I was just asked a question by a friend, and I really can't answer it. The question? Why it is that I don't work at home.

Looking at the things I do, there's not a whole lot that I COULDN'T do from the friendly confines of my house, but there are two barriers to doing this type of thing, and the technology is the smaller of the two. There are softwares out there right now that make it a possibility.

The part that is really difficult to do is to overcome the perceptions of working at home. It is generally seen as being a way of being paid to goof off, and there is a certain stigma attached to it. Will it happen for me? Quite possibly. The university is a pretty innovative place, and I can see it happening, someday. Until then, here's a tongue-in-cheek listing of the top 10 reasons to work at home.

10) You know beyond the shadow of a doubt which clown burnt popcorn in the microwave

9) Warm bunny slippers can soften the effects of even the gruffest client

8) Singing show tunes on breaks without fear of the effects of... uh, never mind, uh, that's not one of mine I just heard - yeah, heard - this was something...

7) Every day is casual day

6) Mooning the phone isn't as risky there

5) If you insist on dial-up, it's impossible to take calls AND work on the web, so take your pick

4) Nobody HAS to know how many doughnuts you ate for breakfast

3) Committee meetings go a LOT quicker

2) You can work your mouse with your toes and no one is the wiser

and, the number 1 reason to work at home:

Commuting consists of rolling out of bed and getting dressed (maybe)