April 5th, I’m taking the day off work to celebrate Opening Day (MLB). It’s become a tradition for me to do this, though it still baffles my coworkers.
So what (fun) things will make you take a day off of work or school?
I’ve been known to play hooky to go work cattle. And I will take a day off in the middle of the week next month to do an old-fashioned cattle drive through town, before a roping event that we’re putting on.
I take off a lot of Fridays for ropings and rodeos, and to go hunting in the Fall.
Actually, I think that’s why I never have a big chunk of vacation time available. I use it all in little vacations through the year.
Friends of the Library has a big ol’ book sale twice a year. The day before it ends, everything is half off; the last day, everything is ten cents. They also have posters, cassettes, albums, magazines, etc. You bet your butt I take off work for that!
I’ve only skipped work a couple times, and each and every time, it was because of a girl. And let me tell you, you may feel guilty telling your boss you can’t come into today in your best “sick voice”, but as soon as you hang up that phone and see her lying next to you, you realize you made the right choice. Besides, taking a day off to dang some chick is only going to make me more productive at the workplace!
Heck, I may have to skip work just to come to your library sale!
When I was teaching (college-level), I’d always give my students a “library day” on the third Thursday in November so I could go drink that year’s beaujolais and grill out with friends. Haven’t done that in a few years, but it was fun.
I’ll do anything not to be stuck inside on the first really nice day of spring.
That was today…so I ditched class and work and sat in the park, alternately watching clouds, reading, and dozing… The feeling of finally, finally being able to go outside in short sleeves and flip flops is all the justification I need.
The only times I can remember skipping out of work before, were golf-related. I’ve skipped out a few times to play a round of golf.
One time I had scored VIP tickets to the U.S. Open in Pinehurst, and just had to go. I get tickets to the Masters every year, so occasionally I have found myself skipping a full week of work to make my way down to Augusta.
These days, I make my own schedule, so I can choose to take days off whenever I want. Not really an issue now.
A good friend of mine approached me one Sunday night at work:
“Social Distortion is playing in Phoenix on Tuesday. Wanna go?”
So Tuesday morning after work, we get about two hours of sleep, drive from Albuquerque to Tempe, call in sick while on the way, attend the show (where I participated in my very first moshing), go bar crawling on Mills Ave., and drive back in time to meet our coworkers for our customary Wednesday morning after-work breakfast.
Easily the most fun I’ve had in years. 'Twas well worth the sick day!
The last time I called in sick and really wasn’t sick was the 4th of July, 2003. I was scheduled for 2 freaking hours from 9pm to 11pm. I told them I was drunk and couldn’t drive home. ( I was 1.5 hours from home/work. ) When in reality, I hadn’t drank at all that day.