Horoscopes

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

A couple of near misses could have you on high alert this weekbut should you be? After all, those close calls were with an event or person you can't be sure will definitely be bad (or good) for you. Be bold. The next time it whizzes toward you, step into the path of that particular karmic bullet. Trust your ability to turn most situations to your advantage, education, and eventual advancement. Yes, it's still a kind of Russian roulette but your chances are excellentnine times out of 10, you'll end up happier and better off. You're just that good.

Ask for what you want this week. This is a habit you've been cultivating in general, and hopefully you've found that if you clearly articulate your dearest desires, you're much more likely to get them. This week, focus on your most important unmet needthis isn't necessarily the most pressing one, just the one that matters the most in the long run. Then figure out what would satisfy it, and just flat out request it in the most lucid and honest words possible, even if it means taking out a personals ad, making a phone call to a neglected rich uncle, or confronting your boss.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Reprogram yourself. Don't assume you've been immune to the kind of programming imparted to you by your parents, peers, and society. Don't worry, this won't require that you listen to smarmy self-help tapes, subscribe to ridiculous cultish philosophies, or anything else you're naturally averse to. Simply acknowledge the new habit you'd like to acquire or the old one you'd like to lose, then diligently practice that wish, whether it's eating less junk food, going to the gym more often, or ditching your tobacco habit once and for all. If you start it this week, you have a better chance of your new way of life actually taking root and sticking with you than if you try it during any other week all winter.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

Be a glutton for perspective. Seek out high places and other vantage points where you can see for long distances, catch glimpses of big pictures, and just generally view your life through a wider lens than you have in half a year or more. Don't miss this window; if you achieve the whole-life panorama I'm wishing for you, it's yours to refer to for months to come. If you don't take the time to check it out now, you may not be able to find it again for the next month and a half, and you'll miss out on all the goodness you could do with your expanded viewpoint during those six weeks.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

Rams start life with so much flash and pizzazz, it becomes your daily challenge to outdo yourselfuntil at some point you cross a line of karmic progression toward your astrological neighbors, the Taureans, where you understand the beauty of the spotlight, of presentation, but it's no longer the be-all and end-all of your existence. From then on, you devote your life to quality, not just glory. Jump the gun and hop forward a few steps in your own evolution this week. You'll have several opportunities to choose momentary stardom over working for subtler, long-lasting achievements this week. Please let them slide on by.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Style matters to you Taureans. Sometimes, how you do something is almost as important as what you do. If you can't manage your goal with a little flair, you occasionally question whether to do it at all. Unfortunately, your panache levels are quite low this week, while your ability to get things done is at a three-month high. Don't waste it because your efforts may lack a little luster. They're still worthwhile, even if they don't seem thrilling and glorious. Besides, the people whose opinions you care the most about are more impressed by a solid, consistent record of accomplishment than they are by a few singular moments of brilliance.

You're in a game of dodgeball I wish you'd lose. You've been playing for a couple years now, and you've gotten so wily and agile that I fear you'll never encounter a player good enough to knock you on your ass and give you what you so desperately need. On the one hand, when you finally do get a stinging slap in the face from an overinflated emotional kickball, you'll know you've finally met your match, for good or ill. On the other hand, the person with whom you're exchanging volleys now could be your match one day (even if they're not now), if you'd just ease up long enough for them to catch up. This week, try that.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Fuck your feelings. I mean, by now you've gotten pretty good at harnessing their impressive force and letting them mostly function as strengths, not handicaps. They no longer justify quite the intensive focus you've devoted to them lately. Shift your attention away from the less-pressing needs of your soul so you can actually notice the lucrative opportunities, brought within reach by the Capricorn new moon, out in the concrete world. You should have at least five chances this week to tangibly improve your lot in life. Bonus points go to any Cancer who catches and takes advantage of them all.