I like to think of myself as a very skilled multitasker. I can balance any number of projects at once, doing any number of different things.
Apparently, I am not so hot at talking and typing at the same time.
See. I was just chatting online with this one, at the same time that I was trying to negotiate one of those fucking dreadful voice-activated robotic receptionists over at the bill payment center at Cingular. In my IM window, I was discussing things like my wheat-free vegan cookie that was disappointingly good, and the fact that the maintenance guy drilling holes in something down the hall made me feel like I was in a dentist's office. On the phone, I was discussing things like "Pay my bill. No. Bill. Pay my bill. Yes. Now. (sigh) PAY MY BILL NOW. Yes."
All was fine until my IM-partner asked if I had, as a means of coping with the drilling noises, "tried plugging your ears and shouting LA LA LA LA LA?" I typed back, "Not yet. I'm close." At the same time, Roboceptionist over there asked me for my five-digit billing zip code, to which I replied, rather loudly to be sure she understood each and every digit, "I'M CLOSE."
Cell phone: $100. March cell phone bill: $80. Instant messenger program: free download. Suddenly feeling like you are having loud, public phone sex with the Roboceptionist: priceless.