Top 10 Rudest, Grossest, Most Annoying Habits of Fellow Diners

[Tara]

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2013/05/top-10-
rudest-grossest-most-annoying-habits-of-fellow-diners.html

http://tinyurl.com/beodge3

Tara

[sf]

On Sun, 19 May 2013 15:45:41 -0500, Tara <jarv...@ix.netcom.com>
wrote:

> http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2013/05/top-10-
> rudest-grossest-most-annoying-habits-of-fellow-diners.html
>
> http://tinyurl.com/beodge3
>

Yes! It's not just *my* pet peeve

--Cavemen (and Cavewomen): "I know it sounds snobby of me," says a
decidedly nonsnobby Epi editor, "but I can't stand eating with someone
who doesn't hold their knife and fork properly."



--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

[Je�us]

Why?

[Pico Rico]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:5meip8l8no8kotg1o...@4ax.com...

sort of makes me wonder what that might be.

[James Silverton]

Are we talking about eating two-handed European style or
fork-in-the-right hand American style? I am reasonably proficient at
either but there is also the correct Thai style with spoon and fork and
the Japanese/Chinese chopsticks both of which I can handle :-)

--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not." in Reply To.

[Pico Rico]

"James Silverton" <not.jim....@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:knbgcf$l4q$1...@dont-email.me...

I am proficient at the "pick up the bowl and shovel food into the mouth and
its surroundings" method.

[Dave Smith]

That list pretty well covers it, though I have issues with order of it.
I would put the techies at the top of the list. Carrying on a cellphone
conversation that everyone else can hear over and above the ambient
noise and personal conversations is bad enough, but constantly checking
for text messages??? Nope. That is rude beyond words. Next to that would
be letting your kids run wild and act up... take them to McDonalds or
some other fast food place designed for kids. The tedious orderers and
those who are rude to wait staff are about the same for me. If you want
something done a particular way, go to a restaurant that does it that
way or have it at home. Don't expect the team in the kitchen to be able
to understand your quirks third hand. As for being rude to wait
staff... that is a two way street. I have seen some pretty rude servers.

Screamers? Don't ever take a table next to a large group, and
especially if it is a group of women.

The way people hold their knife and fork ? I pity the people for not
having learned how to hold their utensils properly. I don't mean the
European vs. North American thing... but the over hand thing, holding
spoons and forks like a handlebar..... that is for small children... who
don't know any better. I am not going to allow it to spoil my dinner.

[Dave Smith]

Over hand... like holding onto handlebars.

[Julie Bove]

"Tara" <jarv...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:1vydncrrwcxopATM...@giganews.com...

They left off quite a few things. Like people who blow their nose or sneeze
and don't cover their mouth.

Then there are those who are not screaming but just talk too loudly. We
once had two couple seated behind us. Both were recently married and were
excitedly telling each other of their honeymoon trips. They were talking so
loudly and excitedly that we couldn't even hold a conversation at our own
table. And a lot of what they were talking about really did not make for a
good dining experience to me. I wound up leaving most of my food on my
plate and just getting out of there.

Then there is the adult person who whams back against the booth. I had this
happen many times. Once I started to turn around to ask the people to
please have their child sit still only to discover that the culprit was a
big, burly, mean looking man. I just turned right back and said nothing.

Last week, we were dining at a place that caters to seniors. And I think
someone had an accident. And not like dropping a dish. But the foul
smelling kind. Right as our food was being delivered. Yeah, it happens but
does not make for a good dining experience.

[Julie Bove]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:5meip8l8no8kotg1o...@4ax.com...

How exactly do you hold it wrong? I don't know why but I tend to hold a
fork as the Europeans do. Tines down when poking into something like a
piece of meat and tines down when entering my mouth. This drives people
nuts and I've been told that I am doing it wrong. If so then all of the
Europeans are wrong too!

[Cheri]

"Julie Bove" <juli...@frontier.com> wrote in message
news:knbl0b$aaa$1...@dont-email.me...

>
> "Tara" <jarv...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
> news:1vydncrrwcxopATM...@giganews.com...
>> http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2013/05/top-10-
>> rudest-grossest-most-annoying-habits-of-fellow-diners.html
>>
>> http://tinyurl.com/beodge3
>>
>> Tara
>
> They left off quite a few things. Like people who blow their nose or
> sneeze and don't cover their mouth.

The blowing the nose at the table is the worst to me.

Cheri

[Cheri]

"Julie Bove" <juli...@frontier.com> wrote in message

news:knbl3s$aoq$1...@dont-email.me...

In some places in the world people squat over holes to do their business
too, do you?

Cheri

[Dave Smith]

On 19/05/2013 6:59 PM, Cheri wrote:

>>
>> How exactly do you hold it wrong? I don't know why but I tend to hold
>> a fork as the Europeans do. Tines down when poking into something
>> like a piece of meat and tines down when entering my mouth. This
>> drives people nuts and I've been told that I am doing it wrong. If so
>> then all of the Europeans are wrong too!
>
> In some places in the world people squat over holes to do their business
> too, do you?

They don't do that at the table.

[Cheryl]

On 5/19/2013 5:52 PM, Dave Smith wrote:

> That list pretty well covers it, though I have issues with order of it.
> I would put the techies at the top of the list. Carrying on a cellphone
> conversation that everyone else can hear over and above the ambient
> noise and personal conversations is bad enough, but constantly checking
> for text messages??? Nope. That is rude beyond words. Next to that would
> be letting your kids run wild and act up... take them to McDonalds or
> some other fast food place designed for kids. The tedious orderers and
> those who are rude to wait staff are about the same for me. If you want
> something done a particular way, go to a restaurant that does it that
> way or have it at home. Don't expect the team in the kitchen to be able
> to understand your quirks third hand. As for being rude to wait
> staff... that is a two way street. I have seen some pretty rude servers.
>
> Screamers? Don't ever take a table next to a large group, and
> especially if it is a group of women.
>
> The way people hold their knife and fork ? I pity the people for not
> having learned how to hold their utensils properly. I don't mean the
> European vs. North American thing... but the over hand thing, holding
> spoons and forks like a handlebar..... that is for small children... who
> don't know any better. I am not going to allow it to spoil my dinner.
>
>

I just don't understand why anyone gets annoyed by texting or holding
flatware "wrong". Neither bother me one bit. My dad used to get
annoyed by men wearing ball caps in restaurants, but again that doesn't
bother me. Talking at a screeching level and screaming kids do bother
me though. Table bussers who toss flatware in a bin bothers me. So my
annoyances are just about noise.

--
CAPSLOCK–Preventing Login Since 1980.

[Julie Bove]

"Cheri" <che...@newsguy.com> wrote in message
news:knblg...@news1.newsguy.com...

No.

