Manners (and lack thereof)

Alright, I've beaten my deadlines and recovered my health so I'm going to write about manners as I said I would.

For several years I've been noticing a decline in manners in society. As a child I was taught that certain behaviour was unacceptable but I see examples of 'bad' manners every day. It may be a stomping, screaming, swearing child on the bus or a grown man shoving his way to the front of a queue. Whatever it is I see I can't help but purse my lips in a disapproving manner and glare at the offender.

Much worse than this, however, is when my friends are the culprits.

How do you tell an adult who is a guest in your house that you don't appreciate them putting their feet on the table? I've tried it, and was laughed at as a result. I've managed to make my views known on a couple of matters but have been informed that I'm 'bossy'. This is coming from someone who regularly visits, eats a load of sweets and leaves the wrappers all over my coffee table. I could go on for ages about all the irritating little things that make me want to shake people, but instead I'll ask one question.

When you visit someone else's home do you think it is important to respect their living space, their belongings and their wishes?

I do.

Excuses, excuses

I'm afraid I'm neglecting my poor blog again. Lingering illness and impending deadlines are occupying all my energy. However, I have opinions on manners (and lack thereof) to write about so I'll return soon.

In the meantime, here is a rather amusing view of creationism and evolution from Scott Adams.

Tonsils

For the hundredth time I wish I'd had my tonsils removed as a child.

I should not be able to feel my own tonsils when I swallow, it's disturbing. I should not be gagging from trying to swallow my own swollen uvula either, but there's nothing much that can be done about that!

Shopping list:
Ibuprofen
Cough mixture
Night Nurse
Lemsip

Somebody fix me please!

Intelligent Design?

I don't know about anyone else but I've been rather amused by the 'Intelligent design versus Darwinism' drama going on across the pond.

I'm all for religious belief. I have Christian family and atheist family so I grew up with quite a balanced view, getting both books about dinosaurs and bible stories to read. Unsurprisingly I ended up agnostic (which is a posh way of saying I haven't a clue whether there's a divine influence). I think it would be nice to really believe in something but I never will and I'm content with that.

However, I think there is a time and a place for religious study and that's the Religious Education class rather than the Science class. My only gripe with RE classes at school was that they focused heavily on Christianity at the expense of other religions (which I was interested in hearing about).

I thought the Flying Spaghetti Monster argument was brilliantly absurd and well worth a read if you're not the type to take these things seriously. However, it has a worrying background. It is now law in Kansas to tell schoolkids that the theory of evolution is 'controversial'!

The most recent development on this whole debacle has seen a court ruling in Dover, Pennsylvania that Darwinism must be taught as fact. This BBC article is interesting, particularly Judge Jones' comments.

The whole thing both scares and tickles me.

Family traditions: silly songs

I'm definitely getting into the festive spirit. I was just working away, minding my own business, when a carol my Pa used to sing to me popped into my head:

We three kings of Orient are,
One in a taxi, one in a car,
One on a scooter bibbing his hooter,
Following yonder star.

Oh all right then... it's Christmas time.

Last weekend was indeed hectic, with family and friends visiting, and social engagements aplenty ensuring we didn't stop once! Since then I've been battling with deadlines for my adult education and desperately trying to reduce the pile of paper on my desk at work so I have nothing exciting to say.

I've finally given in and accepted that it's Christmas though. Mr Incognito bought me a fluffy Santa hat and we have mince pies in the house.

"The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is."

C.S. Lewis folks. It seemed appropriate with the new film version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe coming out.

Yes, this post is about time and how I don't have enough of it. The full-time work and part-time study is manageable but adding housework, Christmas preparations and family visits to the mix makes me crazy.

All work and no play makes Girly want to cry.

Work is a little hectic right now and I have essays to write while I'm at home so the housework is taking a back seat, which ordinarily wouldn't worry me very much. However, both my family and Mr Incognito's family have decided to visit us this weekend!

Cue panic-driven cleaning frenzy.