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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Various Islands in the North Atlantic
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Chapelhead
I am
# 21
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Posted
An almost perfect early autumn morning. The smell of cake and bread fill the house. Quite warm out. A stroll back from the allotment with a trug of flowers adds a harvest of blackberries to go with the neighbour's apples in a crumble.
Earlier, on the walk to the shop by the green for croissants and a newspaper, there was a stillness in the air as the sun started to clear away a light morning mist. The quiet was broken only by the clip-clop of a horse and rider heading to the common and all was calm. But ...
... there was no dead body and no sign of Inspector Barnaby. Most disconcerting.
[ 19. September 2015, 11:04: Message edited by: Chapelhead ]
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At times like this I find myself thinking, what would the Amish do?
Posts: 9123 | From: Near where I was before. | Registered: Aug 2001
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
AHA!! I didn't realise you are Ralph Mellish.
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I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Fancy a break in South India?
Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details
What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?
Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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Curiosity killed ...
Ship's Mug
# 11770
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Posted
It is looking glorious today but I'm feeling sorry for myself and haven't got the energy to get out and enjoy it. It comes of working all week with a stinking cold, partly because I'm back as a temp (with the same company, pretty much continuous employment), so don't get sick pay and partly because I had a couple of paid, not cheap tickets. Skiving work to go out in the evening feels like cheating. Today I am barking like a sea lion and didn't sleep brilliantly as I coughed myself awake far more often than I want to remember.
I had a proper pit ticket at the Sam Wannamaker to see Measure for Measure on Tuesday night, not my usual cheapo standing ticket. TfL was cancelling trains, 4 consecutive trains, so I had a 45 minute wait for a service timetabled every 10 minutes. I was only 10 minutes late to the theatre, but wasn't let in until 20 minutes in to a house seat, as the pit is too close to the stage. The other ticket I just gave up on and went home to bed.
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Mugs - Keep the Ship afloat
Posts: 13794 | From: outiside the outer ring road | Registered: Aug 2006
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
Poor CK - have some hot honey-lemon-and-whisky and/or lem-sip/cold remedy of your choice and go back to bed. Hope you feel better soon.
It's a glorious, sunny day here - 23° but feeling warmer. D's playing for a wedding at the Cathedral; the Curate phoned a couple of hours before to ask if I'd verge, as he hadn't heard back from the bloke he'd asked do it (one of our summer tour guides). I agreed - it's one of the easiest ways* I know of earning $50 - but when D. and I got there the other bloke had turned up after all.
Stuff that for a lark - I'd already started planning how I'd spend the fee. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
* well, legal ones anyway ... ![[Devil]](graemlins/devil.gif)
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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St. Gwladys
Shipmate
# 14504
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Posted
We drove up to Hereford today, and yes, it was a gorgeous Autumn day. In places, there was low lying cloud, and sometimes, a slight haze with sun rays breaking through. Many trees are starting to change colour, and looking speckled. We were quite early - for us. At Pandy, we passed one tree which was bright orange in the morning light. We went into Hereford cathedral and had our coffee and cake sitting outside in the courtyard.
A really lovely day.
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"I say - are you a matelot?"
"Careful what you say sir, we're on board ship here"
From "New York Girls", Steeleye Span, Commoners Crown (Voiced by Peter Sellers)
Posts: 3333 | From: Rhymney Valley, South Wales | Registered: Jan 2009
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
We marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain this morning with Matins attended by a full church of cadets and sundry military/air-force types. In common with (probably) the entire Anglican Communion in Her Majesty's Dominions, we sang Greater love by John Ireland, and because we were short-handed I was a soprano piglet - top As at the ready ... ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
It all went off very well; it was our new curate's first Big Military Thing™ since taking up the post, and as the Dean's on holiday, he was running the show, which he did excellently.
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Piglet:
I was a soprano piglet
What a lovely picture this conjures!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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la vie en rouge
Parisienne
# 10688
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Posted
It is Monday. I hate the RATP (Parisian transport authority) with all of my heart.
I leave the house more or less on time. I get to Invalides to change lines, head down to the notorious line 13 and find the people four deep on the platform. Apparently the traffic is “saturated”, which is the first time that I have heard that particular excuse in over ten years. I decide to give up on the metro because even when a train turns up, it’s likely to be so packed that no one can get on it, and head off to find a bus.
I wait ten minutes for a bus, get on the one that finally turns up, and then three stops before I’m supposed to get off, the driver announces that this is the new terminus and we all have to get off and wait for the next one.
