restore politeness, refinement, tact and other old-fashioned niceties

I work with nice considerate people and the guests are nice also.

Since I am presently working with the public, this is especially important. I haven’t bitten through my tongue yet. lol.

not matter how far we advance technologically if the cost is the errosion of our social norms, IMHO the advances are not worth it. How many people have sat at a dinner table with coworkers and been embarrassed by their total lack of table manners? How many people get the “duck” from their neighbors just because they are uncomfortable meeting new people? It truly is amazing. I think our world was a safer place during the early 80’s not because there were less freaks, but because the social environment in neighborhoods made it impossible for them to get away with what they do now. How many people know who lives four houses down from theirs? or the apartment next door even? People need to get away from the DVR, Internet, Games, step outside and get to know someone new….

become an etiquette expert
perhaps write a code of consideration?

“Good manners is the art of making those feel easy with whom we converse.” -Jonathan Swift

I attended the wake yesterday of a person I did not know and had never even met. Yet, I felt as though I had lost a family friend.

Other than the video, I think this is what people of refinement and tact do.

“The great art of etiquette was invented to translate the incoherent jumble of feelings to which we are all subject into something more presentable.”

-Miss Manners

an exchange on the smoking stoop:

me: “I that trust you’re enjoying this beautiful weather…”
him: “Oh, I am…”

:)

Today I made the trip to my store to buy cake mix to make awesome easter cupcakes for my little cousins, whom I’m visiting tonight. Of course, all the stores are closed because its good friday, so I walked down to the 7/11 attached to the gas station to see if they at least had milk I could get and maybe flour so that I could make my own cake. On my way, I was walking past this couple who seemed to be trying to go into the
Walmart next to my apartment building. I pretty much passed them when the man turned around and said “happy easter! have a great day!” and kept walking to the store. Jesus did that ever suprise me! That someone would actually turn around and wish a stranger a good easter. Especially one who didn’t look so happy because it was so cold outside at 9 in the morning! I ended up going over and talking to them for quite a while, explaining that I lived down the road and that the stores were closed today because its good friday, however I was going to go check at the 7/11 and see what they had in terms of groceries there. I mentioned that if they needed any basic groceries, it was probably your best bet until tomorrow. They didn’t know where it was, so we ended up walking over together and having an awesome time talking. Unfortunately, they didnt’ have what I needed (which makes sense because cake mix doesn’t really fit in with bags of chips and push up pops…) so I started the walk home again. On my way, I saw someone who was walking to the wal*mart and so I wished them a Happy Easter, told them the stores were closed, however our 7/11 was open, so they should go have a look there.
hopefully the chain will continue! :)

A bus related thing happened today! A lady downtown had a whole bunch of packages and was coming on to the bus at the same time as me. She was asking people if the bus went to a certain neighbourhood because she was from out of town (she had a eastern European accent). Anyways, some kid pushed her and all of her packages went all over (some on the street because she was standing at the door of the bus due to regular rush hour business), so I helped her collect all of her packages and I carried some for her and told her which stop to get off at. She seemed really greatful, which kind of made me smile. I hate when people are pushy on the bus so I was glad to help :)