Things That Annoy Me

And I know I am not the only one. I don't like to complain, but I thought maybe this would help some people (even though probably only 5 people actually read this blog) if they are guilty of making these mistakes.

It's not meant to be offensive, it's all in the name of proper etiquette! Here is just 2 scenarios. I will post more as they come to me :)

1. The mistake: Skipping an introduction. You don't introduce friends to other friends (or acquaintances).

Why it's wrong: Well for starters it's rude and you make your friends feel uncomfortable. Also, if you introduce them (sometimes I like to throw in something they have in common with each other), they are more likely to strike up a conversation with one another and that means you don't have to babysit!

Example: "Melissa, this is my friend Heather, we know each other from work. Heather loves to play Tennis too, do you two belong to the same club?"


2. The mistake: Not responding to invitations (RSVP).

Why it's wrong: When you don't reply, the host is left wondering whether or not you'll come. The host is updating her (let's face it, it's most likely a woman hosting) excel spreadsheet everyday, so don't think she's forgotten about you. She is most likely wondering if you're waiting for something better to come up than her event. You also need to be cognizant of the fact that parties take A LOT of planning, and its imperative to the planning process to know how many guests will be attending.

So please get your act together and RSVP promptly when you receive an invitation. If your plans are in limbo, don't go radio silent on the host until the last minute. Let her know ahead of time that you have you have a few things going on and you're not 100% sure if you will make it or not. She will be appreciative and be able to plan accordingly.

The #1 etiquette rule- NEVER EVER show up without responding. If the invitation asks you to RSVP, then RSVP. It's not that difficult.

Fun Fact:­ RSVP stands for a French phrase, "répondez, s'il vous plaît," which means "please reply."

Laundry Etiquette

Ugh. I get so annoyed. I am sure a lot of you out there have your very own washer and dryer and you don't have to worry about sharing. You don't know how good you have it.

For us apartment dwellers, we have the joyous task of doing laundry in a shared laundry room. In my apartment building there are 2 washers and 2 dryers and the people in my building are sooo inconsiderate when it comes to laundry.

I just need to complain:

WHY do you wait 4 weeks to do your laundry (who has that much underwear anyway?) and then decide to do it at peak time (Saturday and Sunday) and totally monopolize the laundry room for 8 hours. Hellloooo there is a laundromat right across the street. You should be doing it there. It will take like 1 hour and other people will be able to do their 1 load that they need for their outfit for that night! fdsiuyesiukjnhkfdnjfdshgrfdsahjfdsfddsda!!!!!!!

WHY do you not move your laundry when it's done???! This isn't your personal washer and dryer. Set a timer and move your crap. I don't want to move your stuff for you and touch your gross underwear and socks. Barf.

I don't understand how some people can be so inconsiderate. THINK PEOPLE.

Thank you.

PS- isn't that the cutest laundry room ever?

Handling Your Booze

With age comes wisdom, and how to handle alcohol consumption is one of those things that you learn as you go.

Girls like me like to keep it classy all the time, and that means that you never want to lose control. Now, once in a while a slip up may occur, which is nothing to be ashamed of as long as you can keep your demeanor under control for the most part. Do remember that sloppy drunks are not cool and no one really wants to take care of you to make sure you don’t break your ankle, get in a fight, sleep on a park bench, etc etc.

Here are some things to help keep the wild nights and blackouts to a minimum:

It’s a marathon, not a sprint! You don’t need to drink 5 vodka sodas in 1 hour. You will start to feel sick, you won’t have fun and you will annoy everyone. So drink slow, take your time, enjoy! I like to order tall glasses because it makes the drink last longer. If you drink slowly, you won’t be the first loser to have to go home ;)

Drink plenty of water! Oldest trick in the book. Order a glass of water every other drink or every few drinks to take a little break. It also helps you avoid the dreaded hangover the next day.

Eat something! Don’t drink on an empty stomach. You know you will get wasted and it's just plain stupid. You don’t have to eat a huge greasy meal (common misconception while drinking); even a snack of crackers or fruit will do the trick.


Other tips for successful nights out:

DO NOT DRIVE DRUNK. Cabs can be expensive but the cost is totally worth avoiding a DUI or worse. You know when you have had to much to get behind the wheel, listen to that.

Try to stick to one type of alcohol.