I was a mere twenty minutes late. Most of my colleagues who take the 13 were delayed by more like forty minutes.
Welcome to the week. Tell me it gets better after this, doesn’t it? ![[Help]](graemlins/help.gif)
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Rent my holiday home in the South of France
Posts: 3696 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
At least it sounds as if it can't get much worse, La Vie.
Now that D's back teaching at Queen's, the Monday commute is more fraught than other days. He starts at 9:30 and drops me off to w*rk at about 9, so we get stuck with the rush-hour (other days I start at 10, so we miss it). It wasn't helped today by the fact that it was absolutely chucking down rain, leaving enormous puddles all over the place.
Happy Monday ... ![[Two face]](graemlins/scot_twoface.gif)
[ 21. September 2015, 12:42: Message edited by: Piglet ]
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Sandemaniac
Shipmate
# 12829
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Piglet:
We marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain this morning with Matins attended by a full church of cadets and sundry military/air-force types. In common with (probably) the entire Anglican Communion in Her Majesty's Dominions, we sang Greater love by John Ireland
As a wee lad my father met Ireland, who spent the war living in my parent's village (the Channel Islands being somewhat invaded at the time). I gather he used to play the piano in one of the pubs for singalongs.
AG
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"It becomes soon pleasantly apparent that change-ringing is by no means merely an excuse for beer" Charles Dickens gets it wrong, 1869
Posts: 3574 | From: The wardrobe of my soul | Registered: Jul 2007
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
We went to a wedding yesterday - this time it was a Christian one which is not that usual for us. It was an area we didn't really know a few miles away and was quite a posh affair with real live music [3 violins, flutes, organ] and lots of cameras and six clergy! The church was packed out and the reception in a very salubrious hall, even more so. Good food with veggie choices and then ice cream with little Gulab Jamun and somehow I ended up eating rather a lot of those.
![[Hot and Hormonal]](icon_redface.gif)
Being and Anglo-Indian wedding there were also speeches but we were outside eating at the time so I wasn't too bothered - absence of speeches is one of the great things about Indian weddings. Of course I can't understand a word of the speeches when they occur but I still think the whole thing is generally enhanced by their absence.
I think today is a going to be dedicated to the God of Sleep - zzzzzzzz...
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I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Fancy a break in South India?
Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details
What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?
Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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ArachnidinElmet
Shipmate
# 17346
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Posted
Well that was an interesting day. We're in the midst of the local Lit Fest here (my team were joint winners of the literary quiz on Saturday, yeah!).
This afternoon was 'Gothic for Girls' a talk on the combination of Women's clothes and Gothic literature mostly by women.
This evening was Michael Wood on the Anglo Saxons. I've heard him speak before and he's really excellent; just as knowledgeable and enthusiastic as he is on TV or in print.
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'If a pleasant, straight-forward life is not possible then one must try to wriggle through by subtle manoeuvres' - Kafka
Posts: 1887 | From: the rhubarb triangle | Registered: Sep 2012
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LeRoc
Famous Dutch pirate
# 3216
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Posted
My parents arrive on Southend on Thursday, and on their request I rented a car for them, paying with my credit card. The confirmation e-mail from the rental company said that the same credit card needs to be presented when they pick up the car.
Couldn't they have a large blinking banner saying this when I made the payment? Now I have to take the afternoon off, take a 3h train on Thursday and pay £50 for that, just to show them my credit card ![[Mad]](angryfire.gif)
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I know why God made the rhinoceros, it's because He couldn't see the rhinoceros, so He made the rhinoceros to be able to see it. (Clarice Lispector)
Posts: 9474 | From: Brazil / Africa | Registered: Aug 2002
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
That is a million shades of stupid, LeRoc - what if a company in another country is booking it for a member of their staff?
* * * *
I went to see The Man about my right to remain thingy this morning - he is a really nice guy and extremely helpful. He talked me through the process, warned me of the pitfalls, gave me handouts, showed me a sample submission, it was great! And under the new system things will take a while but the money no longer has to be paid when applying but when Governmental approval is received!
The whole thing is so much easier than the application I did a year ago when I got caught out by the rule changes - I still have to provide a new photo and some new documents but nothing too complicated. I always feel so much better when I understand the process.
Now I only have to follow it!
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I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Fancy a break in South India?
Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details
What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?
Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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la vie en rouge
Parisienne
# 10688
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Posted
It is getting decidedly chilly here.
The heating in our building is “collective” – means that rather than having individual systems in the separate apartments, there’s one central system running through the whole building. They haven’t switched it on yet and it’s COLD in the evenings. Woolly jumpers and blankets abound. I may take to wearing a beanie in the house.
On the upside, one of the lingerie retailers has a sale on, which gave me a good reason to go and buy a pair of snuggly cuddly pyjamas. Usually I never wear very warm pyjamas because they make me too hot, but they’re actually rather enjoyable.
[ 23. September 2015, 10:42: Message edited by: la vie en rouge ]
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Rent my holiday home in the South of France
Posts: 3696 | Registered: Nov 2005
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daisydaisy
Shipmate
# 12167
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Posted
Last night I wore a woolly hat in bed for the first time this season - I half expected to wake up to a frost but maybe I woke up too late to see that.
Posts: 3184 | From: southern uk | Registered: Dec 2006
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marzipan
Shipmate
# 9442
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Posted
we've had the heating on at home for a couple of weeks (because I'm a wuss, and we didn't get much of a summer anyway). It was DARK outside when I left for work this morning! In September! I don't like this. (Though it's sunny out now while I'm glued to the internet at lunch)
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formerly cheesymarzipan.
Now containing 50% less cheese
Posts: 917 | From: nowhere in particular | Registered: May 2005
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
We've got a new thermostat for the central heating which you can carry around with you - ie put near where you are sitting. I have set it at 21 degrees and the heating hasn't come on yet at all. This house is well insulated ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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LeRoc
Famous Dutch pirate
# 3216
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Posted
quote:
Welease Woderwick: That is a million shades of stupid, LeRoc - what if a company in another country is booking it for a member of their staff?
I know this should probably be a Hell rant but yes.
I'm very busy this week, my parents are coming to England, so I booked a hotel and a rental car for them, paying both with my credit card. I didn't give it a second thought, for me that's the most normal thing in the world.
I can understand why the rental company wants to use one credit card only for payment, deposit and id (in case something happens with their car, it is clear who is liable), but this policy should be clear. It is stated somewhere in point 13 of the FAQ (which no-one reads) on their website ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
Like you said, I can think of a million reasons why someone would rent a car for someone else.
I'll be fine, I'll take a book on the train, and the money won't kill me, but this kind of defies the whole point of renting a car.
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I know why God made the rhinoceros, it's because He couldn't see the rhinoceros, so He made the rhinoceros to be able to see it. (Clarice Lispector)
Posts: 9474 | From: Brazil / Africa | Registered: Aug 2002
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LeRoc
Famous Dutch pirate
# 3216
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Posted
Sorry about this, it has been resolved now.
I called the rental company and she literally said to me "You should have read paragraph such-and-such of the contract first." I literally saw red. I cancelled the car and rented a car with a different company, where I live.
I'm thinking of taking my parents to Milton Keynes Museum and perhaps to Stratford upon Avon.
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I know why God made the rhinoceros, it's because He couldn't see the rhinoceros, so He made the rhinoceros to be able to see it. (Clarice Lispector)
Posts: 9474 | From: Brazil / Africa | Registered: Aug 2002
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by marzipan:
we've had the heating on at home for a couple of weeks
Heating? Heating??? We're not allowed to mention the word at Casa Nen until at least October.
Nen - also captivated by the notion of a soprano piglet.
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They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
Posts: 1289 | Registered: May 2011
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Roseofsharon
Shipmate
# 9657
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Posted
I'm not putting our heating on until October - although I have taken a hot water bottle to bed for several nights now. Layering up the clothes and keeping busy will warms me enough until then.
Having said that, Mr RoS has lit a log fire in the sitting room almost every evening, and a good few afternoons, throughout the summer. I don't spend much time sitting in there, but I suppose it is a bit draughty, and he is a chilly soul.
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Talk about books -any books- on our rejuvenatedforum http://www.bookgrouponline.com/index.php?
Posts: 3060 | From: Sussex By The Sea | Registered: Jun 2005
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
I've turned on the heater in our bedroom a couple of times when the night-time temperature dropped below about 8°, but I rarely leave it on all night, as it would be far too hot. Even in the depths of winter turning it on for as long as it takes me to get ready for bed is enough to take the chill off the room.
It was a glorious day here for the first day of autumn - it got up to 20° but without any of the horrid humidity that usually goes with temperatures like that.