[jmcquown]

On 5/19/2013 8:06 PM, Cheryl wrote:
>>
> I just don't understand why anyone gets annoyed by texting or holding
> flatware "wrong". Neither bother me one bit. My dad used to get
> annoyed by men wearing ball caps in restaurants, but again that doesn't
> bother me. Talking at a screeching level and screaming kids do bother
> me though. Table bussers who toss flatware in a bin bothers me. So my
> annoyances are just about noise.
>

I don't think I've ever noticed if someone was texting or looking to see
if they got voicemail. Yelling into a cell phone is a different story.
For some reason, despite all the technological advances, people still
think they have to YELL into the phone.

Back in the day when mobile phones were a new thing (and huge!) maybe
people did have to speak up. But I always thought it was because they
were trying to seem important. Like, look at me! I'm such a big shot
they have to call me when I'm having lunch.

I don't care how someone holds their knife and fork nor do I pay
attention to it.

Jill

[Dave Smith]

On 19/05/2013 8:06 PM, Cheryl wrote:
> On 5/19/2013 5:52 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>

>> The way people hold their knife and fork ? I pity the people for not
>> having learned how to hold their utensils properly. I don't mean the
>> European vs. North American thing... but the over hand thing, holding
>> spoons and forks like a handlebar..... that is for small children... who
>> don't know any better. I am not going to allow it to spoil my dinner.
>>
>>
> I just don't understand why anyone gets annoyed by texting or holding
> flatware "wrong".

Why would people not be upset with a dining companion being more
interested in texting than in their company. IMO it ranks up there with
pulling out a newspaper or a magazine and tuning out your companion.
It's rude.

> Neither bother me one bit. My dad used to get
> annoyed by men wearing ball caps in restaurants, but again that doesn't
> bother me.

Your dad would like my son's restaurant. They don't allow ball caps. The
policy keeps out the riffraff.

> Talking at a screeching level and screaming kids do bother
> me though. Table bussers who toss flatware in a bin bothers me. So my
> annoyances are just about noise.

I cannot be upset withe a screaming child. A child who screams should
not be taken into restaurants. Children should not be taken to
restaurants until they are old enough to know how to behave. I lay the
blame squarely on the parents.

I am reminded of a local bakery coffee shop where I suggested that they
remove the children's play area and put in a a couple extra tables. I
figured they would have room for paying customers instead of a
playground for kids while their mothers nurse a cup of coffee for an
hour or two.... not to mention the kids scaring away paying customers.
The owner said he couldn't do that because they mothers would object. I
suggested it was a choice between them or people he could make a profit
from. That place did not last much longer.

[Julie Bove]

"Dave Smith" <adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:dNdmt.144712$Zu6....@fed09.iad...

> They don't do that at the table.

Do they air Brak there? It's a really odd cartoon for adults. The main
character is some sort of a tiger and his friend is some sort of insect.
Both parents are human but the dad is oddly small and doesn't move much.
Actually I think the mom might be an alien. Not sure.

In one episode they are going to celebrate something or other and the dad
says they will go out to get fish pockets for dinner. But then they learn
that Brak didn't do something he was supposed to (homework?) so they send
him to his room for punishment and say that they will take the friend out
for fish pockets. Then the friend asks the mom if he can go to the
bathroom. She tells him that they can.

Then they are leaving. The mom reminds the friend that he was going to use
the bathroom. So he gets up from the kitchen chair and says that he already
did.

[Julie Bove]

"Cheri" <che...@newsguy.com> wrote in message

news:knble...@news1.newsguy.com...

Yes. And my dad does it all the time. We can't seem to stop him.

[Julie Bove]

"Cheryl" <jlhs...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:519968f1$0$63292$c3e8da3$3a1a...@news.astraweb.com...

> I just don't understand why anyone gets annoyed by texting or holding
> flatware "wrong". Neither bother me one bit. My dad used to get annoyed
> by men wearing ball caps in restaurants, but again that doesn't bother me.
> Talking at a screeching level and screaming kids do bother me though.
> Table bussers who toss flatware in a bin bothers me. So my annoyances are
> just about noise.

I freaking HATE cell phones! Thankfully I don't see too many people using
them in a restaurant. And if I did see a person sitting alone and texting,
it wouldn't bother me. But it does bother me when we are out somewhere and
a person is talking very loudly on their phone and it isn't a quick phone
calls. Two scenarios that we see quite often are people talking of personal
details, like sex stuff or complaining to someone and using bad words like
"that asshole" or "I wanted to f-ing kill him!"

Or the foreign person in line at the grocery store. They are babbling away
in whatever language and totally ignoring the clerk. They do not pay when
they are supposed to and in several cases we saw problems that the clerk and
other workers had to totally take care of on their own. Perhaps the phone
talker orchestrated it to be this way? Don't know. One more than one
occasion, they have WIC or some similar kind of food coupons but whatever
they picked up wasn't the right item. Because they will not let loose of
their phone or even look at the clerk, the clerk has to figure what best to
do. Each time this happens, my daughter and I just glare at the person and
give them dirty looks. But they never seem to notice!

One thing that I totally hate about cell phones is that people tend to call
you at the worst times. I once got a call in a restaurant from my Drs.
office. I didn't want to take it there. And I didn't have many options. I
could go in the restroom but this place had a very tiny restroom and it was
very drafty. And it was winter so I knew it would be cold in there. Plus I
hadn't ordered yet so I didn't want to leave the table. I couldn't go
outside or even to my car because we were by a busy loud road and I wouldn't
have bee able to hear. The bad thing about this Drs. office is that they
always call me when I'm out to dinner. They don't call me often but they
must think that I dine out all the time!

[jmcquown]

> On 19/05/2013 8:06 PM, Cheryl wrote:
>> On 5/19/2013 5:52 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>>
>
>> I just don't understand why anyone gets annoyed by texting or holding
>> flatware "wrong".
>
> Why would people not be upset with a dining companion being more
> interested in texting than in their company. IMO it ranks up there with
> pulling out a newspaper or a magazine and tuning out your companion.
> It's rude.
>

When I replied I was thinking about people at nearby tables, not the
person I was dining *with*. Now THAT would annoy me.

I don't care how anyone holds their flatware. I never seen adults grip
forks or spoons in their fists like little kids do, which referred to.

Jill

[Cheryl]

On 5/19/2013 8:35 PM, jmcquown wrote:

>> On 19/05/2013 8:06 PM, Cheryl wrote:
>>> On 5/19/2013 5:52 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>>>
>>
>>> I just don't understand why anyone gets annoyed by texting or holding
>>> flatware "wrong".
>>
>> Why would people not be upset with a dining companion being more
>> interested in texting than in their company. IMO it ranks up there with
>> pulling out a newspaper or a magazine and tuning out your companion.
>> It's rude.
>>
> When I replied I was thinking about people at nearby tables, not the
> person I was dining *with*. Now THAT would annoy me.
>

Same here, I wasn't thinking you meant people you're with. But then I
have a niece whose nose is always in her cell phone so I'm used to it.
Others, too, to a lesser extent than her as well. Still doesn't bother me.

