If you’re a frequent business traveler, like a reader named Agowen, you may often experience a sinking feeling when it’s time to tip the bell hop. You reach into your pocket or handbag only to find…the smallest bill you have is a twenty. Now what? “I travel every week for work and encounter a lot of people that I think […]
more about: etiquette
Dad to Daughter’s Laptop: ‘Bang Bang, You’re Dead’
In the eight days since a fed-up North Carolina dad who shot up his teenage daughter’s laptop with a .45-caliber pistol uploaded a YouTube video that documents the incident, more than 25 million viewers—parents and children alike—have watched him pump eight bullets into the computer. “That right there is your laptop. You see it’s out there on the ground. This […]
Be Nice on Pinterest: The polite way to ‘pin’
I’ve been obsessed lately with Pinterest, the site where you can “pin” collections of interesting pictures onto an online bulletin board you share with your friends. Yeah, me and nearly 11 million other Pinterest users. You’re probably on Pinterest too, loving this well-designed new site that is on track to become the fastest-growing social networking site since Facebook. The way it […]
Should You Send a Gift to a Wedding You Can’t Attend?
This week’s etiquette question came from HeatherMLee, who must decline an invitation to her niece’s wedding because it is too far for her to travel. She asked: “What is the appropriate thing to do, gift wise, if you cannot attend?” You should send a gift, HeatherMLee, to anyone who invites you to her wedding. Look at the situation this way: […]
‘R u on the toilet right now? Me too’
After two decades as a wife and mother, I thought I had pretty much seen it all in the “weird behavior” department. Then some of my family members (who know who you are) got addicted to texting in the toilet. It started one time after the phone rang and I got a text—“can u answer that, i am busy”— from […]
Call Me ‘Mrs. Rockefeller’ (My Husband Does)
My husband is a reasonable man. After all, he generally can be counted on to agree with me when it comes to the big issues in life. For instance, we both believe that babies should be able to sleep through the night by the time they weigh 12 pounds; that Labrador retriever puppies are the most irresistible creatures on earth, […]
Mother in Law’s Lament: ‘They Left Me Out’
How do in-laws avoid hurt feelings? LostMom13 wrote to say she felt snubbed because her daughter-in-law’s family didn’t invite her to attend a christening. “My son and DIL were godparents,” LostMom13 wrote. “This was a family affair of my DIL’s, and I am usually included. Am I wrong to feel hurt?” I doubt anyone was purposely trying to hurt your […]
National Handwriting Day
In addition to being National Pie Day (here’s how to celebrate—26 Pie and Tart Recipes), today is also National Handwriting Day. So we thought we’d share a few ways to celebrate this holiday as well. First, find out what your handwriting says about you. Whether your script leans to the left or right, and whether you remember to cross your […]
Five Battles That Aren’t Worth Fighting With Teenagers, and Five That Are
A highly subjective list, from this mother of three boys: It is not worth fighting over… 1) Wearing a winter coat instead of that flimsy springlike thing, even though it is 25 degrees. 2) Rearranging his room so it’s more aesthetically pleasing to you. 3) Cutting his hair in a way that’s more aesthetically pleasing to you. 4) The ability […]
How to Explain Why Mommy and Daddy Don’t Live Together Anymore: Blog It
I think the phrase we’re supposed to use to describe what happens when a blogger publicly reveals the most intimate details of her personal life is: “full disclosure.” But how do you describe the urge that prompted the revelation? A few days ago, readers of the popular mommy blog at Dooce.com learned that blogger Heather Armstrong and her husband (previously […]
