There's more than harmony in the planets. Venus and Mars in Libra fly flirtatious air-kisses through the universe. Attraction isn't subtle or coy — it's expressed through wildly romantic overtures, gestures of appreciation and by observing the unspoken rules of courtship. Flattery may appear to get you everywhere, but intelligence gets you further.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You're attracting some pretty provocative people lately — the kind that can't help but seize the opportunity for mischief and amusement. If they disagree with you, it's partly just to see what you'll do.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Refrain from buying anything. Though thriftiness is not your favorite mode, there's a solid chance that the thing you want isn't something you will need in a week's time. You're as rich as you are judicious.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). It's an agreeable enough day in which the universe seems to make at least a slight effort to meet your demands. If you want to speed things along, take greater pleasure in what's already yours.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Drum up some enthusiasm. It feels artificial at first, but it's important to follow through. If you say "yes" to a life quietly and without conviction, it is as good as saying "no." Live big.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You may say you're looking for peace and tranquility, but secretly you're getting a kick out of watching the madness around you. It's almost too much to believe. Stay a spectator. Avoid getting sucked into drama.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (SEPTEMBER 11). Dream extreme. You find solutions to your problems by pushing the limits. This month's energy infusion helps you over a hurdle. In November, someone thrives under your tutelage. You train as you teach others. You're on the way to becoming a master. Love and adventure are featured in December. Cancer and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 50, 2, 15, 9 and 3.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You may be slightly disgruntled with where you're at, but there's no need to start over. Continue building on the work you did yesterday, and yesteryear for that matter. You're about to see the light.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You're through with the contemplating stage of a problem. You're ready to tackle it, and that means expressing yourself. Your every movement is charged with feeling. People will listen up when you talk.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You're facing some tough choices. Remember, character is destiny. Stick with what you know is right and you'll be not only moral, you'll be more confident than ever.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Clear the decks for your next wave of activity. Low-key activities are favored, like doing chores, catching up with bills and correspondence, and generally getting organized.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You'll be working with others. Though it helps to be agreeable, you're not expected to be entirely submissive. In fact, it would hurt the team if you were anything other than your usual strongly opinionated self.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Passion moves you, however you're not moved in an insane frenzy like a character in a movie. You're likely to do extremely smart and reasonable things in the name of love.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You may think you know why someone does what he does, but you can't be sure. Therefore, it's best not to act on your assumptions. Stay within your own boundaries and concern yourself with your own interests.

ASTROLOGICAL QUESTIONS: "I've been emotionally bonded to this guy (9/27/49 7:27 p.m., New Orleans, La.) for four years. He (2/28/48, 6:34 p.m., Lexington, Ky.) keeps me at arms length, but I can't seem to break the hold he has on me. We share a Venus-Pluto trine and it's very compulsive."

With your Libra sun, Mercury, Neptune, Ceres and South Node, your life focus is on your relationships. Yet you experience inequality with the people you love. With Venus in Scorpio, you might be attracted to self-absorbed men. Or you may like being in a one up/one down partnership. Whatever your reason, in this lifetime you'll work hard toward finding equilibrium in love. Compulsion is a psychological response, and yours is to selflessly give. No relationship is ever in perfect balance, and learning to be the giver and recipient of gifts may take effort for you. However, you do need to experience both to be happy. You'll always have to be wary of your attraction to partners who aren't good for you, but you can work on improving this dynamic within yourself. In this case, consider whether your guy's emotional reserve might be the main attraction. You never have to be truly intimate with someone you can't get close to.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Is Moby a simpleton? I'm not name-calling; he's used that exact word to describe himself. Many Virgo-born do have an affinity for living simply, as many a virgin's expressed distaste for excess attests. Yet modest practicality disguises a more exemplary motive: a desire to share. Mythically, Virgo divided the harvest for all. So by using only what's necessary, there's more to go around.

Holiday Mathis is the author of "Rock Your Stars." If you would like to write to her, please go to www.creators.com and click on "Write the Author" on the Holiday Mathis page, or you may send her a postcard in the mail. To find out more about Holiday Mathis and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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