20 best excuses for calling in sick
Mood:  spacey
Now Playing: tori amos
Topic: Work
A coworker showed this to me, thought it was funny... I'm bolding my favorites. :)

20 Best Excuses for Calling in Sick

By Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor

You've heard of the dog who ate homework, but what about the cat who unplugged the alarm clock? These days, people are getting very creative when they don't want to go to work.

In CareerBuilder's survey "Out of the Office," more than one-third of U.S. workers say they played hooky from work over the last twelve months. Thirty-five percent of workers admit to calling in sick when they felt well at least once during the last year and one-in-ten said they did so three or more times.

Why are they calling in sick? The top three motivators for faking include attending to personal errands and appointments, catching up on sleep and simply relaxing. The reasons also include attending a child's event, bad weather, making plans with friends and going on a job interview.

"With the cold and flu season kicking in, it's a popular time of year for employees to call in sick," said Rosemary Haefner, Senior Career Advisor for CareerBuilder.com. "However, the number of those who are actually feeling under the weather may not necessarily match up with unscheduled absences. Twenty percent of workers say they called into work because they just didn't feel like going into the office that day. One-in-four workers report they feel sick days are equivalent to extra vacation days and treat them as such."

The 2004 CCH Unscheduled Absence Survey, conducted for CCH by Harris Interactive? confirmed this trend. CCH found most employees who fail to show up for work, however, aren't physically ill, according to the survey. In fact, the study found only 38 percent of unscheduled absences are due to personal illness, while 62 percent are for other reasons, including family issues (23 percent), personal needs (18 percent), stress (11 percent) and entitlement mentality (10 percent).

One trend that also may be influencing the higher rate of unscheduled absences is the fact that the number of employers allowing employees to carry over sick time from one year to the next is trending downward and has dropped from more than one-half of companies (51 percent) in 2000 to 37 percent in 2004. As a result, employees may be saying, "I'd rather use it than lose it," noted Lori Rosen, J.D., CCH workplace analyst, and author of HR Networking: Work-Life Benefits.

But could you get away with saying you had to go to your mother's dog's funeral or that you had brain cancer? Would you believe an employee who had the swine flu, forgot the way to work, or was arrested because of mistaken identity? Think carefully, if you're debating calling in sick, here are some of the most unusual excuses workers gave for missing work.


I was sprayed by a skunk.

I tripped over my dog and was knocked unconscious. (that would actually happen to me)

My bus broke down and was held up by robbers.

I was arrested as a result of mistaken identity. (that too!)

I forgot to come back to work after lunch. (this happens an awful lot at Harms... I have to say that I've only done it once or twice, though!)

I couldn't find my shoes.

I hurt myself bowling. (I do that every time I try - I'm such a klutz!)

I was spit on by a venomous snake. (might work for Steve Irwin!)

I totaled my wife's jeep in a collision with a cow. (this would happen in Caroline County!)

A hitman was looking for me.

My curlers burned my hair and I had to go to the hairdresser.

I eloped. (Britney Spears, maybe?)

My brain went to sleep and I couldn't wake it up. (that's every day for me)

My cat unplugged my alarm clock. (don't laugh, I think that this happened to me!)

I had to be there for my husband's grand jury trial.

I had to ship my grandmother's bones to India. (that's just wrong)

I forgot what day of the week it was. (yep!)

Someone slipped drugs in my drink last night.

A tree fell on my car.

My monkey died. (I love that one!)


Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Other writers contributed to this article.


I'll have to try some of those. :)

Jimmy Eat World
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Jimmy eat world. a praise chorus
Topic: TV, music, movies, etc.
I was just listening to this song and I realized how much I really like it... the lyrics are incredible, too:

A Praise Chorus

Are you going to live your life wondering
standing in the back, looking around?
are you gonna waste your time thinking
how you've grown up
or how you missed out?
things are never going be the way you want
where's it gonna to get you acting serious?
things are never gonna be quite what you want
even at twenty five you got to start sometime

i'm on my feet
i'm on the floor
i'm good to go
all i need is just to hear a song i know
i wanna always feel like part of this was mine
i wanna fall in love tonight

are you gonna live your life standing in the back looking around?
are you going to waste your time?
got to make a move or you'll miss out
someone's gonna ask you what it's all about
stick around nostalgia won't let you down
someone's gonna ask you what it's all about
what are you going to have to say for yourself?

