My Boss Emails Me at 1 A.M.

Dear Cubicle Coach: My boss CrackBerrys me at 1 a.m. I feel like a loser if I respond, a slacker if I don't. What's appropriate? Some boses love to e-mail at all hours to test how "committed" you are. CC suspects they have somehow rigged their devices to send messages only in the wee hours, or their wives have them sleeping on the sofa again and Cinemax porn hasn't started yet.

Dear Cubicle Coach: My boss CrackBerrys me at 1 a.m. I feel like a loser if I respond, a slacker if I don't. What's appropriate?

Some boses love to e-mail at all hours to test how "committed" you are. CC suspects they have somehow rigged their devices to send messages only in the wee hours, or their wives have them sleeping on the sofa again and Cinemax porn hasn't started yet. CC advocates one reasonably late-night check-in, maybe 10 or 11 p.m., and a brief, direct response, a la, "Cogent point you've raised there, chief. I think we can ramp up to 10,000, but let me check my files first thing tomorrow and get back to you."