> I don't care how anyone holds their flatware. I never seen adults grip
> forks or spoons in their fists like little kids do, which referred to.
>
> Jill

[gregz]

I almost annoy myself, like the last two days at dinner, sweating and nose
blowing chewing red Savinas. I was by my self. That was a treat finding
this at my grocery.

Greg

[Julie Bove]

I guess I am lucky in that I don't encounter screaming children often. Once
in a while I will at the dance studio. I can not stand it. I will usually
stare at the parents and they are usually clueless and just let it happen.
Oddly enough these families where this seems like normal behavior are often
home schooling families. Not only do they let them scream, but run wildly,
poke at, kick or in some other way annoy other people. The parents do
nothing. Certainly not saying that all home schooling people do this but
I've seen several families like this. I can not stand to be around them.

I do try to ignore it as best I can if it is clear that the child has
special needs. I don't think the parent can help that.

[Ed Pawlowski]

On Sun, 19 May 2013 20:06:08 -0400, Cheryl <jlhs...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>>
>I just don't understand why anyone gets annoyed by texting or holding
>flatware "wrong". Neither bother me one bit.

If you are alone, texting is OK. No different that reading a book or
magazine at the table. If you are with others, it is rude to the
guests and most likely is even if you were not at dinner, be it home
or at a restaurant.

> My dad used to get
>annoyed by men wearing ball caps in restaurants, but again that doesn't
>bother me.

IMO, it is just poor manners. From the older generation, we were
taught to remove our hats indoors. I still do. A cap is a bit of
protective clothing and should be removed, just like a heavy winter
coat.

>Talking at a screeching level and screaming kids do bother
>me though. Table bussers who toss flatware in a bin bothers me. So my
>annoyances are just about noise.

Yep.

[Malcom "Mal" Reynolds]

In article <knbl0b$aaa$1...@dont-email.me>,

"Julie Bove" <juli...@frontier.com> wrote:

>
> Then there are those who are not screaming but just talk too loudly. We
> once had two couple seated behind us.

oh that's so easy to deal with: just turn to them and ask politely
"would you talk a little louder, we're having trouble understanding
you." works every time

[James Silverton]

Hat etiquette is something I'd forgotten. It is difficult to get used to
wearing a hat outdoors but I do so to prevent minor skin cancers. Not
having worn one for 40 years I have a tendency to forget to take it off
indoors. Another problem is that, if I take it off, I forget to pick it
up when I leave so I put it on the table in restaurants.

[Julie Bove]

"James Silverton" <not.jim....@verizon.net> wrote in message

news:knc1jg$qrp$1...@dont-email.me...

> Hat etiquette is something I'd forgotten. It is difficult to get used to
> wearing a hat outdoors but I do so to prevent minor skin cancers. Not
> having worn one for 40 years I have a tendency to forget to take it off
> indoors. Another problem is that, if I take it off, I forget to pick it up
> when I leave so I put it on the table in restaurants.

I can't tell you how many times my dad has left hats and coats in
restaurants.

[sf]

It's a way that's commonly called "clubbing"... fingers are wrapped
around the handle the way one would hold a broomstick. There's no
other way to describe it that I can think of at the moment. If you
can't imagine it, then you've never seen it. Lucky you!

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

[sf]

That's not "wrong", it's just different.

[sf]

On Sun, 19 May 2013 17:52:58 -0400, Dave Smith
<adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote:

> The way people hold their knife and fork ? I pity the people for not
> having learned how to hold their utensils properly. I don't mean the
> European vs. North American thing... but the over hand thing, holding
> spoons and forks like a handlebar..... that is for small children... who
> don't know any better. I am not going to allow it to spoil my dinner.
>

I don't even care if people hold their knife as if they are holding a
pen/pencil. Clubbing utensils drives me up the wall. Were they
brought up in a cave? Saying they were brought up in a barn would be
too complementary.

[sf]

On Sun, 19 May 2013 15:58:09 -0700, "Cheri" <che...@newsguy.com>
wrote:

Get over it.

[Julie Bove]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message

news:ksajp812roga7kbk5...@4ax.com...

I've never seen an adult do this unless they had special needs or perhaps an
elderly person who has lost control of their fine muscles.

[Julie Bove]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message

news:l3bjp8t8afqnlaco1...@4ax.com...

Not gonna get over it when their nose stuff gets in my food or drink or they
are using their hands (unwashed after blowing) to eat communal food. Nope.

[sf]

You haven't looked around then. They're everywhere... otherwise
innocuous looking people who never learned how to use a knife and fork
properly, doing that handlebar thing or clubbing their fork while they
hack away with their knife.

[sf]

You eat in Moroccan restaurants?

[Dave Smith]

On 19/05/2013 8:15 PM, jmcquown wrote:
> On 5/19/2013 8:06 PM, Cheryl wrote:
>>>
>> I just don't understand why anyone gets annoyed by texting or holding
>> flatware "wrong". Neither bother me one bit. My dad used to get
>> annoyed by men wearing ball caps in restaurants, but again that doesn't
>> bother me. Talking at a screeching level and screaming kids do bother
>> me though. Table bussers who toss flatware in a bin bothers me. So my
>> annoyances are just about noise.
>>
> I don't think I've ever noticed if someone was texting or looking to see
> if they got voicemail. Yelling into a cell phone is a different story.
> For some reason, despite all the technological advances, people still
> think they have to YELL into the phone.

I have seen it a few times. I was in a coffee shop a couple months ago
and there were two young women at the next table who were frequently
checking their phones and sending texts. At times they were both texting
at the same time. Last month we were at a food and wine show and four of
us were seated at a large communal table. For a while there was a young
guy and two women, and one of the women was constantly checking her
phone for texts or messages. It was a pretty clear sign that she was
really bored with their company.

[Dave Smith]

On 19/05/2013 8:35 PM, jmcquown wrote:
When I replied I was thinking about people at nearby tables, not the
> person I was dining *with*. Now THAT would annoy me.
>
> I don't care how anyone holds their flatware. I never seen adults grip
> forks or spoons in their fists like little kids do, which referred to.

I had a co-worker who did it. Since we were working on the road and on
expense accounts, we ate in restaurants almost every day and often got
together for meals. To be perfectly honest, I don't remember how most
of the others held their forks but I was always slightly shocked to see
a grown man holding forks and spoons in his fist.

[Dave Smith]

On 20/05/2013 12:54 AM, sf wrote:
>
>>>
>>> They left off quite a few things. Like people who blow their nose or
>>> sneeze and don't cover their mouth.
>>
>> The blowing the nose at the table is the worst to me.
>>
> Get over it.
>

No. I agree with Cheri. I gentle blow isn't too bad, but when someone is
blowing huge amounts of snot and clearing out entire nasal passages.....
gross. Leave the table. Please.

