[Update: When FedEx says they'll ship overnight and get it there by 10.30, they aren't joking. It is 10.15, and still no package. I'm going to get my shoes on and wait by the door. I have to leave right when they arrive, as I need to go to the notary and have her witness my signature, then get to work.]

[Update2: FedEx tells me they are running 2 hours late, so it is 12.30, and I'm still sitting here working on my presentation. I guess FedEx's idea of 2 hours late is more than 2 hours late, unless they come in the next 30 seconds. Hell, the mailman just came by, so I probably would have done better with them. Considering the fact that I have to get my signature notarized, go to ship the signed papers back, then head to the bank to wire the closing costs, I don't think I'll be making it into work. Chalk 8 more hours of vacation time spent on FedEx.]

I'm sitting at home waiting for a fedex package to arrive with papers for the condo I'm buying in Seattle. While I'm waiting, I'm working on a presentation I'm giving at work.

Part of my responsibilities (and joy) at work is helping other developers with both my team's applications and other, more general, programming questions. While I love this aspect of my job, it definitely can interrupt my thought processes when I'm head-down working on a document. For example, yesterday, I spoke with a member of another team about our use of dot net nuke. They are looking for a content management system for distributing information about their team and its products. While I am always excited about spreading the word on great systems and helping people implement them, small, frequent distractions can throw my thoughts off, cutting down on my efficiency when I need to write something.

The nice thing about working at home occasionally is that I don't have that distraction, and I can focus entirely on writing. It is very useful to just be sitting on my laptop, creating slides and listening to Neil Young's Silver & Gold.