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May 13, 2010
Etiquette - The Good Old Days; and more theater ticket giveaways
 Call us curmudgeons,but good old fashioned etiquette seems to be going the way of the dinosaur. We remember a time when RSVP actually met that you responded to an invitation with a yes or no in a timely fashion. But then again, invites came in an envelope in the mail, and not via Evite which somehow seems to signal a new casualness about yes or no and the "maybe" option. But delivery method aside, we seem to live in a commitment phobic world. Brides have to contact potential wedding guests only days before to get a yea or nay; event planners are pulling their hair out because everyone waits until the last minute to respond. Or worse yet, think they can just show up the door, which is only okay if the invite says "Regrets Only". Email thank you's have replaced those lovely monogrammed note cards that had the little liners in the envelopes. Oh and you put a stamp on it too. Of course these days schools no longer even teach cursive writing, so if the generation coming up even entertains a paper note, it will be written in block letters - in crayon.
And really, don't you think important occasions deserve a more personal touch than an e-card? And don't get us started on people who constantly text while dining with friends or family or in other social settings! Oprah should start the "no texting while dining" pledge for that one too! Yes, we're ranting. Good thing we have a couple of experts to back us up. Networking guru Andrea Nierenburg says even in the fast paced e-business world we live in, a handwritten note is occasionally just what will set you apart. And sometimes rudeness, like being perpetually late or forgetting to RSVP is a result of being disorganized. And Little Miss Efficiency is here with some great tips. So tomatoes, here's to a little more civility in this crazy world we live in.
 How is the Pen Mightier than Email?
Andrea Nierenburg, the networking guru, believes that the old fashioned handwritten note should be part of your business life too. "It seems simple, and is even considered as part of the "old days" before we had the technology that we rely on so much. Yes a handwritten note will get other people's attention, let them know you care about them, remind them of you, and, ultimately, strengthen your network." Read her terrific tips on how to incorporate handwritten notes into your professional life.
 Lost that invite? Forgot an appointment?
Sometimes rudeness and a lack of etiquette is a result of being just plain ole disorganized. Professional organizer Wendy Miller (aka Little Miss Efficiency) talks about the costs of being disorganized. "Organized is more than just being neat. Quite simply, my definition is: Finding what you need, when you need, where you need it. If you get flustered or aggravated because you can't find something; if you are late because you are missing something you knew you had; or you forgot where you put a special something---chances are you are paying the price of disorganization." Read her organizing tips this week.
And thank you tomatoes, for putting up with today's rant.
The Three Tomatoes
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