How to get out of your work's depressing Zoom party

[FestiveZoom]

Mine will involve Karaoke. 😶 How are your annual "rewards" coming along? Got anything to beat that?

YABU: Awww, this is a fabulous idea, more festive Zoom, more more more! 🥳

YANBU: Cringe, vomit, avoid. 🤮

www.wired.co.uk/article/christmas-zoom-party-work-excuses

I LOVE karaoke but not over Zoom that is such a lame ass idea, I'm cringing for you

We are having a totally non obligatory quiz, my work have asked us to choose drinks and they are having them sent to our homes. A 'party pack' they are calling it. I think it's a really nice idea.

"When I was asked last year why I wasn't attending our shindig my reply was simple. I don't want to go. Followed by a Paddington Long Hard Stare."

Well done. That's always been my approach too.

Unfortunately I'm having internet issues that evening. Such a shame, I was really looking forward to it too.

YANBU. Hate this enforced stuff where one person says “oh, it will be fun” and everyone else hates it...

We’re having zoom bingo. Compulsory, but out of hours.

My husband’s employer are spending the money they would have spent on a party on a hamper for each employee, and allowing an extra day off over Christmas.

It’s definitely possible to get it right and I know which employer I think has it right in this situation...

@bigmassivecoconut

If its karaoke by zoom can you not just find someone else singing the song on Youtube, put it on in the background then lip synch. I couldn't be doing with having to sing to my colleagues!

Or go full Sophie Ellis Baxter kitchen karaoke, use your kids, or borrow some, dress them up, put at least one of them in an obscure animal mask, have random animals mooching about, lots of tinsel and a glitter ball, wear your skimpiest outfit, platform shoes.

[quote FestiveZoom]Mine will involve Karaoke. 😶 How are your annual "rewards" coming along? Got anything to beat that?

YABU: Awww, this is a fabulous idea, more festive Zoom, more more more! 🥳

YANBU: Cringe, vomit, avoid. 🤮

www.wired.co.uk/article/christmas-zoom-party-work-excuses[/quote]
Oh god I couldn’t read further than the OP - zoom karaoke is the very depths of hell!

Develop all the tell-tale signs of a flu the day before? Fall asleep and miss it?

I hate karaoke anywhere TBH.

Why Zoom? Why not Teams?

Hmmm best not use the flu ruse, thinking about it...

[quote CoffeeSTAT]@TheTempest we are also doing an escape room. I just looked at your other threads to check we don't work together we don't

My DPs zoom drinks things are every month and each 'party room' is 8 people picked at random. There are 700 people in his office so he often doesn't know them well, or at all [/quote]
What the hell??? This sounds like a Taskmaster task! What utter torture.

"Spend an hour on Zoom with Lynn the PA, Dave from accounts, John from the marketing department and Freda from the legal team. Find one thing in common with each of them, your time starts now."

Ha just voted 95% yanbu

The 5% must be managers who think this 'fun' is what is required. Probably managers who are overpromoted and out of their depth.

Oh no! It's the same night as my husband's and I have to settle the kids for bed. What a pity.

Zoom karaoke is the depths of hell though really.

Do you have to be drunk to do it?

I just can’t imagine singing alone at home. Just no way

We like each other and are doing a make-a-wreath thingy. Perfect for us lot.

I hate it. Why can't we all be real and admit we hate it then none of is would have to sit through the small talk awkward crap

I had a meeting invite for one over Teams. I've accepted the request, but just won't join.

No. No one could ever make me join a karaoke party on zoom!
I think it's nice to have something with your team but I think that puts a lot of pressure on people who aren't confident in things like singing. Could you suggest something else to the organiser. Maybe if people really want to do that, it could be a seperate thing for anyone who's up for it.

If anyone has mubi... thoroughly recommend the film Toni Erdmann. The work do at the end is the most amazing thing 🤣😮

@TooManyDogsandChildren

Worse still, my boss has decreed we must go to their house and stand in the garden for ours. Apparently it is OK because it is a "work meeting".

They live in an area I would normally never drive to because of ridiculous residents parking restrictions, but I am certainly not going to take the bus then worry if I have CV all over Christmas. I hate work parties at the best of times but everyone else is gushing how lovely it will be to see each other IRL

Shame your car wouldn't start. You were so looking forward to it as well!

Make a cardboard cut-out of yourself and put it in front of the screen with some lines across the face so it looks like it's frozen. Just make sure a random child or cat doesn't walk across the background.

Or just suddenly get a really, really bad coughing fit when it's your turn to do karaoke.

Don't want to do something? Say 'No, I don't want to'.... really isn't hard. You aren't getting paid to go to a work do - if mandatory then they should pay you to go.

I get weekly emails to join various 'team cuppa and catch up' on zoom. I delete them

Omg...my laptop just exploded!

@chaosmaker

Don't want to do something? Say 'No, I don't want to'.... really isn't hard. You aren't getting paid to go to a work do - if mandatory then they should pay you to go.

Hell yes.