Archive Posts

Eat your heart out, Microsoft Surface! Musicians are taking up interactive tables as new ways of making their creations physically accessible, so listeners can reach out and touch the work.

Etiquette is a new interactive installation at the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, featuring a light box on which musical elements can be manipulated by moving around blocks.

It uses the same underlying library that was developed for the ReacTable synth, currently made famous by its use on Bjork’s tour.

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A few months ago, I ran into a neighbor at the library.  As I stopped to say hello, her 12-year-old son did something that shocked me.  He looked me in the eye and said, “It’s nice to see you again.”  I just about fell over.

Here was a middle school kid who not only acknowledged my presence, he did so in the most polite and respectful way.  I immediately fell in love and began plotting his future wedding to my 9-year-old.

Sadly, that fine young man’s grasp of proper social skills seems to be a rare thing.   Not a day goes by that some child doesn’t phone my house and demand to speak to my kid without even saying hello first.

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The college students who showed up with bare midriffs and never contributed to discussions during Faye Rogaski's communication classes were surprised when they weren't picked for coveted internships and jobs.

They would also e-mail the public relations executive without so much as a greeting but with demands such as "I need a reference," or "I need a letter of recommendation." No "please," no "thank you," no face-to-face handshakes, introductions or follow-ups after classes.

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I read with disgust the letter “Check rude behaviour” (The Star, June 25) and cannot help but agree with the writer about the unpleasant encounters that one gets from the market to shopping malls, from hospitals to airports. Just where has all the teaching gone? The bad manners can be easily felt when one lands on Malaysian soil because of the sudden change in culture.

In Malaysia, it seems that people practise good manners only because they have to do so. They are forced to do so because it is part of their job. It seems that it is not from within them and it is not in them to be polite and customer-friendly. However, to those Malaysians who are genuinely friendly and good mannered, I salute you because you have been brought up and nurtured well.

Positively enhancing lives is what Fleur de Lis Academy is all about, said Michelle Sperry, the dance and etiquette school's founder. On Saturday, June 12, Fleur de Lis Academy, which offers dance lessons, etiquette classes and helps plan small children's parties, opened it's doors in Wilton. Sperry, a Weston resident, said she has been teaching dance classes, etiquette classes and planning parties for over 24 years. Putting all three aspects together into one studio, she said, was the perfect combination.

"I think that dance and etiquette classes are two very important life skills that people should learn," said Sperry. "I thought that if I combined them into one studio, it would be easier. Then, I thought if I added planning parties to the venue, it would be a complete studio of all the things I love to do."

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It's a watercolor picture for her room that Auntie Liz painted herself. Will your daughter say the right thing after she rips off the wrapping paper?Frankly, you may need to prep her ahead of time, so seize the moment now and avoid some embarrassment--and possibly hurt feelings--on the big day.

A few scenarios to consider:She already has it. Nearly everything is returnable, so if the present turns out to be yet another copy of James and the Giant Peach, remind her to say "Thanks--I love this book!" and then the two of you can quietly exchange it for a different one later on.

She didn't ask for it. Her birthday wish list was composed entirely of items from the American Girl doll collection and Bendaroos.But your mother-in-law got her a chess set. Explain that grandparents try hard to please, so suggest she say "Awesome--this looks fun!" even if she's not sure she'll like it.

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Q: My ex-husband is now living with the woman he left me for. Unfortunately my children (ages 9 and 13) were aware of the affair. Our son hasn't spoken to his dad in over a year. I have tried diligently to make sure that at least our daughter retains.

A decent relationship with him but now that is being threatened by his insistence that she meet and hang out with his girlfriend. She does not want anything to do with his girlfriend. He blames me (wrongly!) for turning the kids against him. Father's Day is right around the corner and he's really pushing to spend that day in particular with the kids but they absolutely do not want to go. What do I do?

A: It's not uncommon for a parent who has moved on quickly to lose sight of his family's grieving and after what seems to them like a ridiculously short amount of time, expect everyone to forgive and forget. But the truth is, family members don't have.

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 Teaching your child to use the right fork or fold his or her napkin properly may seem like a nice after-thought in today's world, but modern etiquette experts say proper social graces can affect your child's future. These days, etiquette classes teach children not only impeccable table manners, but how to develop skills that will help them network, socialize and interact with others as they grow.

"It's an advantage to learn good manners while you are young, because you take that with you your whole life," said Elena Brouwer, director and founder of the International Etiquette Centre in Hollywood. "As you get older, whether you are going on a date or on a business lunch, you need to know not only how to hold your silverware, but how to interact with others."

Etiquette lessons have evolved over the years, Brouwer said, into a series of life skills that arm young people for a successful future. "Some people think of etiquette as a young girl carrying a book on her head, but that's a very old-fashioned view," she said. "We are getting people ready for real life."

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Isabella Lunde, 14 months, goes nose to nose with a stuffed dog at the Just Paws Pet Wear booth at the 35th annual Creative Chaos at the Vernon Recreation Centre Complex. More than 20,000 people attended the three-day show helping raise $3,374.13 and 162 boxes of food for the Salvation Army Food Bank.

Q: I'm extremely concerned and hurt that my son never wants to talk to me when he is at his mother's house. When the kids are at my house, which is 50 percent, I encourage them to call their mother if they want and call her back if she calls.

My son seems happy at my house and likes to talk to his mom when she calls, but is distant and withdrawn from me when he's with her. I've brought this up to his mother, but since it's not happening to her, she really doesn't care. What should I do?

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