[Cheri]

"Julie Bove" <juli...@frontier.com> wrote in message

news:kncf7o$bd4$1...@dont-email.me...

Me either. We have a friend that does it all the time, if the napkins on the
table are paper, he's just as apt to use one of those. He doesn't do it
other times, so it's not a chronic condition. Here's how we handle it after
many years, we don't go out with him anymore. We have him over, or we go
there for a visit.

Cheri

[Cheri]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:l3bjp8t8afqnlaco1...@4ax.com...

No, I won't get over it, people that have the disgusting habit of doing
it...really should though.

Cheri

[Cheri]

"Dave Smith" <adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message

news:h3pmt.73998$Rk4....@fed08.iad...

And looking at it after they've blown! As you say, there's a huge difference
in a gentle blow or dab, than an out and out honk that goes on and on.
Personally, it's gotten so bad with our friend that we've stopped going out
to restaurants with him. Love him dearly otherwise, but he has been told by
more than one person and he still does it.

Cheri

[jmcquown]

I was wondering how often she eats in restaurants where people eat
"communal food" with their hands. ;)

Having said that, I don't blow my nose at the table. I'd excuse myself.
If I sneezed (I don't carry handkerchiefs around with me) I'd turn
away from the table and cover my face with my hands. Then I'd go wash
my hands.

Jill

[sf]

Good grief! I must keep more refined company because I've never seen
that cartoonish behavior - even in fast food joints (I will not call
those things a restaurant).

[Cheri]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message

news:r68kp8p01t4ighe47...@4ax.com...

I'd say you're very lucky, though I've personally not seen the behavior you
described with people holding their eating utensils like mop handles, which
I would much prefer to nose blowing at the table.

Cheri

[Helpful person]

On May 19, 5:37 pm, James Silverton <not.jim.silver...@verizon.net>
wrote:
>
> Are we talking about eating two-handed European style or
> fork-in-the-right hand American style? I am reasonably proficient at
> either but there is also the correct Thai style with spoon and fork and
> the Japanese/Chinese chopsticks both of which I can handle :-)

>
> --
> Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)
>

And in India, eating with your hands and fingers.

http://www.richardfisher.com

[Dave Smith]

On 20/05/2013 9:04 AM, Cheri wrote:

> Me either. We have a friend that does it all the time, if the napkins on
> the table are paper, he's just as apt to use one of those. He doesn't do
> it other times, so it's not a chronic condition. Here's how we handle it
> after many years, we don't go out with him anymore. We have him over, or
> we go there for a visit.
>

Years ago I was on an out of town course, staying at the hotel and
eating in the hotel restaurant. The instructor/ coordinator was a great
guy, very knowledgeable, friendly, supportive, an al round good guy.
Then one day we were at the table and, having a cold, he blew his nose
into the cloth napkin. I was disgusted and have not been able to get
over it even after all these years. That was gross.

[James Silverton]

Remember, right hand only since the left is used for another activity!

--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

[Julie Bove]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message

news:rk6kp8l58uq4oend5...@4ax.com...

I don't think they are. I sure haven't seen them and I do tend to people
watch when we are out.

[Julie Bove]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message

news:ct6kp89o4bjiubnqt...@4ax.com...

I haven't yet. We do eat a lot of Mexican food though. And we share the
chips and dips.

[sf]

On Mon, 20 May 2013 09:12:13 -0400, jmcquown <j_mc...@comcast.net>
wrote:

> If I sneezed (I don't carry handkerchiefs around with me) I'd turn
> away from the table and cover my face with my hands. Then I'd go wash
> my hands.

Never sneeze into your hand because you'll spread your germs all over
everything on your way to the bathroom, sneeze into the crook of your
arm.

[Julie Bove]

"jmcquown" <j_mc...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:avulph...@mid.individual.net...

> On 5/20/2013 8:49 AM, sf wrote:
>> On Sun, 19 May 2013 23:22:29 -0700, "Julie Bove"
>> <juli...@frontier.com> wrote:
>>
>>>>
>>> Not gonna get over it when their nose stuff gets in my food or drink or
>>> they
>>> are using their hands (unwashed after blowing) to eat communal food.
>>> Nope.
>>>
>> You eat in Moroccan restaurants?
>>
> I was wondering how often she eats in restaurants where people eat
> "communal food" with their hands. ;)

Mexican. Chips and dip. Also if I order French fries, often the whole
table shares the order. Although some people might eat only one or two.

>
> Having said that, I don't blow my nose at the table. I'd excuse myself.
> If I sneezed (I don't carry handkerchiefs around with me) I'd turn away
> from the table and cover my face with my hands. Then I'd go wash my
> hands.

Me too.

[Dave Smith]

On 20/05/2013 9:09 AM, Cheri wrote:

> And looking at it after they've blown! As you say, there's a huge
> difference in a gentle blow or dab, than an out and out honk that goes
> on and on. Personally, it's gotten so bad with our friend that we've
> stopped going out to restaurants with him. Love him dearly otherwise,
> but he has been told by more than one person and he still does it.
>

Like another co-worker.... who I will call "Andy" because that was his
name and we coined the term " getting Andied" for his knack of coming
arranging to meet us for lunch or dinner and then not having any money
to pay. It was even worse that he always seemed to eat twice as much as
I did and run up a huge bill.... then claim it on his expense account
and not reimburse the person who actually paid for it. We got to the
point where we made him show us his money before we would allow him to
go into a restaurant with us. He also suffered from allergies and would
frequently purge his sinuses into kleenex at the table. I don't remember
if he ever examined the massive discharge. I was probably looking the
other way in revulsion. It is not very appetizing.

[Julie Bove]

"Dave Smith" <adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message

news:dZomt.73996$Rk4....@fed08.iad...

The place where I see a lot of cell phone stuff is the waiting room at the
Drs. office. Can't tell you how many times I've heard a person (usually an
older person), shouting to someone on the phone about their medical
problems. Or they are sitting there poking and poking at their devices as
though it were the most interesting thing in the world. If they come in
together they often do this at the same time and then nudge the other person
to show them what's on their device. I always want to raise my hand and
say, "Show me too! I wanna see!"

Because I don't have a Smart Phone or even a Qwerty keyboard on mine, I
guess I'll never know what they are doing. I just find it hard that a
device could be so engrossing to a person. I dislike people who call and
text me just because they are bored. I only call someone from my cell when
I am out somewhere if there is an immediate need to reach them.

[Julie Bove]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message

news:r68kp8p01t4ighe47...@4ax.com...

You've never dined with my dad. I grew up with it. We could never lose him
in a store or any place like that because of the constant nose blowing. And
it's very loud!

[Julie Bove]

"Cheri" <che...@newsguy.com> wrote in message
news:knd80...@news1.newsguy.com...

Me too.

[Julie Bove]

"Cheri" <che...@newsguy.com> wrote in message

news:knd71...@news1.newsguy.com...

