Of Manners --- A Simple View

First, I'd like to define exactly what I'm talking about for this post.

Manners 

1. social conduct 

2. a socially acceptable way of behaving

We are surrounded by people all the time. How we treat  them is the same way we want to be treated. I hold a high regard for people, and I respect them because they simply are.


            Manners[and I don't mean to include 'mannerisms' in this post]. It's essentially how you behave among other people. It has got to do with how you handle yourself and how you behave, in any place. Take for example, after eating a candy or cupcake; manners mean that you don't carelessly throw your wrapper anywhere in the street. One, it indicates indifference towards the environment.Two, it makes the streets look dirty. Three, it shows no discipline.

            There are reasons why we have manners and why we do them. Sometimes its because we have to think of the people around us and what effect it would have on them. And sometimes its because we simply respect our surroundings and where we are. We sneeze on a handkerchief because we can't spray saliva on people or have them catch a cold after we do. We sit properly in a restaurant because it is a formal place; we don't make loud conversations because we also respect other people's conversations and avoid disturbing them.


             As such, I've mentioned discipline. Having good manners is also being able to discipline yourself, to control your actions. Spitting anywhere is definitely not an appreciating sight. This is part of discipline, to spit in the right places, out of the eyes of the public. It is only excused when you really need to. Having manners also represents your respect to other people and to traditions and culture. Cultures and traditions are different in each place. And being able to adjust and adhere to it is showing good manners. But basic manners definitely apply anywhere.


            Familiarity of course, is a different thing. We show manners to people whom we become acquainted with, but our actions become relaxed when we are with familiar people, but not overstepping boundaries. And we can definitely do what we want in the privacy of our home. 


            Manners also occur at many different levels in the society. The higher the level, the more manners it entails. Table manners, for example, get very complicated along with social status. Everyone knows how to use a spoon and fork, especially for us Filipinos. But for very wealthy people at formal, social parties, eating can become a chore for those unfamiliar with the array of spoons, forks, sporks and knives arranged in the table. I, for that matter, don't even know which to use for what. I've only gotten to learn up to using knives and forks with no spoons in eating food. But don't despair, you don't have to deal with these things unless you get invited to these kinds of events. But for those with high social status, all these things become part of their education and they know their ways by heart. We all learn these things along the way.


             But please, don't think of manners as being too stiff. That's not my point. Manners is simply part of thinking before acting, and a way in which you properly present yourself to the world. Your actions simply represent who you are. Like for example, dressing properly represents respect for yourself, confidence and a care for yourself. On the other hand, dressing sloppily indicates the opposite. Most of manners is brought on with a great deal of common sense. And you'll need common sense everywhere you go. 


            Manners is important to me simply because I respect people and the environment around me. I put things back where they belong after I use them because I respect the person who owns it and placed it there. 


I may not have impeccable manners, but I certainly do mind mine.

5 Random Facts About Me

1. My real shoe size is 34.

            --this size is relative halfway between the kids' and adults' size. Yes, I have small feet. Despite the fact that it's a tiny bit big, I wear size 35 shoes with select designs(hides the size gap). xD

2. I blink my eyes rapidly when I see something weird in front of me.

           --whether its an obvious PDA or just about anything so weird, I blink several times as an expression of my 'tsk tsk' or 'what in the world...?' reaction.


3. If I had millions worth of cash, I'd spent most of it in books and build a library.

            --- My books are literally my treasure. In my daily life, I spend a large portion of my allowance buying books. Say I had P500. If I had to buy a blouse, I'd have second thoughts buying. Take me to a bookstore and give me really good books and I won't bat an eyelash in spending P500 immediately. One of my dreams is to have a separate room as a library in my future house.

4. When I'm really pissed, I curse and I swear.

            ---As a general rule, I do not swear. I dislike swearing and people who seem to make it a daily mantra. And rarely do I get really angry. I can be be so irritated and annoyed, but those things I can control inside my head. When I'm pissed beyond anything, I spit out a few choice swear words. But I still end up berating myself after.

5. I want to learn archery, more than anything.


            ---I am definitely not athletic. But if there was a sport I'd willingly learn, its archery. A true-blue Sagittarius, I am fascinated with archery. I would love to learn it, to earn a title of archer, even just to be an amateur one.

A Sagittarius Woman

This is a repost from Rea, a note that she shared with me on Facebook. I am a Sagittarius, and I found this note so interesting. It pretty much describes the what I'm like.

Here's to fellow Sagittarians out there. :)

A Sagittarius woman lacks tact and her flat, on-the-face statements may make you feeling like running away from her. Then, suddenly, she will say something so charming that you will feel as if you are on the seventh heaven. There, you go again! You will be trapped in her charm once more. Once you have been enamored by a Sagittarius girl, you will be staying with her for a long time. She is pleasant, friendly, outspoken and very talkative. Her forthrightness comes form the fact that she has no illusions about the world.

She sees it exactly as it is and says what she sees. At times, you may wish that she were not so honest. But then, she would be like any other girl, wouldn't she? In all probability, you will not like it. A Sagittarian female is very optimistic, but she is not irrational. She will judge the entire situation as per the facts, analyze its probable outcome and still believe that things will get better. Usually, she is very calm and composed. However, when you become rude to her or offend her, she may become like the fire-spitting dragon. 

