P-L-E-A-S-E don't be R-U-D-E

The MAtH (man about the house) and I find Dianne Isbell's 'tweeting' today in her Monday Etiquette column in the Belleville News-Democrat stretching her tech credibility.

Me:  Dianne has a hot one today.

MAtH:  Purse hooks?

Me:  Well...That may figure in, but the first question she gets, if she didn't make this one up herself, is a doozy.

MAtH:  I know I'm going to hear it, so let's get it over with.

Me:  "I watched the president make his first presentation to Congress the other night. At first it looked to me like some in the audience were following his speech by looking at the words in a program they were holding. Then in the news media discussions after the speech, they said some of these members were using their Blackberries to text messages about the speech to other people."

MAtH:  Haha. 

Me:  "Is this disrespectful and rude or am I considered behind the technology power curve?"

MAtH:  She's asking a technology question to Dianne?

Me:  That's right, Dianne (no email) Isbell. 

Me:  This writer also signed off like this:  "I just want to say, "P-L-E-A-S-E!" How do you feel about this issue?"

MAtH:  Why the dashes between letters?  I though tech shouting was in bold caps  PLEASE.

Me:  I don't know, but Dianne had to copy that technique.  Her column headline reads, "Texting during any presentation is R-U-D-E.

MAtH:  What's interesting is that Dianne is assuming these congressmen and senators were texting.  From I've read, they were 'Tweeting' which is totally different from texting.

Me:  They were, they were sending reactions to the president's speech to Twitter.

MAtH:  It took a long time for members of congress to even put up websites and now they're on the cutting edge with Twitter.  Hard to believe. 

Me:  It does help pass the time when speeches go long.  I did read that someone did a fact check on these tweeters and found that hardly anyone was following their tweets. 

MAtH:  But it kept them from falling asleep. 

Me:  Dianne ought to get a Twitter account, that way she could communicate good manners all day long. 

MAtH:  She needs available email first.

Me:  You took the words right out of my mouth.  But, at the end of her column she advertises her next speaking engagement, "I will be speaking at "History of Ladies' Hats" and will have many of my vintage hats on display March 21st at the fourth annual Appraisal Fair at the Antique Mall of Perry County, in Nashville, Ill."

MAtH:  Wait.  She's going to be at the Antique Mall of Perry County in Nashville? 

Me:  That's what she said, talking about the history of ladies hats. 

MAtH:  Nashville is in Washington County.  It's actually the Washington County seat.  Does Dianne know where she's going?

Me:  She may end up in Pinckneyville.

MAtH:  There may be an interest in the history of ladies hats in Pinckneyville.

Me:  I find the topic hard to believe no matter where it's held.

MAtH:  And, she has her own collection of vintage hats!

MAtH:  All the women making reservations to attend and then ending up in Perry County looking for Nashville. 

Me:  The best case scenario is that you have to drive through Nashville to get to Perry County. 

MAtH:  Ok, this is getting too much for me.  Is there anything else?

Me:  Dianne received a few more pet peeves from wait staff after last week's column.

MAtH:  Oh Good.

Me:  Next week we'll hear from 'cocktail wait staff'.

MAtH:  Cocktail wait staff? 

Me:  Yes.

MAtH:  Everyone needs a drink after all this business today.

Me:  Congressmen probably did too after all their twittering.

MAtH:  So what was the latest from the wait staff?

Me:  You mentioned purse hooks.

MAtH:  I wish I hadn't.  I seem to remember Dianne having a dozen columns on purse hooks.

Me:  Well, at least five.

MAtH:  No, there had to have been more than five.

Me:  Can I get on with this?

MAtH:  12.  12, at least.

Me:  "We have always had to deal with and be careful about women diner's purses being placed on the floor next to their chairs instead of under their chair or under the table. It is difficult to be looking on the floor while trying to serve a plate of hot food and avoid catching your foot on the purse or purse strap."

MAtH:  Did Dianne mention purse hooks?

Me:  Not a peep.  But we will.

MAtH:  You might, but I'm heading out to work in the garden.

Me:  I'm going to see if Dianne is on Twitter.

MAtH:  Good luck with that.

Me:  Maybe someone who attends the history of ladies hats will twitter the talk.

MAtH:  If they can find Nashville in Perry County.

Comments

[Todd]

I'm Shocked! What you guys skipped was the part about people texting during sermons. I figured Dr. Dale would have a remedy for that one. Something on the order of calling them out to recite the 10 commandments.

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