Wednesday, July 16, 2008

One of the problems of working at home

This is Flora. While she has a half-dozen other rooms she could lounge in, many or all of which have better, way more comfortable spots for her to recline her 15.5 pounds, her favorite spot is my office. Specifically my desk. On top of my notes and papers. Resting her head or one paw on my laptop's keyboard, with one paw on my mouse or wireless keyboard.

Flora, full name "Flora Adorable," named so by my daughter when she was five, has the not-so-adorable habit of batting me with a paw when she wants attention, which is all the time. When she does not receive it, she takes said paw (with its full complement of razor-sharp nails, which I have been trying to trim for five years and which even the techs at the vet's refuse to attempt) and places it on my keyboard or my mouse, which results in th

is. Or th77788888888888888is. Which is not very helpful when one is trying to type an article or case study.

Flora also sheds. A lot. On my papers. On my computer. On my keyboard. On my monitor (which she rubs up against constantly and now looks like it could use a shave).... So I have taken to lint-rolling her. Which she doesn't like. At all. And runs away. Only to return the second I put it down. Which starts the whole process again.

I also keep a can of "Dust Destroyer" (compressed air -- "100% safe for the ozone!") by my side, in a (mostly futile) attempt to keep my keyboard somewhat fur-free -- and shoo Flora away when she gets really bothersome. (Cats really hate the Dust Destroyer.) Though that, too, has a limited effectiveness. (After briefly leaving my office, to watch the birds that have decided to nest atop our porch light, she is now back, once again lying across my weekly planner and papers.)

Another problem with working from home? Getting sidetracked by YouTube videos friends email you -- or you see highlighted on TV, like this new one from the people at JibJab, about the presidential campaign. (If you don't have a cat or dog to help you procrastinate, I highly suggest watching it.)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

People don't work at home because they like "tele-commuting." What a hoot (and a holler). People like to procrastinate. From You Tube to Backgammon to checking the MySpace/Facebook page of the moment, people will do anything to avoid work. Work is taxing. Takes too much time. And the government taxes our work. So it's double taxation without very good representation. I mean, George W.? Puh-lease! It's taxing enough listening to him mangle the English language. So that makes triple taxation, and I'm just getting started. I need a nap.

Anonymous said...

I don't have a pet, but I do have construction going on in the apartment above me (oh, the perils of city living). Construction as in, "is the drill bit going to run through their floor into my ceiling?" kind of mind-splitting construction. I needed to learn the lessons of focusing amid distractions . . . but I didn't think it would take quite this form. :-)

Anonymous said...

Cats I have two of
Sun rises and sets for them
Focus is not here

Did I get the syllable count right this time?

Dave S. said...

Five in first and last
And seven in the middle
Larissa's correct

Also I caught the JibJab on Leno last night - pretty good.