Aries is a sign known to value action over spending a great deal of time deliberating, and your get-up-and-go is the part of you that everyone who knows you finds so loveable about you. In October you may have to show exceptional patience, for Mercury will be retrograde from October 11 to November 1. You might say, "Hey, Mercury will be fine for the first ten days, so that's not so bad," but alas, I wish that were true.

When Mercury gets ready to retrograde, it always begins to exhibit a gradual slowdown well in advance of its turnaround date. You may have already had very tiny subtle signs that Mercury is about to go haywire soon. If you have any vital business or choices to make, hurry! You want to stay as FAR away from Mercury retrograde as possible.

This time Mercury will retrograde in Scorpio and Libra, ruling your eighth house of other people's money and your closet relationships. You and I will discuss relationships in a second, but let's talk about money first. Tell yourself, "The check that I am anticipating will not arrive on time. I should send a second notice reminder." I can't tell you how many people tell me that they are hesitant to send a reminder invoice. You must this month! Your credit card company is not shy about sending YOU reminder bills, and if you forget to send the check, they will even call you shocking rude names (like "delinquent.") Since there is a strong chance that the check won't be in the mail, there is nothing wrong with sending a reminder the moment 30 days have passed.

At work, you've been pulling double shifts ever since Saturn entered your workaday sector on September 2, mainly because the firm is having problems finding the right people to hire (or finding the money to pay them). Saturn is setting up a two-year trend that will force you to become more efficient so that you can spend less time on each task. Saturn is bent on teaching you organization, so that you can put your fingers on every detail you need precisely when you need it. Saturn is associated with time and standards and ethics, and this stern planet seems bent on forcing his lessons when we are least up to handle it. You were working hard before Saturn showed up, so the only word for this is annoying.

With Mercury retrograde, if management DOES hire a replacement in October, chances are that person is not likely to last very long in that particular position, so the personnel problem may bounce squarely back on your shoulders later. Hopefully management will wait until November 5 or so before they enlist that new recruit. You always should give Mercury a little space after it turns direct, as Mercury exerts its greatest level of static and confusion on the start and end dates of its retrograde. Mercury retrogrades on October 11 and goes direct on November 1, the two very worst days (plus or minus two days.) If you are a manager, wait until November 5 for good measure.

Meanwhile this month you may notice that coworkers are prone to be unreliable and cranky near October 25, due to a difficult vibes between Venus and Uranus. You'd be wise not to ask for favors, nor to flirt with that new person who just arrived in research and caught your eye. Keep a low profile.

Let's go back to the topic of finances for a second, for when Mercury retrogrades, it could cause problems with your joint finances. If someone makes a financial decision on your behalf, they may misconstrue your wishes this month, so you'll need to be present and hover over the matter to make sure everything is done correctly.

If you forget to pay your credit card bill, you may be hit with an unreasonably high fee, and you may have to pay a higher finance rate on all your cards in the coming year, as credit card companies communicate with one another other. It gives them an excuse to raise their rates, so don't let that happen. Send the check early to avoid a possible domino effect.

An emphasis on serious relationships will be another important theme of the month. The new moon on October 11 will fall in your house of commitments and collaborations. That is the day prior to the date that Mercury turns retrograde. Although Mercury's orbit suggests it is not a time to carve things in stone, you can still explore deal points and methods for how to proceed together. Creative collaborations will be especially golden, as this new moon will send Neptune a lovely beam. Pluto is also standing by to help, suggesting higher ups will be impressed with you, too.

This new moon can be used to form a business relationship or a serious romantic future with someone you have been dating. Indeed, this new moon could bring on a serious romantic discussion about getting engaged. This may sound odd, but talks about marriage may all be triggered by a housing situation that may be ending (a lease is up, or you or your sweetheart have to relocate for a job) or beginning (the perfect apartment or house comes on the market and you both want to grab it.) These are just examples, but I feel your home or family situation may influence your decisions about a key relationship.

If you were born on April 6, you will be especially touched by this new moon.

Your big emphasis on home and family that I see emerging as such a powerful theme from now on started on September 28, just a few days ago, when Mars entered Cancer. Mars will stay in this sector for an unusual length of stay - until May 9, 2008. Mars is in strong and sturdy condition now, but Mercury is not, and that causes problems with all sorts of home-related actions. It's not a good time to sign leases or any important documents, and things like furniture deliveries will get delayed, arrive damaged, or not at all. Electronics are the worst things to buy when Mercury is retrograde, for you won't enjoy your purchase later. Save yourself problems by spending October browsing the stores and saving up for purchases, but not acting until November.

