The Courtesy to Reply When Asked

The Split Second-In Consideration of Others in These Trying Times

I am working on the publicity of my book, The Split Second:  In Consideration of Others or Look Up from the Phone and How to Deal with Rudeness in Others, and as I stated before, this is the most difficult part of getting this book out to the world but I have not given up yet and do not intend to do so. I saw a quote on Linked In that reads, “If your book is true then there is a place for it in the world.

My blogs get shorter.  I really do not like the idea of blogging at all because I think there can be a certain self-centeredness to them.  However, if I want my work to be published, I shall have to do this from time to time.

I am thinking today of accepting invitations.  There are a few people out there who can be quite rude about that.  I remind people that when they see RSVP on an invitation, those four letters stand for the French, “respondez s’il vous plait” or in English, “respond if you please.”  I am sure most people know that if one sees those letters on an official invitation, he/she is obligated to respond. This helps a great deal if a meal is being served. When I made the mistake of getting married almost 33 years ago, we sent out invitations with RSVP on them and even put return cards with stamped envelopes with the invitation to mail responses back to us. Still, about 25 out of 200 people invited did not bother to send those cards back (this is before e-mails, cell phones, and social media).  Several of those folks later said to me something like, “Well, I couldn’t go so I didn’t think to bother responding.” It was a nice thing that the head caterer at the hotel where we had the reception said to us, “When you give us the number of people attending, don’t count the maybes.”  Smart thinking and planning.

Also, I have noticed in etiquette groups on Facebook, people questioning whether they should attend certain events when they do not desire to go whatsoever.  My usual response is:  do not go if you really don’t want to go but let the one inviting you know that you won’t be attending. All you need to say is, “We/I will not be able to make it.” Then it would be nice to wish the one inviting well with the event.