2010: Year of the Tiger -- Monkey

MONKEY: 32% (2 favorable, 1 neutral and 9 unfavorable months)

Alas, every 12 years your nemesis, the Tiger, shows up to spoil your party. Still, it is a Metal year, which means you are in your element. There are even two favorable months for you to go out and challenge the world. There is one key for the Monkey to remember in order to make it through unscathed: there are no innocent games. Not now. The Tiger has claws. Every time you play the trickster you set yourself up for some ugly scratches. Be direct, stick to the tried and true, and avoid tempting fate to save yourself a lot of unnecessary headaches. You also want to steer clear of head-on confrontations. The Tiger does not like being challenged.

Career

Career changes are likely this year, and your professional life may seem erratic, with a lot of ups and downs. The Tiger has a big hand in this and is no friend to the Monkey, so proceed with caution. The Monkey's typical attitude is that their intelligence will win the day. This year, brawn will trump brains, so trying to outwit your superiors could backfire. It may be difficult for you, but you could be best served by respecting power on the job. Do your best to stay in line and not provoke authority. Channel your ingenuity into getting the job done in the traditional way instead of finding ways to cut corners and do end runs around obstacles. Sometimes the shortcuts you invent are your biggest strength, but this year they might be your downfall.

Relationships

Relationships have the potential to be the Monkey's strong suit in this challenging year, and you are likely to be continuously surrounded by friends and admirers. This should help soothe your ego where other forces are keeping your ambitions in check. However, there are things to be on guard for. Your vibrant social life may leave those closest to you feeling neglected or thinking your feelings for them are superficial. Go out of your way to pay special attention to the people you care most about. It is also important to avoid hurting others' feelings. Your jokes are often highly entertaining to a crowd, but make sure they are not humiliating or cruel. This is not a good year to make enemies.

Health

Don't take chances with your health in 2010. You are likely to accumulate nervous energy built up from frustration over the year and having to swallow your pride. These negative feelings can affect you physically, causing fatigue, depression, or even disease. To prevent the deterioration of your health, make sure you have physical outlets for pent-up aggression. Opt for a vigorous exercise routine such as running, or a strenuous team sport that leaves you spent. Challenging yourself physically will help keep your body strong, and you will also find your mind to be more at ease.

Wealth

Exercise care in financial planning this year. Income and expenses are likely to be volatile and unpredictable. A dramatic change in one or more of your life circumstances is likely to strain your budget. Avoid the pitfall of conspicuous spending to enhance your social position. Chances are you won't be able to compete, and the results could be disastrous to your bottom line. You should benefit from an ultra-conservative approach to saving. By all means, avoid clever schemes you hear of, or even invent yourself, that are supposed to get you rich fast. You could easily suffer a loss.