ArcaMax

The word "efficiency" comes from the Latin "efficere," meaning "to bring about" or "to make happen." Then came the Industrial Revolution with stopwatches, timed workers and the search for the one best way to perform every task. This Virgo new moon suggests a return to the word's original spirit with one beautifully efficient question: What do you really want to make happen?

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Maybe identity is a group of ideas you pull together about yourself. And maybe changing just a few in the constellation is enough to flip the whole image. You'll challenge what you think of yourself and suddenly see someone new in the mirror.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You keep returning to something you suspect is a waste of time. But there must be something there or you wouldn't participate. Once you name it, you'll feel more in control of what this pastime actually does for you.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Striving for efficiency sometimes means spending leisurely hours with the people who have ways to help you. Since relationships are often a shortcut to the goal, building them can be one of the most "efficient" things you do.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). When everything feels good at home, the rest of your life seems to move without friction. You save time by cutting to the chase. You have the confidence to say no to things that won't make much of a difference.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). It doesn't seem like it should be true, but looking the part will have an outsized effect on what you can accomplish. People will do their best for you because you seem powerful -- like someone they don't want to let down.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). This is your moment to be new in whatever way you wish. You can start the things you think will make a difference. You can end the things that were dragging you down. You're in complete control.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You're no conformist, not in the world and not even in your own mind. You saw yourself one way, and you won't stick with that. Fresh examples drop into your world for a kind of success you hadn't considered.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Everything is expensive whether it's recession times or not, because life takes energy. You'll look at that energy cost even more than dollar cost, especially when emotions are involved. Emotions can be the most expensive energy expenditure of all.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Memories are a way of marking time, and travel is a way of creating memories. In that way, the money you spend on travel seems to give you more life because it gives you more memories. In the end, the dollar cost hardly registers.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). If a situation isn't going to work, it's better to know quickly so you can get on with the business of finding an arrangement that all parties can sustain instead of wasting time in the limbo of "maybe."

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). For Band-Aid rips and intergalactic travel, faster is better. For many other things, speed is a thief of experience. Don't go so fast you miss the scenery, the joke or the dull moment that's a chance to connect with a stranger.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Today's problem brings out the scientist in you. You'll come up with a hypothesis, test it and collect the data. The last part is key to making your effort count and figuring this one out.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Sept. 10). Your heart will often be made giddy in this, your Year of Cupid's Arrow. It's not all about romance. It's finding exactly the thing that captivates you, aiming well and enjoying the unbridled joy that comes with actually having your heart's desire. More highlights: You'll belong to a small, skilled and powerful group making a difference. Your generosity changes a life. New vitality and athleticism. Scorpio and Sagittarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 10, 2, 32, 48 and 6.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: "I don't think you can ever be a perfectionist in a world that's imperfect," said Colin Firth, though Virgos usually give perfection a determined try. Firth's Oscar-winning performances, remarkable ear for accents and fluency in several languages reflect the craftsmanship of a Virgo, while natal Venus in Libra lends the charm, grace and sense of justice that define so many of his memorable characters, most recently in Steven Spielberg's "Disclosure Day" and the upcoming feature "The Joy of Sex."

For more Holiday magic, visit HolidayMathis.com. To find out more about Holiday Mathis and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Copyright 2026 Creators Syndicate Inc.