43 - Wednesday,

No need to make Art program set up for special

March 31, 1993 ~ North Shore News

LIFESTYLES

pleasantries with
a recorded voice

DEAR MISS MANNERS — If I cali a friend and get the
answering machine, and the recording lists more than one
person 1 know, do I-just Jeave a message for the person
I'm calling and ignore the partner or roommate?

Do Tsay “Hi, Tom, I'm calling
for Karen?”*

If they are both people f regu-
larly see in person, 1 greet them
both before starting my individual
conversation, but it seems odd to
do that to the machine.

Does the rudeness of not greet-
ing someene in person carry over?

GENTLE READER
Machines are not people. There's
a big difference between cursing a
coffee machine and cursing a
waiter; and between kicking
automobile tires and kicking
automobile mechanics.

But when Miss Manners tries to
get this point across, she cn-
counters resistance from pecple
who declare, for example, ‘‘Hang-
ing up on my answering machine
is ike hanging up on me.”’

No, it’s not. You have to make
that vital distinction between leav-
ing polite messages, because they
are directed at the person who
collects the. messages, and trying

“to exchange pleasantries with a
recorded voice.

“. In person, you should not ever
attempt having a private conversa-
tion with one person. while
another is standing by, no matter
how pleasantly you greeted the ex-
tra person first.

But when calling, you . need
merely identify the person whom
you are calling and begin your
“message.

DEAR MISS MANNERS — At
a lunch with my fiancee, her
parenis, and a close friend, the
menu was Italian, *whick { don’t
speak, but they all do.

As you may imagine, I had
trouble ordering. I managed the
main course, but then I was ex-
pected to order x salad.

Unable io read the menu, I said
I would share my fiancee’s saiad.

Fortunately, the waiter sensed
my discomfort and took it upon
himself te bring me a simple

- salad,’ rather than embarrassing
me any further by forcing me to
share with my fiancee.

How ‘can ‘such a situation be
avoided in the future?

GENTLE: READER Well,
you could try talking them all into
Chinese food next time.

But surely they are as likely as
Miss Manners to wonder, why, if
you are marrying inio an Italian-
speaking. ‘ Italian-eating family,
you are not attempting to learn at
least restaurant Italian.

In the meantime, it seems to
Miss Manners that you have at
least two people present who
would be happy to assist you —
the waiter, whose business it is to
help people get food that they will
enjoy, and your very own fiancee,
whose. business it has now become
to help you enjoy life even more,
as you should be doing for her.

Judith

MISS MANNERS

The only etiquette problem Miss
Manners can imagine here is caus-
ed by your erroneous belief that it
is wrong to ask for such instruc-
tion. On the contrary, it is clarm-
ing.

Unless you have passed yourself
off as what we used to call a
Count from Torcello (there are no
counts on the Venetian island of
Tercello), your interest will more
than make up for your ignorance.

DEAR MISS MANNERS
My baby’s first birthday is ap-
proaching, and 1 really do not
wish her #9 be loaded down with a
bunch of plastic toys that require
batteries, or clothing that we do
not need just now.

Would it be inappropriate to
make a notation on the invitations
such as “‘At your discretion, a
contribution may be made to
Theress’s scholastic fund at the
U.S. Postal Service Credit
UWnion,’’ with her account
number?

GENTLE READER — A
one-year-old is fortunately too
young to be humiliated by paren-
tal attempts to control what her
other relatives or playmates’
narents may offer her out of the
kindness of their hearts, and to
open a fundraising drive in her
name.

But Miss Manners is embarrass-
ed on her behalf.

Should you wish to celebrate
your child’s birthday with others,
it will be your job to express grat-
itude to them.

Afterward, some sleight of hand
should enable you to give away
excess toys or clothing to those
who can use them.

Next year, this will be harder,
because you will have to deal with
your daughter’s unhappiness.

Miss Manners suggests you ,use
the year to learn to teach her to
be appreciative of the efforts of
others, and to use your parental
authority more judiciously.

Seymour troop holds manure sale:

SPRING HAS arvived and it’s
time to prepare your garden for the
‘growing season.

The 18th Seymour Scout Troop

is holding a manure sale at Lynn
Valley Shopping Centre, 1199
Lynn Valley Rd. in North Van-
couver this weekend.
The sale, which
“juality mature manure, will run
from 10 a.m. 10 5 p.m. on Satur-
day, April 3 and from 11) a.m. to

4 p.m. on Sunday, April 4.

te

features top-

' Proceeds will help fund camp-
ing trips and other outdoor activi-
ties including the Canadian jam-
boree this summer.

Other troop activities
recycling bottles and cans
planting trees,

The scouts meet regularly on
Monday evenings at Carisbrook
elementary school.

include
and

Fer. more information, contact

Kevin Kerney at 987-7553,

IN RESPONSE to increasing re-
quests for an arts program for
teens and young adults who have
special needs, the West Van-
couver Reercation Centre
(WYRC) is offering a new pro-
gram called Arts Alive.

The centre felt frustrated at
not being able to provide suit-
able recreational pursuits for all
members of the community, say
program organizers,

But the Arts Alive program,
which is a sampler of the music,
drama and visual arts modules,
shoukd fill this gap and provide
Opportunities for everyone to
join in,

The program emphasises the
fun aspects of learning the arts.
It gives participants a chance to
meet new people and experiment
with a variety of creative arts in
a friendly and supportive en-
vironment,

needs students

Arts Alive costs $49 and runs
from 7 to 9 p.m. each Thursday
from April 1 to May 6.

Family members or compa-
nions are encouraged to join the
class; however, assistance will be
provided to those who require it.

WYVRC is Socated at 780-22nd
St. in West Vancouver and is
wheelchair accessible,

For more information and to
pre-register, call 926-3266.

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When you arrive in a new
place it's nice to know
God alyeady has a family
waiting for you.

Sometimes things are so different it's hard
to feel like youreally belong. Butatchurch
you do belong, because your family is part
of our family -- God's family. And we're
waiting to welcome you this Sunday.

Show your Spirit. C

The Anglican Church

For information about an Anglican parish
in your community, call 684-6306
or outside Vancouver 1-800-665-1105

Some back to church.

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“NORTH SHORE ANGLICAN CHURCHES

ST. FRANCIS-IN-THE-WOOD
4773 South Piccadilly Rd.
922-3531
ST. AGNES
530 East 12th Street
987-0432

ST. CATHERINES
1058 Ridgewood Drive

ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST

1384 Deep Cove Road

ST. CLEMENTS
3400 Institute
988-4418

220 West 8th Street
986-1151

Si. SIMONS
929-5350

ST. CHRISTOPHER'S
1068 Inglewood Ave,
922-5323
ST. MARTINS
195 East Windsor
985-5919

ST. RICHARDS
1398 West 15th Street
987-0314

ST. STEPHEN’S
835-22nd St.
926-4381

ST. MONICA'S
6404 Wellington Ave.
921-9112