Taking a sick day -- eom

If you, like me, have been in the corporate world for 12+ years (12+ is the biggest number you are allowed to put on a resume -- come on!), then you've experienced every possible vacation plan.  You've experienced the plans that provide an additional week every five years, or the ones that accumulate 1.25 days per month the first year, followed by 2.375 days per month in subsequent years. You've experienced floating holidays, paid holidays, optional holidays, required holidays, shut-downs, paid time off, personal days, (impersonal days?), and your birthday off.

And you've had the variations of sick time.  These come in essentially two forms: you get them, or you don't. That is, a sick day counts against your vacation, or it doesn't.

Now everybody close your eyes and raise your hand if you have ever called in sick without actually being sick (*gasp*) when you had the kind of sick day that doesn't deplete your vacation time.  Hmmm.... do I see a few hands?

Just for the record, this is on my mind because I just finished two days of sick time, home with the flu, and I'm pretty darn happy I currently have the kind of sick time that doesn't count against my vacation. That would have stunk, since sitting in 4 layers of sweatshirts under 5 blankets staring into nothingness isn't exactly a trip to New Zealand, although, on the brighter side, it is a lot less expensive.

Of course, I still feel tremendous guilt over the time 12+ years ago that I called in sick to go with my acting friends to be an extra in the movie  "Patty Hearst".  As I recall, this involved walking arm in arm with some extra guy from Point A to Point B of  Berkeley's campus. Over and over again. In the rain.  In 70's styles. As if that weren't enough punishment for lying, they ended up not using any footage from that day. I was consumed with guilt with no movie debut to show for it.  My true acting talent came into play the next two days, however, as my "cough" gradually improved.  Oh, the shame, the shame.

Really, I need to get over this. I mean, how often do I see those emails that say "Taking a sick day <eom>" and wonder why the invalid provided no further details?  Usually, people love telling details about their illness.  You know: "When I woke up, my fever was 102, but then I took two Tylenol, two Vicadins and a Valium, and I felt much better, except I can't find my feet."  The cryptic emails, on the other hand, seem just a tad suspicious. I'm just saying.

Since I'm still recovering (No! Really, I am!), I'm going to relax now and watch a movie. I'll be looking for you in the crowd scenes.