Side note- One sticky situation that I have run into is work dinners. You kind of want to order an alcoholic beverage but you’re not sure if it’s appropriate. Especially if your superior or boss is there. When the server comes over to take your drink order, you can pull the old trick of saying “Hmm, I am not really sure yet” and then turn it over to your superior. If they order a glass of wine, you know the coast is clear. I mean, don’t order a shot of tequila, and keep it a basic drink. I always think a glass of champagne is a really classy and feminine drink to order at work functions.



Cheers!

MUNI Etiquette by guest blogger Jenny

For those of us that are not fortunate enough to have a parking spot downtown and can’t afford to take a cab to and from work everyday, you ride the SF Muni. I would like to first point out that SF MUNI is pretty impressive, running hundreds of buses all over the city on a fairly consistent schedule and a pretty reasonable cost of $2 per ride. After living in a city like San Diego where you need to have a car because the bus system is very unreliable and inconvenient, I have learned to appreciate a city where you can survive with out car, if need be. That being said, I would like to comment on bus rider etiquette rather than complain about MUNI. I realize we live in the year 2010 and women have fought for years to have equal rights, but there are 5 very easy rules that every passenger should follow on a daily basis (I certainly do). If you are not following these rules, you should get off the bus and go back to etiquette school because I see these crimes being committed on a daily basis and it is just not OK.




Stand up for the elderly – This should go without saying. I’m a woman, but I don’t expect a man to stand up for me if there are no seats left to give up his seat. I’m young and athletic and can handle juggling all my bags while holding on for dear life. On the very rare occasion that it does happen however, it really makes a man stand out and the gesture truly makes my day. To those men that stand up for a woman on the bus, kudos to you…you are a rare breed. The elderly, however, can’t stand very well, especially in a crowded, over heated bus where people are pushing each other to get out the doors while the bus driver slams on his breaks every five minutes. I don’t care if you are a man, woman or child; if an elderly person gets on the bus, you should give up your seat. This rule also applies to the handicapped or injured which should go without saying. Nothing like having to juggle your crutches, a purse and hold on at the same time. I know this from personal experience, it is no fun.



Stand up for a pregnant woman – Obviously, you only know if someone is pregnant if they are visibly showing which means they are in month 4+ of their pregnancy. So for four months already these women have had to feel ill, give up booze, give up coffee, give up sushi, and now they have to stand up on a bus where the heat is blasting and no windows are open? Please do not look down at your blackberry or book when you see a pregnant person as a way to avoid eye contact. Do the right thing, give up your seat.




Move to the back of the bus – Everyone needs to get to work people. If the bus fills up the bus driver either starts passing up bus stops or he packs the bus so full that you look like you ran a marathon by the time you get to work. Nothing like getting passed by 2 buses where you see they are smashed full of poeple in the front, and then one person with the whole back to him or herself. We all like our space, but we all would like to keep our jobs too. Ask yourself if you need to get to work in the morning, if the answer is yes, move to the back.



Acknowledge the bus driver – I don’t know when we started living in a world where someone else drives you to and from your destination and you as the passenger don’t give the courtesy of giving a simple hello and thank you when you get on and off the bus. These drivers work long hours and deal with unruly passengers (see rule #5) and are still expected to achieve two goals: get you to and from your destination safely and on time. If you actually take a second and say hello, it might actually help accomplish those two goals. I have met some really amazing bus drivers that have some pretty incredible stories and work hard to support their families. If you aren’t really into human communication, that’s fine, but being considerate to your bus driver can actually benefit you. Once they know a face and like you, they have the power to hold the bus when they see you running from a block away, or not charge you if you only have a $5 rather than your singles. Common courtesy goes a long way – say hello and if you’re feeling really crazy, maybe even give them a smile too.



Don’t act like a raving lunatic – This is the one that surprises me most. Life is not easy…sometimes buses run behind schedule or a bus driver calls in sick and the scheduled bus doesn’t come. In other words, sh*t happens. This does not give you the right to waive your arms around and huff and puff and then scream at the next driver that does come. It just makes the next bus driver angry (no one needs an angry driver), and it makes passengers like myself uncomfortable. Learn to control your outbursts…do yoga, meditate, have a cocktail…but please don’t act like a crazy person at 7am. It isn’t fun for anyone. Oh, and wearing sunglasses doesn’t mean people can’t recognize who you are…just an FYI.

Oh yeah- and keep your hands to yourself!!!!