Sagittarius women are quite independent and love their freedom. They are attached to their family, but not too much. If you want to get something done from a Sagittarian female, just ask her; don't order. She will never ever do it. She is your better half and don't you dare forget that. On the other hand, she doesn't want a sissy for a husband or boyfriend. He has to be a real man, who has his ego and won't stand for nonsense. So, you will be expected to balance politeness with firmness. 

I know it's difficult - but then, since when was winning someone easy. With a Sagittarius girl, you will never have to guess. She says what she thinks and how she acts shows what she feels. This bluntness may cost her heavily at times, even to the point of ending the relationship. Still, she would act as if she's not hurt at all and it is just one of the many harmless flirtations she's had. People will even believe all this, while inside she will be weeping and nursing her wounds. All this time, she will be analyzing what went wrong and when. 

The word 'marriage' makes a Sagittarian female a little nervous and you will need to tempt her in order to make her settle down. She is a little hard to catch and tends to be one of the boys all the time. That doesn't mean she looks or acts like a man! Infact, she is as female as any other girl is. The society and its norms do not matter to her. She can never be the hypocrite that some people are and tend to wiggle a few tongues. Her honesty and brusqueness further add to the negative opinions. 

Don't be fooled by them. Look deep inside a Sagittarius female and you will find a woman who is so enthusiastic about life and who trusts easily. Infact, this extreme belief makes her heart vulnerable and defenseless. It gets broken too often, but then, she knows how to move on with life. You will be tempted to care for her. It's natural. There are hardly any people who can resist the bright and charming disposition of a Sagittarius girl. She will not be too good with money and will most probably be on the extravagant side. 

She is very sentimental and emotional, though it seems otherwise. It just that, where her feelings are concerned, she becomes too shy. After marriage, your house will always remain sparkling clean, even if you don't have a maid to do that. She cannot stand sloppiness, it doesn't appeal to her sensibilities. She may not be too good at cooking, but she will also not burn your egg every day. A Sagittarian girl may pass the most sarcastic comments when she is angry, but she will forget the resentment soon enough. Then, she won't understand why are you so upset. 

As a mother, she will be very friendly with the kids. Infact, she will be more of a chum, than a mom. Only, you will have to teach them to take her bluntness with a pinch of salt. Apart from that, she will be wonderful and make them as independent as she is. She will be a lovely hostess to guests and make them feel at home. Just let her be what she is. Don't try to change her and don't curb her individuality. She will brighten your life with her optimism, boost you with loyalty, trust you blindly and shower her affection on you. She will encourage you to see dreams and help you in making them come true!

When I Saw Him, I Felt Sad

When I saw him, I immediately felt a wave of sadness, almost like I wanted to cry.

           
 I happened to bump into him, and I definitely got mixed feelings when I saw him.

               I met him so long ago, and he was one of the few people I admired so much. Definitely one of the best people I've met, one whom I can say touched a lot of people.

               When I first met him, he showed a part of myself that I could make better. He taught me a lot of things, and ultimately brought out a talent that I so proudly carry all my life. With his mentoring and guidance, I overcame a lot of things, and somehow I broke out of my shell. That was the beginning of so many opportunities for me to improve myself. As well as the opening of so many possibilities of what I could be. That talent really helped me a lot, in so many ways beyond my count.

                And so, you're probably wondering why I felt sad. No, definitely not the reason that he became different now. Far from that. In fact, he's doing way better. We haven't seen each other in a really long while.

                Truth is, I liked him. I really did. And being private me, no one really knew it. And that feeling so long ago became a special memory I keep.

               I really can't explain why I felt sad. I, in all honestly, felt like crying. And the sadness washing through me made my insides feel dry. It felt like I just wanted to sit down and stare into nothingness. For a moment, I lost the ability to maintain my composure and to maintain a contented mood. I felt like hugging someone for a good long time without saying a word. It's as if something heavy weighed me down. Memories run through my head, and I think of all the happy things that won't ever happen again.

                 Perhaps it's because I subconsciously missed him, or that he would never know how I felt. I just found myself faced with an unexplainable sadness when I saw him.We talked a bit about how we were doing, and some past experiences. Things are definitely different now. Life has changed.

                 And as I waved my hand in goodbye, I felt a small surge of good feelings in my heart. I knew then that life will continue to bless us, and that God has many more surprises for my life.

                  I smiled and continued reading my book once more.

Talking To Someone Wearing Shades

There's definitely something about talking to someone wearing shades.

I had this conversation with a friend I bumped into on the way home. We haven't really seen each other for a long time, and so we talked a bit about our lives.


           All the while, my friend was wearing shades, and this put me in a bit of dilemma. Because my friend was wearing them, I didn't know whether he was looking at me or at another way behind the shades. Being engaged in a one-to-one conversation, I made eye contact most of the time. But I really didn't want to look flirty or anything looking at my friend all throughout the conversation. 


            Because of the shades, it made me feel like he was looking straight at me all the time!


           I didn't know when to avert my face, look in another direction and yeah, pretty much looking somewhere else. All the while, I was so conscious of where I was looking and what I was doing.
Oh, and another thing. The shades made me feel like he was looking at me and at the same time, he was not looking at me.


           Definitely weird. But that's really how I felt. 


           Now that I remember this, it's just a funny memory.


           Would you talk to someone wearing shades?