(as opposed to being completely available and mostly unused because it turns out people don't really want to communicate that way).

Because video phones are a nightmare! I mean seriously -- I took a call the other day from a subordinate, from my apartment, in my inside pants with my cat on my lap. And yet? I still seemed in charge, because she couldn't see me!

I think my favorite thing about this one is how we still assume that In The Future, everyone will use videophones. As if the technology were still just beyond our grasp (as opposed to being completely available and mostly unused because it turns out people don't really want to communicate that way).

Maybe in "the future" we'll all have vidoephones, but there will be technology that optionally can make you look dressed all professional, sitting in a nice neat office (or home office, or whatever) even though you're actually sitting there half-naked, with disheveled hair and bloodshot eyes, while the cat vomits on a pile of dirty laundry in the background. Then someone will do a survey and discover that 99.99% of videophone users use this software, and then everyone will just stop using videophones altogether.

My mom just offered the dog a biscuit and I thought, "OH! I should make cookies!"

In my world, this is not susceptible. This is how I think.

Thank God, I learned to restrain my mouth from talking. Most times.

Phantom sequel receives early review from Lloyd Weber's cat:

London's Daily Mail reports that Lloyd Webber's new kitten Otto has managed to destroy the music he has penned for the upcoming sequel to The Phantom of the Opera. The six-month-old cat somehow climbed into the frame of Lloyd Webber's digital Clavinova piano, which features a built-in computer.

The award-winning composer told the London paper, "I was trying to write some new music; Otto got into the grand piano, jumped onto the computer and destroyed the entire score for the new Phantom in one fell swoop."

Too....many..Cats...jokes...can't... decide...what...to...mock!

Maybe in "the future" we'll all have vidoephones, but there will be technology that optionally can make you look dressed all professional, sitting in a nice neat office (or home office, or whatever) even though you're actually sitting there half-naked, with disheveled hair and bloodshot eyes, while the cat vomits on a pile of dirty laundry in the background.

See? This is what I'm talking about! THAT I could work with.

Maybe in "the future" we'll all have vidoephones, but there will be technology that optionally can make you look dressed all professional, sitting in a nice neat office

LifeShop, new from Adobe!

HA! I'd pay for LifeShop in general.

The only person I videoconference with is my mom and that's so she can see the baby. As she is here now, it means I rarely videochat anyone.

I want dessert. This is why I've gained a ton of weight.

the six-month-old cat somehow climbed

There's no somehow involved with six-month old cats.

A couple of remote coworkers join meetings by video skype. One of the reasons I will always be resistant to it is due to all the mocking that happens when the cat/wife/child/dog/neighbor appears in the background and procedes to do something hammy.

OK, work. Must do.

"I was trying to write some new music; Otto got into the grand piano, jumped onto the computer and destroyed the entire score for the new Phantom in one fell swoop."

The cat is clearly a Buffista and heard our thoughts on the sequel.

I am at the office. I have outside pants on, with sandals.

I am still in pajamas. Trying to work up the oomph to open my WIP word doc, but having difficulty, since I'm feeling very blah about publishing in general.

Then again, I do want to know what happens next.