In the case of my dad, it is chronic. At least we have gotten him to stop
playing a game and go wash his hands after he has done it. But we can't
seem to stop it while eating.

[Julie Bove]

"Dave Smith" <adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message

news:gwqmt.74079$Rk4....@fed08.iad...

I was the assistant for a Home Ec class. There was a boy in it who had a
very long fancy name. First name was Gaylord but I can't remember his last
name. He always wore a suit and tie and carried a brief case. So you can
imagine that in the 1970's, other kids poked fun at him.

Then one day, he opened his brief case, took out a handkerchief, laid it on
the table, one of the very same tables where the kids ate the food that they
had cooked, leaned his head ever so slightly forward, and blew snot in it.
That's right, the handkerchief was nowhere near his face. I quickly looked
around in horror and some of the other kids gave me the same look. He then
picked up the handkerchief to examine it. Then he folded it up and put it
back in the briefcase. Ppppyuck!

[sf]

On Mon, 20 May 2013 07:59:12 -0700, "Julie Bove"
<juli...@frontier.com> wrote:

> Can't tell you how many times I've heard a person (usually an
> older person), shouting to someone on the phone about their medical
> problems.

I have a decent (dumb) phone and Verizon. I can hear the person on
the other end of the line just fine, but I always feel like I'm
shouting because when I talk in what I think is a normal volume the
person at the other end of the line asks me to repeat myself. It's
really annoying, so I'd rather not talk.

I turned off texting years ago because there was no point paying the
phone company for the service so they could send more texts to me than
my friends and relatives combined. I figure if someone wants to tell
me something, they can call or email. If they don't, then it wasn't
important enough. Unfortunately, my favorite niece always forgets and
texts me - then wonders why I don't reply. I guess the phone company
doesn't notify the sender that I'm not "accepting" texts.

I think that sort of thing runs in the family because her mother's
landline had caller ID or whatever it's called turned off so our cell
phones can't tell us who it is when she calls from that line. We let
it go to voice-mail, because the caller is not identified and she gets
offended because we didn't answer. It doesn't sink in that we don't
take calls from unidentified parties. This has gone on for years, so
she's not going to learn or change her ways. I guess we're in a
Mexican stand-off concerning that particular matter.

[Julie Bove]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message

news:mkekp85j1d1qcie26...@4ax.com...

> On Mon, 20 May 2013 07:59:12 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> <juli...@frontier.com> wrote:
>
>> Can't tell you how many times I've heard a person (usually an
>> older person), shouting to someone on the phone about their medical
>> problems.
>
> I have a decent (dumb) phone and Verizon. I can hear the person on
> the other end of the line just fine, but I always feel like I'm
> shouting because when I talk in what I think is a normal volume the
> person at the other end of the line asks me to repeat myself. It's
> really annoying, so I'd rather not talk.
>

The problem I had when my husband was in NY was that he got very bad
reception. Neither of us could understand each other. I just kept telling
him to e-mail me! I really truly hate getting texts. Fine if it is an
emergency but it never was. I am one of those people who snaps to when I
get a text or a phone call because for the most part, the other people in my
life do not call my cell phone just to shoot the breeze. And they know
enough not to call my house until after dinner unless it is something
important. So it annoys the peewaddins out of me to get calls or texts just
because the other person is bored.

> I turned off texting years ago because there was no point paying the
> phone company for the service so they could send more texts to me than
> my friends and relatives combined. I figure if someone wants to tell
> me something, they can call or email. If they don't, then it wasn't
> important enough. Unfortunately, my favorite niece always forgets and
> texts me - then wonders why I don't reply. I guess the phone company
> doesn't notify the sender that I'm not "accepting" texts.

I wound up getting unlimited texting. I was paying a fortune for all of
those texts that husband was sending me. Then when Angela first got her
phone, she was beng bombarded with texts. We had no choice but to get
unlimited. If there was a way for me to turn off texting just for my phone,
I would want to! But now the Drs. offices, dentist and even the vet are
using texts to remind me of appointments.

>
> I think that sort of thing runs in the family because her mother's
> landline had caller ID or whatever it's called turned off so our cell
> phones can't tell us who it is when she calls from that line. We let
> it go to voice-mail, because the caller is not identified and she gets
> offended because we didn't answer. It doesn't sink in that we don't
> take calls from unidentified parties. This has gone on for years, so
> she's not going to learn or change her ways. I guess we're in a
> Mexican stand-off concerning that particular matter.

My mother is driving me nuts lately. Keeps calling me and asking if I have
called! Sometimes I think she just thinks the phone is ringing. There is a
way on her phone to see who called but I'm not even going to bother to try
to show her. She seems to be repellent to be able to learn or remember
anything any more, despite her frequent claims that she was a straight A
student.

[jmcquown]

On 5/20/2013 10:54 AM, sf wrote:
> On Mon, 20 May 2013 09:12:13 -0400, jmcquown <j_mc...@comcast.net>
> wrote:
>
>> If I sneezed (I don't carry handkerchiefs around with me) I'd turn
>> away from the table and cover my face with my hands. Then I'd go wash
>> my hands.
>
> Never sneeze into your hand because you'll spread your germs all over
> everything on your way to the bathroom, sneeze into the crook of your
> arm.
>

Uh, what?! You're kidding, right? I'm supposed to throw my arm up over
my face (possibly hitting the person sitting next to me) in order to
sneeze into the crook of my arm?

Then what? I wipe it off with a napkin? Or excuse myself to go wash my
arm? The same germs would spread on that long walk, too.

I've never heard of anything quite so ridiculous.

Jill

[Dave Smith]

On 20/05/2013 12:15 PM, jmcquown wrote:

> Uh, what?! You're kidding, right? I'm supposed to throw my arm up over
> my face (possibly hitting the person sitting next to me) in order to
> sneeze into the crook of my arm?
>
> Then what? I wipe it off with a napkin? Or excuse myself to go wash my
> arm? The same germs would spread on that long walk, too.
>
> I've never heard of anything quite so ridiculous.

It was the advice given by public health workers during recent flu
outbreaks. The suggested that people sneezing in public cover their
mouths, and to use the crook of their arm rather than their hand because
their hand was more likely to come into contact with people, food, door
handles, water taps etc.

[Nunya Bidnits]

Dave Smith <adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote:
> On 19/05/2013 8:06 PM, Cheryl wrote:

>> On 5/19/2013 5:52 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>>
>
>>> The way people hold their knife and fork ? I pity the people for not
>>> having learned how to hold their utensils properly. I don't mean the
>>> European vs. North American thing... but the over hand thing,
>>> holding spoons and forks like a handlebar..... that is for small
>>> children... who don't know any better. I am not going to allow it
>>> to spoil my dinner.

>> I just don't understand why anyone gets annoyed by texting or holding
>> flatware "wrong".
>

> Why would people not be upset with a dining companion being more
> interested in texting than in their company. IMO it ranks up there
> with pulling out a newspaper or a magazine and tuning out your
> companion. It's rude.