A couple of months of that would do very nicely, thank you.
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
Today is Bakr-Eid so I sent Eid Mubarak message to my Muslim neighbours and friends and got a few messages back one of which reads: Eid Mubarakkkk Dude.
I'm not sure whether to be offended or not - like Uncle Pete I have an almost pathological aversion to being called dude even when I know it was meant kindly.
What do you think Pete, dude?
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I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Fancy a break in South India?
Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details
What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?
Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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Uncle Pete
Loyaute me lie
# 10422
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Today is Bakr-Eid so I sent Eid Mubarak message to my Muslim neighbours and friends and got a few messages back one of which reads: Eid Mubarakkkk Dude.
I'm not sure whether to be offended or not - like Uncle Pete I have an almost pathological aversion to being called dude even when I know it was meant kindly.
What do you think Pete, dude?
No point in being overly offended, as long as they don't make a habit of it. We can't hold back the tide, as King Canute discovered in the first millennium. Or so says I from the distance of several thousand kilometres, while gritting my teeth, and writing them out of my will.
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Even more so than I was before
Posts: 20466 | From: No longer where I was | Registered: Sep 2005
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Today is Bakr-Eid so I sent Eid Mubarak message to my Muslim neighbours and friends and got a few messages back one of which reads: Eid Mubarakkkk Dude.
I'm not sure whether to be offended or not - like Uncle Pete I have an almost pathological aversion to being called dude even when I know it was meant kindly.
If it's meant kindly and they don't know you hate it then I'm afraid the option is to grit your teeth and live with it. I hate being addressed as "Miss" on letters and envelopes. I stopped using that decades ago, I always use "Ms". Yet almost all my friends and my cousins all put it on. (I have mentioned this to them before.) A lot of them don't like "Ms" but I don't want to get into a battle about this, it isn't worth it. It does annoy me though.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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LeRoc
Famous Dutch pirate
# 3216
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Posted
I'm not even thinking about turning my heater on yet. I even have my window open the whole time.
I'm looking forward to autumn. It's been a while since I've seen autumn. I already had a lot of blackcurrants, that I picked from the roadside.
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I know why God made the rhinoceros, it's because He couldn't see the rhinoceros, so He made the rhinoceros to be able to see it. (Clarice Lispector)
Posts: 9474 | From: Brazil / Africa | Registered: Aug 2002
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LeRoc
Famous Dutch pirate
# 3216
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Posted
(I just checked a couple of websites of Dutch car rental agencies. In the Netherlands, it is perfectly possible to rent a car for someone else. This person still needs to show his/her credit card when picking up the car, but it doesn't need to be the same card the car was booked on. Is this a UK thing?)
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I know why God made the rhinoceros, it's because He couldn't see the rhinoceros, so He made the rhinoceros to be able to see it. (Clarice Lispector)
Posts: 9474 | From: Brazil / Africa | Registered: Aug 2002
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daisydaisy
Shipmate
# 12167
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
quote:
Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Today is Bakr-Eid so I sent Eid Mubarak message to my Muslim neighbours and friends and got a few messages back one of which reads: Eid Mubarakkkk Dude.
I'm not sure whether to be offended or not - like Uncle Pete I have an almost pathological aversion to being called dude even when I know it was meant kindly.
If it's meant kindly and they don't know you hate it then I'm afraid the option is to grit your teeth and live with it. I hate being addressed as "Miss" on letters and envelopes. I stopped using that decades ago, I always use "Ms". Yet almost all my friends and my cousins all put it on. (I have mentioned this to them before.) A lot of them don't like "Ms" but I don't want to get into a battle about this, it isn't worth it. It does annoy me though.
I feel Ms sounds a bit clunky - I enjoy receiving mail from a friend who addresses me as Mistress daisydaisy
Posts: 3184 | From: southern uk | Registered: Dec 2006
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marzipan
Shipmate
# 9442
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Nenya:
quote:
Originally posted by marzipan:
we've had the heating on at home for a couple of weeks
Heating? Heating??? We're not allowed to mention the word at Casa Nen until at least October.
Firstly - my house, my rules. I'm the one that pays the gas bill after all.
Secondly - it was pretty cold here last week (though it's warmed up some the past couple of days). I could see my breath when I left the house one morning last week!
