Mind Your Manners

Now, I will be the first to admit that I am a bit of a "manners nazi," although I hate using that particular word at all. But, honestly, one of the quickest ways to annoy me is by being impolite. My maternal grandmother was a very proper British woman, so suffice it to say, my mom has impeccable manners. And since she has impeccable manners, it stands to reason that I do as well. There were so many behaviors that were not tolerated in my house when I was growing up, which is probably why everyone used to comment about what a well-behaved child I was.

Being that I am so anal about manners, nothing annoys me more than people with a lack of them. So, at every job, there are always certain people who drive me insane. It doesn't just end with work. It seems that living in an area (such as Northern Virginia) with so many different cultures, and some of the most elitist people I have ever had the pleasure of encountering, I am privy to a daily dose of "what you shouldn't do." So, here are some of the most irksome behaviors:

*Holding the door open- it goes both ways. There are so many people who will walk ahead of you through a door, then just let it slam in your face. Seriously, if I am only two steps behind you, how difficult is it to hold the damn door for me? I realize that you are in a hurry, but does that extra two seconds really matter? And on the other hand, if I walk in ahead of you and hold the door (which I will), please say "thank-you." Either way, I will say "you're welcome," but just vary the volume and tone depending on whether or not you actually thanked me. And, while we're covering it, if I hold the door open, do not just walk through (and past me) without holding the door for yourself. I am not your doorman. The only time that is acceptable is if your hands are full and I have said "here, let me get the door for you." A few of my co-workers do this constantly, and it bugs the shit out of me. Holding the door open for you is not the highlight of my day, so when you walk through, you should take over the door-holding duties (and thank me). And the thing is, I am still too polite to just let the door close on someone.

*Cell phones- A few of my co-workers fail to turn down the ringer on their cell phones while at work. Personally, I turn the ringer off and leave my cell on the desk so I can see if someone is calling me. The girl across the hall (N.) has one of the most obnoxious ringers and leaves it at full volume. Then lets it ring. She doesn't answer it, or silence it when it rings, she just lets it go. Have some courtesy for your co-workers. You may think the "crying baby" ringtone is cute, but I do not. Incidentally, N. is also one of those people who "walk through" when I hold the door.

*While we are on phones (and N.), she also checks her voicemail and makes all of her calls on speakerphone. It seems someone is just too lazy to hold the door for herself or to pick up the damn phone. She even called the automated service for her bank account (to get the balance) on speakerphone! Are you kidding me?? I don't want ANYONE knowing my banking info. And I certainly don't want to hear every one of your conversations.

*Interrupting/ Talking over someone- My absolute biggest pet peeve (and, hey, wouldn't you know it, N. is guilty of this one as well). There is nothing you can do that shows as much disrespect as interrupting or talking over someone. Granted, there are times when it is necessary (like when that friend just won't shut up and let you get a word in), (or when something pops in your head mid-conversation, and you know you'll forget it if you wait). But seriously, it says that you have no regard for what the other person is saying. If you do have to interrupt, apologize. I used to work with a girl that would constantly interrupt me during our morning meetings. So, I decided to keep talking. Well, the bia would just keep talking (much more loudly) over me. I finally made my point one day, when after she interrupted me to ask me a question, I sat there silently and stared at her, not answering her question. When she said my name, I replied, "Oh, are you finished? I just didn't want you to interrupt me again." The behavior stopped (for the most part) after that.

*Nose blowing- Granted, there are times when it's fine. Like when it's a "little blow." But I have another co-worker who constantly blows his nose- very loudly- all damn day. It seriously is more of a "HONK!" than a nose-blow. My general rule- any time you are expelling something from your body, do it in the bathroom. I don't want to hear you pulling up phlegm from the bottom of your throat and spitting it into a tissue. And for the love of gawd, please don't do it while people are eating!

And these are just the tip of the iceberg. I have an entire list of poor table manners that piss me off as well. And I wonder why I am still single. The truth is, if a guy violates any of these "general manners," or any of the "table manners," on the first date, you can bet your ass there won't be a second date.