Today, at 1:31 a.m. EDT, Mercury turns direct in Virgo. Finally.
For us, this was a strange Mercury retro. Since Mercury rules my sign, because I’m a Gemini, these periods are usually surreal for me. Weird things happen. Annoying, time-consuming things.
One day, for example, I decided I’d better set up my own Skype account so that I wouldn’t have to tie up Rob’s computer for two radio interviews I’ll be doing for my astrology book, Biggest Book of Horoscopes Ever, scheduled for September 23 and 27, and October 26. This should be a simple process, right? You download the Skype app, pick a name, answer some questions, and voila! There it is, a technological miracle at your fingertips. You can talk to anyone, anywhere in the world, for free.
But that’s not what happened for me. It turned out I already had two Skype accounts (which I apparently set up in 2011 and don’t recall doing) and when I clicked on one of them, all my emails went haywire. Computer, laptop, iPad, phone. It took me three hours to set up Skype and I still don‘t know if it actually works!
Rob and I published books on the same day, September 13. This was actually a synchronicity, not planned, not foreseen. The publication date for The Biggest Horoscope Book Ever had been planned for months by the publisher. The publication date for The Lost Tribe happened to be the date that David Dodd from Crossroad, finished formatting the book and uploaded it to the various websites. Two books in one family, published on the same date, in the middle of a Mercury retrograde – even though we know better.
This wasn’t a retro about cars going haywire. Or screw-ups in travel. It wasn’t the usual stuff where you lose your wallet, your credit cards, your spouse, your pet, your phone…although we did have a phone incident.. This retro was mostly about technology and communication. Like a modem that had to be replaced. And that’s certainly about technology and communication. And I guess the phone story belongs under communication.
Most afternoons when we go to the local dog park with our pooch, Noah, we have our phones with us. On this particular day, several hours after returning from the park, around eight at night, Rob suddenly poked his head in my room. “I think I left my cell at the dog park.”
It’s dark outside, the park closes at dusk. I imagine us having to scale the fence, getting arrested for trespassing…. “I’ll check the location app.” It’s called Find My Phone and it located Rob’s phone in or near the dog park. We weren’t sure. The map doesn’t lend it self to an infinite expansion!
“I think it’s on the picnic table under the trees,” he said.
I hoped so. Because that park was really dark and our flashlight was really puny. While he moved around our usual spots, looking for his phone, I called his number. The first time, it went to voice mail. The second time, a young woman answered and it turned out that yes, she had Rob’s cell. She’d left him a message on Facebook, which he hadn’t seen, and lived about a mile from the park. We were more familiar with her dog than we were with her, picked up the phone, and that was it. This situation, of course, could have turned out much worse – a stolen cell, websites hacked, bank accounts plundered and, because it had rained, a cell phone destroyed.
The fact that none of these things happened left me optimistic. As an astrologer, I know the possible effects of a Mercury retrograde. But as a human being, I’m forever grateful when the worst case scenarios for a Mercury retrograde don’t happen.
What about you all out there? How were your Merc retros?
A computer, a printer, the t-cell for the pool, all had to be replaced. All three of our vehicles needed repairs (at least one was under warranty). And our sewer system had to be pumped out from the access on our proprty. The crew had to pull the manhole cover completely off and will be reseated today. All in the last three weeks.
Several blips here during Merc retro. I had dreamed that one of our closest friends who had gone back home to Mississippi, had died. The very next day one of his sisters called from there to tell us that Larry had passed away on September 4. He was only 66, in good health, (or so everyone believed), and had a no-warning heart attack. And, on a much less disturbing note, my laser printer stopped working, (I found the problem, finally), and one of our vehicles developed computer chip issues in the engine. Expensive, and remains unfixed. Also, I had to re-arrange a life-insurance policy contract and put it off until merc turned around. I had an appt with my cardiologist during merc retro and re-scheduled it because there were procedures involved. I don’t trust that planet when it isn’t direct!!
We were finally able to leave for a couple of weeks vacation during the retro, only to return to a (new) refrigerator/freezer that apparently quick working sometime after we left.
This retro, came into full power as i was going into my third surgery. It has been a very rough post op recovery.
The O.R. Story alone is enough for a lifetime of retros, I will recount it and post it here. But for now. I just want to recover.
Be well
Laurence
I’m glad the surgery is over!
I have moon in Virgo so was bracing myself for the usual techno problems that are always a pain-in-the butt surprise. But big surprise this time was an interesting and different Mercury retrograde for me. A bunch of people from my past or people I had not heard from for a long time all got in touch with me. I also had an interesting synchro that had mini synchros embedded in the main one. Trish – when I get a moment I will tell it to you in an email. I think it is too personal to post here but you were part of the mini synchro within the synchro. How’s that for a tease? 🙂
Old friends do show up sometimes during Merc retros. Glad yours wasn’t bad at all!
Mine was relatively benign. I ordered some t-shirts for my retreat next month from a friend, and that was really weird. He would send me a design, I wouldn’t get it, I waited and waited for them to come after I paid for them, and finally sent him an email; they are supposed to come this week, but it was like pulling teeth and I STILL haven’t received them or seen them.
I did buy myself a new iPad during the retro because I had completely forgotten about it. Everything seems okay, though. I bought Apple Care, just in case. 🙂
Apple care! A good backup