Party or Function Table Etiquette

Have you been to parties and functions where appetizers, the main course and other foods are put on the table and you see some inconsiderate people who take a huge chunk out of the food on that plate that is put on the table and by the time the plate comes to you, you have nothing left or a small bit that barely goes down your throat?

I have been to numerous amounts of parties and functions especially weddings or something where I have witnessed that happen all too much. Not only observing on my table, but others around too. Some people do not think of the other people who are sitting on the same table as them and think they are the only ones with eating the food. I find that to be very selfish and a terrible trait. People paid to eat and have fun, and those who are hungry. It is not nice to hog the food.

The people who plan these functions make/order only enough food to last for each person. I know that it is good to carry extra supply of the food that is being provided in case people ask for more, but whatever is put on the tables, people should be mindful and think of others as well, but unfortunately that is not the case over 90% of the time. maybe more.

It has happened to me a lot. I am usually the one to pass around the plates as respect and thinking of others before I serve myself. As the plate began circling around and came back to me of 9 people and I am the 10th, It either had nothing left or a very small speck of it when the whole plate was so full. I was so mad and I felt weird asking the server for more of that food, where they had put enough to last the whole table. I try not to make a big fuss about it, but it is a big fuss. It is disrespectful, inconsiderate and absolutely terrible to do that. Some people’s eyes are bigger than their stomach.

I see peoples eyes jump at the food as soon as the host of the party or function says its okay to eat, or after a prayer or something. People jump at the food before its okay to do so. Some people look and act like they have never seen food or ate it before. They become so wild that they don’t even acknowledge others around them.

To learn proper etiquette is to take small portions of each item and allow others to have a chance to eat it. Some people may skip that certain type of food, but again its good to ask, “are you sure you do not want it”? if the response says, “yes I am sure I do not want it, you can have it”, then you take it, but other than that it is not fair for people who want them.

So, next time you go to a function or party, just watch and observe your table and the way people take their food and how much of it and you will see what I am talking about. People may not even pay attention to those details, but it is important to learn from mistakes and correct them. Etiquette is so important that some people do not take seriously and who do not respect it. Etiquette and manners are crucial and so imperative to have and possess.

Just look out and see.

Spring Forward – Excited about More Daylight

After a long, depressing, freezing cold winter, I am excited, anticipating, anxious and thrilled about more daylight. I Can’t wait to hear the birds to start coming out and chirp, when the sun comes out early in the morning and sets after 9pm, the beautiful flowers start blooming, the trees become green once again, the warmth in the air, the beautiful colours of spring and summer. With Spring just around the corner, I feel so good with that transition from a long harsh winter. I love to wear lighter colour clothing, and just enjoying the beauty of this season and more. Just to enjoy life, stopping to smell the roses, and just enjoy the beauty of a vibrant season.

I want to take up walking and go to the malls a lot more, visiting friends and family a lot more, being outdoors all day, finding activities to do, probably go camping and enjoying nature.

I have many plans for the spring and summer months. I have already ironed out some of the places I want to go as well as of course hanging out with my family, friends and just going out and getting fresh air that we really do need. We are so cooped up indoors from all the freezing weather, and snow we endured since Beginning of November and now that we are approaching half way into March, I am excited to be opening up windows, and breathing outdoor air. It feels incredible. I do not plan to stay home and try to go out and do a lot of things.

I absolutely love giving water to the flowers, washing the cars from all the snow, salt and winter debris that is left on it, as well as washing down all the salt left on the car mats and so much more. I am jumping for joy. I have never liked winter and I never will. That is how excited I am.

What do you like about transitioning to spring and warmer temperatures? Have you planned your days yet? What do you enjoy most about it all?

Bring on the daylight savings time and lets spring forward shall we?

***Remember to turn your clocks forward 1 hour March 8, 2015 at 2am in the morning, so before you go to sleep to change the clocks***

 

Have a wonderful season and best wishes.

My Sweet 16 Birthday that Never happened

When I was in high school and about to turn 16, I have heard about the sweet 16’s birthday parties and the fun those people had, and planned their birthdays that it was perfect, the people who had gone to those parties, the decorations, the planning all kicked off perfectly.

Even though I did not have friends back in the day, and those who I thought were somehow, I decided to throw a sweet 16 birthday party for me. As I had invited 20 people from my school. So now when it came toward the last couple of days to my birthday, I assured people to ask if they are going to be attending my birthday and they said yes we will be there. I got so excited. I remember it was April 28, 2001, on a Saturday and Monday is my real birthday on the 30th, and decided to have it 2 days early because of School on the right day.

As I had begun decorating, and had ordered the cake and the food, as well has putting some games so people can play. As the time was nearing for people to come, I got so excited that I stood by the door to wait for them to come, my anticipation was growing deeper. As I looked at the time again and it was 2pm where the time said on the invitations, I look at the clock and it said 2:15. I said ok its ok, they are running late. Then one person came around 2:30, I welcome her into the house and she decided to wait with me. then it became almost 4pm, and it was just her and I was devastated, humiliated, embarrassed, and crying so much.

That one girl who came to my party wiped my tears away and said it will be ok. Don’t worry, I am here. lets enjoy together. Who cares about the rest that stood you up? I said yeah you are right. So we enjoyed the food, and desert and cake and watched a couple of movies until it was time for her to go home. She hugged me and said, Talin, do not worry about anybody else, they are cowards. God is watching them. Then she left as her mom came and picked her up. My heart shattered to pieces. It was a feeling that I never wish on anybody else.

