If the software/database is not launching the shuttle, or life and limb is not dependent on it, then it can wait until I get back. End of story. I also agree wholeheartedly with GandhiDBA's comment about "if you are working in any midsize+ organisation and you come back to any significant amount of work then you need to take a good long look at your colleagues and work out exactly what they do..." I couldn't have said it better... It's ratjher unfortunate in this industry that you tend to have 20% of your staff doing about 80% of the work. Most of the others are "deadwood" attending a lot of meetings and not doing a whole heck of a lot else, besides nosing up to the bosses. How they keep their jobs is beyond me at times, but then again, on second thought maybe it's not.:-D