Born today, you may seem to be a slave to your passions, for you are fiery, impulsive, expressive and quite mercurial much of the time. The truth is, however, that you are far more thoughtful than others might think, and you do or say very little without first weighing the pros and cons and considering your chances of success -- of having the impact you intend, of being heard in the spirit in which your words are meant, or of performing at a high level and bettering yourself with each successive endeavor. In other words, almost everything in your life is on purpose, carefully designed to have a certain impact and win you certain rewards. You do nothing by chance -- but that doesn't mean you don't do everything full out! Your passions are still a significant factor in your life.
Highly creative and driven to do more with each passing day, you may at times work yourself to exhaustion as you strive for perfection -- which is, you must acknowledge, unattainable! You must always care for yourself in mind, body and spirit so that you don't simply burn out.
Also born on this date are: Patrick Swayze, actor; Edward Norton, actor; Robert Redford, actor and filmmaker; Roberto Clemente, baseball player; Christian Slater, actor; Malcolm Jamal Warner, actor; Denis Leary, actor and comedian; Roman Polanski, filmmaker; Meriwether Lewis, explorer; Shelley Winters, actress; Madeleine Stowe, actress; Martin Mull, actor; Rosalynn Carter, first lady.
To see what is in store for you tomorrow, find your birthday and read the corresponding paragraph. Let your birthday star be your daily guide.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 19
ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- You may find a certain endeavor rather pointless, no matter how much it may have been recommended to you. Avoid any outright conflicts.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- You're waiting patiently for someone to reach out to you, but why not reach out yourself and see if you can't speed things up a bit!
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- You'll feel someone's influence, even though he or she is nowhere in sight. You must figure out what is happening very soon!
CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- You can use the time available to do certain things that you would otherwise have to leave for another day. Get ahead!
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- You're likely to see many things from more than one angle. This gives you an advantage when "experts" begin sharing their opinions.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- You're less willing than most to share what is going on inside, but you may find that doing so will help you deal with a hidden struggle.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- You're eager to make things right between yourself and someone you wronged some time ago. He or she is also ready to heal any wounds.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Take care that you don't mistake instruction for criticism. What someone offers can be put to good use if your attitude is positive.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- You're approaching a crossroads of sorts, but you may not yet be ready to make the decision that will likely be required.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- The difference between fact and truth will be very clear to you before the day is out. Keep exploring anything that fires you up.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- You may be set ablaze by someone whose approach is very much like yours. Use this new energy to make a plan you can stick to.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Inspiration comes from all sources; all you have to do is make yourself available. A friend notices something odd about you.