a sensible taurus girl

Because the French parents of her girlfriend, Claudette, considered her to be a sensible Taurus girl, Dallas was thrilled to be offered a trip to France with them.

"Claudette's parents were rarely at home - they were off doing business most of the time,” explains Dallas, “so I can understand why they wanted me to come along."

"If they expected me to be her chaperone – the sort of role they considered suitable for a sensible Taurus girl like me – then they were expecting far too much of me," sighs Dallas. "I just hope they're not going to blame me if Claudette gets into trouble."

"The local boys in the village where we were staying were very rude to us,” says Dallas, “and when we met up with an American family in an adjoining village we had a lot more fun – until Claudette fell in love with one of their sons.”

"After Claudette fell in love I never saw much of her," says Dallas. "She was spending all of her time with her new boyfriend - even slipping out at night when her parents were asleep and she even boasted to me that she had lost her virginity to him."

“None of my business!” laughs Dallas. “It’s not the sort of I’d do, or even want to hear about, but Claudette knew I’d never tell her parents.”

"I spent the last week of the trip wandering around by myself, desperately wanting to go home," confesses Dallas. "A part of me was saying 'wow, I'm 16 and I'm in France and how lucky am I' - but most of me was saying 'I feel ill, France is no big deal and I want to go home'."

Read more about Dallas:

Paris, full of foreigners!

my french friend

trip induced breathing problems

taurus women love money!

Ella owns and runs a beauty salon. She bought out the previous owner after having worked at the salon for only three years. In that time, she had learned all the ropes of the business and knew all the clients. It was a guaranteed successful investment for her. In her words, "it was as easy as pie."

"I was definitely in the right place, at the right time," says Ella. "Everything fell into my lap."

As if to balance the lack of risk involved in her business - or to capitalize on her winning streak - Ella has taken up gambling. She picks lucky numbers and colors from daily horoscopes, and admits to having had a fair bit of luck in that respect, too.

Ella is a Taurus and says that the bull does not depict her sign without good reason. Ella hates the color red, but is willing to wear it if her horoscope says it is a lucky color. Asked whether she snorts, the salon girls shouted "yes she does" and Ella good-naturedly laughed.

Ella admits to having the typical Taurus physique and nature. She is pleasantly plump and, yes, bovine in nature, reasonably docile and placid until provoked and then she exhibits a real bullish streak. And, yes, she is easily milked of her money. She is a soft touch, literally and figuratively. But then she has a lot to throw around and give away.

"I admit to buying the business for no other reason than to make a lot of moolah," laughs Ella. "And, no, I don't work hard at all. I'm just the front for the business. My accountant and the girls do all the work."

As far as money is concerned, Ella knows how to make it and spend it. When it comes to knowing how to keep it, however, she just does not have a clue other than investing in real estate - at which she excels. Ella owns three investment properties. She is a big spender and thinks nothing of losing a thousand dollars in a gambling bet.

Ella is very sentimental, and has a long-standing problem with her mother. If you can pull her away from her gambling long enough for a chat, she will tell you how her mother abandoned her when she was 14 and how she will never forgive her for that.

Also, Ella is prone to be a bit hypersensitive in arguments, taking things too personally, but otherwise she can be a compassionate advocate.

What is really amazing about Ella is that she is always the first one out of the door at night and has no workaholic tendencies whatsoever. She loves her home - and her investment properties - and adores luxury and leisure.

"Getting enough money together to be able to enjoy life to the full now - and when I'm old and grey - is all that matters to me," says Ella.

As far as love is concerned, Ella is still looking for it at 32. She is very fussy about whom she associates with romantically, and while she says that she doesn't particularly care about money - it's just a vehicle to buy the things she desires - she is concerned about being fleeced of her fortune in a bad marriage.

"At the rate I'm going," laughs Ella, "I will probably remain single for the rest of my life.

Ella is really not a typical businesswoman - and she's not a typical beautician either. She is not particularly charming to her clients but nevertheless they keep on coming back.

"I am tough, I can be very cruel sometimes and I never forgive people who cross me, " admits Ella. "I don’t care if the grudges I carry go with me into the next life. I believe in reincarnation and that being my belief my grudges will return in the soul of another in order to wreak revenge on those who have wronged me - or their descendants."

Ella agrees with the stars when they say it is extremely unwise to cross a Taurus. She is generally slow to provoke but once that has been achieved there is no stopping her.

