From August 3rd to 26th Mercury is retrograde (see Astrowiki), indicating a time where there might be more obstacles in communication and interaction.
Every month the voluntary translators of the Lunar Messenger strive to be in time for the publication of the new issue around the 7th/8th ascending moon phase. This month I didn’t get in time the Spanish translation which a friend in Miami regularly does since Summer 2001 – for 10 untiring years. So I yesterday asked my Mexican friend who always proof-reads the articles to translate it this time. A few hours later I already had the translation and sent out the Spanish newsletter in the evening, while the other languages had been published a day before.
This morning I got the following e-mail from my friend from Miami, sending his translation and explaining why it came late:
“I just sent it to you. I had a whole bunch of issues with Mercury retrograde:
• My computer at home (a super nice apple) started turning off without warning
• My computer at school (a top-of-the-line monster) started freezing everything and had to be reinstalled from scratch
• I was finishing the main text yesterday on my way to the airport, but found no sending signal at Miami International Airport until I left
• I am now in Madrid, for a week, and I brought a mini netbook from the school mainly to finish this on time and send it to you, but
• I did not have access to yahoo.com or yahoo.es since I arrived in the morning. It only came through ten minutes ago after I had already sent it to Rosy to forward it to you.
Anyhow, now you have it. Please, confirm reception.
Best of wishes!
I told him that he had really fought hard to get the work done, in spite of the obstacles. I’ll publish his translation as soon as my Mexican friend has proof-read it. In spite of her having translated the text already, which I very much appreciate.
I have respect for the sudden obstacles popping up at times of Mercury retrograde. I had some computer breakdowns in the past during these times (hopefully not this time….).
An exploding star – firework on 1st of August 11, Swiss national holidy
