Working from Home

I'm working from home today, which is probably the only reason you're going to be reading anything on this blog today. Blogging at work is not forbidden outright, but it is a bit embarrassing to be eating lunch at the desk and writing inane comments for the etherspace when one of the co-workers drops in to ask about the document which is supposed to be ready.

Ah! But here at home, I can take as many breaks as I want, and do what I want, and even crank the stereo up while working! Without bothering anybody! Except the cats! And they can just run away!

Actually, I'm not playing the stereo really loud. Because, as I've gotten older (over the hill, as it were), I've lost the ability to concentrate on my work while listening to anything. I apparently went from a very visual person to a very audial person. In fact, as I'm typing (or reading), I'm hearing the words in my head, in my own imaginary voice; and if something interrupts me, my train of thought jumps the rails and crashes into the river below.

This explains why I get very, very angry when someone talks to me while I'm trying to read. Or web-surf. Or watch a movie. My ears do not multi-task. And although I may appear calm on the outside, inside I'm a seething mass of boiling lava, ready to bite someone's head off if they don't shut up and let me think. Or think. Or type.

Oh, no, no. I didn't mean YOU. You'd never to that to me, would you? Of course not. Because you understand that my brain is dysfunctional. And only running on two cylinders. And out of oil. And you wouldn't want me to lose my temper, now, would you???

Another reason I'm working from home. Too many interruptions at work. Too many meetings. Too much noise. Can't think. Can't focus. Can't get my priorities in order.

My priorities today are the following:

1. Finish writing that C++ sample code.
2. Finish documenting what it took to get the C++ code to work with the latest software release.
3. Finish documenting what it took to get ANYTHING to work with the latest software release.
4. Start working on that file server sample application.
5. Start working on the drop-in-place instructions for migrating old apps into the new build structure.

If none of these priorities mean anything to you, count your blessings. You are not doing software. You are not doing avionics. You are free to do all sorts of other things, which is what I call "real work".

Of course, you might still have to deal with management, but that's another issue, for another day.