Mercury in Retrograde? Weird thing happened lately...

[Lion]

So yesterday, I had the most weird experience...

I hang out on various boards - one being a popular alternative/conspiracy forum which was reflected by yesterdays happenings.....

First things first, over the last couple of weeks, Internet Explorer and FireFox has been shutting down - I thought possibly spyware, or a trojan horse, so I took no notice, especially since I noticed it happening whilst watching YouTube video, probably buggy Flash player.

Today, my PC Rebooted itself 5 or so times in a space of a couple of hours. As the PC rebooted the 5th time, I received a phone call from Telstra, which is Australias' largest phone company. We are not with Telstra for our phone service.

So by now you know my Nickname is on this forum, and obviously, not my real name. To be honest with you, I don't think its a common name in real life, however the person who rang replied when I picked up the handset:

"Hi, my name is XXXXX from Telstra, may I please speak with Cynthia".

I'm like 'OMG - he has my nickname in real life'. Again - not a common name, and I use it on a conspracy related forum....

So I said 'No, I think you have the wrong number". He responded with 'I have, have I?" in a cheeky sort of tone, not apologetic in tone which is the way its usually done from previous 'wrong person called by Telstra' experience.

So anyway, my wife got a call on her mobile (cell) phone. The person has tried to call our home phone but got hold of someone totally unexpected, but at the time my wife never thought anything of it. After that she had to go on a 200km road trip, so she wasn't home after.

Later on in the day, I tried to call a friend, and her number was redirected to a Hotel in our Capital City. The number was re-checked and verified as dialled correctly (History feature on portable handset). So I called her from my mobile phone, and got through, asking her to call back on my landline, and all was back to normal.

Now since talking to her, my internet speed has slowed down to a crawl. I have ADSL+2 (20,000 mbit) and its downloading at an average of 6 kb. I wondered if I was shaped (Slowed down internet for going over download quota), but I haven't received an e-mail from my ISP to say so.

All happening over a day (with the crashing IE aspect over the last couple of weeks). Usually they wouldn't concern me, but too many things in one day. The ADSL Speed may be reflected with communication network problems, as my ISP is also my phone company, but it left questions marks when a person that has my nickname as a real name rang previously.

So this is what someone responded

As an astrologer, I'd chalk it up to Mercury being in retrograde... you usually experience breakdowns in technology in the days surrounding Mercury's apparent switch of direction in the sky. It just switched directions yesterday, so, I don't think it's a coincidence.

Karen - so without too much on the experience of the phone call, is this a likely cause for the 'bad' technology issues I experienced the same day???

[Astrojewels]

Lion,
There are many planets in retrograde at the moment and mercury retrograde can cause a bit of havoc, but this cycle of retrograde was very passive and I don’t see that this would be the major cause for your occurring experiences.
I would say that you are feeling the energy of the ‘higher frequency’ change, which creates ‘coincidences’ and strange happenings to become everyday events. Telecommunications in all parts of the world are affected by the Pluto change, they are restructuring and changing their frequencies to keep us under the threshold, well try anyway! Therefore and we are all going to have bad ‘connection days’ right through until November 08. If you ring your company, they will say they have no reports of problems or give you some lame excuse that a person with your technological ‘know how’ should question and you will have them stomped!

[Sariel]

Is there indeed any significance if planets are retrograde. It is just an imaginary illusion and nothing more. These planets don't move backwards indeed, it is just our perception. I looked at other astrologers and some say it has no influence, and some say it is negative, and other consider retrogade position as good. I personally don't give special attention to this optical/illusionary phenomen. At least, if there is any influence, then it should be only one that empower this planet at specific point because of the time spent there.

[Astrojewels]

I do not consider myself to be a textbook astrologer; this is the reason why my work is ‘a profile’ and not a chart, I would not disagree with you because astrology is diverse and allows each of us to understand it with our own unique approach. Some would say it has no affect others would disagree, I feel it does affect because I approach astrology through the method of ‘energy’ and if a planet is in retrograde that pattern of energy changes, but that is me, and it seems to have worked so far. Yet other astrologers create their own pattern through a different method that also works, so it is a purely individual preference.

[Sariel]

And what kind of energy do you think that retrograde hold? Positive, negative, or depends about many factors?

[Astrojewels]

It depends on the planet and sign, I would not say a negative, and it is more of a focus on that planet as the retrograde structures the energy to be tapering, therefore the purpose of the planet/sign in motion at the time can be much harder to grasp as lion has experienced in this thread.