Sagittarius
Feel a little panicky lately? Mercury’s in retrograde for the next couple months. Sucks the planets took a piss on your birthday, but this is your opportunity to get right before the end of the year. Unfortch, mail, communication, and travel will be all fucked up this month, so don’t be surprised if your birthday gift gets lost in the mail. Since you value freedom and independence above material things, you’ll get over it, right? As painful as it might be, you must resolve any lingering 2010 issues. It would be very unwise to drag any bullshit into the New Year.
Capricorn
Don’t get smug; the planets aren’t doing you any favors this month either. Get ready for opportunities to either heroically rise to the occasion or choke and shit the bed. Part of becoming the very best Capricorn you can be is coping with unexpected change in a graceful and magnanimous manner. In case you are feeling a little insecure, rest assured you’ve got everything it takes to emerge with admiration.
Aquarius
You need to watch your ass at the office holiday party this year because December brings a strong likelihood for interpersonal work conflict. That is if you don’t catch the flu and miss it all together. Take special care of your gastro-intestinal track through the end of the year. This could be a great month for new projects, and after the 7th an interesting time for romance.
Pisces
Lately, have you had to suck up a series of disappointments? Things will definitely be looking up for you next year if you apply that laser-sharp intuition to your life. The twelfth month brings career recognition. Take to the bed for extra rest if the headaches flair up. That friend you are planning to spend New Year’s with – solidify those plans. He or she will bring you some much needed energy to close out 2010.
Aries
Good news! A raise or an aced exam might be in your future before the end of the year. You deserve it. You bring a lot to the table intellectually, professionally, and socially. All around, December should be pretty great for you. Don’t gloat or forget to appreciate your good fortune. Find a way to support those around you who are having a tougher time.
Taurus
Lay low in December and observe the chaos, pragmatic Taurus. November brought quite a bit of interpersonal turmoil and the residual irritation remains. Never big on fancy New Years plans, you will use the last weeks of the year to wisely plan for the beginning of 2011. Keep in mind – travel this month could be stressful.
Gemini
Good job busting your ass this summer; you leveraged it to create some good will which resulted in some hard-won career advancement. The fact that you perform better under stress is a double-edged sword. Yes, you always manage to pull through, but at what cost to your mental health? In December, let your partner shine.
Cancer
After a couple of spendy months, you recover financially in December. You will enjoy a conflict-free stretch in your relationships (which bodes especially well for your holiday plans). This is the best possible time to initiate a fitness routine. You will have the extra energy required to see it through. There is a good chance you could meet someone special around New Years. Brace yourself for butterflies.
Leo
Delicate, complicated issues in your love life should mellow this month as long as you remain stable and level-headed in your dealings. Do something really romantic to smooth things over. Single Leos feel especially creative through the end of the year. Despite the fatigue, try to workout.
Virgo
Virgos will find December less frustrating than the preceding months. Financially things look good, but regardless, you’ll finish the year content. After a pretty rocky year on the relationship front, the efforts you’ve made towards peace are paying off. Enjoy intense intimacy this month.
Libra
Pending relationship problems get resolved this month, for better or worse. Don’t stress school exams, but put extra effort into research. Watch your salt intake. Problems arise for you if you did not heed previous warnings to rein in spending.
Scorpio
December is all about money for Scorpio. After a shaky year financially, all that hard work will start to pay off in December and the beginning of next year. There is mad potential in your new pursuit. Stay unwaveringly focused on what is important because your schedule is about to become super packed.
Recently, I tried Rent the Runway (www.renttherunway.com), the online designer dress rental service. Thought you might be curious about the experience, so here’s what’s up.
Second, how often are you really going to want to re-wear cocktail looks? RTR allows you to keep it fresh without accumulating a lot of stuff you probably won’t wear very often. It also allows you to experiment with trends without steep financial commitment.
My criticisms are as follows. The selection of designers is not as high-end as I would like, and there isn’t enough variety. They pretty much just have dresses and accessories, no jackets, pants, or suits. I would also like more fashion-forward and avant-garde selections.
Most furniture at the big box stores sucks balls. Instead, painted found furniture is so much more chic and environmentally friendly.
Seek wood or metal odds-and-ends at your local thrift store or junk shop. Choose paint in bright colors that pop.
Invest in a good hand sander which will make refinishing your finds easy instead of tedious.
Be bold in your color choices. Matching is for cowards.
If your style sways more Pottery Barn, try matte black paint or even high gloss.
Why drop serious coin on something that goes down the drain? Body wash presents a special challenge. Most of the inexpensive products marketed towards women are drying and too perfumey. 
This Old Spice Red Zone Body Wash is surprisingly moisturizing and great for shaving. The scent it leaves behind is more Chanel No. 5 than Love’s Baby Soft. This stuff is especially fantastic if your body chemistry brings out the sweet notes in fragrances.
Plus the names are hilarious: “Swagger,” “Afterhours,” “Showtime.” I’m anxiously waiting for the newest fragrance: “Boner.” The color might be oddly electric, but the Old Spice gives good suds. 
As wonderful as traveling can be; it can be equally skeevy. Protect yourself with tapestries. Tapestry might be a bit of a misnomer. We aren’t talking the woven things that hung on walls in the 15th century. 
Use them for extra warmth or a barrier between you and the hotel bed. Tapestries make the best beach blankets. At the end of your trip, you can even bundle all your dirty laundry inside by tying the four corners together. Once you add tapestries to your packing list you will wonder how you ever traveled without them. 
According to the USDA, there are 76 million cases of foodborne illness each year. Much of that illness traces back to poop in your food. This July 4th, avoid the risk with a yummy veggie burger or soy dog.
