If you're a writer, don't have pets.

Have a home brew kit.

I've been on the phone with the City of Miami all day and in pursuit of some needed documents for a story. Political red tape, thy name is Miami. This has been going on since last Wednesday. They were promised to me today, which is just before my deadline. I have been trying to think and write.

Of course, my dog kept annoying me to take him out.

In his defense, he used to live in a big house wth a yard and could go and come as he pleased, more or less. That was before he was MY dog. Now he lives in a two bedroom apartment. He still scratches on the door either when he needs to use the bathroom or smells/hears something funny outside. Or, he paws my leg, or he whines, or he goes into the corner and pouts with a sigh.

It dooesn't end there. One of the two cats sleeps right beside my computer -- to the point of having erased one whole page of writing one day. When she gets bored of the hum of the laptop, she perches on my notes and preens herself...while I am doing a phone interview.

But there is one saving grace animal: the male cat. He doesn't do anything other than meow when he wants out, wants in or wants food. Half the time he is outside sowing his wild oats. The other half of the time he is asleep in the apartment somewhere.