Posts by Arden
The Hesitant Host
I sometimes get invited to a business lunch as a potential client. Interestingly, at the last two lunches I’ve encountered hesitant hosts. That is, after sitting down with our food, the host has waited quite some time to start eating. The etiquette is for the guest to wait for the host to start eating before beginning,…
Read MoreSay What?
I got a recorded call from Americans United for Change urging us to call our senators to encourage them to pass healthcare reform. At the end of the message they stated the phone number to call. They said the number so fast I had to rewind the message three times. I thought about how much money…
Read MoreDogs on the Loose
I was recently walking around Greenlake with a friend on a sunny, therefore packed, day. Twice I encountered dogs that were running loose, their owners unconcerned. In the first situation we were rounding a corner and I saw a dog running towards the water across the concrete path in a very congested area. A rollerbladder…
Read MoreThe Academy Awards: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
As I do every year, I watched the Academy Awards with a few friends. We meet at one friend’s house, enjoy a potluck dinner and gab about the dresses, the emcee(s), the Academy winners and losers. This year had its usual fill of beautiful and not so beautiful moments. We can learn many etiquette lessons by…
Read MoreAre you Polly Poise or Freak-Out Fred?
I recently taught a social skills etiquette class to some high school students from Puget Sound Community School. One of the topics I covered was poise. I asked my students what poise meant to them. They replied “good posture”, “being confident” and “grace”. While those are part of poise there is more to it.
Read MorePublic Speaking Tips
I’ve been working with a client who is preparing for an important speech. One of the things we discussed is the protocol of introducing someone. Many speakers are unaware of proper speaking protocol, so I thought I’d share some tips.
Read MoreJob Search Etiquette
I asked my Facebook fans for ideas for a blog post and got some really good questions. They were focused on job search etiquette. Q. When meeting a potential employer for coffee or a meal to discuss the possibility of working together who picks up the tab? And how do you handle the awkwardness when…
Read MoreDon’t Be Nosy
I stopped in the grocery store the other day, looking for a special item in addition to the ginger snap cookies my husband had requested. I didn’t find what I wanted but in addition to the ginger snaps I grabbed a bag of potato chips that were calling to me and some jelly beans for…
Read MoreThe Trouble with “You Guys”
I have a problem. It’s something I’ve struggled with for a long time and until recently didn’t realize how serious the problem was. I’m working on changing, but it hasn’t been easy, especially since most people have the same problem. It’s a “you guys” problem. As in, “Have you guys seen the movie Avatar?” Those…
Read MoreA Special Tea
A second cousin of mine, who I have been corresponding with via email and through letters, mentioned she was coming to Seattle for her grandnephew’s baptism. I was excited to see her as it had been probably 30 years since I’d seen her last. I invited her over for afternoon tea. I have a cute…
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