grey day

First, my alarm clock didn't go off, then the scale didn't show improvement, then i got a text that didn't bode well.  The sun isn't shining, either.  Yep, we're in the middle of a Mercury Retrograde.  It goes right along with my security system crapping out last Friday, the inability to fix it yesterday, and me twiddling my thumbs today, waiting for the technician to arrive and change the motherboard.

For those not familiar with the concept, Mercury Retrograde is the astrological event in which the planet appears to be moving backward.  Of course, it really DOESN'T -- it's just what SEEMED, to ancient astronomers, from the perspective of an earthbound observer.  Retrogrades happen to a number of planets occasionally, but Mercury does it three times per year, so it has potential to complicate our lives frequently ... according to the philosophy.

Each planet is "in charge of" some department of life:  in Mercury's case, it's travel, communications, electronics, that sort of thing.  This "department" retrograding will gift us with cars that won't start when we're in a hurry, traffic jams, dropped phone calls, bad internet service, electrical outages, malfunctioning alarms, arguments, and so on.  It occurs roughly every four months, on unset days (as does the full moon, for example).  Ironically, i've noticed, it makes an appearance during Christmas-shopping time every year.

If you keep an eye on astrological events, you'll be warned of its occurrence.  The big benefit of having this knowledge is that i'm less inclined to be irritated, frustrated and despairing at the cluster of minor catastrophes that befall me.  I know enough to double-check reservations, ask to make sure that unanswered communications actually went through, back up computer files (and save frequently), keep an eye on the gauges in my car, and have patience when things don't work right the first time.  "This too shall pass" -- the current retrograde began on March 12 and will end April 4.  It takes a few days, afterward, for things to get back up to speed.

Oh, look!!!  The sun came out!  :-)