From my experience, Mercury retrogrades are not really something to be feared. Mercury is not a malefic (or benefic) planet, it's just fussy. Mercury is not a big picture planet.

I've definitely noticed lots of miscommunication and/or transportation issues crop up around Merc rx time. Also, sometimes people need to rethink certain issues or come to different conclusions.

But in the end, it always turns out to be little more than ordinary life type stuff. Petty.