>
>
>
>
>> Neither bother me one bit. My dad used to get
>> annoyed by men wearing ball caps in restaurants, but again that
>> doesn't bother me.
>
>

> Your dad would like my son's restaurant. They don't allow ball caps.
> The policy keeps out the riffraff.
>

Ball caps = riffraff? Huh? Fact is, some very well off ball-cap-wearing
people spend very good money in restaurants. It's one thing to have a dress
code at a high end place. It seems quite different to enforce a selective
policy over a particular item of clothing. Around here that kind of thing
tends to draw ridicule. But I suppose the ball cap demographic could be very
different where you live.

Not sure if you are serious but if someone in a restaurant gave me grief
about wearing a cap, I'd just eat elsewhere, which is their loss since I
tend to talk a lot about where I eat and I'm a rather generous tipper.

If you need to be outside for whatever reason, a ball cap can be quite
helpful. But it messes up the hair so taking it off can make one look pretty
silly. Midwesterners are not about to give up their caps for the privilege
of eating somewhere.

What if I wore some other kind of hat? Would he let me in?

Just curious.

MartyB

[Nunya Bidnits]

Dave Smith <adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote:
> I was always slightly shocked to
> see a grown man holding forks and spoons in his fist.

That is known as the "shovel position". To do this correctly, one must also
adopt a posture of humping over the plate with face less than 4" from the
food.

[Nunya Bidnits]

James Silverton <not.jim....@verizon.net> wrote:

> Hat etiquette is something I'd forgotten. It is difficult to get used
> to wearing a hat outdoors but I do so to prevent minor skin cancers.
> Not having worn one for 40 years I have a tendency to forget to take
> it off indoors. Another problem is that, if I take it off, I forget
> to pick it up when I leave so I put it on the table in restaurants.

That gives you the opportunity to stash a snack for later inside the hat.

Just sayin'.

[Nunya Bidnits]

Cheri <che...@newsguy.com> wrote:
> "Julie Bove" <juli...@frontier.com> wrote in message

> news:kncf7o$bd4$1...@dont-email.me...

>>
>> "sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message

>> news:l3bjp8t8afqnlaco1...@4ax.com...
>>> On Sun, 19 May 2013 15:58:09 -0700, "Cheri" <che...@newsguy.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> "Julie Bove" <juli...@frontier.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:knbl0b$aaa$1...@dont-email.me...
>>>>>
>>>>> "Tara" <jarv...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
>>>>> news:1vydncrrwcxopATM...@giganews.com...
>>>>>> http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2013/05/top-10-
>>>>>> rudest-grossest-most-annoying-habits-of-fellow-diners.html
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://tinyurl.com/beodge3
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Tara
>>>>>
>>>>> They left off quite a few things. Like people who blow their
>>>>> nose or sneeze and don't cover their mouth.
>>>>
>>>> The blowing the nose at the table is the worst to me.
>>>>
>>> Get over it.
>>
>> Not gonna get over it when their nose stuff gets in my food or drink
>> or they are using their hands (unwashed after blowing) to eat
>> communal food. Nope.
>

> Me either. We have a friend that does it all the time, if the napkins
> on the table are paper, he's just as apt to use one of those. He
> doesn't do it other times, so it's not a chronic condition. Here's
> how we handle it after many years, we don't go out with him anymore.
> We have him over, or we go there for a visit.
>

> Cheri

He may be sensitive to what's in the air at many restaurants. I have severe
allergies and one thing that happens sometimes is, especially after eating
in a restaurant, something will attack my sinuses intensely and without
warning, provoking sneezing and nose blowing. I try to get away from the
table if that starts to happen but it can be very sudden. My allergist had
no clue, except to say that eating may open up the nasal cavities allowing
more allergens to enter, which would account for why it doesn't happen until
after meals most of the time. My belief is that it is related to stuff that
gets in the air from deep fryers, but the cause has never been determined
conclusively. There are so many things that set me off, especially right now
and in spite of extensive medication, that the cause really doesn't matter
any more.

MartyB

[Cheri]

"Dave Smith" <adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:gwqmt.74079$Rk4....@fed08.iad...

I hear you. I have the same image going with someone and it's been almost 40
years. LOL

Cheri

[Cheri]

"Julie Bove" <juli...@frontier.com> wrote in message

news:kndd56$419$1...@dont-email.me...

>
> "sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message

>> You haven't looked around then. They're everywhere... otherwise
>> innocuous looking people who never learned how to use a knife and fork
>> properly, doing that handlebar thing or clubbing their fork while they
>> hack away with their knife.
>
> I don't think they are. I sure haven't seen them and I do tend to people
> watch when we are out.

I'm really not so much of a people watcher, I don't watch people at other
tables etc., unless they're causing a disturbance or something, so I
probably miss a lot. I'm always amazed when people can tell you everything
someone else had in their grocery cart, what they had for dinner at another
table, what they were wearing etc. Maybe I just don't pay attention.

Cheri

[Cheri]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message

news:mkekp85j1d1qcie26...@4ax.com...

> I think that sort of thing runs in the family because her mother's
> landline had caller ID or whatever it's called turned off so our cell
> phones can't tell us who it is when she calls from that line. We let
> it go to voice-mail, because the caller is not identified and she gets
> offended because we didn't answer. It doesn't sink in that we don't
> take calls from unidentified parties. This has gone on for years, so
> she's not going to learn or change her ways. I guess we're in a
> Mexican stand-off concerning that particular matter.

She should do the *82 thing before she dials. I have a BIL who does the same
thing....time, after time, after time. I tell him, but he refuses to
unblock. Leave a message then.

Cheri

[Dave Smith]

Yep. You are getting the picture.

[Dave Smith]

On 20/05/2013 12:25 PM, Nunya Bidnits wrote:

>>
>> Your dad would like my son's restaurant. They don't allow ball caps.
>> The policy keeps out the riffraff.
>>
>
> Ball caps = riffraff? Huh? Fact is, some very well off ball-cap-wearing
> people spend very good money in restaurants. It's one thing to have a
> dress code at a high end place. It seems quite different to enforce a
> selective policy over a particular item of clothing. Around here that
> kind of thing tends to draw ridicule. But I suppose the ball cap
> demographic could be very different where you live.
>
> Not sure if you are serious but if someone in a restaurant gave me grief
> about wearing a cap, I'd just eat elsewhere, which is their loss since I
> tend to talk a lot about where I eat and I'm a rather generous tipper.

Oh yes. I am serious. He manages two restaurants in the same building.
One of of them is a cafe. the other is a more upscale, and that is the
one with the no ball caps dress code. It works for them. The people that
do come have money to spend, and they are paying for a place with a
dress code.

