When needing a bus to take you to Ohio, it will do you no good to get on whichever bus pulls up to the stop next, unless, of course, that one happens to be going to Ohio. On the first full day of the Virgo sun, choose your company the way you would choose a bus. Don't just get on board with anyone. The right people are worth waiting for.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Routines are like train tracks; once established, you can chug along to your destination without too much drama. Routines will help you do things that would be very hard otherwise.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). People will communicate via their attendance. Being late says something, and being early says something else. Absence speaks loudly, though nothing says more than showing up prompt and wholly.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). "I'll take your silence as a non-goodbye," writes the poet Chelsey Minnis. You are safe to similarly interpret the space between you and another in this way today.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). What you once thought of as trivial will get such good usage today that, from here on out, you may change your stance entirely on the matter of what qualifies as triviality.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). If you can't say a thing succinctly, that only means you're still trying to work out which part of it is important. The principle holds true in any pursuit. Economy will come with experience.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). "I couldn't say" means something different from "I don't know," or even, "who knows?" and these and other subtle differences of language will, to you, be packed in meaning. Nothing will get by you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You are unique. To whatever extent you can, set up your environment to flow in a way that supports your particular needs, preferences and thinking style.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You're excellent company! You're fun. You know things that others don't, and you bring a fresh take to experiences. People want to be around you, and this is why you're in high demand.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Today, you'll be doing the typical you thing but on an atypical scale. Working much bigger or much smaller than usual will highlight your talent in such a way as to teach you where your strengths and weaknesses lie.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Direct others. They are waiting for your guidance. Delegate tasks so you will have the time and resources you need to find fulfillment outside of your usual duties.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Some are too proud to admit they do not understand what's being said and will hide their confusion while pretending to track with the conversation. Anticipate this. Problems are averted with thorough communication.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You'll observe drama without taking part in it. You cannot help on this one. People need to sort their own problems. The best you can do is to be appreciative of the sanity and serenity in your world.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 23). Promises abound. People make and keep them to you; you make and keep them to yourself. You don't have to know how you will accomplish goals. You just need to commit and the way will reveal itself as you go. You'll love how seriously you are taken in October, just as much as you'll love making people laugh. Scorpio and Leo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 30, 40, 2 and 22.

FORECAST FOR THE WEEK AHEAD: An argument can be made that humans, like ants, bees and termites, are eusocial creatures. It follows that, like ants, bees and termites, most individuals do not do well on their own. They need the support of the swarm in order to thrive. For this reason, most humans have a visceral reaction to things like noninclusion, shunning and other forms of rejection.

While rejection may not be physically harmful, it hits at a primal level. For humans, to be ostracized from the group has historically been a fate akin to death and, indeed, would often lead there. Without the protection of the tribe, one person in the wild is vulnerable and constantly challenged, so it follows that a fear of rejection is a normal and useful part of socialization.

Between the square of Mars and Saturn and the opposition Venus and Jupiter, this week comes with an ample share of rejections to go around. Can you see the opportunity in this? Since most people fear and avoid rejection, those who go the opposite way are regarded with admiration. And those who risk rejection often become somewhat immune to the otherwise crippling effects of rejection-fear. More and greater options are open to those who are unafraid to try for them.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Today, we celebrate the birth and mourn the loss of Kobe Bryant. The superstar who once helped the Los Angeles Lakers win three NBA championships in a row was born when both the sun and Saturn were in Virgo, suggesting Bryant lifted his superior talent with an unstoppable work ethic. Mercury in Leo speaks to Bryant's outsized heart and charisma.

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