Anyone who knows about the Zodiac and believes in its age-old wisdom would think of Lauren and me as a Libra and an Aries. And a Libra and an Aries we are. Weighing and ramming: a wonderful combination when united by some purpose, but a horrible one otherwise. If only I knew more about the Zodiac when we met nearly twelve years ago!

Addendum (December 9, 2000)

At nine o’clock this morning, as soon as shops opened, I went to a bookshop not far from home to check the astrology section. There was a lot there, but it was either inane or technically too demanding. At least for me. I could not find a single book in which the twelve Zodiac signs—that is, constellations—were presented with a touch of poetry and humor. Even the books for beginners in this obscure art focus on the planets and their influences on the constellations. I gave up faster than I expected. It appears the Zodiac is as much of a mess as is real life.