Friday, August 13, 2010

Never call in hungover

I laughed (to myself) when I heard that one of my fellow employees at the ol' radio ranch called in today saying they couldn't work because they were too hungover.

I tried that once during my 23 year radio career and learned a valuable lesson.

I will preface by saying that I have rarely ever called in sick.  Probably a total of a week's worth of sick days in 23 years.  If I have a cold or a little flu I still come to work.  I did take two days off last year as sick days when I had my wisdom teeth pulled and I realized afterward I could have come into work the next day.  I still feel a little bit guilty about that.

Some people just get tired of working and call in sick when they're not.  I have only called in faking it once.  That was in California back in the late 1990's.  I still feel guilt about that and no one ever knew (until now).  Is my dedication to my career a little over the top?  That could probably be debated.

I attempted to call in after getting a little too carried away with having cocktails one time.  I was supposed to do a live broadcast at a Family Dollar store in California and I couldn't stop throwing up the morning after going to a party.  I called my Program Director and was honest about the situation.  He told me:  "If its self caused, I'm not excusing you.  You're going to have to suffer."

I suffered.  I went.  I could hardly function.  I powered my way through and I learned a valuable lesson.  I occasionally have had a little too much a night before I was supposed to work.  But I've always felt after that experience in California that its my responsibility to tough it out.  Because I caused it.

Never call in hungover even if you are.  You'll be a better employee than most if you don't.