Devious minds, come in

sucrets4

**To make a long story short, I have to judge something for work and I don't want to go.**It's ALL DAY on a Saturday (10/31); I don't get paid; it's an extra thing and is not a job requirement, but through a state organization.  Yet I am expected to go and work all day.  After giving up many, many hours of my own time preparing these kids with no compensation.  Oh, and I'll be 10 weeks pregnant (hopefully).What makes it even more unfair is:  I teach MS and HS, so I have to go and judge both - normally you just judge the opposite one; also, some schools send their entire choirs - I'm sending 4 to MS and 4 to HS.What a good excuse to get me out of this?  I'm going and judging the MS one and I honestly feel like I'm paying my dues by doing that.  Also, I'm friends with another director on FB, so if I make up a lie about going away, I'm going to have to follow it through on there.  *sigh* This is why I hate lying.I know there have to be some devious minds out there...please help me!

sucrets4

See, stage, but I feel like something last minute would screw them over even more.  I'd feel worse if I did that and they couldn't plan.I just think it's unfair, and poor DH has had to deal with my complaining about how hard the HS music is, how my kids aren't going to do well because they're just not talented enough, and how it's unfair that I have to judge both days.  Grr.

J&K10910

Migraine and morning sickness.  Tell whoever you're throwing up everywhere.  But, they probably don't know you're pregnant yet, huh?  SO that won't work.

The_Fried_Monkey

Family event/emergency back in NY?  I suck at lying too.

Soon-to-be Mrs. Vogt

Don't leave them hanging, make up an excuse now (last minute judges can be hard to find).Say you have plane tickets for a weekend away, and they're already purchased. Then just don't FB for the weekend. Or, get DH to take a pre-baby weekend away with you, even if it's at a local hotel.

mandysmear

I am usually really good at making up excuses.  I would just say you're leaving town.  Don't go on facebook at all.  Don't update your status or anything.

sucrets4

Ugh, I wish I could just be honest, but no, I'm a bad teacher if I say that to someone.

ffmaid

Clearly in each case you have a conflict of interest in that you favor your own students so you are not able to judge eithe MS or HS. the other teachers can judge the ones their students are not in but not those they have a conflict of interest in. You have a conflict of interest with both groups and thus it truly would not be fair to the children if you judge.

Sooles

your best friend's shot gun wedding and youre the MOH. came up at the last minute because the dude knocked her up and they wanna be right with jesus.

BecW2be

You have a wedding to go to, and it's OOT so you've already booked your hotel. You can FB from your phone, so if the other director asks how the wedding is, say it's great! Via "phone"!

sucrets4

Hmm...blame it on DH planning something and that he didn't know the date...I like it!  We've known these dates for awhile, but if I say that he did it....

sucrets4

ffmaid - actually, there is no conflict of interest because of how it's run.  The judges sit behind a tarp and the students are only referred to by their number.  I'm not allowed to know their number, so I cannot possibly know if it's a student of mine or not.  And trust me, when you listen to 100 kids sing and have to grade so fast, there's no time to wonder if it's your student or not.There are also at least 3 judges and all those scores get averaged.  It really is a decent system, just a pain for the judges.

squirrly

I would just say that due to family circumstances, pregnancy nausea, whatever that you're only available one of the two days.  That you really hope that doesn't put them in a bind, but that you just can't do both.  If it's not a real requirement and you don't get paid, I can't see doing both if it doesn't interest you.  State organization or no - I'm sure they can find others.  I wouldn't make an excuse, per se - just say no. 

Nebb

Make sure on that weekend you go offline of the facebook chat so that no one can see if youre online, dont post anything on anyones walls or anything. THEN afterwards, change your status to say you had so much fun doing X activity away this weekend or something.

sucrets4

That's the thing, Bec, if I do the wedding excuse, I'd just have to play it up on FB.  Or at least not mention anything on there.  DAMN YOU FB!!!!

kkchisholm

Its your cousins wedding that weekend. if it seems strange no one knew about it.. its because she got knocked up and has to move things fast!

vicmo5

I would say that your H surprised you with tickets to something or a hotel.  Or all of the sudden a friend is coming in from oot.

sucrets4

sooles and kk - love it!  lol

sucrets4

Okay, I'll probably go with the 'dh surprised me with going away' thing, but now I'll probably make him plan something so that I'm not totally lying.  It makes me feel better.

Moneypenny424

Well, I lie all the time .  I just make sure I don't say anything on FB.  For example, Mr. Penny and I went to SF in February.  I have a ton of friends there, but we didn't want to deal with seeing everyone.  I only told 2 people we were going.  No mention in my FB status about it, etc. If you can help it, I wouldn't make it a last-minute lie (ie sickness, etc.).  I'd just say you have a prior commitment.  No need to say what that is unless asked.  If asked, I usually blame things on Mr. Penny's family (he committed us elsewhere, his mom is having an event, etc.).

SwedishChick2011

Say you have morning sickness, headache, or whatever.  Who knows, you might have those things anyway.  They can't argue with a pregnant woman!

sucrets4

stage - I fully intent on citing 'personal reasons' in my email, but if it comes up at the JH one, I need to be prepared.  The one person I'm friends with on FB was my mentor last year and she's awesome.  She might ask me.

squirrly

Car trouble?  If you can't get there, then you'd be at home and could FB about what you want.  Or. . . Someone is ill, and you're home waiting for news. Or, you have an allergy to tarps and can't sit behind one all day.    Or. . . that's the only day that the furnace guy can come and check your furnace before winter.  Any other home repair type thing would work here too.  Appliance installation.  Kitchen upgrade.  I don't think they're going to require a pic of your furnace to believe you.  

sucrets4

Thanks, everyone.  I appreciate all the ideas!  I need to go write a vocab quiz, but I feel much better about this now. 

goheels05

Sooles cracks me up.See, when I say I can't do something, I never say why.  I'm a terrible liar (I can't make eye contact, mumble, etc), so it's just easier that way.  Then people know not to expect an excuse as to why I can't do something.  If they have the uncouth to ask, I say I have another obligation and leave it at that.Occasionally I say, "I can't, I have a family obligation."

COkristi

I think you're right on the money blaming it on DH making plans. He has a family reunion, nephew's baptism, parent's anniversary party, etc and he just now told you the date.

vallyhoo

Could you also go ahead and try to find someone to fill in for you?

sucrets4

vally - I wish I knew more people here.  They asked for names of additional people (they get paid, wtf?), but since I've only been here a year, I don't really know anyone else. 

vallyhoo

Makes sense. I just didn't see anyone mention it, and since I have a devious mind I was already in the thread so I just had to post something.

sucrets4

MadamePiranha

you have a job. in this economy where many people are begging for jobs. stop the pity party. that's what my devious mind says.