code: def absence_count(self):
          
          # FIXME: remove recursive dep
          from ..eighth.models import EighthSignup
  
          return EighthSignup.objects.filter(user=self, was_absent=True, scheduled_activity__attendance_taken=True).count()
docs: Return the user's absence count.
  
          If the user has no absences
          or is not a signup user, returns 0.