By Jack Fertig

Forecast for May 16-29, 2006

ARIES (March 20 - April 19): The cooking sherry is strictly for cooking! Domestic stress can drive you to drink, but better if it pushes you to think. Take a long view of the situation, and talk it out with friends. Philosophical assumptions only complicate things. Stay real!

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Keep your head down! At work, emotional outbursts come too easily, causing confusion and trouble. Sexually, however, your impulses and dedication will be much appreciated.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Try to calm your overly busy brain in a quiet retreat with your partner or your favorite candidate for that position. Keep it simple. Enlightenment and serenity have no price, and expensive programs with grand spiritual promises only lighten your pockets.

CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Take advantage of surprising opportunities to realize erotic fantasies. Good sex boosts confidence, which you'll need at work. Colleagues are up to something that may force you to take a difficult stand. Think ahead and stick to your principles.

LEO (July 23 - August 22): When nothing seems to go right, learn from your mistakes and move on. Digging in your heels only makes things worse. Your ability to adapt— even to make evolutionary leaps—will get you ahead.

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): If there's anything going around, you're likely to catch it. Take your vitamins and be careful of the company you keep. Misunderstandings at home and at work will test your cooperative skills. Keep your mind on ideals higher than the question at hand.

LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): Dreamy inspirations and efforts to ingratiate folks in charge can backfire too easily. If you think ahead carefully and critically, it could work to your favor. Needing to prove yourself only advertises your insecurity. Have a chat with someone you trust intimately.

SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Arguments over money are hard to avoid. What compromises are acceptable? You may have to sacrifice some battles to win the war. Resentments or guilt from childhood impair your judgment, making this a good time to clear out that baggage.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 20): Efforts to sound romantically poetic could just come out awkward and nasty, but your sense of humor could turn it to your favor. Measure your efforts at work. Stress and strain can be especially hard on your upper back.

CAPRICORN (December 21 - January 19): Worries about money are upsetting to your partner and probably exaggerated. Sensual—but not necessarily sexual—play can help draw out anxieties and help you resolve them.

AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Take care of your tummy! It's very sensitive these days. Food allergies? Ulcers? If community or family issues are stress factors, round up those involved and join heads to develop new perspectives.

PISCES (February 19 - March 19): Your magical fantasyland offers inspiration, if it isn't too much of an escape from reality. Real-life arguments with authority figures will bring you back to Earth. Articulate your principles clearly, and the bosses might bend.

Jack Fertig has been working as a professional astrologer since 1977 and is a founding member of the Association for Astrological Networking. He can be reached for consultations at (415) 864-8302, through his Web site at www.starjack.com, and by e-mail at QScopes@qsyndicate.com.