If you are selling or renting a house, you may get close to finding the right buyer but at the last minute the deal may fall through. Actually, Mercury will be your friend, for this planet will test the strength of all your endeavors during this dynamic period when everyone's plans will be in flux. If things do unravel, be glad you found out quickly. Something better will come along in November, or you will be able to solve the glitch by then.

The full moon on October 26 will fall in your financial sector, so you will reach the end of a certain financial talk or action at that time. You may hear back about a pending raise that you had been promised months ago, for example, or you may need to pay a large bill for something you obligated yourself to some time ago. If you intend to sell something costly, you will be pressed to make a decision about the buyer at this full moon. (If you are buying, the same is true, but I urge you to spend time sorting out your options and waiting several weeks before you give your word.)

This full moon is a friendly one, receiving excellent vibes from Saturn and your guardian planet, Mars. You may set up a savings plan, contribute to a retirement account, or find other ways to increase your security.

If you were born at the very end of Aries, say, April 19, you will feel this full moon in a very personal way as well, as this full moon is only 2 degrees Taurus, within a hair's breadth of your late degree of Aries. Watch for something highly important to you to reach fruition. It should be a vital time of the month for you, in ways beyond finances (although that is likely to come up, too).

Romantically, there is lots of reason to be excited, for your whole outlook has changed dramatically for the better. Saturn, the planet that tests our maturity and that gives us life lessons, is finally out of your fifth house of true love. Saturn has occupied this romantic part of your chart for the past two years, since July 2005, and left on September 2, last month. Saturn won't be back to your true love sector for 29 years. If you felt that you were practically jinxed when it came to meeting new romantic partners, you have so many reasons to be optimistic! A new day is dawning, dear Aries! Isn't this wonderful news?

If you aren't attached and hope to find someone new, then don your favorite outfit and step out during the weekend of October 6 - 7. That will be your best weekend of the month to meet a dashing new stranger. You can't miss!

The Sun rules the romantic part of your chart, and since the Sun will spend a great deal of time in your relationship sector during October's first three weeks, attached Aries will almost certainly be thinking long range. Mercury, however, will retrograde into this area of your chart, so you may either have to go back to an old problem that one of you feels never got settled. If so, this time you may finally be able to put it to rest. Or, you may have a change of heart about someone you're dating, or about a pact you made together, for better or worse.

Friends have been acting preoccupied over the past few months and you may have felt they didn't care about you or that you simply didn't have good friends any more. No, no! That's not true! They have simply been distracted, busy, and possibly a bit aloof. Understandably, their behavior has puzzled you. Relax. The cause has nothing to do with what you've done or said. They've been busy, that is all. You'll have more time for socializing after Neptune moves forward on October 31, in the coming weeks and months. Also in the coming months, you'll also be nearly obsessed with the look and feel of home. After you fix it up, you'll have plenty of time to invite friends over.

Most romantic dates: October 5, 8, 11 - 14, 16 - 17, 19 - 20.

Summary:

Are you getting serious about one special person, dear Aries? The new moon on October 11 could bring up all sorts of major romantic developments. With staunch support from Jupiter, Pluto, and Neptune, you'll certainly be thinking of ways in which you can merge energies with others for a bigger outcome. You'll be in perfect sync with partners now, so be brave and bring up what's on your mind. Begin talks over the new moon, October 11, and continue talking during the weeks that follow. Be flexible, however, in that Mercury will retrograde at the same new moon, revealing that the situation is in flux and nothing is quite the way it seems. Wait until November to make final arrangements and official words.

Remain flexible all month, however, for little glitches are sure to come up. Mercury will retrograde in your seventh house of marriage, a part of the chart that covers the formation of all formalized ties, including business ones. Mercury's orbit suggests that you may change your mind about how you feel about a partner, or in how to proceed. This is nothing to be concerned about - you will have time to think, that is all.

Keep in mind that life won't go according to plan for just about anybody in October, so take comfort in knowing you aren't alone. October would be best for sorting out your options and for creating general plans, but not for announcing your final word, or for taking decisive actions. Wait until November to announce big plans and to take your first steps.

Should you suddenly want to break up with a long-term partner, the same advice applies - wait until next month to do so. You won't have all the facts in October, even though you'll think you do. The conditions around you will change dynamically.

Pay bills on the full moon October 26 - doing so will motivate you to ask for a raise, and your timing will be excellent. With support from Saturn and Mars at this full moon, you'll be particularly persuasive.

If you were born near April 19, you'll also see a project or relationship that is critically important come to a dramatic highpoint, but what actually occurs depends a great deal on what has been going on in your life, for this will draw things to a resounding conclusion.

Have a university admissions interview: October 18 - 20. Take a trip down memory lane: October 30