Strangely liberated but bored (page 1 of 2)

I thought that it was about time to put this to the test and live 24 hours without either. Here's what happened:

08:26am
Normally use my "Communicator" as an alarm clock but that's off limits, so as I couldn't seem to find any other reliable method, I keep the windows wide open. Oversleep and wake up in a rush.

09:00am
Left my car at work over the weekend (was a busy one) and so I hunt for a taxi on Al Wasl. I realize I brought my communicator with me and look at it longingly during the ride as I have my entire days schedule mapped out on it but am not allowed to open for a sneak peek. I notice my taxi driver looking at me suspiciously, he knows I would be cheating if I open it...paranoia kicking in.

09:30am
I usually start my mornings by downloading the usual bucket load of emails and checking the "adserver" online to see the status of all current campaigns. But of course this won't be my routine today, the rest of the Proximity iMedia team inform me that we currently have 18 campaigns up and running and since I can't help them I am not very popular. I feel smug whilst reading a copy of 7days.

9:46am
I look around and everyone (I mean everyone) is engrossed in their emails except me. It's that Monday morning look on everyone's face, so no socializing, only sucked into their computer screens. By not having to worry about my emails, I feel somewhat liberated if a little bored, so I decide to play with my rolodex.

10:46am
After an hour of analyzing the smallest, minute differences between business cards and organizing them by industry and design preference, I end up with pile that even Lars (AME Info) would be envious. I also realize that some of the cards were collected 4 years ago and either the said person left or the company imploded. 84 business cards end up in the trash. Yes I'm THAT bored.

10:54am
Notice that Martin must be even more bored than I am by his fax which lands on my desk. I call him up for sake of a kindred spirit but instead Martin begins one of his inimitable German style rants about the virtues of online and asks why Emirates Airline would dare run an online booking campaign in the newspaper. I know better than to argue and agree profusely.

11:30am
Paperless office?? Not today! Got paper flying off the desk as my pen waves like a mini office tornado. I decide to scrawl out Proximity's Campaign ME awards entries but find that even I can't read my own handwriting. Why is everything in capital letters?

11:50am
ITP photographer turns up, carefully positions me in various natural pose for the article photos. Difficult man to please.."Stop trying to look upset cause it looks obvious... but can you look just a little more upset than that?"

1:00pm
Working lunch, cannot access my MSN messenger to communicate with the online media houses for status of RFPs and solve any trafficking headaches. Hence I fax or call people. This proves far timelier and no responses. Don't people check their faxes every minute for those important messages? I guess not.

2:45pm
I've got a meeting with Gulf Marketing Review for a round table to discuss the future of Internet & online advertising in the Middle East. I head out to the car park and shockingly find that someone had tried to break-in to my car. Left a large tear in the soft-top.