I’ve been interested in astrology since I was in my early 20s, when I used a printed ephemeris to draw charts for my friends by hand. I was a big fan of Isabel Hickey’s book “Astrology: A Cosmic Science,” which I learned later is a classic text of Western astrology. It began my lifelong interest in astrology.

I spent my 20s and early 30s studying journalism in college and working as a reporter and editor. As I worked, I became skeptical of the assertions of people in authority. I sat in their offices, interviewing them for my stories. A few of them lied to my face. I was young, and I was shocked. But this motivated me to look for solid evidence. I wanted to tell my readers the truth, in spite of a few politicians’ efforts to conceal it. (To be fair, most of the local officials I covered were honest.) My journalistic career instilled in me the importance of questioning what I was told. I also spent some time in public relations, editing a campus newspaper at Dartmouth. I hired undergraduate students as freelance writers, and I coached them in journalistic writing. I later worked in marketing. By my late 30s, I knew it was time to change direction. Journalism had required me to be thick skinned, which I wasn’t. I also wanted to help people in a more personal way than reporting and editing allowed. My interest in astrology continued, on the side.

In my 40s, I went to art school to learn traditional drawing and painting. What fun that was! I learned to take accurate measurements of a visual subject and develop a drawing step by step. I learned about light and shadow, the human figure, color theory, and proper handling of drawing and oil-painting materials. Most of all, I learned to approach a problem first by focusing on the big shapes, and only later getting into details. I made dozens of still-life paintings and landscape paintings, and a few portraits. I was proud of the accuracy and sensitivity of my paintings. I thought I had found my vocation. My interest in astrology continued, on the side.

In 2017 I discovered Vedic astrology through my oldest friend, a professor who studied it as a hobby. Her intuition and empathy were strong. For years we discussed our charts on the phone, learning the basics, and helping each other through good times and bad. I found those conversations interesting and comforting. When I reached my 50s, my interest in oil painting started to wane. My paintings weren’t helping people in a way that was meaningful to me, and studio life was lonely. Over a 2-year period, I got birth-chart readings by four Vedic astrologers, who differed in their approaches. The readings were comforting, but not catalytic. Something indefinite gnawed at me. In early 2025, I complained to my friend that I lacked purpose, despite my enjoyment of journalism and fine art, especially as I was learning those skills.

She suggested that I study Vedic astrology seriously. “I think you’re ready,” she said. I was taken aback, but I couldn’t deny that astrology had held my interest all through adulthood. I got a birth-chart reading by acclaimed Vedic astrologer James Braha. He encouraged me to practice astrology professionally. “You’ve got a monster 8th house and a lot of healing energy in your chart,” he said. “The field needs people like you. You’ll be the healing type of astrologer.” So I bought his books, along with a few other classics, and Vedic astrology software. I gathered 35 charts to interpret, and I wrote a detailed study plan. Then I followed it.

As I interpreted the charts of people I knew, I was struck by the correlation between their charts and their lives. Their charts weren’t a perfect match with their lives, but they were a strong match. My interpretations started out about 70 percent accurate before each reading. Each planet, sign, and house signifies many things, and the trick is to discover which things are active in each person’s life. For example, I have Rahu (the north node of the Moon) in my 2nd house. That could mean cravings for money or cravings for knowledge. For me, it means cravings for knowledge. But you wouldn’t know that just by looking at my chart. It’s necessary to talk to me to clarify the meaning of my 2nd house. As I continue my studies, I use each reading partly as an interview to learn about the client’s life, and later refine my report. It’s like researching and writing a newspaper article, or sketching out and developing an accurate painting. I provide written reports to my clients after their readings, which is unusual among astrologers.

While I’m not ready to book appointments, I’m happy to fulfill orders for the Birth Chart Plus.