'Splain something to me in re to baseball-type caps

[Rozzie]

Well, if we want to get technical, there are ALL kinds of old rules about eating soup...

1) You never put your soup spoon in your mouth. You put the soup spoon against your lower lip and sip QUIETLY - no noise.
2)You tip the spoon away from you toward the opposite side of the bowl ONLY to fill it, never toward you.
3) Do not blow on hot soup to cool it.
4) Rest occasionally. Don't act ravenous.

5) You cannot crumble crackers into your soup. Tiny bite sized crackers can go into soup, but only a few at a time. Do not pile them into the bowl.
6) If you are eating bread, you do not do so with the left hand. You set the soup spoon down, then use the same hand that holds the spoon to have your bread.
7) You may SLIGHTLY tip the soup bowl away from you, but only to have one or two last spoons of soup at the end. Do not scrape or attempt to get the last small bits of soup.
8) The spoon should not "click" against the bowl. Nor should your mouth make noise
9) Opinions vary on placement of the spoon between bites. Some believe that you should leave your spoon IN the bowl in between spoons of soup. Others say that if there is a plate under the soup, you should place the spoon there in between spoonfuls. In some places, though, this is a sign that you are done with that course & the server will swipe (er....remove) your soup course from in front of you.

Since we're talking manners & all. Let's make sure to preserve this set of manners, too.

Now, obviously, these rules were designed for dealing with thin broth-like soups and chowders, not thick chili & gumbos...

And, yes, we mostly had to follow these rules growing up. Glad I can ignore a few of them at home now, and even one or two of them away from home.

 

[Rozzie]

ok triple post...

 

[Rozzie]

Bah, edited triple post...

 

[PineappleMama]

OH here's one... my first waitress job was when I was 13 years old... suffice it to say I know just what a server goes through... and picked up some habits... thus when we eat out I have a habit of prebussing the table... stacking plates (with all silver on the top one) and such. Now the servers like this of course, makes their life easier... but boy oh boy have I gotten some funny looks over the years. Some just have NO idea what I'm doing... the crazy look... then there's the ones who know what I'm doing and don't appreciate me making them look bad for being inconsiderate slobs... those give me a GTH look because the wife is elbowing them into action to do the same on their table... then there's the ones who've been servers themselves (or it's their kid/wife/brother who is serving us) and they have that little 'kindred spirit' smile and you notice their table looks much like yours.

From what I understand there's a great debate about clearing... some say that the folks who are finished should just sit there looking at a greasy plate and wait while the slow eaters catch up... also prevents hands/elbows resting on the table because there's no room... others think you should clear so that those done aren't crowded, free to move, etc. I'm more of the clear as you go school... at the eater's designation... signal you're done, take the plate. But then I loathe being crowded... prolly a good part of it. Those that clear their plate just to whip out their phone or video game earn my ire... but being a gesticulater myself I hate when I'm talking and my hand/sleeve lands in my plate... this doesn't happen if the plate has been removed... .those that are done (mouth not full) can talk without risk of mess, knocking over something, etc while the other has all the time they need to finish their meal at their own speed. But if you're the slow one and you've got to sit there with everyone watching you and willing you to hurry up... not exactly good for digestion.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

mom'sfolly :

I think they were louts! And the women with them were the female version of louts...loutesses?

My kid's middle school concerts actually have a "concert manners" section on the back of the program. It has to include stuff like no yelling or whistling as part of the applause. It mentions cell phones and hand held devices, but it doesn't mention hats. At each concert there are plenty of men with hats, and lots of people playing with their phones. I wonder how these people behave in church? The people with the phones particularly annoy me. You can't show some respect for the effort the kids have put in and put your priorities on hold for an hour? I think many of people have been taught only minimal manners, and almost all have an over inflated sense of importance. At my kid's last band concert, the folks sitting next to us were all doing something else during the concert. Mom had a Kindle, Dad had a phone and kiddo had a DS.

