We do, and I found another way to not feel bad - I started drinking.

At least I'm not pretending to work anymore! Win-win.

Thinking out of the box like a boss.

Not sure if you are just making a joke or not, but please, if you started to drink more due to a boring job (including drinking before/while on the job) either talk to someone for help (a sibling/wife/friend if you don't want to go the professional route) and try to change jobs as quickly as possible (if you feel the drinking is related to the job). I've seen some colleagues becoming borderline alcoholics (even if highly functional) by using alcohol as a coping mechanism for work.

Nothing wrong with a few drinks, or a night out where you get plastered, but if the drinking is related to the job, please ask for help/do something.

maybe he's drinking on the job? might be a good way to pass the time.

Well, resolution to a situation where I'm pretending to work, from an ethical point of view, is to, well, stop pretending to work. I can do that by either starting to work, or stopping to pretend to work.

I now at least have a clear consciousness, if not productive output. And it is Saturday night after all. I offered him quality free beer of his choosing. He refused. I also linked him to this thread.

I'm just trying to understand, why be at work on the weekend or after hours unless you need/want to get something done? (Man, I wish HN had a private messaging system, because I usually have questions that interest me but aren't really appropriate to ask publicly. Thinking of writing one...)

Well, you do have a new unread mail now. :)

Maybe! but sometimes the net productivity win comes from letting the frantic person spin their gears down until you reach a velocity where thinking clearly is possible