> If you need to be outside for whatever reason, a ball cap can be quite
> helpful. But it messes up the hair so taking it off can make one look
> pretty silly. Midwesterners are not about to give up their caps for the
> privilege of eating somewhere.
>

I find it hard to believe that people who insist on being allowed to
demonstrate their lack of manners by wearing a hat in restaurant,
especially a ball cap, would even be interested in that place. The few
people they turn away would be a small number compared to the number of
better dressed people who would go elsewhere. They cater to the type of
clientele who like to get dressed and go out to nice places with good food.

I was not a hat wearer in the days when I had enough hair to protect me
from the sun. Now that head wear is a good idea for me, I know enough to
take it off inside. I would not avoid a place that require me to remove
it. Come to think if it... I tend to avoid places full of people wearing
ball caps and who consider it to be well dressed and appropriate.

A ball park is a good place to wear a ball cap.... or a NASCAR race.

[Dave Smith]

On 20/05/2013 1:06 PM, Cheri wrote:

> I'm really not so much of a people watcher, I don't watch people at
> other tables etc., unless they're causing a disturbance or something, so
> I probably miss a lot. I'm always amazed when people can tell you
> everything someone else had in their grocery cart, what they had for
> dinner at another table, what they were wearing etc. Maybe I just don't
> pay attention.
>

I don't normally make note of what people have in their shopping carts,
but I confess.... there have been times when I have seen fat mothers and
their fat kids pushing several carts loaded with soft drinks, potato
chips, cookies, cakes and ice cream. You just have to shake you head
and wonder how someone cannot get the connection.

[Ophelia]

"Nunya Bidnits" <nunyab...@eternal-september.invalid> wrote in message
news:kndinu$8ka$1...@dont-email.me...

lol

--
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

[Gary]

Dave Smith wrote:
>
> Years ago I was on an out of town course, staying at the hotel and
> eating in the hotel restaurant. The instructor/ coordinator was a great
> guy, very knowledgeable, friendly, supportive, an al round good guy.
> Then one day we were at the table and, having a cold, he blew his nose
> into the cloth napkin. I was disgusted and have not been able to get
> over it even after all these years. That was gross.

Remember the old days when men always carried handkercheifs and blew their
noses in them? lol. I still find it hard to believe that the wives would
put them in the laundry. My mom always did. uckkkk!

G.

[sf]

On Mon, 20 May 2013 10:09:36 -0700, "Cheri" <che...@newsguy.com>
wrote:

At least I'm not alone banging my head against the wall.

[Gary]

James Silverton wrote:
>
> On 5/20/2013 10:10 AM, Helpful person wrote:
> > And in India, eating with your hands and fingers.
> >
> Remember, right hand only since the left is used for another activity!

I've always wondered about that with Mario Batali. Have you ever noticed
that he rarely uses his left hand while cooking?

G.

[George Leppla]

On 5/20/2013 12:18 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
> Oh yes. I am serious. He manages two restaurants in the same building.
> One of of them is a cafe. the other is a more upscale, and that is the
> one with the no ball caps dress code. It works for them. The people that
> do come have money to spend, and they are paying for a place with a
> dress code.

I don't mind caps in fast food places or even a diner or pizza/sandwich
shop ... but anything higher than that and they are pretty much out of
place. And NEVER in a place with tablecloths.

Growing up I was taught that men do not wear hats or caps indoors. I
still pretty much stick to that.

George L

[zxcvbob]

Tara wrote:
> http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2013/05/top-10-
> rudest-grossest-most-annoying-habits-of-fellow-diners.html
>
> http://tinyurl.com/beodge3
>
> Tara

Maître d': Ah, good afternoon, sir; and how are we today?
Mr. Creosote: Better.
Maître d': Better?
Mr. Creosote: Better get a bucket, I'm gonna throw up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr_Creosote

Bob

[George Leppla]

On 5/20/2013 12:31 PM, Gary wrote:
> Remember the old days when men always carried handkercheifs and blew their
> noses in them? lol. I still find it hard to believe that the wives would
> put them in the laundry. My mom always did. uckkkk!

You can yuck all you want, but I still carry a handkerchief and use
them. My hankies get washed in the same load with my underwear... hot
water, detergent and plenty of bleach. So far, no one has died.

If I have to blow my nose in public, I try to be discrete about it, but
if it is a choice of catching a sneeze in a hanky or blowing chunks into
my hand or onto my shirt, the hanky wins every time. <vbg>

If I could fit a box of Kleenex into my pocket, maybe I would use that,
but I can't, so I don't.

George L

[Nunya Bidnits]

Whenever I get carryout I always grab some extra napkins and stash them in
the center console of my car. I get hit with a lot of sudden allergic
symptoms so it frequently comes in handy. It can be bad enough to force me
to pull the car over. I also use "hankies" when at home, but they are
actually just old fabric scraps. If I didn't I would probably break the
budget on kleenex and toilet paper. I have to say though that the most
recent cocktail of meds my doc came up with is working a little better.
Among other things, I can hear better, my eyes don't itch constantly, and I
don't feel like killing something. And we've had a lot of rain recently so I
can actually get out for a few days without having allergic meltdowns.

MartyB

[Cheri]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message

news:2hnkp8phpe2j2qin5...@4ax.com...

For sure, for sure.

Cheri

[Victor Sack]

sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:

> --Cavemen (and Cavewomen): "I know it sounds snobby of me," says a
> decidedly nonsnobby Epi editor, "but I can't stand eating with someone
> who doesn't hold their knife and fork properly."

Indeed! I always hold my knife and fork in my left hand and my pork
chop in my right.

Victor

[Dave Smith]

Men? Women did it too, and children. Those women would have been
cleaning out snotty hankies for everyone in the family. Isn't that a
wonderful thought.

I had a couple of old maid aunts who were kind enough to buy us
Christmas presents.... hankerchefs. I consider myself to be fortunate
enough to have been born after the invention of disposable tissues.

[Dave Smith]

So you are likely to share my few that it is better to offend the
sensibility of people who don't have the good manners to remove their
hats than to allow those people to offend those who expect good manners
in nice restaurants. Nor to I want to see thongs or breast feeding
infants there.

[Dave Smith]

So long as you are consistent. ;-)

[sf]

On Mon, 20 May 2013 22:44:51 +0200, azaz...@koroviev.de (Victor Sack)
wrote:

Good grief, your mother didn't teach you how to use your spear
properly? ;)

[Julie Bove]

"Cheri" <che...@newsguy.com> wrote in message
news:kndlc...@news1.newsguy.com...

Never heard of that! What does that do?

