Needless to say, I do get baffled sometimes but thanks to constant observation and application over the years, I am hands-on with most astrology jargon. For instance, it's always a good day when the Moon is in flowing aspect to Pluto. But when Saturn is in Virgo, you need to worry (the first means that your problems will be sorted out, the second means that you're pushing the grain too much and need to relax).

From the jyotish sitting cross-legged on the pavement along Mahapalika Marg to the quack with pictures of palm prints demarcating his borrowed 20 X 20 inches of space right outside Andheri station, I have lavished my unbiased reverence on most proponents of astrology. Two years ago, in a flush of faith, I even wrote an e-mail to Marjorie Orr. She hasn't replied yet.

The Net is really a boon. A whole new world of heavenly headlines, birth charts, eclipses, tarot, I Ching, runes, horoscopes (daily, weekly, monthly and yearly) and love matches funnel out. Basically, it offers an excellent variety for those with an appetite for astrology.

Astrology, as per dictionary.com, is the study of the positions and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an influence on the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs. Sometimes, an obsession with sun signs spells doom for human affairs, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. As far as I am concerned, historical evidence states that the sun signs can make or break relationships. Whether in love or out of it, I promptly consult the frayed pages of my trusted tomes: Linda Goodman's Love Signs, Sun Signs and Star Signs.

I haven't figured out the roots of my astrology addiction yet. Maybe it's an unusual bequest from my mother, who when I was growing up, would often drag me to this maulvi or that panditji to know how I would fare in my exams, or by what age I would stop being a rebel. Later, when my arrogance disappeared (it was a function of adolescence anyway), she was sure that some planet had done the trick. Many years down the line, I admit that I am a complete horoscope freak. And that I just love my daily fix.