View Full Version : Excuses for a dear friend
As part of my work I'm required to go on a refresher course every five years. This course will be useless as usual but I have to go because we have to be seen by the public as professionals who undertake continuous professional development. I have signed up for the next course because I have to. A dear friend organises these courses because he has to. Because I'm an experienced old hand my dear friend has asked me to be a 'group leader' for the case study part of the course. Now I'm as keen to do this as I am to build my new house with porridge as foundations and kangaroo poo as the bricks in the wall. My problem is that I don't want to offend my dear friend because he's my dear friend and also because I will need to ask him to do things for me in the future. What should I do? Does anyone have a good original excuse I can use to get out of this situation without having to do as he asks? I know I should tell him the truth but I'd rather exit with faux grace with the help of a little white lie. Anyways I'd be rubbish at being a group leader for this course and I wouldn't be able to sneak away early if I were a group leader. :(
orkneycadian
22-Nov-13, 23:11
I know I should tell him the truth but I'd rather exit with faux grace with the help of a little white lie.
Take the help of a little more of that white wine instead. In fact, give your mate some of it as well, and spend the time you should be on the course travelling round Halkirk on the back of an 8 legged giant cat whilst being pursued by 1000 spinning wheels all riding unicorns!
David Banks
22-Nov-13, 23:12
Try reading the latest book from Sam Harris - Lying.
http://www.samharris.org/
I know you said you dont want to but you should just tell the truth. I know its a novel idea but you are a smart girl. He is more likely to stay your friend if you are honest, than if you lie or make up some stuff which - if he is as dear a friend as you suggest- he will see straight through anyway.
Could always tell him that you are so sorry but you have enrolled on a Garlic (Gaelic) learning course starting at the same time as the course
special tartan
23-Nov-13, 01:49
You are both as scared as each other , support your friend .
Just do it. I've run a million courses (exaggeration) that people said they don't need. In almost 100% of cases, they did. ;)
just show him your post on here.
any way it s always best to be truthfull from the very start.
These courses are run by second rate people who are employed to give these courses simply because the powers that be say they must be given. It's almost a sham. I'm seeking a number of original excuses that could be real, or that could convey my real opinions without having to say so explicitly.
Alice in Blunderland
23-Nov-13, 12:56
Jeeez Crayola I never had you down as a shrinking violet not keen to state what they are thinking ;)
billmoseley
23-Nov-13, 13:00
Print a copy of this thread and send it to him and hope he has a sense of humor. Travis Perkins might help with your building needs lolol
special tartan
24-Nov-13, 15:16
Julie smith may help .
My dear friend didn't take the news well. I told him I'd only signed up for the course because I had to. He said he understood. But he didn't understand why I won't act as a discussion leader.
Being the group leader means that you can be in control of the discussion. That means you can talk about anything you want to talk about and curtail discussion on anything you don't. So, give the course content a bit of an airing, but then change the subject to something you want to discuss. Have them workshop your Christmas letter or all together write a new song. And if the people in charge don't like what you did, well you can be certain that no one will ask you to do it again.
Say you have irritable bowel syndrome and you are too embarrassed to go. It won't be questioned.
Just tell your friend you intend to "just attend" and you wouldnt be in the right frame of mind to be a discussion leader as you have apathy of the course anyway.
And might be hungover and wanting to half sleep in a corner....rather than participate..
(only if a true friend divulge last statement)
I shall sit in the back row with my laptop and work on something useful. Earphone wires are a bit of a giveaway therefore I shall buy a pair of earplugs. :)
Well, I sat at the back row with my laptop for the first hour and a half. The first speaker droned on about training and transferable skills for an hour. Some role model he was. He was supposed to speak for 30 minutes. The next session was even worse. I won't speak about it. Then my dear friend gained the upper hand by coercing me into his discussion group after the coffee break. We were so late that the entire discussion group consisted of me, him and the oldest lag in the room, who is a delightful chap from somewhere around Dingwall or the Black Isle.
I came across this old thread when looking for something else.
It was almost five years ago which means the jobsworths will probably start bugging me again soon. Sighs.
This time I’ll see how long I can last before people start threatening me for not attending the course. Then I’ll report them for bullying. [disgust]
Being the group leader means that you can be in control of the discussion. That means you can talk about anything you want to talk about and curtail discussion on anything you don't. So, give the course content a bit of an airing, but then change the subject to something you want to discuss. Have them workshop your Christmas letter or all together write a new song. And if the people in charge don't like what you did, well you can be certain that no one will ask you to do it again.
On the other hand, canuck’s suggestion would be more fun. I’m tempted. :)
orkneycadian
12-May-18, 09:43
An excellent suggestion by Canuck there. I would go with that approach too, possibly mixed in with the fine white wine suggestion from 5 years ago. You can always feign ignorance and say you thought a "case study" meant studying a case (of wine)
Ha ha they might even believe me about the wine. :)
I shall pursue the song idea.
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