It's a true story.  Slightly embellished by the editors, but the important facts are intact.

Update:  It made the front page of Fark.com!

Back when I accepted my current job with Corillian/Checkfree/Fiserv, I stated that a job like this where I could telecommute was my holy grail.  Over the last few weeks, I've been putting a lot of thought into whether or not I still feel as excited about telecommuting as I did when I wrote that.

It's a mixed bag, really.  I enjoy being (mostly) free from distractions, free from micro-management, and I especially enjoy my respite from the daily rat race of commuting. 

On the other hand, it's easy to get lonely.  You don't realize how much you miss "water cooler" chats until you don't have them anymore.  And, as much as I love my kids, the noise they make occasionally gets to be a nuisance. 

Overall, I still love it, to say nothing of the job itself (which is also great).  I am starting to get a touch of cabin fever, and that contributes to an over-exaggerated feeling of missing my colleagues at Commerce, but overall, this is a great working arrangement.  I'm just going to have to make a concerted effort to keep active socially, I think.

AT&T, the poster child for telecommuting, the company that practically invented telecommuting as we know it, appears to be forcing its teleworkers back into the office.

Yikes.  As someone who telecommutes full time (and absolutely loves it), I really feel bad for those workers.  Apparently, the suits at SBC, who recently acquired AT&T, don't share the former management's liberal views regarding work arrangements.  This is a scenario I sometimes worry about, as the company I work for, Corillian, has been acquired by CheckFree, which is in turn being acquired by Fiserv. 

Well, if it happens, it happens.  I'll enjoy it while I can.  I have a feeling, though, that with the rising costs of transportation and energy, AT&T may be an oddity.  I think it's likely more companies will embrace telework.