[ChristianMarks]

5) Get a dog :) ... Oh and she's very good at solving technical issues. Sounds mad, but sometimes just talking about a problem to her makes it work for me (and makes me look less stupid when I have to discuss the problem with work colleagues)

Not mad at all. The advice to talk with your dog on technical projects and general problem solving goes for cats. At least you don't talk to your deceased cat (I know I do). He and his two successors are responsible for solutions to non-trivial mathematical and programming problems. The solutions have to be non-trivial and interesting, otherwise the cat will listen but choose to ignore the discussion.

[lesleyb]

In my postgrad days I had two cats. I used to practise my presentations on them. They found it amusing and I could work through the irresistible temptation to talk a character out of Wacky Races so that I could concentrate properly on the day.

I now have a dog. Dogs are good for fresh air and exercise too and you meet other humans too.