(This is just a small interlude to chat about some life stuff. Don't worry, Part 3 of 'The Difference Between Me' should be coming later this week.' For those of you who care.)

Lisa's store got broken into over the weekend.

No one was hurt, as it looks like it was in the wee hours of the morning. It was certainly just past the wee hours when we got a phone call from the roving security guard.

"Hey, just wanted to let you know the front door was open," he said to Lisa. "No need to come down. I've looked around and everything seems fine."

Whatever. Lisa got dressed and hopped in the car.

I don't know what store Security Boy had been looking around in, but he obviously missed the broken safe lying on the floor outside the puppy kennels. Turns out the safe wasn't a true security safe in the first place, but a fire safe. Designed to keep your valuable papers from being incinerated, but vulnerable to idiots smacking it against the concrete.

Anyway.

They lost over $800 in till floats and coin, plus some money from the pet relief donation box in the front (Grrr!) And a chinchilla. These canny thieves swiped a chinchilla. And they took a chinchilla starter kit to properly take care of their illegally acquired chinchilla.

I feel a lot better about that than the people who stick birds or puppies into their pockets and walk out of the store. At least this chinchilla has the proper supplies, and may survive.

Still. Bastards.

I really wonder about the train of thought of this particular robber. Pick the lock. Sneak into the staff room. Bash open the cheap safe. Take the money and coin. Rifle the donation box. Get ready to leave... Wait! Oh, isn't he CUTE? I've GOT to have him!

Lisa was stuck at the store for four and a half hours, waiting for the police to come, giving her statements, waiting for the special ID unit to come and fingerprint the place... All after getting a phone call at 4 a.m. And us having just gone to bed around 2.

She was a little tired Sunday.

Bah.

Shuffledog's Slacking at the Office Tip #7: Sick Days. While full time employees can take careful advantage of the sick day to nap, extend vacations, and the like, contract employees don't have that luxury. A sick day is just one more day you don't get paid for. Here's what you do: Tell your boss you will make up the lost day by staying late every day after work for the next week. Most bosses will be fine with this, as it ensures their deadlines will still get met. This also pegs you as someone who really cares about his work. Of course after the rest of the office goes home, you can use that extra time to surf, read emails, whatever. Stuff you might be likely to be doing at home anyway.

One Year Ago Today: Food for the crocodiles - where I make predictions for Survivor: The Outback. Pretty dated now I suspect.

Mom Rating: 1.5 out of 5. Theft is bad. Stealing chinchillas is bad. But it's good that I'm not talking about myself for a change.

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Take me home, big fella