Buehler, Bernie, the Tweenybopper, DiamondGirl, and Moe. Sassy and the Mad Doctor are present in spirit, but really only here in e-mail.

It's like I was never gone.

I arrived at 9:00 and by 9:20 I was wandering over to Starbucks for coffee.

Buehler had a parking pass for me, so I did not wind up parking in the residential neighborhood nearby and walking three blocks to the office.

I worked for about 20 minutes, chatted with Buehler off and on for an hour, read the morning headlines, checked my personal e-mail, said 'howdy' to everyone here, and ate lunch.

I've been here for five hours and I've worked about one hour. I made two phone calls, sent two e-mails, made 20 photocopies, and addressed five envelopes.

Okay, I'm exaggerating. I did a few more important things. For instance, after swearing me to secrecy, Buehler admitted that he'd forgotten to mail the holiday cards that Sassy had so carefully prepared to him. I stuffed the cards into the addressed and stamped envelopes and I'll be taking them to the post office in a few minutes.

I also appreciated the Christmas presents Buehler gave me. (Cool stuff. A little light-up Christmas tree that plugs into a USB port. A little music box. A cool calendar from Business As Usual. A weird thing that you put around your coffee mug that holds your pens and scissors and stuff on your desk. (If I used it, I wouldn't be able to drink from the mug, but it's a cute gadget anyhow.

In one of today's big successes, I bullied AOHell into finally closing the two unwanted AOL accounts that Buehler has been trying to get closed for a year or more.

To be honest, there were days when I was employed here full-time that I wasn't this productive (it's not the time spent, it's the tasks accomplished) but I'm still a tad bored.

I keep reminding myself...every hour worked is a little more money in my pocket. (It amazes me how I used to take the bi-weekly appearance of a substantial amount of money in my checking account for granted.)

At the moment, Buehler's off having lunch with his wife and, not incidentally, getting my check, which he accidentally left in the other car.

Me, I spurged and spent $4 on a sandwich for lunch.

It was interesting to walk over and see the same old panhandlers hanging out on the street corners, say hello to the same old staff at the sandwich shop, and nearly get run over in the streets by the same old drivers who feel that a crosswalk is intended to help them with their aim.

At the moment, I'm waiting for the appearance of two mailing addresses in my in-box, for two more envelopes I have the thrill of preparing. Then I'll be driving to the post office.

I'll bet you wish your life was as exciting as mine, don't you?