High Context Messages and Polychronic Time

High Context, is a form of communication that relies on nonverbal, implicit messages and the relationship for information. Outsiders find this type of communication nearly impossible to understand.
Important to High Context: Nonverbal communication, indirect verbal assertion, implicit meaning, role identity interaction, rituals.
Countries that use High Context: China, Japan, Korea, Eastern Asia, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Arab countries, Latin America, Southern and Eastern Mediterranean.

Polychronic Time: Doing several things at once.
Countries that use Polychronic Time: Asia, Latin America, Arab countries, Southern & Eastern Mediterranean.

Low Context Messages and Monochronic Time

Low Context, is a formal communication and requires clear, descriptive, unambiguous language and a high degree of specificity. Courts of Law, mathematics and computer languages require Low Context message systems.
Important to Low Context: Specifics, details, direct, precise jargon, facts, schedules, appointments.
Countries that use Low Context: USA, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Scandinavian countries.

Monochronic Time: Doing one thing at a time.
Countries that use Monochronic Time: USA, Canada, Western Europe.

Thrifty Ideas for the Home

Because I married a smoker...at night, place a bowl of water in the smoking room. The water will absorb the fumes and sweeten the room....ahhhh... no air freshener needed.

A few walnut leaves placed in a room discourages flies....Buzzzz....no fly swatter needed.

Soak strawberries in a bowl of water with 1 teaspoon of vinegar added...this will clean the strawberries and make any insects hidden in the fruit come out. Then, wash in clear, cold water and drain. Yum....no fruit cleaning spray needed.

After any laundry is hand done, instead of tossing out the water, sprinkle the water on the roses, shrubs and fruit trees....suds..........no chemicals needed.

Enjoy!

Washing China and Glassware

To clean china and glassware, add a few drops of turpentine to tepid water in a deep bowl so as to fully immerse each piece. Dry and polish each piece with a linen cloth. Voila!

LTTE W Magazine - considered for "Readers React" page

Poor bored fashion photographers. Having to shoot Haute Couture day after day. Y'all, if I wanted to take Studio Art 101 and Photography 101 AGAIN, I'd run on down to the community college and sign up. Please, have your photographers turn the lights on and focus their lenses. I simply want to see well lit, well photographed pages of your featured, gorgeous, hand crafted, hand sewn garments. I thought W was a fashion magazine, not a vehicle through which fashion photographers practice their side careers as photo-journalist/artists. Please let your loyal readers clearly see the 300 year old tradition of "High Costume," Haute Couture.

Facebook Etiquette

One is who one's friends are on Facebook, and for this reason, there are rules about how to use Facebook.

1. Only make friends with people you know.
2. Tag friends in photos only with their prior permission, and post only flattering photos of all friends and family members. Photos should be worth 1000 positive words.
3. Sass will bite you in the a** every time. Keep all comments positive, please.
4. Do not walk away/leave your Facebook page on/open in a public place (office or library) as someone else could access and alter your private profile information.
5. Do Not change your relationship status without your partner's knowledge. That is just tacky and mean.
6. Do Not over "Poke" friends without their prior permission and Do Not over "send" gifts, Easter Eggs, pillow fights, snowball fights, etc. without the friend's permission. It is annoying. We all have busy lives. We do not have time to constantly "Poke" back, "Send" back, "find" the Easter Egg, etc.
7. Please, refrain from putting down what you ate for dinner. No one cares, unless you had dinner at The White house, Buckingham Palace or 300 feet up in the air on one of those "Sky Dinner" adventures. Keep your information interesting.
8. How can one possibly have 556 friends, and if one does, how can one possibly keep up with all of them? Please, Facebook is not a popularity contest. Also know, every time you accept a friend, you are opening up your information to that friend and their friends. Control yourself!
9. Do Not make other friends read your mind. When posting information Wall to Wall, keep the information complete and whole. Do not post a reply from some other friend who sent you a question privately. Make lunch plans with friends using the "send a message" feature.
10. Be Very Careful of posting health issues on Facebook. If one must post health issues, do so only with prior permission from the patient and be consistent in updating the information. Other friends who may not be in touch regularly may not know what is going on, and you can scare friends by posting poor health information. Remember what your Mother taught you about religion and politics. Even in our modern day, one should still be very wary of posting religious thoughts or political opinions.
11. Read the fine print when taking quizzes. You are allowing Facebook and those companies giving the quizzes access to your information and your friends' information.

