According to the stars, there are two defining trends in 2007; one began on Thanksgiving 2006 and the other does not start until just before Labor Day. It is nine months of Mardi Gras followed by five years of Lent, meaning nine months of excess, adventure and optimism followed by a dramatic period of sacrifice and belt tightening.

The public is feeling irrational exuberance about the economy. The surge of optimisim after the November mid-term elections translated into record stock market prices and soaring consumer confidence. Also heading skyward are consumer and government debt which makes the economizing wave that begins in the fall a welcome relief. For those involved in real estate, the sellers market returns briefly for six weeks from late June to early August. If you are buying, avoid summer. Entreprenuerial efforts burn up the financial pages for the intial part of the year. By the end, tight evaluation plans are more popular than extravagant revenue projections.

Even though it will not survive the fall, 2007 is the time to dream big, count on your luck and have some adventures. Spirits are uplifted, even if briefly. Play for short term, surprising gains whether in the stock market or by lottery tickets. Banks are a particularly good investment. If foreign travel is a dream, do it in the spring and summer; by fall, the tightening of both money and security will make that trip abroad much more difficult. The first nine months of the year are also the time to think big thoughts. Study philosophy. Publish a book. Ideas matter. After September, education and publishing focus almost exclusively on what is practical and useful. By year end, even movies retreat from grand adventures and begin to focus on small slices of daily life.

Casual elegance, outdoor and animal print clothing and accessories remain a fashion trend. By fall, the schoolteacher/librarian dress-to-not-be-noticed trend begins and continues for a couple years accompanied by an obsession for all items easy-to-clean. Gray is the new red, yellow, orange and so on. There will be flashes of purple and watery colors of every hue but gray trumps the rainbow. Up and coming fashion and home accessories by year end are watches, clocks and anything to do with time or schedules. The trend in art is to be smaller, finer, more detailed and utilitarian while being affordable.

Environmental change becomes obvious. By fall, fuel efficiency leads the list of things to do. Public attitude will WANT less. Minimalism and economy are valued over waste and excess. If living large is your dream, you can count the months left to indulge before the cost-effectiveness police move in.

Health joins efficiency as a key issue later in the year. In spite of more no-show epidemics, everyone becomes germ conscious and facemasks are seen on the street. Health insurance eclipses all other concerns and “will work for benefits” drives many career choices. Health technology, companies working in stem cell research, and pharmaceuticals addressing digestive problems are all good investments.

Hot spots and hot people for the year include the Vatican where big changes, perhaps another Pope, can be expected. Prince Charles starts a new phase of life. The Middle East experiences breakthrough negotiations that give social respectability to parties previously shunned. Three prominent American political figures have crucial periods in 2007. President George Bush continues to deflate. Vice President Dick Cheney may leave his office in the spring for health reasons and Hillary Clinton finds her marriage dramatically altered and her own publlic image changed.

Party, gamble, chase every dream. Be optimistic and idealistic but remember, it all ends in September when everyone pulls out their broom and their diet book.

JJeanne Mozier is a unique blend of scholarship, professional experiences and metaphysical studies. An Ivy League scholar, she earned degrees in political science from Cornell and Columbia universities. More than three decades of professional experience have taken her from trends analysis for the CIA to political activities in the US Congress to the television screens and arts podiums of West Virginia.