It has been one of those weeks that try -- and yes, energize -- entrepreneurs' souls. I'm sitting in an office that can best be described as a "War Room." Namely, it looks like a war happened here, complete with booby traps. Wires connected to makeshift computer stations, spare phones, and other devices criss-cross the floor, waiting to trip the unwary. Ah, I love the smell of carpet glue in the morning.

I'm in the midst of moving from one office to another. Though the new digs are literally around the corner from my old office, a move is a move is a move.

Last Sunday, when the New York City area felt like the Amazon rain forest, I made about 10 trips to the new place, carrying items I needed to conduct business the following day -- when the phones were supposed to be switched over.

On Monday, the phone company did as it was told and switched the phones. No one really knew when that would happen, but I was prepared. As soon as the phones went dead in the old office, I threw some vital files, the picture of my mom I always keep close to me, and my boom box into my car and drove to the new place with a spare phone in hand. To my amazement, the phone jacks were in. My hopes for a smooth switch-over quickly evaporated when I found that none of the lines had dial tones. Time for a cup of coffee. Good thing I have my cell phone.

The phone lines came on sometime in the afternoon. Since our phones were in the new place, we had to be there to give our customers the illusion of normalcy. We moved our computers in that afternoon, but the carpet guys hadn't completed their job, so we picked a semi-finished office to work from. Meanwhile, we couldn't move the new furniture in because the carpets weren't fully installed yet.

Then, I discovered that my computer's network connection was down again for the millionth time -- possibly a problem with my computer. A trip to the computer store was something I didn't need at that moment, since I had to finish writing this column and E-mail it. Only problem is, I couldn't E-mail it without a network connection.

At such times, the inclination is to hang a "Gone Fishin'" sign on the door. Unfortunately, clients don't really want to know about the little disruptions involved in a move. I stopped telling them about it after the first few failed to respond sympathetically when I hinted that this could affect our business with them for a while.

The staff have been very understanding. I sense a small rebellion brewing, though. Hey, I understand: "Why can't these so-and-so's do anything right?" I used to say that sort of thing when office construction or system changes disrupted my life as a corporate manager. As my own boss, I have no one to pass the buck to.

Though it has been chaotic for a week or so, I have to admit that the effort it takes to straighten out the mess is invigorating. At the end of it all, we'll have a bigger and better office with air conditioning and more than one bathroom for 50 people.

One word of advice for other entrepreneurs on the move: Pack the ibuprofen -- or the scotch -- where you can find it.

George Giokas is the president and CEO of StaffWriters Plus, a specialty agency that places writers in temporary and permanent positions with corporate and other employers. It also provides editorial consulting work. His database includes 2,500 writers and editors specializing in more than 60 categories. His Web site is located at www.staffwriters.com, and you can E-mail him at george@staffwriters.com.