A year without "Horrorscopes"

I'd bought my first astrology book book in the early 80's. A book, albeit a small one, dedicated to my star sign. It was full of useful information about gardening by the moon, and how to track your menstrual cycle using the stars.

But what I read, over and over again, was the chapters on compatibility.

The hours I'd spend reading, plotting and mostly day dreaming because of those predictions. Boys in my class suddenly became interesting, because I now new that we would be perfect together. We were destined to be a perfect match.

The hours I'd spend planning our lives together. Looking back they were such vague notions of what sharing your life with someone actually is, such pale, blurry outlines. Much like how playing with dolls in a dolls house compares to real life.

This harmless addiction continued throughout my 20's and 30's, although with less dedication. At one stage, newly single, I limited my matches on an online dating site to a single star sign, in the hope of finding a passionate and sexy match. I succeeded in finding one, and this worked sensationally until we actually had a conversation and I realised he was so dull and arrogant that I wanted to scratch my eyes out.

So my relentless pursuit of those all knowing, life affirming forecasts started to wane, along with my relentless pursuit of an all loving, single and available man.

I finally decided to go cold turkey at the beginning of 2011. It wasn't, at the time, a momentous decision or a light bulb moment. But I felt that I would focus more on the present if I wasn't reading and analysing any of this fortune telling.

No more daydreaming about my prospects of finding that special someone.*
No more reading the daily predictions in the newspapers.
No more assessing monthly forecasts in the womens' magazines.
No more watching just one more music video on pay TV, waiting for that one sentence that will sum up my day.
No more sifting through websites for advice on what career I should be moving into.

It wasn't hard to give all this up. I don't really have any withdrawal symptoms. Although when I come to that part of the newspaper each day I still have to turn the page very quickly and determinedly. That tiny kernel of temptation is still there, lying dormant.

It hasn't changed my life in any remarkable way, but I do feel less weighed down by the future. And if I do feel the need for that one single sentence that will sum up my day, then I make it up myself, and post it on Facebook.

*OK, OK, I admit to still daydreaming about blokes, but only a healthy few hours each day.