Miss Manners resolution for her readers - don't dump your bills on your friends

[leno...@yahoo.com]

Common sense, right? Not according to the mail she receives.

It's MM's main peeve. You'd think those who write to her, even for the
first time, would have heard by now that she doesn't approve, no
matter how big or important the occasion is to the writer - such as a
wedding.

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=755601&category=LIFE

First fifth of the column:

"Here is a New Year's resolution for which nobody asked: Do not try to
live above your means.

"Yes, Miss Manners knows that everyone has resolved to cut back on
expenses. Probably every year since time began. It may be more urgent
now, but people are always doing that.

"However, that is not the resolution that Miss Manners proposes. She
is hoping for an end to the now commonplace attempts to live above
one's means by means of mean devices to use other people's means."

Lenona.

[leno...@yahoo.com]

And to quote what MM wrote years ago:

"If you can't afford champagne, serve punch. If you can't afford
punch, serve water. But serve it graciously."

Lenona.

[hara...@lycos.com]

Visit etiquettehell.com for HORROR stories of Gimme Pig Brides trying
to charge a cover charge to their weddings, etc.