On the whole, mind your public babble on your "Wall" and "Wall to Wall". Be careful, be positive, keep it interesting and have fun!

Tea Party Poem

A poem from my book: "Forget-Me-Not, Forget-Me-Never"

I wish I were a tea-cup,

So when you drink tea,

At every little mouthful,

You would sometimes think of me.

Your Classmate

Beulah W. Kennedy

June 21, 1906

There are 3 types of tea: Oolong, Black and Green

When pouring tea, fill the cup only 3/4 full to allow for spillage

fill the cup only 1/2 full if the recipient takes milk

Never mix milk and lemon. The acidity of the lemon will curdle the milk

Never use cream with tea. Cream is too strong for the taste of the tea. Only use milk.

Do not clank your spoon against the edges of the cup when stirring.

Honey with green tea and a petite chocolate treat is my favorite! What is your favorite tea? ENJOY!

An Easter Poem from my "Forget-Me-Not, Forget-Me-Never" Book

From my book: "Forget-Me-Not, Forget-Me-Never"

May Heaven preserve and keep thee,

From every sorrow free,

And grant thee every blessing,

My earnest wish for thee.

Your Friend,

Mary Gleich

June 21, 1906

Happy Easter everyone!

Continental vs. American Dining

Until the 1850's, Europeans ate in the same style as Americans, switching their forks to their right hand after cutting with their left hand. In 1853, a French chef was cited in an etiquette book that changed thie practice. This French chef suggested that those who wished to eat like fashonable people should not switch their fork to their right hand after cutting their meat, but raise their fork to their mouth still in their left hand, thus, the Continental style.
The European upper classes immediately adopted this practice. Soon, Europeans of all classes began eating in the Continental style. This easy, convenient style is also great for left handed people, and as always, remember to cut your meat in any style with your elbows next to your sides.

Unfinished Fashionista

Good for the First Lady. She is beautifully educated, beautifully spoken, and beautifully dressed. Europe is fascinated with her as she seems to be something of a young novelty from a new generation. She is tall, athletic yet thin, and can wear anything. She looks like a modern day "Jackie O." Our own classic American "fashionista."
Yes, Mrs. Obama did break protocol and touched The Queen of England on the shoulder, but only after The Queen touched her first on the small of the back. I watched the video on U-Tube and the British press is not seeing what I saw, but I invite my readers to be their own judge. Even so, our First Lady should have, after being touched by the Queen, kept her arms at her sides. Maybe next time.
Our lovely First Lady did, however, hold her own next to that rock star groupie/supermodel, not so super singer/mistress turned First Lady of France, Carla. Mrs. Bruni was, however, well dressed in Dior. I just wish Mrs. Obama would have exclusively worn American born designers through Europe.
Nevertheless, I do wish Mrs. Obama would not have run all over Europe sleeveless. Not only is going sleeveless not 'Old World,' from an etiquette stand point, going sleeveless looks unfinished from a fashion stand point. Someone, please tell her stylist to put a 'Jackie O" jacket on her.

Fashion Superstition

The Fashion Industry has an old superstition: Never place a pair of shoes on a table, desk or counter. It is bad luck. Clack. Clack.

Money Saving Tips for the Home

Today, money saving Ironing tips for the home, thanks to my Mother, a young girl during the height of the depression:

• Instead of buying spray starch (it breaks down fabric fibers), iron linens and cottons using cold water from a spritzer bottle (my Mother used an old green glass Coke-a-Cola bottle and a cork attached to a metal sprinkler at the top). Water will make your linens wrinkle free.
• After hand washing linen and cotton tablecloths and napkins, lightly wring them, spread each item out then fold. Roll up each item and place it inside a plastic bag. Place the bags in the refrigerator overnight. Take out the bags the next morning (or so) and immediately iron with a hot iron. Don't be alarmed. The iron will steam and sputter. Talk about crisp linens!
• To save your feet from tiring while ironing, stand on a nice big, wide pillow.

Oh Me, Oh My!