"Hopefully I am nowhere near a china-shop when I blow my stack," laughs Ella.

Owning and running a beauty salon is something that suits her for the time being but she feels she is destined for a bigger role in life.

"I want to enter politics one day and gain governance over a wider group of people than my immediate staff," confides Ella. "I like bossing people around. I like being the boss."

Obviously, to become a successful businesswoman and to manage staff efficiently you need certain attributes and Ella possesses what it takes.

Her weak spot is that she hates being alone. She can and must temper that awful temper of hers if she is to be able to achieve her ultimate goals in entering politics. Most people around Ella are treading on eggshells, fearful of arousing her wrath, but she agrees that if everyone left her alone she would die of misery.

Ella is very much attracted to a lawyer right now and is eagerly reading her stars to see when she should next contact him and what color she should wear at their meeting.

"He's rich so a marriage with him would be appropriate," muses Ella, "but he's an Aries and I'm a bit worried about him being too headstrong for me."

When asked why she puts so much faith in astrology Ella replied with a snort: "Did you know that Ronald Reagan when he was president made every decision on the advice of astrologers?"

(Ella's story first appeared as the lucky hairdresser and is reprinted with permission.)

a mercurial gemini

Pandora is a call centre supervisor - a job that is very much in keeping with her Gemini personality - and her partner, Sue-Ellen, was once one of the call centre girls that Pandora supervised. Since living together, Sue-Ellen was promoted to become Pandora's personal assistant and their combined incomes make them a very wealthy couple.

"I think finding love at work is the most natural thing on earth," laughs Pandora, "and when you work in a high turnover industry like a call-centre I knew it was only a matter of time before my soulmate turned up. And no, I'm not strictly lesbian. My soulmate could have been a girl or a boy."

"You see," laughs Pandora, "I'm a Gemini and although I'm intelligent enough to know that daily horoscopes are are largely manufactured drivel I believe that there must be some truth to astrology because I am exactly like what Geminis are supposed to be like."

"I met my partner, Sue-Ellen, in the very week my 26th birthday horoscope told me that I would meet my soul-mate," says Pandora. "Sue-Ellen applied for a job and I knew straight away that she was the one for me."

Because of this amazing coincidence, Pandora believes that her lesbian partnership has the blessing of the universe.

"Sue-Ellen and I have been together now for six months and I want to have a wedding ceremony - the works," laughs Pandora, "and everyone at the call-centre will be there. We are one big happy family at work and everyone is happy for us."

Before meeting Sue-Ellen, Pandora's life was consumed with the search for her perfect soul-mate. Male or female didn't matter.

"Geminis are supposed to roam the universe, or this astral plane, looking for a twin, their missing other half," explains Pandora, "and while I never traveled I always looked for love among the people at work."

"Also, Geminis often get into trouble because they end up with a fraternal twin rather than one of the same sex as themselves," adds Pandora, "and I am full of wonder for astrology because it appears to legitimize my bi-sexual nature."

Sue-Ellen agrees that the best way to get along with Pandora, and get ahead at work, is to think like her - to become her twin.

"Learning to think and act like a Gemini is not an easy task," laughs Sue-Ellen. "She really is the most versatile person I've ever met and makes most mortals giddy just listening to her or keeping up with her. She never stops."

"The moon and the sign of Cancer govern the financial affairs of Geminis," says Sue-Ellen, "so they are liable to periods of waxing and waning coffers, but overall Pandora always lands butter-side-up and is a very lucky gambler."

"I am sensitive about money," says Pandora. "Geminis can start up a business, make a fortune or lose it, and start all over again with the exact same result, but I have never ventured outside paid employment. I often consider it, though."

"Arguing with Pandora is a waste of time," says Sue-Ellen, "and that's supposed to be typical of Geminis, too. Pandora is incredibly proud of what she knows. And she knows a lot about her profession, particularly who's who in the communications world."

"I am definitely a communicative person," laughs Pandora. "If I'm not talking, I'm asleep!"

Geminis are noted for having minds like sponges, and Pandora admits that most of what she knows is superficial knowledge, but she does have an amazing ability to talk as if she knows what she's talking about. And when Pandora talks, she is a queen and demands the floor. She has a beautiful voice and great presentation skills. Pandora explains that this has something to do with sun-ruled Leo in the Gemini communication sector.

