Mercury Retrograde

Snafus abound but of course, it's another Mercury Retrograde! Took 3-4
of these for me to beleive there really is something to it. Never fails. But
good news is its alot easier if you are aware of it along with the fact that
AFTER a Retrograde things usually move along much smoother!

From astrologycom.com

Mercury Retrograde 2005
Retro Station
Direct Station
Return
26 Sagittarius 43Tue, Nov 30, 2004
10 Sagittarius 27Mon, Dec 20, 2004
26 Sagittarius 43Fri, Jan 7, 2005
14 Aries 06Sun, Mar 20
01 Aries 45Tue, Apr 12
14 Aries 06Sun, May 1
20 Leo 28Sat, Jul 23
08 Leo 45Tue, Aug 16
20 Leo 28Tue, Aug 30
10 Sagittarius 56Mon, Nov 14
24 Scorpio 44Sun, Dec 4
10 Sagittarius 56Wed, Dec 21

On July 23, 2005, Mercury, the cosmic magician, turns retrograde in Leo, the sign of the Lion, sending communications, travel, appointments, mail and the www into a general snarlup! This awkward period begins a few days before the actual turning point (as Mercury slows) and lasts for three weeks or so, until August 16, when the Winged Messenger reached his direct station. At this time he halts and begins his return to direct motion through the zodiac.
Everything finally straightens out on August 30, 2005, as he passes the point where he first turned retrograde.

Mercury turns retrograde three times a year, as a rule, but the effects of each period differ, according to the sign in which it happens.

A planet is described as retrograde when it appears to be moving backwards through the zodiac. This traditional concept arises in the illusory planetary motion created by the orbital rotation of the earth, with relation to other planets in our solar system. Planets are never actually retrograde or stationary, they just seem that way, due to this optical illusion.

Retrograde periods, although often problematic for us earthlings, are not particularly uncommon. Each planet retrogrades, except the Sun and Moon.

As a rule, retrograde planets presage a period of seemingly inevitable or fated events, which relate to their sphere of influence. They present us with a series of events over which we seem to have little or no control, relating especially to the sign in which the retrogradation occurs. For example, Mercury retrograde in Virgo presents quite different sets of circumstances from those generated when it retrogrades into Leo.

A retrograde period is best seen as a cycle, beginning when the planet begins to slow to a halt before travelling backwards through the zodiac and ending when the planet returns to the point where it first paused. However, during the cycle, the planet's energy is most powerful (and more likely to generate critical events of universal importance) when the planet makes a station, appearing motionless in the sky.

What does Mercury affect?

In general, Mercury rules thinking and perception, processing and disseminating information and all means of communication, commerce and transportation. By extension, Mercury rules people who work in these areas, especially people who work with their minds or their wits: writers and orators, commentators and critics, gossips and spin doctors, tricksters and thieves.

Mercury retrograde gives rise to personal misunderstandings; flawed, disrupted, or delayed communications, negotiations and trade; glitches and breakdowns with phones, computers, cars, buses, and trains. And all of these problems usually arise because some crucial piece of information, or component, has gone astray, or awry.

It is therefore not wise to make important decisions while Mercury is retrograde, since it is very likely that these decisions will be clouded by misinformation, poor communication and careless thinking. Mercury is all about mental clarity and the power of the mind, so when Mercury is retrograde, these intellectual characteristics tend to be less acute than usual, as the critical faculties are dimmed.

The key issue here is one of focus. Mercury's retro phase tends to bring unforeseen changes and blockages, but the aggravation and frustration that many of us experience during these periods is often due to our own inability to roll with the punches. Is this due to our ego-fixation? Mercury sets out to restructure our thinking processes and for many of us this is painful and frustrating. Moreover, these experiences reveal flaws in our internal organisation as well as our external planning, which can make us feel foolish and inadequate.