Um, Do I Get A Rest Day????

So, I'm a bit confused about whether or not I get rest days. Lol! So many people tell me, "you have to give your body a chance to recover" and "you don't want to crash your central nervous system!" However, when I don't show up at the gym, everyone is yelling, "what happened to you? Why weren't you here yesterday?" Lol! I can't win for losing! So, maybe everyone is expecting me to be actively recovering. If that's what they mean, they should say that! They know I'm new to this weight lifting stuff! When someone says rest, that translates to me as sleep in! Anyhoo! I am trying to come up with a May challenge. I have to kick it up a knotch or two. I have to shed these pounds and improve my endurance. I will let you know what I come up with. :-)