I'm starting the day's second meeting and I have to get you to reset your browser security options so you can access the website. I walk you through the reset, no problems, in spite of the speaker-phone and what sounds like 15 people yattering at the tops of their lungs in the background.

Then the easy part. I say, "Okay, now close all of the browser windows and then restart I.E."

You say, "What?"

I repeat, a little louder, "You need to close all of the browser windows for the changes to take place. Then you open one again."

You say, "I don't know what that means."

I stare at the phone...I can't think of a simpler way to say, "close the browser windows" than, you know, "close them."

What kind of person understands resetting their java security level but doesn't understand what "close the window" means?

In the meantime, the phone tells me that the person who wants to set up a training session for this afternoon is already calling me for the third time, Buehler's dialing me for the fourth time in ten minutes, and the message light is on, indicating that yet another missed call is stacking up in front of me.

It's going to be a long day.

The cheery things:

(1) Buehler is out of the office so I don't have him needing anything unless I actually pick up the phone, and

(2) DiamondGirl is calling the EvilComputerPeople and telling them to ship my replacement laptop now, not at some future date.

She said I wasn't aggressive enough with them. I'm not aggressive except in e-mail/blog, okay? I am Not about Confronting The Issue. I am All for the Peaceful Life.

However, she and the Tweenybopper got me all wound up last night and on the way home, I bravely pulled out my cell phone, called the apartment complex office, and demanded that they fix the stopped-up kitchen sink I reported at 9:00 Tuesday morning. By the time I got home at 5:15, the little man was there and working.

Triumph! It's nice to be able to wash dishes.

Well, no, it's not. But it's nice to have the dishes washed.

It's not even 1:00. Because my last meeting isn't scheduled to start until 4:30, I'm not getting out of here until 6:00 or so. And I'm already tired.

I guess it serves me right for goofing off so much yesterday. I spent hours mourning the loss of my new plaything.

Or maybe I just need lunch.