Oh Me,
Just when I thought President Obama had committed the only Protocol faux-pas of the day in shaking the hand of the Queen in a "Double Handed" handshake, today in many British newspapers, it is reported that our First Lady, Michelle Obama, touched the Queen by giving her a hug! The first rule of etiquette in meeting any member of Royalty is: do not touch Royalty.
Now, I will report that there is much speculation about who touched whom first. In the end, it does not matter because in the foreign press, Michelle Obama is blamed for breaking Protocol.
For the younger generations, whether Protocol and manners still matter in pagan, socialist countries anymore, who knows, but citizens of the Britain still adore and respect their Queen, and she is a woman of a certain age. The younger generation should respect her traditions of Protocol.
Even if the gloved Queen did touch Mrs. Obama on the small of the back first, Michelle Obama should have kept her hands to herself. If she had kept her hands at her sides, we would not even be having this conversation. The British press would only then be picking on Mrs. Obama's shoulder less dress and the iPod gift given by the Obamas to the Queen. Oh My!

Check out the link: www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/G20/article6022502.ece

Americans: Restrain Your Hands, S'il Vous Plait.

Pardon Mon Francais mais OMD (Oh Mon Dieu),
Here we go again....President Obama just met The Queen of England and used the "Double Handshake." Y'all have seen it. Many politicians and ministers use this double handed shake.
American Business Women consider it to be condescending. Apparently, the Queen thought so too...the British press is buzzing about this "faux pas" already. Americans will probably think this is such a stupid little rule and who cares, but it is our image. Again, the "Ugly Americans" fail in matters of manners.
Then I thought of Virginia's Governor, Tim Caine, last year when the Queen visited Virginia for our Jamestown celebrations. Front page in the RTD, our Governor was photographed sticking both of his thumbs up in front of the Queen. Y'all can use your imaginations and guess what the "Thumbs Up" hand gesture means in Britain and all over Europe. The European presses and British blogs went nuts!
Richmond also has a Preppie, young local TV reporter out and about town who reports the news with his hands in his pockets. Again, y'all can use your imaginations and guess what Europeans think about men who put their hands in their pants pockets.
I am now throwing my hands up in the air and asking: Why do Americans have such a problem with their hands? Why can we not just learn to be still? Why can we not spend a few minutes learning a few very simple rules for traveling abroad so the rest of the world does not see us as the "Ugly Americans" with our absolute lack of manners. Oh my! Au revoir, y'all.

Meeting Her Majesty, The Queen

In watching tons of old movies on TCM, I have noticed that Americans used to say: "How do you do" when meeting someone. We do not say these words anymore and instead now say: "Nice to meet you." I prefer to say: "Nice to see you," in case I have met this person before and do not immediately remember them. When being introduced to The Queen, or any Royalty, always wait for the introduction, wait for the Queen to extend her hand and wait to answer her by saying: "How do you do," NOT "Nice to meet you." "How do you do" is more formal and is preferred by Royalty as traditional. When Prince William's girlfriend, Kate Middleton, met the Queen, she said: "Nice to meet you" and was unmercifully bashed by the media. The press said she insulted the Queen by not saying: "How do you do." The press called her "common" and "rude," and all because she did not know to say: "How do you do" to the Queen. Sounds like such a dumb little thing, but apparently not. That is what etiquette is all about....knowing all your little rules. 

Cleaning Suede Shoes

To clean a pair of suede shoes, gently rub them very lightly against the grain of the suede or in one direction only with light weight sandpaper. Use smooth and even pressure. All dirt, mud and grease will come off.

Smokless Candle Wick Tip

Dip your candle wicks in vinegar and they will be sure to never smoke!

National "Read the Constitution" Day is April 20th

Castro did it. Lenin and Hitler did it. Chavez has done it.

Do the reporters and the masses not ever know their past or current history?

The Politicians are doing it again...now in America. They whip the public up to hate the super wealthy. Then they moved down to the CEO's. Then they started up with the corporate managers who received bonuses.

Today in London, the masses hate the bankers to the point that the bankers all have to come to work disguised in jeans and a t-shirt. Next they will start on the Doctors, Lawyers and Insurance Agents. Then onto the Farmers. All in the name of the common man.

Does no one know their history or care? Meanwhile, the Treasury quietly printed 1 Trillion dollars last week and all the media can do is talk about comparatively meager AIG Bonuses.

National "Read The Constitution Day" is April 20th. Write your Congressmen/Congresswomen and Senators, please. Participate in the national dialogue!