As I recall, the day I put the heating on was the day I got DRENCHED going from work to the bus (because I was wearing my summer coat which has lost its waterproofing) and then I had to spend the next two hours waiting at a cold bus stop, travelling on a cold bus whose heating didint work, waiting for my connecting bus and when I finally got home I was constantly shivering. Since then it's been winter coat and heating never mind what the calendar says.
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formerly cheesymarzipan.
Now containing 50% less cheese
Posts: 917 | From: nowhere in particular | Registered: May 2005
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
I agree with Ariel - if they don't know (and you're not in a position to tell them) there's not much you can do about it.
As for Miss/Ms, in a general way I hate "Ms", but I use it if (a) I don't know whether the lady in question is married or not; or (b) I know she prefers to be addressed as "Ms". I remember being quite taken aback at getting a birthday card from my sister addressed to "Ms. Piglet". It's not as if she didn't know I'm married - she was my matron-of-honour ...
Slight tangent re: autumnal heating/clothing: although autumn here can last the best part of two or three months, for some reason I can't find a light-weight trench-coat-type mac for love or money. I don't want to start wearing my "winter" coat until at least December - it holds far too much heat - and a mac would be just the thing for going home in November. I've seen some on British high-street shops' web-sites, so it looks as if I'm going to have to wait and buy one when I get there (I'm not confident enough about sizes and don't really want to pay for cross-Pond postage).
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by marzipan:
quote:
Originally posted by Nenya:
quote:
Originally posted by marzipan:
we've had the heating on at home for a couple of weeks
Heating? Heating??? We're not allowed to mention the word at Casa Nen until at least October.
Firstly - my house, my rules. I'm the one that pays the gas bill after all.
That's what Mr Nen says too.
A couple of awkward things about "Ms" are the pronunciation as without a vowel it's a sort of "Mzzz" (unlike Mr or Mrs I don't believe it's short for anything) and when it first came on the scene if I remember correctly it was pretty much the sole domain of the divorced lady. Nowadays it's much more widely used by women who don't think their title should indicate their marital status, just as Mr doesn't.
My son moves in academic circles where the Dr title is considered real bonus in this respect - completely non indicative of marital status and gender.
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They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
Posts: 1289 | Registered: May 2011
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ArachnidinElmet
Shipmate
# 17346
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Nenya:
A couple of awkward things about "Ms" are the pronunciation as without a vowel it's a sort of "Mzzz" (unlike Mr or Mrs I don't believe it's short for anything) and when it first came on the scene if I remember correctly it was pretty much the sole domain of the divorced lady. Nowadays it's much more widely used by women who don't think their title should indicate their marital status, just as Mr doesn't.
My son moves in academic circles where the Dr title is considered real bonus in this respect - completely non indicative of marital status and gender.
I use Ms for preference, although I'm not particularly bothered. Living with my divorced mum who has the same initials, it's been useful to be Miss sometimes to differentiate between bills and bank statements.
Filling in non-official forms, I often wonder why a title is necessary at all.
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'If a pleasant, straight-forward life is not possible then one must try to wriggle through by subtle manoeuvres' - Kafka
Posts: 1887 | From: the rhubarb triangle | Registered: Sep 2012
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Leorning Cniht
Shipmate
# 17564
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by ArachnidinElmet:
Filling in non-official forms, I often wonder why a title is necessary at all.
I'd almost say the opposite. On an "official form" you don't need a title, because nobody's going to be addressing you based on it, so full name and dob is perfectly adequate to identify you.
It is less-official forms that are more likely to result in someone calling out your name in a waiting room, phoning you for whatever reason and so on, and it is those contexts in which you need a line for "please address me like this".
Posts: 5026 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2013
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
Titles went a while ago. The modern trend is not to bother with titles, or for that matter, surnames. Formality, I've been told, is scary.
And so interview candidates will give just their first name to the receptionist on arrival, people will address parcels to someone without a surname, emails come in from people with no surnames either who sign off with first name only, and phone messages from people you haven't met will ask you to ring back and ask for [first name]. All of which can be potentially difficult when there may be several people sharing the same first name and nobody is quite sure who this parcel addressed to "Emma" is for, exactly.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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Leorning Cniht
Shipmate
# 17564
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
Titles went a while ago. The modern trend is not to bother with titles, or for that matter, surnames. Formality, I've been told, is scary.
I've seen enough elderly ladies in hospitals and nursing homes upset at being addressed as "Elizabeth" or whatever by a collection of random transient staff members to tell that idea exactly where to go.
