MERCURY IN RETROGRADE

Mercury in Retrograde. It’s coming. We are sliding toward it. That yucky period four times a year when the planet Mercury seems to go backward and Murphy’s Law reigns supreme. There are more accidents, travel delays, miscommunications, faxes/texts/voice mails that are never received, computer problems, contractual disputes, verbal misundertandings and divorces considered.

I always notice more police and ambulance flashers along Phoenix streets during this time. Unfortunately, I see a lot more serious car crack-ups and subsequent little white crosses several weeks later. When my clients are leaving my office, I ask them to be extra careful about their during this time.

I used to warn all my friends about it – all my friends, that is, who believe or who are "pre-believers" or, just open. Several years ago, a friend of mine (let’s call her Jan) told me I was being negative. So, I stopped warning her and she called me up about two weeks into a Mercury in Retrograde period. She said she wanted to know all the dates of that year’s Mercury in Retrogrades so she could “plan my travel around it.”

“But you said that you didn’t believe,” I asked her.

“I didn’t!” she said. “But my car broke down during this time, my hotel arrangements got all screwed up and I broke up with Phil. Plus, all my billing with the insurance companies I work with got completely wiped out on my computer! It’s got to be Mercury in Retrograde.”

Ever since, Jan pays careful attention to it and marks her calendar. So do I.

We are getting closer to Mercury going Retrograde. Already, I am hearing a funny noise in my car today. And I wanted to lunge across the table and strangle one of the women in a meeting today. She kept interrupting me and talking as if she didn't understand a word I said! It's starting…

This year of 2009, Mercury in Retro starts January 11th and ends February 1st. Don’t say I didn’t tell you.