Work is stressful enough without outside influences making it even more nerve-wracking. Take, for instance, this morning.

For those who haven't seen my office (which is probably most of the people reading this, otherwise we've really got to beef up security around here), it's not incredibly large, and mostly underground - there's a small window in the rear wall near the top, which is about sidewalk-level from the outside. The way my desk is set up, I have my back to this window most of the time.

About halfway through some database work this morning, I was startled by a very sudden and very loud noise outside said window. So of course, me being the curious soul that I am (and you know what they say about curiosity), I turned around to see what was causing it.

There's a masked guy with a fired-up chainsaw standing outside my window, staring in at me. At 7:45 in the morning, without coffee, that is NOT what I needed to be seeing. I consider calling security for a second, then completely throw all rationality out the window and head outside to figure out what's going on.

That's how much I rely on coffee in the morning. Without it, my thought processes actually put together this winner:

"Oh, hey, look. A masked guy with a chainsaw, and he's staring at me. I wonder what he wants? Better go ask him."

I'm lucky I don't live in a horror movie. I'd be dead by the end of the opening credits with that mode of thought. Kind of reminded me of the line from Jason X:

"Guys, it's okay! He just wanted his machete back!"

Long story short, we've got a gardening crew here today that's trimming some of the trees outside. The guy that was staring in my window was adjusting the scarf he had over his face to keep sawdust and stuff out... apparently I never realized that the tinting on my window makes it almost mirror-like from the outside.

I need coffee. Now.