i'm on my feet
i'm on the floor
i'm good to go
all i need is just to hear a song i know
i wanna always feel like part of this was mine
i wanna fall in love tonight

crimson and clover
over and over
crimson and clover
over and over

our house, in the middle of the street
why did we ever meet

start in by rockin my fantasy
don't don't don't let start
why did we ever part
kickstart my rock n roll heart

i'm on my feet
i'm on the floor
i'm good to go
so come on davey, sing me something that i know
i want to always feel like part of this was mine
i want to fall in love tonight
here, tonight
i want to fall in love tonight
here, tonight
i want to always feel like part of this was mine
i want to fall in love tonight
i want to fall in love tonight
i want to fall in love tonight

It's official, btw
Mood:  celebratory
Now Playing: breaking benjamin
Topic: School
Kurtis brought in my mail & I decided to give it a look-through... saw something from the college in there, I was assuming that it was my class schedule or something for the Spring semester, but I opened it and it was my Honors List certificate! I guess that community colleges don't have Dean's lists.. :-P~ Oh well, Honors list is good enough for me... after the spring, I'm either going to take a regular class & then a science w/ lab (4 credit course) or try a 3 class load. Maybe I'll try the 7 credits first. Eh... as long as I have a degree by the time I'm 30, right?? ;-)

is this week ever going to end???
Mood:  irritated
Now Playing: counting crows
Topic: Rants
It just seems like it's been a long one. Maybe I'm just anticipating too many things. I hate waiting. I'm not a very patient person. :-P~ Ugh. I don't have as much of the cough today, so maybe I'm getting better... I sure hope so, I really don't want to be sick. Not that anyone would ever want to be sick, but some times are better than others... this is not one of those times, I just have too much going on. I'm thinking that I'll probably be moving within the next 2 weeks... so yeah... I guess that I just want to get it over with & get settled in. I haven't bothered settling into my mom's too much because I really wasn't planning on staying there for long.

Oddly enough news
Mood:  silly
Now Playing: breaking benjamin
Topic: Jokes & Funny stuff
"Highway Queries Lead to the Fast Lane"

OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - Oklahoma highway users wishing to call the state about electronic payment passes were mistakenly directed to a sex hotline.
Oklahoma Transportation Authority spokeswoman Brigette Berglan said the state's turnpike authority had made an error in a letter sent to 41,000 people. One digit was wrong in the telephone number for callers seeking advice on how to deal with toll gate payments.

Instead, they found themselves calling a sex line where they could speak with "exciting people," such as lonely housewives, students and fantasy girls for $2.99 a minute.

"We're not that exciting here at the authority. We prefer to think of ourselves as helpful," Berglan said.

Those who received the incorrect notice were sent a postcard with the correct number.

Time for my super bowl prediction
Mood:  cheeky
Now Playing: jimmy eat world
Topic: Football

My prediction for this year:
AFC: Colts over Steelers
NFC: Eagles over Falcons
Super Bowl: Eagles over Colts


These were my predictions for last year:
NFC Division: Philly vs. St. Louis
AFC Division: New England vs. Kansas City
Super Bowl: Philly vs. New England


I guess that I didn't choose the actual winner of the super bowl; I made those predictions with a few weeks left in the season.

the roomie search is in full swing
Mood:  bright
Now Playing: U2 (One)
Topic: News
I'm leaning heavily in Heather's direction and I haven't even met her yet!! lol.... we've been emailing each other back & forth like idiots, it's been fun! :) Here's her latest email:

Haha...I'm still laughin at you crackin' on me for going to Gold's Gym at the mall. I said the same damn thing myself when I heard it was opening. I had originally signed up at the one over by David's Bridal off Ritchie Hwy but then my girlfriend Linda begged me to switch to Marley b/c she works there and said she would go with me ALLLL the time if I did and we would be these great motivators for each other...blah blah blah. well, you can guess what happened. she goes with me maybe once a week and thats only b/c i practically drag her. so, i deserve to be made fun of...i hang my head in shame...haha. nah, its not really that bad...it's closer to the house..only takes me 10 minutes to get there so i can't complain but I won't tell anybody thats where I go ever again...LOL!

Oh, another thing, there's a library right off my street. If you love to read, there you go! I love it because I am a self-proclaimed bookworm. I read and read and read..I have to make myself go to bed most nights and I get up all groggy and tired b/c my eyeballs hurt from reading a whole book in one night. ugghh. it's a wonder i don't have glasses yet although I think I may need them. I can stay curled up in bed reading myself except I'll probably trade the hot chocolate (which I do like) for Diet Soda (I'm addicted) and a cancer stick.

You know, it's funny that we can go back and forth on these emails like we've known each other forever but you watch, when i see you in person I will probably be a little shy or a little giggly and nervous. Let's just vow right now that it won't be weird and awkward...i'll treat you like an old friend instead of a potential roommate. It is a business relationship to a large degree, but I think I would like you enough to wanna get to know you. I'll talk to you about rent and what not but it will all be very casual. I like to put people at ease so don't expect me to be too formal or businesslike.

