This is how days go now that Emerald rules the roost:

Me: sitting at desk working, or pretending to

Emerald (realizing she hasn't had human contact in a WHOLE FIVE MINUTES): "Mrrowrr! Meow! Maaah! Mrrrr!" (pacing around chair and looking up with pleading eyes)

Me: "C'mon Emerald! C'mon!" (patting lap)

Emerald: "Mrrarr! Mraah!" (putting up paws, clawing at my leg and back)

Me: "Jump, Emerald!"

Emerald: eventually, jumps onto back of chair. Or continues pacing around begging. Occasionally, she actually jumps into my lap.

Me: Picks her up if she hasn't jumped, settles her down if she has.

Me: petting

Emerald: blissful purring

Eventually, she settles in completely, draping her head over my arm, burying her face in my elbow, or hooking a paw over my wrist. I end up with one arm immobilized, typing with my left hand. Or futilely trying to manipulate the mouse with my right. More purring. Occasional hand-licking.

Eventually, I have to get up. So I disturb Her Royal Emeraldness. This displeases her greatly. Yesterday, we had a mild bite and some hissing. Today, we had some more hissing. I hiss back, gently tap her nose, and dump her on the floor. She stalks off, greatly miffed, into the other room.

Five minutes later, the whole cycle repeats itself.

Thankfully, so far we've had only one "hissy fit" per day. The rest of the day she's fine, apart from some complainy muttering when I get up. I think she's learning. Perhaps?

Whatever, having a lap-kitty to snuggle with makes work an infinite degree of purriness better.