OMG! Did you really say that to your boss?!?! That's the most excellent comeback I've heard these many days!!

I'll be gone from the 25th of july till the 11th of august. If you want to pay me for the time off, that'd be great. If not, take it as my two weeks.

Bjarn: YOU ROCK!!!

Oh Bjarn, I might be right behind you! I've had my vacation on the calendar since January with no objections. First time I'm planning to attend the entire two weeks...and I've invested in a brand spanking-new pavilion that should be arriving in about three weeks.

Then my job duties were redefined, and now I'm supposed to be one of several other people who can back up one of the other women in my department (who has never in the past, by the way, had me to back her up - I'm an extra back up who's picked up lots of her crap duties). She also plans to take a week that overlaps with Pennsic.

Our boss had a freakin' FIT last week when I was out a day and a half for NOWM, when she was also out...despite that also having been on the calender since January. Said we need to plan better next time, and that this can't happen again. Read: he can also back her up and doesn't want to be bothered.

He hasn't figured out yet the week-long overlap coming up, but when he does, I've no doubt he'll tell me I have to cancel my plans (she has more seniority than I).

My answer will be simple: "I will not be here during those two weeks. Whether I'm not here because I'm on paid vacation or because I've been fired matters little to me at this point, given how you and this company have been keeping me in limbo and jerking me around for the last two years. But either way, I won't be here."

I almost hope it happens. It's so delightful to watch these corporate types get that blank, vacuous, unbelieving stare when someone actually tells them "no"!!

Excellent reply to a sucky situation Bjarn. I was once told days before Pennsic that I couldn't go. I told them that on the Monday after, I would show up ready to clock in. If they found someone more willing tolerate their crap while underpaid, I'd walk back out.

I've also once been told that I'd have to be on call, and would need to drive home on occasion, any time of day or night. I told them they would have to pay a taxi, or wait for me to sober up most of the time. They said I would need to stay sober throughout Pennsic just in case. How does management become so detached from reality?

Oh, fantastic comeback!!!!! And you wouldn't be the only person I've known about who was willing to quit their job for Pennsic's sake.

Once again we got smiled upon at Burning Hand. I am going to go grab as much free lumber out of an old woodshop Saturday morning.
Ummmmm aged hardwoods. Then in the afternoon, we will fill a couple pickup trucks, and a trailer with free lumber given to us by somone who was given fourteen 30 yard dumpsters worth of it as a tax write off. I now see 3 tents, plus a plethora of other things being built in a frenzy.
I am even going to make another bench for my power tools from that one.

As far as the job front goes, my husband does this. "I have a two week religious retreat every year, I am in charge of my group there, and it is already paid for and non-refundable, so, I will not be here for (insert dates)." As our land agent, yes, he is required to be there for the full 2 weeks, shhhhhhhh to all will give the "note of proxy" thingy.

Works everytime. : ) We're not really telling a lie, to us, Pennsic is a religion unto itself.

And yes, he does work for a huge corporation, you know the kind, the one's that most likely buy and sell your mortgage.

This year, he's leaving while the project he's on, 5 years past due and over budget goes live. Better yet, a lead software tester for it.

Nope, we just can't be reached.

This will be the first war I get to go too where I will be paid for my time away, and I get to keep the job too woo hoo .. yeah it's a crap job but hey lets me go to war I kinda like it ... see you all there

Yamina wants to feel the grass between D'ner's toes?