Thursday, February 04, 2010

Modern Day Bad Manners


1. Texting while purportedly carrying on a conversation with someone who is RIGHT THERE with you – live and in person.

Not guilty. Can’t text to save my sorry soul. I’d say I was all thumbs but apparently it’s done with all thumbs.


2. Interrupting a phone conversation to link to a Call Waiting alert.

Guilty – but only if it’s a very important call. (And all calls from my kids are deemed important.)


3. Not responding to an email within a reasonable time frame (which is?) – or never. Exception – a response beyond that time frame with an explanation.

Not guilty - my OCD kicks in and I reply asap. I could name three such guilty people but I won’t. Are you reading this, D? And why do I still promptly respond when these people initiate communication via email? Because pay-back is rude, too?


4. Not averting your eyes when someone is typing in their password(s).

Not guilty - and it irritates the hell out of me when someone is looking over my shoulder. Bugger off. Yes, I do care about my privacy and, no, I do not visit porn sites.


5. Talking very, very loudly on your cell phone in a public place.

Not guilty. To those who do, please, please, keep it quiet. I do not want to hear yet another (boring) one-sided conversation. Truly, no one is interested in what you have to say. Okay, maybe sometimes if it’s really crazy-wild…


6. Talking on the phone while typing at the computer.

Not guilty. I don’t consider the talking/typing to be an indicator of someone’s skill at multi-tasking – it’s just plain rude. Either give me your undivided attention or let’s end the call.


7. Feeling the necessity to stay connected via cell or computer all day, every day – no matter where you are. (This is not actually rude – it’s more an erroneous misconception as to being indispensable to the world.)

Try turning off both machines and loving the one you’re with or enjoying the pleasure of your own company. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Not guilty - of staying continuously connected.
Guilty - of giving my attention to the person(s) I am with or enjoying my own company because by golly, I’m fascinating, funny – a joy to be with. Sometimes. Well, often enough…



18 comments:

Sherry said...

Brava on all counts...these are extremely rude indeed!!!

Lynda said...

I haven't had a mobile (cell) phone for over a year now... and I haven't missed it a bit. In fact, I don't even have a message on my answering machine.. if it is important I figure they will call back.

I do sometimes forget to reply to emails but never on purpose.

Mike Minzes said...

Oh Lord. I'm guilty of most :(

Green-Eyed Momster said...

I love this post! I wish more people would follow the simple points of this post. I have been guilty of typing while talking to my sister on the phone but I try not to. I think manners in general are a thing of the past. It's very sad. I hope everyone reads your post. Maybe they'll make a come back someday. ?

Hugs!!

The Author Of This said...

Well you KNOW I'm guilty of not responding to emails. That's not me being rude though, just shit. I think you also know this too!

Surely I make up for it with our "special" phone calls right? ;-)

The Bodhi Chicklet said...

Some thoughts...I am sometimes guilty of surfing while on the phone. I usually quickly realize I can't do both. Here's one more - playing a radio on a public bus - without headphones. Happened to me yesterday and by the time I got home, I was a basket case.

Cid said...

Oh boy, you've opened a can of worms. I'm with you all all but the typing and talking but only if it is mindless typing, not typing a witty email to someone other than the one you are talking to.

And I'd add one more - talking on your cell phone while being served in a store. If you expect the person behind the counter to pay attention to you, please give them the same courtesy.

Beth said...

Sherry:
And we are not rude at all.
Misses Manners we are, right? ;)

Cheri:
Good one!

Lynda:
Didn’t I email you about a month ago? Haven’t heard back. Kidding…

Realliveman:
For shame…
(finally figured out how to leave a comment!)

Green-Eyed Momster:
Don’t think this post will have much impact – just a personal rant.

AMC:
Ha! You are guilty of many things – being late is yet another one!
Good effort though... ;)

The Bodhi Chicklet:
And I’ll bet that didn’t help one little bit with the onset of your cold/flu/bug.
Hope you feel better.

Cid:
My typing skills are so bad, I couldn’t manage the two mindlessly.
Your additional point is as excellent one.

Angie Muresan said...

Glad to say that I am mostly NOT guilty! Thanks for the courtesy reminders.

oreneta said...

I have to admit to not being quite so good on the e-mail front, but I kind of dread e-mail Honestly. So that one, yeah. Guilty.

Beth said...

Angie:
"Mostly not guilty" is quite acceptable!

Oreneta:
You've been good with me. ;)
But then, we keep 'em pretty short.

Seraphine said...

my peeve is people who talk on their cellphone while i'm at a restaurant or coffee shop.
i mean, one call is ok- everyone is allowed one (short) call because, you know, it might be important.
but it's NOT ok to do business at a restaurant, or to engage in multiple calls or talk all through dinner and/or coffee.
i *really* appreciate people who say excuse me and leave the table when they have to take or make a phone call.

Anonymous said...

I guess I'm only guilty of not always replying to emails in a timely manners. But this is also because (for non-urgent matters), the back and forth can last forever since everything is almost instantaneous. I'd rather send a longer email once in a while than twenty "how are u" "good u" "cold eh" etc.

I was given a Blackberry by my work and I rarely use it. Only at work to check my messages and when I'm on call during the WE (which sucks).

People around me are addicted to it... can't eat without texting. I hate it.

Angel said...

oh I text out the wazoo...cuz I hat talking on the phone..and I have been guilty of talking and typing at the same time. hey! If I'm at the computer and you call me, thenI'm doing both!!!

love this list!

XOXOX

rebecca said...

oh yeah. my pet peeves are #1, 3, 4, and 5. Makes me positively insane. Rude, rude, rude.

Here's another one for texters: not responding when someone sends you a text!

btw, i text, but not with thumbs. Can't use my thumbs either! I'm still amazed how all these kids do it with them....

Laura said...

I think an exception to the no typing and talking rule should be made for people like my mother who go on and on but who need and deserve at least half of my attention. Can't I get a waiver?

Nice list. Who knows what comes next? Oh, and texting while in class, definitely a no-no--especially parents to their children.

nursemyra said...

Not guilty on all counts. And #5 drives me crazy!

Bee said...

I am not guilty of any of those things except possibly the worst one . . . I can be AWFUL about returning emails. I can think of at least three that I have owed for more than a month. Must resolve to do better.