My job is divided into two parts. (Well, isn't everything?) I think of it like this. I have mice and guinea pigs and hamsters running all over my desk every day, scampering up and down the keyboard and dancing on top of the monitor. I'm supposed to be keeping them all in their cages, but they always get out and I have to chase them again.

Meanwhile, there's an elephant in the back yard. I have to feed and water it and make sure it doesn't trample anything. Sometimes I spend so much time gathering up the mice, I forget about the elephant. That doesn't go over well with the elephant.

Usually by the last week in February I'm getting badgered constantly about the financial statement worksheets. Every year I can remember, going clear back into the last century, the Boss has started asking for the reports in January, and I've promised them by the first of March. Sometimes I've even come through, but more often it's been the middle of March before I've had them done.

This year, mysteriously, I haven't heard a word. Has he forgotten? Or is he giving me enough rope to hang myself? Because I haven't made any progress on the reports in over a week, and March is looming. After March comes April, and taxes, and I know the accountant will want all the information long before then.

Either I'm not working as hard as in past years, or there's just more work to do. As the company grows, I have more day-to-day details to handle, and the major stuff gets pushed aside. We're bigger and busier than ever, but the cash flow has slowed to a trickle. That makes my daily routine into a juggling act, and it exhausts me.

While in past years I would have worked until midnight if necessary, this afternoon I collapsed in my recliner at 4:30 pm and slept for 45 minutes. I could and should have gone back to work afterward, but I just didn't. I just didn't. I should be in a panicky mode by now, because I'm getting so far behind on such important matters.

But I can't think clearly enough to be in a panic. All I can do is look at tomorrow and determine what I have to do to keep us in business until the day after. I just hope the elephant doesn't sneak up from behind and stomp me while I'm busy keeping all the mice in their cages.

Am I worried? Of course not. Not about getting my work done anyway. What I do worry about is the fact that the Boss is driving around Nevada and Arizona this week. He's well known as a twelve-car pileup waiting to happen, and that's a cause for concern to all of us. In fact, his ne'er-do-well son asked me yesterday, "What happens to the Company if my dad dies?"

You know, the Titanic probably wouldn't have sunk if that iceberg hadn't been there. Why didn't anybody think to ask, "What happens if we hit that big white thing?" Because it's coming right at us, and eventually we'll have to face it. I just hope we have enough lifeboats this time.