"Also, Geminis have Venus-ruled Libra in their affections sector which makes us notorious flirts, charmingly laid-back and incredibly 'nice' people," adds Pandora. "I always say good-morning and stop to chat with everyone at work - even the janitor. I make a point to ask everyone about his or her children, and I remember all of their names."

Pandora admits that she's not a very good bet for a romantic liaison because she can be hot one day, cold the next. Before Sue-Ellen came into her life she was involved with a guy at work and when the relationship cooled she fired him.

Sue-Ellen isn't worried that Pandora will tire of her one day. "I'm her soul mate," confides Sue-Ellen, "and I'm a Taurus, steady as a rock."

When it comes to work, Geminis just cannot be beaten for sheer determination and output and that's how Pandora got to be made a supervisor.

"I have a killer instinct for work and getting things done," says Pandora. "I can move mountains at lightning speed and I expect everyone in my team to be similarly hard working."

Geminis have Pluto ruled Scorpio in their work sector, and she can be extremely cunning and cruel when she wants to get the goods on someone at work.

"Yes," laughs Pandora, "I'm a great sleuth and I keep a close watch on my team. I have installed listening devices, spy cameras and other little tricks to catch my team napping or behaving unethically at work. Sue-Ellen doesn't know half of the things I get up to!"

Geminis are supposed to be forgiving and reasonably fair-minded, providing sufficient regret and sorrow is expressed, but Pandora is very selective on forgiveness.

"Perhaps this comes from having erratic Uranus ruling Aquarius in my law and order sector," explains Pandora. "I forgive when it suits me, but I never forgive ex-lovers. If a lover displeases me, they're dead meat and too bad if they lose their jobs!"

"What I really like about Pandora is that she doesn't stand on ceremony and actually believes that Jack can be as good as his Master," says Sue-Ellen.

"Yes," agrees Pandora. "I do appreciate talent in my team and I will allow it to shine. I think this trait is very much in tune with the Gemini 'twin' seeking trait."

"My ideal twin, or employee," says Pandora, "is someone who thinks like a Gemini but possess the exact talents and qualities that I lack. I am talkative and Sue-Ellen is a good listener. I am flighty and Sue-Ellen is stable. We make a great team don't we?"

Because of dreamy Neptune ruled Pisces in their tenth house of ambitions, Geminis often have a nebulous air about them and very often find fame and fortune overseas or in areas dealing with water.

"I've never traveled and I can't swim," laughs Pandora, "but I am very attracted to exotic people and I adore the fish-tank at work. I can sit there for hours watching the fish swimming around without exactly knowing why I'm fascinated by it."

Pandora also admits that she often concentrates so much on her right hand that she does not know what her left hand is doing, and feels that she can be deceptive to herself as well as others.

Sue-Ellen not only accepts these traits in Pandora, but loves them!

Another trait in others that Pandora appreciates is assertion.

"I feel that I am often too nice for my own good," says Pandora, "and I need someone around who can act like the boss when I just want to be 'nice'."

Pandora always uses a loyal fall guy to stick his or her head out for her, knowing that it will get chopped off - hardly a 'nice' trait, but it certainly does allow her to look 'nice'.

"Sue-Ellen makes a good minder for me," laughs Pandora. "She's a big girl, solid and tough and frightens people!"

Aries ruled Mars in their house of friendship means that Geminis are often combative towards people, or attract combative associates.

"Yes," muses Pandora, "I suppose this is true. I get along well with Leos and Libras. They are tough yet charming people, but I have never been attracted to them as a 'twin' because they are too full of their own importance. Too pushy for me. Taurus people like Sue-Ellen are just tough!"

Sue-Ellen, the rock-solid pragmatist, looks like the 'butch' or the male element in this relationship, and yet Pandora is decidedly the leader, the boss.

They are both proud to admit to their lesbian love, but their private life together is very much private. If they get along as well together at home as they do at work, then their relationship is likely to be as lasting - if not more so - as that of a heterosexual couple.

"We complement each other, we need each other. We're in this for keeps," asserts Sue-Ellen.

"Of course, we are," agrees Pandora. "We've been together now for six months, and that's a record for me, so this is definitely the real thing."

"Whoever says that love at work should be avoided at all costs should spend some time here," laughs Pandora. "Just about everyone who works here has had some romantic involvement with a supervisor, boss or co-worker. I can't imagine a place where it doesn't happen."