If she wants to be called Mrs. Smith, call her Mrs. Smith. Not Ms. Smith, and not Elizabeth.
While I'm at it, automatic name-shorteners can take themselves off in the same direction. If someone introduced himself as "Edward", it is not acceptable to turn around and call him "Ed".
Leo, grumpy curmudgeon-in-chief
Posts: 5026 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2013
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Moo
Ship's tough old bird
# 107
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Leorning Cniht:
I've seen enough elderly ladies in hospitals and nursing homes upset at being addressed as "Elizabeth" or whatever by a collection of random transient staff members to tell that idea exactly where to go.
It cuts both ways. During the last years of my mother's life, she had to have someone with her during her waking hours. She always called these women Mrs. ---. (They were, in fact, married.) It was clear to me that they appreciated the respect.
Moo
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Kerygmania host
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See you later, alligator.
Posts: 20365 | From: Alleghany Mountains of Virginia | Registered: May 2001
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Uncle Pete
Loyaute me lie
# 10422
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Posted
This first name business irritates me. To someone who is 50 or more years younger than I, I am Mr Whoever, not Peter, not Pete. To people with whom I do business I am Mr Whoever - and to make it clear, that is what I use in correspondence or on introducing myself.
There are a very few people with whom I do business who are also personal friends. Those may call me by my first name.
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Even more so than I was before
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St Everild
Shipmate
# 3626
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Posted
I go by my second Christian name - always have, always will. It irritates me beyond belief when people call me by my first (unused) name, rather than my second one. I simply don't recognise myself by that name. Actually, I think kit is rather rude to call a person by their Christian name without asking first, and I generally ask "What would you like me to call you" when dealing with people I do not know in a professional sense. And then calling them their preferred name.
The even that most infuriated me was when, having enrolled at the local Uni for some post grad study, (and used both my given names, as appear on my birth certificate, on the registration document), the institution persisted in sending me letters and emails which began "Dear FIrstforename"... When I asked to be called by my second (entirely legitimate) forename, the person in the office explained that if I wanted this, I would have to change my name by Deed Poll. I'm afraid I was very forthright in my response.
Posts: 1782 | From: Bethnei | Registered: Dec 2002
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Leorning Cniht
Shipmate
# 17564
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by St Everild:
the local Uni [..] persisted in sending me letters and emails which began "Dear FIrstforename"... When I asked to be called by my second (entirely legitimate) forename, the person in the office explained that if I wanted this, I would have to change my name by Deed Poll.
We had a form to fill out, which asked for, as I recall:
1. Full names (ie. what you'd like to appear on your degree certificate)
2. Title (Mr / Ms / Miss / Mrs / whatever)
3. Which bit of your name is the common-use surname (ie. when we write you you as Mr. X, what should X be)
(This covers people with Chinese name ordering, people with Spanish-style multiple surnames who only use a single surname in less formal situations etc.)
4. Of your given names, which one do you usually use (also included shortening of names.)
I've never seen anything nearly as good anywhere else.
Posts: 5026 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2013
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
In Northern Ireland it's quite common for people to go by something other than their first name, and on university application forms (which were part of my work) they usually underlined the name by which they wished to be known, which worked for most purposes.
Until, of course, their grant cheques* (which were also part of my job - the students loved me ![[Biased]](wink.gif) ) came in, and the education authority had them down as their first name ...
While I'm messing about on here, a big pot of chicken stock is bubbling merrily on the stove, in case autumn decides to put in an appearance, necessitating soup.
* Remember them?
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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la vie en rouge
Parisienne
# 10688
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Posted
As far as titles and address go, I think France is still much more conservative. I expect to be called Madame Lastname in just about all non-social situations. I would definitely expect a medical professional to address me this way rather than by my first name. If I went for a job interview, I would also introduce myself as Madame Lastname.
This is possibly a bit easier to negotiate than in English speaking countries. There is nothing wrong with addressing an unmarried woman as “Madame” and in some contexts it would be rude to do otherwise. Case in point: Ségolène was never married, but there was no question of calling her anything other than “Madame Royal”. On the BBC, she was Ms. Royal because I assume they didn’t know what else to call her (they’ve never had any problem with calling Angela “Mrs. Merkel”). If in doubt, I always go with Madame. It doesn’t necessarily imply that a woman is married.
For an added bit of confusion, in France a married woman’s official name is always the one she was born with, even though the vast majority of married women in France (about 70 or 80 percent IIRC) go by their husband’s name. Nonetheless, in the eyes of French officialdom, I am Madame la vie en rouge Birthname épouse Marriedname.
