Your cell phone is an extension of your arm !

Cellphones are not just a part of our lives but they control our lives to a large extent now. While everyone may not be tech savvy but there are enough cell savvy people around. And their love for their gadget knows no bounds. Don’t get us wrong, there’s nothing bad in loving your gadget but following some basic etiquette would go a long way in ensuring that your heart to heart chat doesn’t turn you into public nuisance.

WHAT’S PRIVATE ISN’T PUBLIC
* If you are talking to a loved one or a close confidante or discussing important business matters then you wouldn’t like everyone present in the room to be silent listeners. Also, while you may not think so but others may feel awkward if you discuss too many personal details. Excuse yourself and take your call.
* When in the company of others, neither take nor make telephone calls. Nothing is more irksome than being spurned by a friend whose frequent cell phone conversations take precedence over live tete-a-tete.
* Answering an incoming call in an interview or business meeting is a faux-pas that is to be avoided at all costs.

TALK AT THE RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME
*Don’t start shouting just because there’s signal problem. It won’t carry your voice through.
* In case the background is noisy and you are at a public place then try and go to a quieter place and then talk.
* Never burst out laughing when the joke is not meant to be shared with everyone. Better you enjoy it alone.
* At an event, keep your mobile silent. Imagine you trying to say something and other person playing the silly ringtone. It is a truth universally acknowledged that cell phones must be switched off in the theatre. There is absolutely no excuse. Offenders shall be tarred and feathered! Obviously, this also applies to the cinema, the symphony and spoken word and performance art. Rock concerts and hip-hop shows are generally considered exempt.

HANDS FREE

* When piloting an automobile, use a hands-free device or resist answering incoming calls. Not only is it dangerous to talk and drive, it is illegal too.
* Chatting on your phone while walking the road may pique pedestrians.
* Having hands free doesn’t mean you have the freedom to talk just about anywhere. Better is to do one thing at a time than be lost in your conversation and ignore what others are saying.

HAVE LENS, WILL SHOOT

* A camera mobile shouldn’t make you trigger happy. Respect the privacy of others. Don’t click pics without their consent.
* Always shut the lens of your camera mobile when not in use. This helps a lot in avoiding problems as there are people who might get offended even if a camera is pointed at them.
*Turn off camera’s flash wherever applicable like at a zoo using a flash light can be distractive.

Man, Woman & Manners : At a formal dinner !

What to do if the table is improperly set:
Don’t rearrange an improperly arranged place setting and offend the hostess. In a restaurant, where an improperly set table does not reflect on the skills of the host, quietly rearrange the ware for comfort.

Where to place the hands when eating:
To avoid creating an obstruction to your dinner partner, when holding a utensil, rest your other hand in your lap. When not holding any utensils, both hands remain in the lap.


Do one thing at a time:
If you want to sip your wine, temporarily rest your fork or knife on the plate.

Resist the urge:
To create a relaxed ambience, resist the urge to fidget. For cleanliness, keep the hands away from the face and hair.

Posture:
Good posture at the table means sitting straight with the back rested slightly against the back of the chair. To avoid spills, lean over the plate each time you take a bite. Never tip a chair backward. Avoid wrapping your feet around the legs of the chair. Refrain from leaning back and extending your legs under the table, putting your arm on the back of a dinner partner’s chair, or looping your arm around the back of the chair. To do otherwise, blocks service and obstructs others from the conversation.

Elbows and forearms off the table:
To avoid crowding one’s dinner partner during a meal, the elbows remain close to the body and off the table. To prevent a barrier to conversation, the forearm and hand are not wrapped around the plate. But between courses, in the interest of hearing conversation at a crowded or noisy table, the elbows are rested on the table so one may lean forward, or the wrist and forearm are placed on the edge of the table.

Reaching at the table:
To keep from creating an obstruction for others at the table, reach only for ware close enough to grasp in one fluid motion. Otherwise, ask a guest to pass it to you.

Dealing with disagreeable food:
When food that you don’t like or can’t eat is served, rather than make an issue, take a small portion. Place the portion on the plate, and eat a small amount (or none at all). To compensate, take larger portions of other foods. For a severe allergy, say, ‘No, thank you’. At a buffet, take only the foods you like.

Spilled food:
When a guest spills food at a formal affair, a butler takes the appropriate action. But at an informal meal, the diner quickly lifts the food with a utensil and places it on the side of his plate. However, if food is spilled on another guest, the diner apologises and offers to pay for cleaning.

How large a portion to take from a platter:
When a platter of pre-sliced food is presented, and each slice is an ample size, take one serving. But if the slices are small, and it looks as if there are enough servings for each guest to have two, take two for yourself. As a courtesy to the last guest, make sure to leave enough food on the platter so he or she has a choice from several portions.

To refuse a beverage:
Do not wave the hands or cover up a glass or turn a cup upside down, simply say, ‘No thank you.’ When a guest refuses a glass of wine, see that he or she is given a glass of water.

Second helping:
At a formal affair, a multi-course menu is served that precludes the need to offer second helpings. However, at an informal meal, the menu is simpler and second helpings are encouraged. If the hostess does not offer second helpings, do not ask for them.

Open the bottle with style !

No party is complete without wine. So, it is important to learn how to open that wine bottle just right, with style !

While serving wine at a party has become a norm, there are still some who shy away from opening a bottle right away. Simply because they do not know how to open one. It’s actually pretty simple to open a bottle of wine. These steps are for a doubleaction (or wing) corkscrew, which has two arms (or wings) that help lever the cork out of the bottle.

Remove the top of the lead or foil capsule by cutting around the rim of the bottle with the sharp point of the corkscrew. The arms of the corkscrew will have to be raised for this step. You can also make a slit in the foil and remove the whole capsule before beginning. Stand the bottle on a flat, hard surface at mid-chest level or lower. Lower the arms of the corkscrew. Holding the corkscrew as vertically and straight as possible, place the sharp end into the middle of the cork. Securely grasp the top of the bottle and the lower end of the corkscrew with one hand. With the other hand, begin turning the handle of the corkscrew clock-wise, applying an even, constant downward pressure into the cork. As the corkscrew goes into the cork, its arms will begin to rise. Apply more pressure if the corkscrew will not penetrate the cork. Keep turning the handle until the arms of the corkscrew are completely raised and the screw is well into the cork. With one hand on each arm of the corkscrew, press the arms down. This will lift the cork out of the bottle. Wrap your hand around the base of the corkscrew and lift straight up. Remove the foil, if necessary. Twist the cork off the corkscrew.

Wipe the rim of the bottle with a damp towel before serving, to remove any stray pieces of cork and, more importantly, any lead left by the foil. Avoid corkscrews that penetrate the cork with a solid, ridged metal screw, which can tear it apart. Instead, use a corkscrew with a metal spiral resembling a cartoon pig’s tail.

Women always prefer Gentlemen !

Is expectation of chivalry dead? If it is, is that a good thing? A new guide to chivalry for the modern man Manners for Men is selling like hot cakes abroad. The guide promises to equip any male with style and panache to confront every social challenge —from guidance on being an erotic lover and dealing with female bosses to training on how to open a door for a woman and how to play the date game. But are these old notions of etiquette valid in today’s world, where women claim to be second to none? Maybe, in today’s post-feminist society, it’s time to remind rules of etiquette and chivalry.

THE ETIQUETTE READY RECKONER FOR MEN :

*Maintain good hygiene; take care of body odour, use deo.

*Resist from lapsing into locker room conversations, swear words and slang .

*Use 'thank you' and 'please’ liberally.

*Treat female colleagues and friends with respect.

*Stop staring at the wrong places. Women know instinctively.