When my son was in elementary school, at the band concerts, the director began by lecturing the audience on concert manners. Okay, I kind of get the idea that stating certain types of activities should be avoided was not a bad thing. However, he made a huge deal about turning cell phones OFF, not just putting them on mute. Sorry, but he lost me with that one. If on mute, no one is aware (and thus disturbed) if a call is received, but later I can check to see if I missed a call. Turned off and once again, no one is disturbed, but there is no record of calls received during that time. Sorry, not happening.​

 

[Rozzie]

Perhaps he meant to completely silence the phones instead of setting them to vibrate. It is rather annoying to have forty different phones vibrating throughout an event. I can understand such a request if this is what he meant.

Then again, he may have meant to power them down, in which case I'd simply set my phone to silent & otherwise ignore him.

 

[Tala]

I have to wear a baseball type cap for working at a fast food restaurant. All the time, indoors, including eating on the clock....you get used to it. Forget about it. Feel naked without it. So I don't have a problem with other people who wear their hats for eating.

 

[unionwirewoman]

I do enjoy reading all of the input everyone has put forth here . I'm not sure that all of it applies to the origional post , but it is a good debate . I believe what the origional poster was getting at is the degredation of manners , morals , or whatever you want to call it . I do teach my stepkids and neice to think on their own , but the problem is that if they don't have the foundation of manners or morals , then they won't be able to think as an individual who is informed . Taking your hat off while eating might be silly..... but having some sort of rules is a very important step om raising children . Speaking from experience , if simple rules had been laid down for my stepkids , then the oldest would have graduated , and the youngest would never have relations when she was only 15 . Rules can be bent , children can think , but the foundation of manners and morals must be in place before they are allowed to think what they want . My stepkids never had the morals or manners put into place until I came into the picture . I'm hoping to instill what I was taught into the youngest , but it's hard . Whether it's a simple thing like taking your hat off during dinner , or helping an elderly person out.....the lessons learned will stick with you . It's not a matter of " are my parents right " , it's the matter of " what can I learn from my parents " .

Rozzie....somewhere along the line of your parents raising you , and life experiences , you had to have had some type of morals taught to you . Whether it be MLK , JFK etc....you listened to someone . Imagine if all the kids around the world would question everything their parents did or said . Imagine those kids forming their own ideas at 6 yrs old , then not listening to their parents , just their friends . That is what the world is coming to . A world of " I'll do what I want , the world owes me , you can take care of me , I'll just sit here with my phone and computer while you support me ." Do you really want to be 90 yrs old and not have someone take your grocery cart back to it's stall because some punk kid is too busy texting or is too busy to help you out ? Manners are a dying concept in this world....it's so sad to see them flit by . I'm 30..... and I will always look back to see if someone else is coming behind me at the store so I can hold the door open . I will always be nice to the store clerks who make minimum wage , I will always treat everyone with respect if they are deserving , and I will always be respectful of the elderly no matter how crabby they are . Those were morals I was taught , and morals I wish young kids...and even older people had . I wear a baseball cap 90% of the time....but I do not go to an upscale dining establishment wearing one . Why ? Because every once in awhile I like to get dressed up and have a good meal . Unfortunately it seems that some people want to look like trash when they enjoy these upscale dinners . Not too offensive for me ....I just laugh at them .

 

[redhen]

 

[unionwirewoman]

Quote:
When my son was in elementary school, at the band concerts, the director began by lecturing the audience on concert manners. Okay, I kind of get the idea that stating certain types of activities should be avoided was not a bad thing. However, he made a huge deal about turning cell phones OFF, not just putting them on mute. Sorry, but he lost me with that one. If on mute, no one is aware (and thus disturbed) if a call is received, but later I can check to see if I missed a call. Turned off and once again, no one is disturbed, but there is no record of calls received during that time. Sorry, not happening.

Sorry , but you sound like my 15 yr old SD . If she can't have her phone then she freaks out . I would think that if you told your friends and family that you were going to be at your kids concert , then maybe they wouldn't call and then you wouldn't be so worried whose call you missed . Forgive me if I'm thinking wrong , but back in the day we didn't have cell phones....and I'm talking 15 yrs ago . Life is not going to end if you miss a few calls . What should be important is your kids concert , and supporting he/she . The reason for turning it off is simple...if you have it on mute or vibrate...then there's a good chance you might answer it and disturb others even if you answer and leave the room . What did we ever do without cell phones.....I'd like to find the inventor of them and .....well you know...............