[Julie Bove]

"jmcquown" <j_mc...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:avv0he...@mid.individual.net...
> On 5/20/2013 10:54 AM, sf wrote:
>> On Mon, 20 May 2013 09:12:13 -0400, jmcquown <j_mc...@comcast.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> If I sneezed (I don't carry handkerchiefs around with me) I'd turn
>>> away from the table and cover my face with my hands. Then I'd go wash
>>> my hands.
>>
>> Never sneeze into your hand because you'll spread your germs all over
>> everything on your way to the bathroom, sneeze into the crook of your
>> arm.
>>
> Uh, what?! You're kidding, right? I'm supposed to throw my arm up over
> my face (possibly hitting the person sitting next to me) in order to
> sneeze into the crook of my arm?
>
Yes. They have been advising that for years but... It is disgusting and I
won't do it. Angela always yells at me when I don't. The Drs. offices and
hospitals even have signs telling you to do that. You are supposed to
sneeze into fabric and not on your hands.

> Then what? I wipe it off with a napkin? Or excuse myself to go wash my
> arm? The same germs would spread on that long walk, too.
>
> I've never heard of anything quite so ridiculous.

But they've been saying to do that for years.

[Julie Bove]

"Nunya Bidnits" <nunyab...@eternal-september.invalid> wrote in message

news:kndk4d$gb2$1...@dont-email.me...

I have problems with chlorine. Thankfully I have not noticed this happening
for many years now. Perhaps they changed the cleaners that they use. But
it used to be that when they cleared a table, they would wipe it down with a
white rag from a dishpan of water containing what smelled to me like
chlorine. Doesn't make me sneeze but it does give me severe lung pain and I
have trouble breathing. I also then get what seems like a campfire smell in
my nose for a good 2 days after. That part is really bad because I keep
thinking that things are on fire.

[Julie Bove]

"Cheri" <che...@newsguy.com> wrote in message

news:kndl7...@news1.newsguy.com...

Heh! I am one of those people. Always look in the grocery carts. Always
am amazed at the amount of crap most people seem to buy. Always look at the
other tables to see what the people are wearing and what they are eating.

[Julie Bove]

"Dave Smith" <adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message

news:yYsmt.132226$3F4....@fed04.iad...

> I don't normally make note of what people have in their shopping carts,
> but I confess.... there have been times when I have seen fat mothers and
> their fat kids pushing several carts loaded with soft drinks, potato
> chips, cookies, cakes and ice cream. You just have to shake you head and
> wonder how someone cannot get the connection.

I love shopping at Winco. It is sad in a way because there does seem to be
a lot of truly poor people shopping in there. But it is interesting to see
what they buy. And most of the time they are buying healthy foods but it
can take them a long time to select those things because they do have so
little to spend.

We once saw a very fat Asian family who had two carts filled with some kind
of noodle cups and another with refrigerated gallons of some kind of cheap
fruit flavored drink. That one stumped me! Unless they were having some
huge party right away, what would they do with those drinks? It was more
than would fit in an average fridge.

But my favorite thing to see is what the Latino people buy. Almost always
it is tons of tomatoes, onions, cilantro and chicken. And when I say tons I
mean tons! They are likely making salsa with it but it's such a large
amount. Makes me wonder if they are running a restaurant or something.

This place sells retail but some of their prices are so low I can see a
restaurant shopping there. And they do sell some things in restaurant
proportions.

I also don't think I have ever seen anyone using an EBT or Wic on there.
Not saying that they don't. Just haven't seen it happen. And not all of
the shoppers there are poor but I think the type of poor that do go there
are those who are not poor enough to qualify for help.

[Julie Bove]

"Gary" <g.ma...@att.net> wrote in message news:519A5DE6...@att.net...

> Remember the old days when men always carried handkercheifs and blew their
> noses in them? lol. I still find it hard to believe that the wives would
> put them in the laundry. My mom always did. uckkkk!

Yes. My dad did that. And I can remember reading stories where some girl
or woman would start crying and a man would hand her a handkerchief. And I
would think... No! Don't take it!

I recently ordered some fancy women's handkerchiefs. I had some years ago
that my grandma sent me but I got rid of them years ago. I never use them
for the intended purpose. I just think they are pretty. The men's were
usually not so pretty.

[Julie Bove]

"Nunya Bidnits" <nunyab...@eternal-september.invalid> wrote in message

news:kndpp4$ib3$1...@dont-email.me...

> Whenever I get carryout I always grab some extra napkins and stash them in
> the center console of my car. I get hit with a lot of sudden allergic
> symptoms so it frequently comes in handy. It can be bad enough to force me
> to pull the car over. I also use "hankies" when at home, but they are
> actually just old fabric scraps. If I didn't I would probably break the
> budget on kleenex and toilet paper. I have to say though that the most
> recent cocktail of meds my doc came up with is working a little better.
> Among other things, I can hear better, my eyes don't itch constantly, and
> I don't feel like killing something. And we've had a lot of rain recently
> so I can actually get out for a few days without having allergic
> meltdowns.

I keep Kleenex in my van. We don't use them so much but my parents use tons
of them. They're just handy to have. Also keep window cleaning wipes but
those don't keep so well during the summer when it is hot.

[Cheri]

"Dave Smith" <adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message

news:Yiwmt.161559$Rr1.1...@fed15.iad...

I share it for sure. My mom insisted on good manners. Everyone did say
please pass whatever and thank you at the table, none of the brothers were
ever allowed at the table without shirts, you had to ask to be excused when
you were done. Just a few of the basics. I appreciate people with good
manners in public too.

Cheri

[Cheri]

"Julie Bove" <juli...@frontier.com> wrote in message

news:kne8gs$7cp$1...@dont-email.me...

If you opted to have your phone number blocked from the phone company, you
can press *82 to unblock it in case you're calling a phone that doesn't
accept blocked calls. If your phone is not blocked, and you want to block it
for whatever reason, you press *64 before calling the number and it blocks
your number from being seen on their caller ID.

Cheri

[Kalmia]

I don't like finger lickers, hats on most men, booth kickers, but the thing which bugs me the more than all peeves combined is DEADBEATS WHO BEAT IT WITHOUT PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE OF THE TAB AND TIP. Been stuck many times, but never by the same person.

[Cheri]

"Kalmia" <tween...@mypacks.net> wrote in message
news:5f686fb6-b4f3-45e9...@googlegroups.com...

=========

Yes, that is terrible. Most people know at least one person like that. The
one that orders several drinks, etc., and then wants to split the tab, and
the POS that actually picks up some of the money left for a tip!!!

Cheri

[gregz]

I stop in a dollar general in a small town for one item. I notice the small
line was going slow. I could not figure why someone would buy 5 gallons of
milk. Weekly stop??

Greg

[Pico Rico]

"gregz" <ze...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:661922785390792553.77...@news.eternal-september.org...

probably someone on food stamps getting ready for a milk bath.

[Ed Pawlowski]

On Mon, 20 May 2013 15:55:05 -0700, "Julie Bove"
<juli...@frontier.com> wrote:



>
>I also don't think I have ever seen anyone using an EBT or Wic on there.
>Not saying that they don't. Just haven't seen it happen.

How would you tell? The cards are like any other debit card with a
PIN. Swipe and done.

In the old days you'd see the books of stamps so it was easy to tell.