After her leaving, I let out a huge cry. I said, I cannot believe this happened to me and my mom comforted me and told me, don’t worry God will punish them. So Monday came and I was still crying and devastated. I did not enjoy my real 16th birthday, but I did go out to dinner with my family, which made everything better. I actually skipped school for a couple of days and just stood home. I just didn’t feel like seeing anybody. Then I decided to go to school on the Wednesday, and none of them said I am sorry and did not bother to give me an explanation as to why they did that. All the planning, food and everything went to waste, however we kept the food and ate it throughout the week.

From then on, I didn’t care about interacting with anybody and I just went about and studied, did my homework, attended all my classes, and then once school was finished, I’d never waste another second and just go home. I was so disgusted. That one girl changed schools the year after because her family had moved somewhere further, and that really made me even cry more. She was the only one who really cared. It was so nice of her. I still have the give she gave me 14-15 years later.

As I reached another milestone this year. At the end of April on the 30th of 2015, I will be celebrating my champagne birthday turning 30 on 30 and it is coming up so quickly. As I almost say Goodbye to my 20’s, I am truly hoping that I can have a sweet 30th birthday that will make up for the sweet 16th birthday I never had. I know it is not good to expect it, but when you’ve never had a birthday party reaching a milestone, it makes you wonder how and what might have been. I just want to have a great time with my lovely and beautiful loved ones I have in my life which really matter to me more than anything else.

Have you experienced a disappointing turnout at a party or function you have had? I am sure you felt humiliated and distraught. Have you had a similar situation where people didn’t bother to show up and not telling you why and not having the common decency to call and explain? If you have, I am so sorry to hear that. I know exactly how you feel. It is not a good feeling at all.

Hopefully nobody has to go through what I went through. Best wishes to you and may your dreams come true, because everyday is our birthday and celebrate it by the gift of breathing and living through another day. We are blessed and that is what matters the most.

Never Be Afraid To Speak Your Mind – Talk Straight, Sit Croquet Is The Way To Go In Life

In this past year, I have learned a lot about never being afraid to speak your mind and not to keep anything inside before exploding. I have learned so much about life this past year, I can write about it, but as your fellow person in this world and as a sister to all, I advise people to never be afraid to speak their mind. If you see something not right, speak up, if people are all over you, speak up, and stand up for your rights. People can talk and talk about things and hound you all the time, but they don’t really know what is going on with you and what your feeling mentally and emotionally and sometimes people run their mouth when they have no idea what you go through day in and day out with life. Life is a hard battle and in order to survive these days, you must always be strong and have a back up plan always. Speaking your mind and standing up for yourself is one of the main things about this day in age. Don’t like people jump and walk all over you. Take a stand and go and stand up for what you believe in and your rights as a person. We all have been given the freedom and the voice to speak up. Nothing is wrong with speaking up, nothing is wrong with freedom of expression.

Everything in life has its ups and downs, and there will be people who bring you up, and there will be others who bring you down. Life is a roller coaster and sometimes there are loops, curves and other things, but always be honest, talk straight, you can sit croquet, but always talk honestly, forthright because you have to be honest with yourself before you can be honest with others. When you respect yourself, you will need to respect yourself enough to stand up for yourself. You need to stand on your own two feet sometimes to fight battles with words to other people, but not in a hurtful way, but in a decent mature manner. You need to set ground rules, you need to put your foot down where needed. Sometimes people carry on and run off with their head, but sometimes you need to step up to the plate and get going. There will always be people who are by your side, and always know that people always have your back, but when it comes time for yourself when your friends are not around, you need to get out of that nest and be strong. Trust me, your relationships with your friends and others will change and to the better. once your friends see that you have guts and stick up for yourself, that is a good feeling to say hey, I protected myself and I am not naive, I am not gullible, and I did it all on my own.

Self-confidence in situations is always a good thing to have and be motivated when it comes time to. Never be another persons pawn and never allow anyone to say check mate to you. Life is like a game of chess, if you don’t stick up for yourself, and if you don’t move along and don’t protect yourself, you are always going to end up in check mate and its hard to revive yourself. Don’t forget how special and how wonderful you truly are. Getting out in the real world, talking to many people and involving yourself and getting into people is something important. You learn peoples personality, you learn the facial features. Are they laughing at you, or with you? You can differentiate so quickly and you can automatically sense that if someone is nice, sincere and pleasant, and sometimes you can sense the person as being rough, disrespectful and everything all in their actions, and words.

So all this being said, never let yourself go to a point where people always know where to hit your emotional and mental nerve. There are people who always have a satisfaction of getting to you. Don’t let that happen. you are better than that and you are someone who is very awesome and if they don’t understand that, then it is time to let yourself go and go into a different circle of life. I mean think about it, would you put yourself up in that predicament? Would you put yourself up to the embarrassment all the time? It is not good for you at all. Don’t always let others fight your word battles all the time, you have to do it yourself, and you will see how much more respect your friends and your people you hang out with will have on you. Do yourself this big favour and protect yourself. No matter who your talking to. step up and put your head up high and make your decisions and don’t let others do it for you. That is the best gift you can give to yourself is your self-respect and sticking up for you. Do it. You won’t go wrong with life. I know you can. just try and you will see the difference. All the best!