The Finances of Civility
Love may always be known by its expenditures. The way I expend myself and extend myself for my fellows reveals my love. Is this love for others, or for myself? Arland D. Williams’ expenditure is well known. When Air Florida Flight 90
Bicycle Etiquette
May is National Bicycle Month. And here is our gentle reminder for both bicyclists and motorists alike to practice Bicycle Etiquette. (And isn’t our little Victorian bicyclist a most proper and memorable representation of the concept?!) My husband James has commuted
Gentility in a Bully World
Our world is apt to canonize Push. It will sing the praises of the one who excels at Shove, will call him 'successful' as he elbows his way to the top of the heap. As he treads upon others and pushes them
Rise of the Roamin’ Empire (2)
...Our homeless friend had gotten on the bus in Albuquerque. Would he stay on it all the way to Louisiana, where a good and helpful program awaited? ...In the meantime, his sweet little dog Roamin' was starting a new life
Appearance and Civility
We speak. We speak always and in many ways. Words are only one of the many methods we use to communicate. Mary Eliza Haweis, who wrote The Art of Beauty in 1878, concluded that “Dress bears the same relation to
Cell Phone Etiquette: “You Are Not the Only One”
Let me tell you a true story. It was reported on Good Morning, America. It seems a young woman had been invited to have tea with Queen Elizabeth II in the Buckingham Palace gardens. She was actually sitting with the Queen
The Evolution of Etiquette; In Celebration of National Courtesy Month
I feel just the slightest bit of cool as I sit in my swing, enjoying the early mornings in my little courtyard. Soon the temperature will drop to our friendly and pleasant New Mexico autumn weather, and we will hear
Civility can be (Nicely) Selfish.
Civility is getting a lot of press these days, but sometimes it seems not a lot of practice. I am one of the lucky ones, as I live and work among those who practice it. Life is so much
The Mathematics of Civility Part 2
Last week I asked myself the question, “Why would you want to add to all the pain that is already in the world?” I decided to subtract my critical attitude and desire to lash out at the owners of the
The Origin of P’s and Q’s
I love English signs. The last time I was in England, I started taking photos of typical British signs: “Mind Your Head.” “Park Tidy.” “Way Out” (is this a description or a direction?) Probably the most famous is “Mind