WHAT. The planet Mercury slows down and appears to move in reverse. 

WHEN. Starting today, April 17th, through May 11th. Mercury was in retrograde at the turn of the new year, but this is its first turn into retrograde in 2010. 

WHO. Followers of astrology believe this affects everyone on earth. Mercury represents communication, and allegedly when a planet moves in retrograde, what it represents tends to go a bit haywire. This applies to interpersonal relationships, day-to-day interactions with strangers, and communication involving technology (you may have bad luck with the internet, computers, or your phone). 

WHY. Many people dismiss astrology’s credibility, but the moon affects the tides coming in and out, so why should humans be above influence from the planets? (Did you know police departments in many major cities deploy more officers on the night of a full moon?)

So what can you do? Be self-aware, smile at strangers, be gentle on yourself and on the people in your life. Enjoy the chaos!