(Pandora's story first appeared as soul mates meet at work and is reprinted with permission.)

the elements of love

Cassandra is 31 and lives at home -- caring for aging parents -- and while she would like to lead a more mainstream life she is more interested in finding a guy than asserting her independence and to this end she dabbles in astrology and a bit of witchcraft.

"I'm a Taurus, a good witch, and I tend to be a bit of a homebody," laughs Cassandra, "so getting married and having a home of my own is more important to me than anything else."

"I use witchcraft and astrology to help me find a compatible guy," says Cassandra, "and I do it for my friends, too."

"I give my friends the thumbs up or the thumbs down when they tell me the birthday of a new guy they’ve met," laughs Cassandra, "but they go ahead and do what they like despite what they hear."

"Contrary to popular astrology -- that we are attracted to people whose sun signs are compatible with ours," says Cassandra, "I've found that the sun sign we are most attracted to is the one immediately preceding or following our own which -- in terms of element and modality -- is different from ours in every respect. And when you think about it, doesn't that make good sense?"

"What woman in her right mind wants to fall in love with a male version of herself?"

"Oh, a Gemini woman might," laughs Cassandra, "but let's ignore the implications of that for the purpose of this exercise."

"The common belief is that people of the same element - fire, air, water or earth - have a natural attraction for each other," says Cassandra. "The three fire signs Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are hot stuff together; the three air signs Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are blown away by each other; the three water signs Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio are in moist heaven with each other; and the three earth signs Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn are pretty earthy about their desires together."

"Furthermore," adds Cassandra, "it's believed that fire signs and air signs and attracted to each other, as are water signs and earth signs. It's easy to see that air signs could fan the passions of fire signs, but doesn't fire do terrible things to air? Similarly, I agree that a bit of water could do wonders for some dry earth type, but too much could turn to mud and neither water nor earth would profit from the union."

"While it might be comfortable to be with a person of the same element for a short length of time," laughs Cassandra, "it would be pretty boring or downright dangerous to confine oneself to the same element."

"Two fire signs could start an inferno; two air signs could start a tornado; two water signs could start a flood; and two earth signs could make a mountain out of a molehill."

"Also, we must bear in mind that some people have strong fire, air, water or earth charts even though their sun signs may not be such. So judging a person by their sun sign alone is not always a good indication of how they tick."

"I use the modalities as a more useful way to assess attraction," says Cassandra. "Signs are either fixed (Scorpio, Taurus, Leo and Aquarius), mutable (Pisces, Gemini, Virgo and Sagittarius) or cardinal (Capricorn, Libra, Aries and Cancer)."

"Signs of the same modality are generally reasonably attracted to each other," explains Cassandra, "but for the same reason as mentioned above for elements, a long-term union of 'sameness' could be boring or harmful. Two fixed signs would never give the other the stimulus to change; two mutable signs would never give the other some necessary stability; and two cardinal signs would never stop competing with each other."

"For balance and amazing attraction, the sort of fascination that can last a lifetime," says Cassandra, "I believe that what we need is someone who is totally different to us in both element and modality."

"Frequently," says Cassandra, "this person is of the sun sign immediately preceding or following our own, but can also be of the sun sign immediately preceding or following our opposite sign."

"For instance, the mutable air sign of Gemini would find mutual attraction of an amazing kind with a fixed earth sign Taurus, a cardinal water sign Cancer, a fixed water sign Scorpio or a cardinal earth sign Capricorn."

"So, next time you see a popular astrology book telling you how incompatible you will be with someone of a different element or modality," laughs Cassandra, "don't believe a word of it."

"Actually, because we are far more than our respective sun signs it is a bit silly to think only in terms of sun signs when assessing attraction."

"When you think about love and attraction, you need to take into account each person's placement of Venus, Mars and the Moon - but particularly Venus."

"You don’t always need an astrologer to work this out for you," says Cassandra. "Venus doesn't travel more than two signs from a person's sun sign, so the probability is high that if you are attracted to a person whose sun sign immediately precedes or follows your own their Venus is hitting your sun. And that is a lovely aspect for compatibility."

"Wouldn't you prefer to have steam from a fire and water combination than mud from an earth and water combination?" laughs Cassandra.

"I know I would and that's why I take no notice of what the astrology books say about astrological compatibility,"

"Also, I don't take any notice of what everyone says about being over the hill at 31," laughs Cassandra. "I think maturity is sexy in both men and women."