The meaning of away

As I told you a few months ago, I don’t have access to MSN Messenger at my office (even if I did, right now we don’t have internet access either). I am ALWAYS online at home, but during the day (and sometimes at night when Rox gets her way), I’m usually never there (someone has got to work), so I set my messenger to “appear offline”. A friend told me a few weeks ago that even if I wasn’t there, I should appear online, but away, just in case she wanted to leave me a message (she lives in Madrid. If you want to leave me a message, send me an email or call my cellphone). The thing is that for the past few days I’ve been doing just that: I’m online but away.
Some people have gotten pissed at me because I don’t answer back when they talk to me. To those of you, all my love, but please understand that if I say I’m away at work, I mean I’m away at work or if I say I’m taking a shower, watching tv or sleeping, I’m doing just that and I’m not in front of the computer. When I get home I see your messages but you are usually offline, so I can’t talk back.
I know some people appear away but they’re really there, they just appear away to not be bothered (my advice: if you don’t want to be bothered, don’t log on or if you really need to, appear offline), but when I say away, I mean away…
Thanks you for your understanding, folks…