Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Don’t act helpless. We both know you’re not. There’s a big difference between something you’re not capable of doing and something you just don’t really want to do. Pretending you can’t when you really won’t is a pretty lame tactic, even if it works occasionally. It’s definitely a bad strategy to employ this week, since people are likely to see right through it to your unwilling heart. As you can imagine, that won’t reflect well on you. It would be better just to suck it up and get shit done, especially because it’s not nearly as bad or hard as you’ve built it up to be. This week, store up some good karma credit, instead of spending what little you’ve got banked.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21)

It’s getting to the point where if there’s a warmish, sunny day, you might want to make an effort to get outside and enjoy it; who knows when the next one might be? Winter is coming, and there are many pleasures to be had during that season; however, this week is a good one for trying to squeeze one last hurrah from autumn before the winter coats come out of the closet to stay—and to practice seizing opportunities. Sometimes you get more than one, but counting on that is foolish and foolhardy. Grab them while you can.

Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

Eloping to Vegas is so not your style. You can be spontaneous, but rarely (if ever) about something important—and let’s face it, this is not one of the words most people usually would use to describe you. However, there are times to throw caution to the winds and just take a leap of faith. Even if such a leap is somewhat premeditated and not completely blind, that you’re willing to jump at all will score lots of points with the one(s) you’re trying to impress. You’re familiar with calculated risk-taking; even though there’s a lot more to lose here, there’s also a lot more to gain. Go for it.

Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

You’re like a dog who’ll go fetch the ball every time it’s thrown, no matter how tired you are, no matter how far or inaccessible it is. Being so eager to please (or so mindlessly entertained) can be endearing, but sometimes you’ve got to change up the game. You can’t wait for anyone else to do that; as far as they know, you’re perfectly happy with the status quo. However, I suspect they’ll be delighted if you decide to give something new (and more interesting) a try. The ball’s in your court. What will you do with it?

Pisces (Feb. 19–March 20)

The biggest piece of culture shock I experienced when I returned to this country after years abroad was the overdeveloped sense of entitlement most Americans have. Many people walk around expecting to be served, for people to do things for them (like bag their groceries) that they could very easily do for themselves, and to more or less be treated like nobility. Where did this social programming come from? It’s pretty lame, especially in a country where equality is at least theoretically the goal. There are many things to be proud of as an American. Expecting royal treatment from others isn’t one of them. I try to notice and squelch that expectation in myself whenever possible. You should, too.

Aries (March 21–April 19)

You can be messy. That goes for your house, your car, and your emotions. Having everything in its own neat little box doesn’t usually work that well for you. That means that if you encounter someone who really prefers their life mostly neat and tidy, you’re in trouble. You need to assess whether you feel like cleaning up a lot more than you’re used to or usually comfortable with, because they’re not likely to get into hanging around in your mess. If you can’t do that, walk away now before you both waste a lot of time.

Taurus (April 20–May 20)

Quick personal change isn’t something you generally do. You’re as capable of changing as the next person (perhaps more so than some, because of your stubborn willpower and determination), though usually much more slowly. Some people are willing to turn their lives totally upside down, as if a tornado had swept through, and live in their disastrously reconfigured surroundings while they slowly get things back in order. Your style of change is more glacial, with incremental, thoughtful, and slow movements toward the place you want to go. This is something that’s important for you to understand—not so you can judge it, but so you can explain it to those who need to know.

Gemini (May 21–June 20)

If your dog has an accident in the next room, the solution isn’t simply to spray loads of air freshener in this one and hope your guests don’t notice. That mess needs to be taken care of right away, even if the timing couldn’t be more inconvenient, and the one responsible for making the mess needs to be taken care of too. These things happen, and trying to hide, cover, or ignore them is the act of a child, not an adult. Be the grown-up and take care of things when they come up, as graciously and gracefully as possible, not when doing so is convenient for you.

Cancer (June 21–July 22)

You can’t be clear about communicating your boundaries if you’re not sure where they are. The lines have been blurred recently, and consequently you have people stepping across them all over the place. You can’t really blame them, though, seeing as how you haven’t been that good about showing them just where those lines lie. Once you do, most will probably be much more respectful of them. This is a good week to figure out exactly where those lines should be drawn. Don’t bother whipping out any of your old “maps”; they’re likely to have shifted quite a bit since then.

Leo (July 23–Aug. 22)

You’re sometimes subject to what I call Movie Mentality. That is, you want things to play out something like the way they’d happen in a movie. You want to be swept off your feet in a whirlwind romance, or be the hero of your own adventure—or at least the main character in it. This is all due to your romantic nature, and, yes, your big ego. However, rarely does life reflect the movies. Trying to make it look that way often makes people feel weird and uncomfortable, especially when they’d rather it just be what it is, and real. Try to see the beauty, poetry, and drama in that, even if it’s not as spectacular as what you’d see on the silver screen.

Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)

There are certain things (like eating well or getting a lot done) that come quite naturally to you, and certain things (like really relaxing and making huge, disastrous, and wonderful messes) that don’t. Knowing this about yourself is a tremendous boon, and can create amazing opportunities to share, learn from someone else, and most of all bond with someone else. Don’t see those differences as massive incompatibilities—they’re only that if one of you isn’t open-minded and flexible enough to learn to change. They’re openings to learn new ways of being and create a whole new territory—one that belongs to just you two.

Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

Compare the times you’ve taken your camera someplace and snapped lots of pictures to the times you’ve left it home, and see how they differ. Sure, with your camera along, you’ve got many more images to help remember the event, but having a camera (or a camera phone, even) between you and the action means you’re not fully in it. Perhaps I’m being a bit dramatic, but sometimes it almost seems as if the difference is creating artificial, easy-to-recall memories, or real, perhaps foggier, ones. This week you get to choose between truly being part of something or only being witness to it. I suggest the former, but if you choose the latter, you’d better take really good pics. Those who are actually involved will really appreciate it.