Mercury retrograde can throw communication and technology out of whack, so take precautions. Back up important computer data, and shred any financial or identity-revealing papers before you trash them. Be careful with online shopping and make sure you only use secure sites. It’s a good time to refresh your passwords, too.

After the 20th, the Sun moves into Gemini, your seventh house of relationships. Teaming up will bring great results. All the more incentive to handle those administrative tasks before Memorial Day. You’ll want to spend quality time with a partner, or if you’re single, meeting an exciting new prospect. Business opportunities and contracts could also come your way. Get your life in order—you’ll want to be ready!

LOVE & ROMANCE:
Sexy Mars and romantic Venus spend the whole month in Aries, your passionate fifth house. May is one long honeymoon, so enjoy. Hookups abound, and if you’re in a relationship, the stars bring back the flirty energy of your early days together.

On the 24th, the Gemini new moon extends a fresh start for relationships. Whether setting off to meet The One, or beginning a fresh chapter with your sweetie, set a few goals for the rest of 2009. What would you like your personal life to look like by the holidays? Make time for togetherness if you’re coupled up. For single Sags, our recommended reading is Calling In The One: Seven Weeks to Attract the Love of Your Life. It’s the “bible” for anyone who wants to remove those unconscious blocks that stand between you and the kind of soulmate love Sagittarians need.

The only rough patch is May 8th-15th. Mercury retrograde will spend this week in your seventh house of relationships. An ex could come back into the picture, or you and your mate could have a good old-fashioned blowout. The Scorpio full moon on May 9th only makes it worse. This moon will churn up all of your subconscious crap—buried resentments mixed with old fears and control issues. The good news is, once the air is cleared, you’ll be on much firmer standing as a couple. Or, if this person was really not right for you, you’ll cut ties and move on to a better match. 

MONEY & CAREER:
At last—your work life starts to balance out again. If it didn’t grind to a halt, your career has certainly been a pileup of work, work and more work this year. That’s because challenging Saturn has been retrograde in your tenth house of career since New Year’s Eve. This caused you to doubt your own authority, even clash with higher-ups. A promising goal may have taken much longer than anticipated.

On May 16th, Saturn returns to direct (forward) motion. While you’ll still need to continue building brick by brick until November, the rewards for your hard work will roll in again. On May 22nd, a harmonious grand trine between Saturn, Pluto and the moon could bring career news that transforms your entire lifestyle.

Just don't base all your happiness on success, or you could learn a tough lesson. Transformational Pluto is retrograde in your money sector from April 4th-September 11th. Continue evolving your attitude toward material possessions and security. If your self-worth comes from how much you make or what you have, Pluto will shake that up. Money comes and goes. It’s time to develop a stable identity that's grounded in unconditional self-love.

HEALTH & FITNESS:
With the Sun in Taurus, your sixth house of health and fitness, the first three weeks of May are a great time to shape up. It’s going to be a busy month, so you’ll need to plan carefully. Arrange your schedule to accommodate healthy eating, cooking, shopping and exercise. You don’t have to be perfect—even working out 2-3 times a week is a great start.

With Mercury retrograde in your health sector from May 15th-31st, don’t commit to any contracts or big purchases. Hold off on joining gyms or buying fitness equipment, as there may be hidden fees or other problems. Start with buying fresh produce from the greenmarket, drinking raw juice or scheduling checkups. At the May 9th Scorpio full moon, you might want to do a one-day fast or colon hydrotherapy to eliminate toxins from your system.

Watch your stress levels on Memorial Day. (Make sure to unplug all electrical fixtures if you go away, too.) A tense “grand cross” between the Sun, moon, Uranus and Saturn could bring unexpected family or homefront drama. You could find yourself tearing your hair out at the computer while everyone else frolics at the beach, or sucked into mediating a family conflict. You need this like a hole in the head. Make a quick but gracious exit—trust us, you'll be glad you did.