TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Idealism increases in direct proportion to one’s distance from the problem,” wrote English novelist John Galsworthy. In other words, most people find it easier to stick to their noble beliefs and neat theories when they don’t have to deal with the messy details of real life. I trust that you will be a stirring exception to this rule in the coming weeks, Taurus. Judging from the astrological omens, I predict that you’ll be a master of utopian pragmatism. As you penetrate further and further into the heart of every matter, you’ll come up with workable strategies for bringing out the best in people.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Idealism increases in direct proportion to one’s distance from the problem,” wrote English novelist John Galsworthy. In other words, most people find it easier to stick to their noble beliefs and neat theories when they don’t have to deal with the messy details of real life. I trust that you will be a stirring exception to this rule in the coming weeks, Taurus. Judging from the astrological omens, I predict that you’ll be a master of utopian pragmatism. As you penetrate further and further into the heart of every matter, you’ll come up with workable strategies for bringing out the best in people.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The editors of Harper’s magazine took a survey of American organizations devoted to bigotry. They counted 151 different neo-Nazi groups, 163 chapters of the KKK, 62 congregations of Christian Identity, 48 skinhead cults, and 29 black separatist movements. But five states harbored none of these groups at all–Iowa, Alaska, Maine, and North and South Dakota. Racism undoubtedly exists there, but not so much that anyone feels a burning drive to formally organize the hatred. Take your cue from these relatively enlightened oases in the coming week, Taurus. Be a master of peace, acceptance, compassion, and optimism–especially when you brush up against people who are exuding derisive, judgmental cynicism. Do it for your own health as much as for your environment’s.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Inspiration is highly overrated,” says photo realist artist Chuck Close. “If you sit around and wait for the clouds to part, it’s not liable to ever happen.” I share his assessment of the creative process. The books and music and columns I’ve produced owe their existence largely to my hard work, which generates a burst of inspiration every now and then but mostly gets things done without much flash. Keep that in mind, Taurus. Though you may not be inundated with a series of epiphanies in the coming days, you have the potential to spawn a lot of useful and original stuff. Your fertility quotient is high.