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Rent my holiday home in the South of France
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Piglet:
Until, of course, their grant cheques* (which were also part of my job - the students loved me ) came in, and the education authority had them down as their first name ...
* Remember them?
Yes, as do most members of recent governments. Tuition fees were an SEP* too.
*Somebody Else's Problem.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Sipech
Shipmate
# 16870
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Posted
As it looks like it's going to be a nice weekend, I'm planning to head off for a hike tomorrow. Going to carry on the North Downs Way from Oxted to Otford, if anyone fancies a last-minute ship meetup.
Planning to leave Crapham Junkyard on the 08:59
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Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheAlethiophile
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The Intrepid Mrs S
Shipmate
# 17002
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Posted
We're going to Brighton - I've never been before, and Mr. S got a notification of something weird that's on there. It's someone we once saw at the Nuffield in Southampton, but he lives in Brighton and everything he does seems to be down there; can't remember what this is called, but what we saw in Soton was called 'The Haunted Moustache'. Brilliant. ![[Overused]](graemlins/notworthy.gif)
On the way we're taking in some walking and geo-caching, which would all be brill except that (of course) Wales play England tomorrow night. Since Mr. S is a genuine cockney, born within sound of Bow Bells, and I am Welsh, there'll be tears before bedtime for somebody!
(Ah well, last weekend Wales, England and West Ham all won, so Chateau Intrepid was a happy household ![[Killing me]](graemlins/killingme.gif) )
Mrs. S, chewing her fingernails
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Don't get your knickers in a twist over your advancing age. It achieves nothing and makes you walk funny.
Prayer should be our first recourse, not our last resort
'Lord, please give us patience. NOW!'
Posts: 1464 | From: Neither here nor there | Registered: Mar 2012
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
D. (who is English) has very little interest in sport generally*, and even less in rugby, and always says he doesn't care who wins as long as someone stuffs the Welsh** (pace Mrs. S. and Sioni). For myself, I was delighted that Scotland stuffed the team that stuffed the Springboks - it was about time we won a rugby match.
* except for the gentle rhythms of the classified footie results, and the fortunes of a few preferred teams (Ipswich, Norwich, Colchester, Inverness, Cowdenbeath) and unpreferred ones (Manchester United).
** or the French (pace La Vie)
eta: a thought re: titles - how do you address your in-laws? Christian names, or Mr. and Mrs. Whatever? I've never addressed mine by anything other than their Christian names; when I first met them, they weren't potential in-laws, they were just parents of a friend . When I moved to Belfast I was quite surprised to find that most people addressed their mothers-in-law as "Mrs. Whatever".
[ 25. September 2015, 14:44: Message edited by: Piglet ]
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
My sisters in law always called my mum and dad just mum and dad.
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What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?
Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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Leorning Cniht
Shipmate
# 17564
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Piglet:
eta: a thought re: titles - how do you address your in-laws? Christian names, or Mr. and Mrs. Whatever?
When we were dating, it was Mr & Mrs X. They tried to offer first names, but that felt a bit weird. After we married, it became even more weird, and I would try hard to avoid addressing them by name at all.
Since we had kids, we routinely address them by their grandparental names. I even find myself doing that to my own parents.
ETA: Also re titles, and re Uncle Pete on another thread, it seems fairly normal around here for children to address adults that they know as "Mr Firstname" or "Miss Firstname". Given that adults round here don't usually address each other with title and surname, this seems to allow a certain distance / respect for adulthood without requiring everyone to remember a whole bunch of surnames they never use.
[ 25. September 2015, 16:38: Message edited by: Leorning Cniht ]
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St. Gwladys
Shipmate
# 14504
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Posted
I get really annoyed when cold callers address me by my first name, and have actually told some off for doing so.
I'm usually known by the shortened form of my name, only people who've known me since i was a child call me by my full name. When I was working, I would always introduce myself by my first name, and call them by their title and surname, until they told me to use their first name. So, there were some clients who were always Mr, Mrs or Miss. As a social worker, it seared to help adders the potential power imbalance.
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"I say - are you a matelot?"
"Careful what you say sir, we're on board ship here"
From "New York Girls", Steeleye Span, Commoners Crown (Voiced by Peter Sellers)
Posts: 3333 | From: Rhymney Valley, South Wales | Registered: Jan 2009
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