many purchases you will be tempted to make will have the appearance of solving everything, when in actuality, they will not improve your life one bit and may indeed make it worse. Buyer, beware.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Notice what is hanging you up or rubbing you the wrong way. With a few minor adjustments, you will be able to turn this friction into momentum. A change of approach and/or attitude may be all that’s needed.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Someone has captured your attention anew. Your awareness of this person comes in a form that is open, inviting and generous. You might even say that this awareness is love.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The routine has gotten comfortable — maybe too comfortable. But have no fear: You will find something very strange in this day. If you don’t, you’re not looking hard enough.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). There’s a funny progression to the day, and you may take issue with Father Time’s sense of humor. Some hours fly by; others drag on for an eternity; and yet they all purport to be exactly 60 minutes.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). There’s a time and a place for competition, and this isn’t it. Kindness will be prized above many other qualities now, not only by you, but also by the people you would expect to be ultra-competitive.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You are powerful — everyone senses it already. In fact, you are in danger of overpowering the room. A bit of humility will help others feel comfortable. Your graciousness will set a tone for the rest of the crew.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Right now, your life is a little bit like a song by The Rolling Stones. You may not get what you want, but keep going for it anyway, and you just might find that you get what you need.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). There’s no reason to put your relationships to the test on purpose. Life brings enough trials in the natural course of things. So relax, be nice to each other, and let your bond build naturally.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You may feel like you’ve been dealt a bad hand, but don’t fold. Play it as best you can. A little bit of bluffing might be necessary, and you’ll be so convincing that you’ve got something good to play that you might even convince yourself.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). If you don’t quite have the resources to go forward in high style, go forward in low style. It might even work better that way. Your life is about what you give, not what you get.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Sept. 14). You are a leader and will guide your group to an important victory this year. What you do out of love will bring you terrific luck over the next six weeks. A political move affects your family favorably in January. You gain the cooperation of powerful people in February. June and August bring romantic travel. Leo and Cancer people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 40, 1, 24, 33 and 18.

SCHOOLDAYS! THE ARIES STUDENT: The first sign of the zodiac is a natural-born lifelong learner, and the world is Aries’ classroom — so much so that the actual classroom may seem somewhat confining for Aries. That’s why when an Aries student is asked, “What is your favorite thing about school?” the student will often answer, “Recess.” Don’t be fooled by this answer, though. Once Aries gets hooked on a subject, he or she will want to know everything about it. Aries does enjoy studying many topics at once and prefers a school day that is filled with variety and movement. Aries is naturally athletic and competitive and will often excel in extracurricular sports. THE TAURUS STUDENT: Learning is a hands-on experience for Taurus. This tactile student learns most when all the senses are engaged. The real-life application for knowledge is extremely important to this earth sign, and Taurus needs to see the usefulness in information or the bull will lose interest. Taurus has an exceptional talent for setting long-term educational or vocational goals and for committing fully to every necessary step along the way to meeting that aim.