Good morning, get off your email. Hello? Do you hear that? That's me growling. Sorry, but it's just such a double standard. I'm not allowed to check my email when I get into the office, but everyone else in the office is busy passing around forwards -and- taking personal calls while at work? I don't have a phone. I pretty much limit my email usage to when I first arrive and lunchtime, which I think is completely reasonable. I intend to continue doing so and, frankly, if I get in trouble, I will argue the point. Let's just say, hypothetically, that someone has to reach me for something important. After trying me at home to find that I'm now at work (where mostly, my cell doesn't work inside the building), they either have to call the main switchboard to at least get someone who can direct them to someone in my department who then might call me to the phone, or maybe will just take a message. I know from experience how effectively this system works - not very. If, however; they email me, chances are, I can respond right off the bat. Besides, my job is crappy enough, I think I deserve one mode of distraction.

Since they won't give me a phone extension because that might imply that I have customer service contact with the public (which I do, anyway), that would mean I might have to get a raise. I just haven't gotten the courage up to say when told to phone people, "I'm sorry, but that's not in my job description."

On a different note, the cats are doing alright. Pork Chop, the rotund little female (Stew's sister hates that I call Tobe rotund, but I could call Tobe "Roundo" or "Tubby" or something more humiliating), is still curious about Stinky Bee, but mostly keeps out of my room now. Stew says she's behaving out of sorts, so I guess she's not feeling as comfortable as all that. Willi, on the other hand, seems to be improving a bit. She's now bucked up the courage to follow me around the apartment and even talks a bit again. It's quite strange having a normally loquacious cat suddenly go mum. She's playing a little again, too, which is gratifying. I think that this will sort itself out sooner than I initially thought. In the meantime, I've moved Willi's dishes into my room, including her water, because aside from the likelihood of Tobe eating Stink's food, I'm tired of her drinking from my mug.

So, wow. I actually have the time this week to see Rick. We're going for a dinner and a movie tomorrow, what a novel idea. Otherwise, my social life is strictly limited to Booboo's campaign goings-on. Meetings, social sessions... Really, when my phone rings, it's going to be one of three people: my mother, Rick, or Booboo. Yes, I lead an extraordinarily exciting life.