As you might know from reading this blog, my office building shut down and the three employees left in Minneapolis started working from home. That includes me, thank God. I have now worked from home for a full week, or as some say, been living the dream.

Let me tell you, cubicle-bound lackeys, if you’re wildly envious, you should be. It’s awesome!

At home, I can now do anything I want. If I want to get up and do that laundry that’s piled up in my bedroom closet, I can. I haven’t availed myself of that particular opportunity just yet, but it’s just a matter of time.

I can sleep in a good 15 - 20 minutes in the morning, saving the time I used to spend getting dressed, brushing my teeth, shaving, walking to and riding the bus, showering, etc. In fact, I may never have to shower again, now that I work from home.

Now my cat can sleep on top of my work laptop, while I’m trying to type, just like he always wanted to.

When 5:00 rolls around, I’m already home! I just declare myself “off work” and walk to the other side of the room. Or roll over and go to sleep, if I’m still in bed at the end of the day.

I think in my parents’ generation “working from home” was a gentle euphemism for getting the sack. When I told my mom, she asked: “Does payroll know you’re working from home? Will you still get your check?” I thought I knew the answers, but I must admit, those questions roll around in my head around 3 a.m.

It would be a pretty slick way to “downsize”: “Guess what everybody? Mobile workforce! Everybody go home!” And then your employees work for a couple of weeks before they realize nobody’s paying them.

I’ll let you all and Mom know around next payday whether I’m working from home or “working from home.”

Given Anirban’s prompting, I’ve decided to decide on and announce the winners of the caption contest winners so far. If you feel that you have a caption that can beat the rest, comment!

Contest #1

Winner: “Minnesota farmers continue to deny the use of bovine growth hormones.” (Kris)

Contest #2

Winner: “Davy Crocket’s recurring nightmare.” (Steven Koski)

Contest #3

Winner: “Can you forward me that?” (dbay - though unintentional)

Contest #4

Winner: “The Thar Desert: where Reins are hard to come by.” (Anirban)

Contest #5

Winner: “Is that a new haircut or are you just happy to see me?” (Jayashree)

Last night, when you were tossing and turning in bed, trying to sleep, I bet you were thinking: “What would Senator John McCain bring with him if stranded on a desert island?”

The answer? “Books.” You’re getting those 40 winks tonight!

Check out these “Desert Island Necessities” from PoliticalWire.com—presidential candidates’ answers to a question from the Associated Press: “what would you most like to have if you were stranded on a desert island?”

Some candidates went right for the loopholes, naturally: Gov. Bill Richardson answered, “a Blackberry and a Davidoff cigar.”

Good thinking, Bill, but cell phone towers are scarce on most of your run-of-the-mill desert islands. Mike Huckabee is way ahead of you: “Laptop with satellite reception.” Oh snap, Bill!

And the ultimate loophole? Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo’s answer—”Boat.” Well, you know, besides that, Tom.

Besides McCain’s answer of books, the second most popular response was some iteration of “My wife.” I think that’s great for the boys on the island, but some potential first ladies might prefer to stay on the mainland and pine for their husbands.

Barack Obama went one step further; “Other than my wife and kids . . .” he said. By God, if I have to be stranded on an island this whole family’s going to be marooned!

I love Democrat Chris Dodd who, thinking only of the moment, and perhaps having been asked first thing in the morning, said “Coffee with cream and sugar.”

And, finally, there’s Republican Sen. Sam Brownback, who gave the inscrutable answer of “Tarp.” He’s thinking it probably rains more on a desert island than people expect, or just loves tarps. All I know is that I’m not voting for him.