From A Friend

I was RAISED; I didn't just grow up. I was taught to speak when I entered a room, say PLEASE and THANK YOU, have RESPECT for my elders and never talk back, lend a helping hand to those in need, hold the door for the person behind me, say EXCUSE ME when it's needed and to LOVE people for who they are-not for what you can get from them! I was taught to treat people the way I wanted to be treated. I hope you were raised this way too. This is why I teach manners!

The above was posted on FB by a good friend, and this is my way of reposting. Thanks, Jr.

Miss Lulu

The Wheel of What?

        The other night on the national news concerning the plight of our country's economy and debt,  a Congressman was shown talking to his counterparts with a giant drawing of a wheel. The wheel was divided into sections like a pie. In each section was some kind of bad news(old /new) about the nation's economy. He called it the Wheel of Misfortune.
        In my etiquette classes for the older children and adults, I have a game we play called the Wheel of Etiquette Misfortune. It's played just like the game show on television except that, of course, it deals with different etiquette issues. Strangely enough, a lot of adults cannot answer the questions that come up. And in D.C.?
       I realize this is an Etiquette Blog, but I find it interesting that there are great similarities in those who don't practice good etiquette-whether it's with manners or with money-trying to control it, that is. Maybe I need to take a trip to D.C. with my Wheel.
Miss Lulu

My Forever Blessing

        Sometimes I can't even remember what I did yesterday, but one day I shall never forget is the day God blessed me with my forever blessing-the birth of my precious son-37 years ago. I can tell you all about every minute of that day and the 2 days prior to that ---trying my hand at my 1st pie crust from scratch, smelling whatever it was that the pest control man was spraying-all the while counting erratic labor pains, afraid to step foot out of the house. Every year on this date I replay that video in my mind all over again. I thought I had delivered a giant (a little over 6 lbs), but that was because I only weighed in at 3 lbs. God has given me many blessings, but I count this one as the greatest. As well as a blessing, it has been a privilege to be his Mom. I truly believe that my role in life has been(and still is) to be the best Mom I can be. Now that he is all grown up and lives and works far away, people often tell me how kind, caring and polite he is. That really makes a Mom's heart swell with pride and joy. I must have done an alright job, despite those hard years of being a single Mom. You just never know where that kindness and politeness will take you-you just might receive a surprise blessing from a distant relative long after they've gone.
       Happy Birthday to my forever blessing and my very best friend-WRL.

Hollywood is here!

Today on my way to my daily work-out place, I got a little side tracked. Never made it to work-out, because I went to look out-look out for Hollywood and all the hoopla that has come to my tiny little southern town. Yes, a movie is being made here by, none other than, Billy Bob Thornton, the one and only. He not only is directing it but is also starring in it along with Robert Duval and Kevin Bacon. The name of the movie is Jayne Mansfield's Car. Several blocks of our little town have been changed to appear as if it is 1969. Storefronts remind me so much of my hometown growing up in the 60s. My look out was quite successful. I did see, from not too far away, all three main people; and I must say I was pleasantly surprised at the good manners of these guys. Mr. Bacon and Mr. Thornton came over to the crowd and gave lots of autographs and had pictures taken. I think Mr. Duval was inside somewhere cooling off-you know it gets rather hot here in the South in the summer. Who knows-maybe the premier will be held here. They are using the vintage 60-ish movie theater in a scene or two. I'm told that the theater is what sold Mr. Thornton on the idea of using our town. Whatever becomes of the movie, I'll have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at the manners of the movie stars. It just goes to show you that you can't believe all you read about movie stars.
Miss Lulu

Where did it all begin?

Did you ever wonder where the word, etiquette, came from or how the practice of good etiquette began? According to the book, Emily Post's The Guide To Good Manners for Kids, by Peggy Post and Cindy Post Senning, ED.D., the word is French, and it came into use in the eighteenth century. The book further states that King Louis XIV of France used to invite people to his palace for parties and festivals. He became really upset with his guests when they walked all over his lawns and gardens, squishing  the grass and stomping on the flowers. He talked with his gardener about this problem before the next party, and they decided to put up little signs everywhere saying: Please don't walk on the flowers! Stay on the path. Be careful of the roses. The signs guided the guests so they would know where it was okay to walk and where it wasn't. The word in French for the little signs was "etiquette." Over time the word, etiquette, came to mean all the little signs that help us know what to do in new and different situations and all the things we do to help us get along better with everyone we come in contact with throughout our lives. Today these little signs make up a set of manners that we think of as etiquette such as saying please and thank-you, yes ma'am and no ma'am, and so on. Each little sign is like a tool to help us get along with each other. We all need to learn how to use these tools, and this takes practice, practice, practice...
Have you practiced using your etiquette tools today-----how about yesterday?  It won't be too late to start tomorrow.
Miss Lulu

Why manners?????

Manners is my #1 passion. Most of my friends probably would have thought I would have said Bama football is my #1 passion. It's right up there, but football isn't an everyday thing-that is, unless you watch ESPN,etc 25 hours a day! Manners is that particular tool of politeness that one needs to have and use correctly every day. I begin my classes at the age of 4 and continue them into the college and adult world. We teach our babies as soon as they can talk to say the "Wonderful Words" such as "Please" and "Thank You", but as they get older, a lot of these types of words are forgotten. Another thing we teach our children when they are very young is how to bathe. The more they do this for themselves, the better they get at it. You don't have to tell them every time they step into the shower how to turn on the water or tell them what the soap is for. They've done this enough to know how.It's second nature to them-it has become a natural extension of themselves. And that's what I hope for each child or adult in my classes-that using good manners every day, whether at the dinner table or on a cell phone, becomes a natural extension of themselves. After all, our young people are our future-sometimes, that's kinda scary to think about, isn't it!?!
 So----manners is my passion. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it; and I'm going to stick it to whomever will read about it. Topic suggestions are always encouraged.
Miss Lulu