GEMINI HOROSCOPE

This is a good week to cash in your chips and get out while the getting's good. A big mistake many people make when things are going their way is to push their luck. It's true that Jupiter, planet of good fortune, currently occupies a powerful position in your solar horoscope, but its opposition to Venus and Mars on January 8th and 9th shows Jupiter being temporarily compromised, so why stay and pay when you can beat a retreat instead? The beauty of being born under Mercury is that you have no qualms about cutting bait and returning another day when the fish are jumping again.

Money's been burning a hole in your pocket since Mars entered Capricorn on December 15th. Moreover challenging aspects involving Saturn and Neptune only showed expenses snowballing. Yet this is more about bad timing than it is mismanagement. Either you're still waiting on a promised payment to come through or you got hit with a bunch of bills all at the same time. Thankfully Venus enters the sign of the goat on December 24th. It won't take the sting out of what you owe, but it will help to wrap things up quickly so that you're no longer doling out cash like a stoker feeding the furnace.

The Sun/Saturn square on December 16th shows you standing in the thick of a moral dilemma where you must rely on your own judgment to navigate a tricky passage. It appears as if recent events have taken on a life all their own and are pushing you in a direction that you’re not sure is right. Either too much is happening too fast and it's hard to think straight or you will have to sacrifice a precious prize in order to preserve your success. It’s important that you take whatever time you need to make this game-changing decision because once made it can’t be unmade.

Mars currently in Sagittarius isn't easy. Confrontational and combative, it will feel like you're being pressured into relinquishing a prize, claim, or title when it squares Saturn on December 8th. At first you'll want to defend what's yours, but this might be a good time to put on your Gemini thinking cap instead. What is the other party offering to make this worth your while? There's a lot to be said for having something that somebody else wants and if this person is desperate enough – and it looks like they are – then you could wind up walking away with something better than what's already in hand.

You'll be meeting quite a remarkable person thanks to the Mercury/Saturn trine on December 7th. Trines like these often introduce worldly types into your life who are here to help you realize your potential and take you to the next level. Someone like a mentor, teacher, or patron. However the impact that this person has will be more than you can truly appreciate right now. Obviously there's knowledge to impart, but don't be surprised if they act more like an intermediary who introduces you to your next boss, client, or even love interest. Your world is going to change – and in some wonderfully delightful ways.

You've gone back and forth on a decision so many times that you can barely see straight. You know it's bad when loved ones and friends leave the room whenever you bring up the subject again, but this is what happens when you get stuck on a loop. It's like the movie Groundhog Day. In truth you would do just about anything to be free of the endless replay. Thankfully Saturn comes out of retrograde on November 27th. Not only will this release you from the mental corner you painted yourself into, but you will also be both happy and at peace with your choice.

There are times when you need to keep moving forward and not look back. And then there are times (like during a Mercury retrograde) when it's an even better idea to make that apology or mend a rift. Second thoughts don't express a lack of resolve. If anything, they communicate having thought better of an action that wasn't wise to take in the first place. Don't let pride get in the way of doing what's right – especially when there's still time to salvage the situation. Regret is for those who stubbornly chose not to fix things when they had the chance to fix them.

Jupiter’s retrograde in the zodiac sign of Cancer on November 11th is bound to take the air out of your tires regarding a business venture. It’s tempting to keep trying to find a way to make it work, but don’t. Either your eyes were bigger than your stomach or people were promising more than they could deliver. In any case you’re going to have to drop this and move on to something else. It’s never easy having to take a setback in stride, but if anyone can put a positive spin on matters and convince people that this was your plan all along – it's you.

It's clear that you and a creative co-worker make for a successful team. Unfortunately you don't get along. It's nothing to be ashamed of. You'd be surprised by how many famous collaborators couldn't stand each other. You try transcending your differences, redoubling your efforts to be professional, or telling yourself that the results justify the aggravation but it just doesn't work. Thankfully Mercury's retrograde in Sagittarius offers more inspired solutions in the form of restructuring roles, bringing in a manager who can act as a go-between (or referee), or coming in at different hours. You may discover that cutting down on your interactions works wonders.

This is the time to experiment with new ideas and fresh approaches. Clients and patrons are tired of the same old same old and long for something daringly different. On one hand this gives you tremendous freedom and license, however, it could also be quite maddening as you realize that they really don’t know what they want which is why they will keep asking you to change this or that. Thankfully the Mercury/Pluto textile on October 30th rewards audacity. Take the initiative by moving ahead with your plans instead of trying to figure out what theirs are and everyone will be a lot happier.