In preparation for the much-anticipated Comcast installation (Internet, not TV), I do as they suggest and clear out a space where I want them to put the cable wall jack. Once I have that space cleared, I decide to vacuum the area. It's almost an instinctive reaction: You clear out a space that hasn't seen the light of day in months, then vacuum the spot while it's exposed.

As part of this “clearing out,” I disconnect the phone that's plugged in near there, leaving its cord on the floor. I did at least kick it underneath the desk, but it's just sitting there on the floor at this point.

So, I happily run the vacuum, thinking vacuous vacuum-related thoughts, when I come upon that loose phone cord. Instead of picking it up – as a smarter, less lazy person would have done – I try to vacuum around it. And, you guessed it, I came too close, and I'll be darned if that Dyson vacuum cleaner didn't suck that cord right up, yanking the phone itself off the desk in the process! Not only that, it snapped the adapter cord at the base of the AC adapter, so now that is completely useless.

I have to find another AC adapter that will work – which, as you know if you've ever tried to match a pile of adapters with its appropriate electronic device, is highly unlikely – or I need to just put an old phone back into use, which sucks because the one I ruined had a speaker option and a nice little screen for caller ID. I could buy another office phone, but really don't want to spend the money. I've been buying too many things lately in preparation for this Comcast cable connection!

I should just punish myself and make do with one of these old thrift-store used phones.