Oh, I have the big screen in the basement. When Tim moves he may take his furniture with him but I think I have some more lined up so it would be an ideal place for you to watch your Sunday Football. And, I don't mind people coming over either, so you could have football parties if you'd like...as long as your friends are not maniacs of course...haha. Tim has beer pong parties now and all his friends treat the house with care so I don't mind.


The only problem is that she smokes, but we'll see how much of a problem it really is. She told me that her current roomie doesn't smoke & that she tries to respect that & not smoke around him... as long as my clothes don't smell like smoke I'll be okay. It's not like it's a bar with 20 people smoking in it or anything.

The chick in Aspen Park wants to get together tomorrow night, too... so we'll see how that goes. Oh, and I got another email from someone else in Annapolis today... I wouldn't mind living in Naptown, I suppose. I guess that I'm just partial to Pasadena!? It reminds me of the eastern shore a little bit, I guess. AHHHHH!! Did I just say that??? Hmm. Yeah, I did. Oh well. The shore isn't too bad now that I'm off it - it's fine to visit now, and even fun! Never thought that I'd have a good time going out in Denton or Easton... very strange. I would actually consider moving back to the shore if I weren't enrolled at AACC... I really like that school and while there is nothing wrong with Chesapeake, AACC is a much better school.

I dropped off my wool coat at the cleaner's at lunch today... it's so filthy... it just picks up so much lint and crap... not to mention that I shed. :-P~ Yes, boys and girls -- I shed. My hair just falls out... it's kinda gross. Part of it is probably the dye, the other must be the hypothyroidism still. It's nowhere near as bad as it used to be, at least.

I'm hoping that I'm not getting sick..... my throat is sore and I've been coughing in the morning for the past few days or something. The cough is going to my chest, so that's not really a good sign. If it keeps progressing, I'll go to the doctor... she's really cool... I started seeing her when she was still doing her residency, so she's really young. Well I have email to get out, so I'd better get to it!

woo-hoo!!!
Mood:  celebratory
Now Playing: Sarah McLachlan
Topic: News
I just got an email from a potential roommate... she sounds really cool, I really hope that it works out with her... of course, it's an extra few minutes to work (that's meant to be facetious). Yeah, according to Mapquest, it would take an entire 13 minutes to get to work as opposed to the 9 minutes that it took from Aspen park. :-P~

I think that I'm going to go over and meet her Wednesday night... should be fun!

good times
Mood:  lazy
Topic: Weekend happenings
Last night I went out with tiff, mike & dawn... went to Nacho Mamma's in Canton... that place is pretty cool but way too crowded. At any rate, we ran into Lena there!! How funny! My dad told me just the other week that he'd had dinner at her parent's house recently and that Lena was asking about me. :-P~ I'd told my dad to give her my email address the next time he saw her. Guess that wasn't necessary! Time to get moving, though....... I have a lot to do today. Or do I?

what a freak!
Mood:  incredulous
Now Playing: black eyed peas
Topic: Weird shit
This story is from the weird news today:

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Watching contestants eat dead rats on NBC's gross-out stunt show "Fear Factor" so disgusted a Cleveland man that he has sued NBC for $2.5 million, saying he could not stomach what he saw.
In a handwritten four-page lawsuit filed in federal court in Cleveland on Tuesday, paralegal Austin Aitken said, "To have the individuals on the show eat (yes) and drink dead rats was crazy and from a viewer's point of view made me throw-up as well an another in the house at the same time."

His suit added, "NBC is sending the wrong message to its TV watchers that cash can make or have people do just about anything beyond reasoning (sic) and in most cases against their will."

He said the show caused his blood pressure to rise so high that he became dizzy and light-headed, and when he ran away to his room, he bumped his head into the doorway.

In a brief telephone interview with Reuters, Aitken said, "I am not at liberty to discuss the complaint unless it is a paid-interview situation."

A spokesman for "Fear Factor" said the show would have no comment until it sees a copy of the complaint. The spokesman said the program did feature a rat-eating scene in New York's Times Square on Nov. 8.

Over the years, contestants on the program have eaten some weird things, including ground-up spiders and live worms.


I guess that guy has never heard of that thing called a remote control! No, I didn't think that they would eat gross things on fear factor?? That guy is a moron. The sad thing is that either NBC will settle out of court with that idiot and he'll come away with thousands of dollars or he'll probably win in court. What is this world coming to???