Manners and Nancy Sinatra

I’m always pleasantly surprised when someone is extra mannerly (which is a little sad, I think. People should just always be polite, right?). It’s the little things in life. I don’t expect Emily Post-style manners, but it’s always nice. These are my top 3 favorite mannerly actions

1)Please and Thank You – Such an easy one, but so often forgotten. I annoyed many a child who didn't say please while I was teaching. The kids learned quickly that, "I'm gonna borrow this pen" will not get you a pen, but it will get you a dirty look.

2)Holding the door –The other day I was walking into work as one of the security guards was walking out and he jumped back (literally) to grab the door for me. It made my morning.

3)Proper Introductions – I think knowing how to do a proper introduction is the classiest of the mannerly actions. There’s something so “fancy cocktail party” about it. Here’s how it should work. Scenario: You and a friend are shopping, you see a person you know but your friend doesn’t. You: Hey Other Person! Great to see you! This is my friend so-and-so. So-and-so, this is Other Person. Other person and I know each other from school/work/outer space/etc. So-and-So and I know each other from grocery store/gym/civil war reenactments/etc. Brief chat. Agree to catch up later. Say goodbye. No one wants to stand there for 10 minutes while you reminisce about your glory days on the water polo team, keep it short.

This is how people feel when they've been properly introduced

This week's hot jam is Sorry 'Bout That by Nancy Sinatra. (She might not have actually been sorry, but at least she said it.) I love Nancy Sinatra because she's so sassy. She's not taking any crap, and you're going to know it. She posed for Playboy at 54, if that's not sassy I don't know what is.