General Etiquette

Reading is an important skill for achieving a high quality of life. Reading ability significantly impacts employment, independent living, family support and economic self-sufficiency of all...

Attention: World Travelers, Businesspersons; This is a little how-to properly greet and meet Emperors and Heads of State

In these economic times, layoff announcements have been no surprise. However, finding out that your family member, friend, or colleague has been let go is always difficult to swallow. The...

Effective interactive listening skills are important for everyone from medical personnel and law enforcement officials to elementary school teachers and stay-at-home parents. In fact, the average...

You are surrounded by sound everyday; however, you may not always be able to hear it. Deafness is a condition whereby the person cannot hear sounds from either one or both of his or her ears....

Many people say they have trouble remembering names, but what they really mean is they have a hard time associating someone’s name with their face. That’s why they struggle when they see someone...

This article will help men avoid arguments with a girl friend. Many men are very competitive and want to be right to a fault. If you care about the relationship with your girl friend, this...

My friend Topper recently met, over dinner, with his fiancee's parents, at a posh place in downtown Boston. Now Constance Burrows-- Topper's fiancee- has this thing for an Italian bottled water,...

A refresher course on manners, specifically dining habits, is always welcome. Here's something that should be revisited:

It's the holidays, and it's time to think not only of ourselves; but of others in need. My thoughts go to our soldiers who protect our country and allow us to sleep soundly at night. Often,...

The concept of ecotourism emerged out of a culture of consumerism and excess in the mid- to late-20th century. The ecotourist seeks to travel experientially; to absorb culture, region and...

There are three major approaches to social facilitation theory (sometimes called social influence or impact theory): social facilitation, social impact and normative social influence. These three...

Listening is an important skill in any situation. Empathetic listening is a concentrated effort to ensure that the speaker feels that you are truly comprehending and valuing them without judgment....

Meeting your significant other’s parents can be a daunting task. There is always anxiety when introducing yourself to the most influential voices in your loved one’s life. Fear not, faithful...

Coonhounds are highly reliable dogs, especially when used for search operations and hunting game animals in the forest. They have served a great purpose for hunters, rescue teams and people who...

At the time of Elizabeth I, hygiene practices varied greatly among different social classes. To the poor, personal hygiene was not important enough to be considered, but members of the middle and...

Monograms are here to stay. Whether it is an antique heirloom piece, or a gift for a new baby, monograms makes it personal. A monogrammed purse says this is mine and it says a something about...

Currently, man-to-man, woman-to-woman and inter gender (man-to-woman and/or woman-to-man) handshaking is considered to be 'gender equal'. There is a proper handshake and recommendations about the...

Grieving over a death or the end of a long term relationship can be a long and difficult process. and an emotional roller coaster. Whether you are friends or romantically involved with the...

Humans are very curious, nosy types, and it can be quite difficult to keep a private detail hidden away. When you don't want anyone else to know your secret, removing all trace of it is the best...

The abbreviation TTY is used to identify a communications service for deaf or hard-of-hearing people. It employs the use of a teletypewriter or TTY device. The use of these devices can be...

House parties are social gatherings, usually casual, held in someone's home. Unlike a dinner party where expectations can be more formal, house parties don't normally require any strict etiquette...

Dealing with a person who has a "know it all" personality is a challenge indeed. I hope I have learned a little about this over the years.

Are you one of those people who just can't seem to ever win in an argument? Maybe you have a friend who always comes out on top in the argumentative world. Well, your friend may be using some well...

To improve checkout speed and reduce the number of necessary employees, many stores are installing self-checkout lanes. Although self-checkout machines may seem daunting at first glance, they're...

If we really do want World Peace, there are many attitudes, behaviors, and influences we really must examine. And, if deemed to be anti-peace in any way, we must do our best to end those. ...

According to Miss Manners, a handkerchief is "a forgotten artifact." Concerns for the environment, however, have created a handkerchief comeback. Etiquette must be followed when using a cloth...

You may know the rules of proper etiquette for verbal communication with others, but you should also know how to use your posture and movements to send the right nonverbal messages. Once you...

As social creatures, most of us long for some level of companionship. However, selecting the right friend is a very important endeavor. Selecting the wrong friend or group of friends can cause...

This article is rated moderatly challenging because learning new things can be moderately challenging. But the truth is that being a social single adult is not that hard. It's all about attitude...

Why do so many women have a problem getting along with other women?

The front entrance closet is often the last door you open before you leave the house, and the first door you open after you come home. It is a place to store everything you need to go outdoors,...

Disruptive classroom behavior hurts students and teachers. Kay Burke, an educational consultant, defines disruptive classroom behavior as any inappropriate student behavior. Students misbehave in...

Most of us can't afford charm school. Charm, however, is the application of a few simple but powerful concepts. Some people are naturally charming, but the rest of us can certainly develop a set...

House sitting can be fun. Usually, you get to stay at a house that is nicer than your place. I view it as a time to get away from my normal routine. I still have to go to work, but I get to go...

Listening properly—that is, concentrating on the speaker and paying attention—is one of Americans’ biggest weak spots. Our minds always seem to be somewhere else, and all those communication...

If you smoke but hate the smell in your hair, or if you don't smoke but spend time in places or with people who do, chances are that you have had smoky smelling hair. If you want to get rid of the...

Prom night, while essentially a big party, is still a formal event and those attending a prom need to respect the formality of the evening and practice good manners. Prom etiquette also involves...

Of all the problems associated with driving, deciding who may ride in the "shotgun" seat may not be critical. However, it often causes much controversy and debate as to the rightful occupant of...

Etiquette and protocol schools teach children and adults proper etiquette in social and business situations. These institutions are important because in our age of casual rules, we sometimes...

When universities first took form during the late 12th century, scholars and teachers alike wore clerical attire. Hoods and cowls eventually gave way to skull caps. In the 16th century, square...

Remember the 1950s when your dad would open the car door for your mother? The fifties may be long gone, but old-fashioned gallantry never goes out of style.

Veteran's Day and Memorial Day are often confused with each other. Memorial Day is observed the last Monday of May, and is to honor our war dead. Veteran's Day is observed on November 11th, and is...

We all tend to make it known if we have a bad experience, but what about a good experience. I have worked in retail for years. We always have complaints on different employees, but hardly ever...

A country's culture exerts a huge influence on how people there dress. In Thailand, which is culturally conservative, women tend to dress with greater restraint than they do in America.

It's getting to be about that time to change your clocks. Like most people, every fall I wonder when I have to change my clock from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time

Ah, suburban life. Great isn’t it? You live in a small community of similar houses that are exactly eight feet apart. Living in such a situation demands that you interact with your neighbors,...

No matter the culture or the country, a family moving into a new neighborhood or a new apartment building is often greeted with traditional food gifts. Not only do gifts of food immediately say...

Respect is highly valued in our society. We show others respect in how we treat them when they are with us and how we speak of them when they are not. While it can be natural to show respect to...

It is normal to have to put up with people's attitude. However, at some point, one should stand up without necessarily starting an argument. These tips will help you approach a safe solution to...