Watch out: Mercury's in retrograde

I'll admit it. I don't take astrology very seriously. I find it amusing and occasionally coincidentally enlightening, but I definitely have a "grain of salt" attitude towards it.  

I think astrology, for the most part is about as scientifically accurate as a fortune cookie. On the other hand, Andy's a Scorpio (and Pisces and Scorpios are supposedly good love matches) and two of my closest friends have the exact same birth date (albeit, a year apart) so I'm not above thinking that the time of year you were born does affect your personality and how you interact with the world. . . slightly.

I'd love to blame all my shortcomings on the fact that I'm a dreamy, somewhat impractical Pisces. However, it strikes me that all of the supposed personality "faults" associated with the sign are things we can overcome with a little diligence. The biggest downfall of astrology signs is the fact that they provide us a label (something we're all more comfortable with than we like to think). We can slap on an astrological sign and suddenly our faults are fate and thus, out of our hands.

Despite my qualms about all this, I have grown to dislike when the planet Mercury goes into retrograde. In astrological speak,  "The planet Mercury rules communication, travel, contracts, automobiles, and such. It goes in a retrograde motion—or motion that makes it appear to be going backwards in the night."

Many people associate Mercury retrograde with mass miscommunications, delays, difficulty contacting someone, car and other technology problems, and angrier people.

In fact, it's recommend that you avoid any of the following: 

• Start anything new
• Make important decisions
• Buy computers, appliances, TVs, radios, etc.
• Travel without back-up plans
• Sign contracts
• Buy a car
• Negotiate a contract
• File a lawsuit
• Start a new job
• Begin a new class
• Go on a “first” date
• Expect things to move quickly
• Take anything for granted

Instead, astrologists recommend you spend the time revisiting and renew projects and other things which may have been sit by the wayside for a while.

Mercury goes into retrograde three times a year and each retrograde period lasts three weeks. Nine weeks is an awful large chunk out of the year to put your life on hold. It's hard to believe a distant planet could really hold that much sway over us.

Still, it was one week filled with miscommunication and misunderstandings at work this past week. Nothing major: but invoices no one could make sense of, vendors sending us the wrong products (or not sending the product at all), people who linger longer at the museum door, deciding whether or not going through the museum is "worth it."  Yesterday, one of my volunteers couldn't make in because of car troubles.

So when I got a phone call last week about an exciting new freelance job, I knew I needed to find a way to not sign that contract until the 27th.

Mercury retrograde ends August 26. For now, I'm off to the studio to finish up a project I should have wrapped up months ago.