Brian's Etiquette Guide

Or, where worlds collide...

For the edification of readers, friends and passers-by:

I say "sir" and "ma'am" quite often in public conversation. Often to folks socially distant, like supermarket cashiers, ticket agents, or people I've just met.
I may avert my glance downward to avoid staring at something, like a revealing outfit or a strategic ketchup stain.
I often hold doors for people, especially those carrying things, and women in general.
Likewise with giving up subway seats.
I'm happy to be hospitable, because it's an icebreaker. I like to do nice things for my friends.
I bring friends drinks at parties, if I'm going by the drink table.
I don't generally make the first move toward people whom I find attractive, even crush-objects.

*None* of these behaviors means that I'm trying to sub to the recipient. For example, if I'm at a party, and I avert my glance, answer "sure, ma'am!" and I later bring you a drink, all it means is that I've just met you and your bra strap is showing... those people that pay attention to such things, be forewarned. Low-key and polite doesn't mean I don't prefer to be in charge of other things, in other contexts... and scarcely anyone will see that other side of me.

Smells... non-fishy

My car's back from the shop -- just in time for patgreene and geekchick to head off this evening. It has a functional right door handle (yay!), a repaired tail light and door hinge, and two new tires. That's the good news... the bad news is that the car stunk. Literally... it smelled heavily of ammonia. Perhaps the garage cats slept in it and did their business...

Before I'd let my sweeties take it, the car had to be cleaned. So after hopeforyou's meeting, I took it to a car wash... and found a wet spot under the floormat. But there were three small plastic conical caps in the wet spot, very similar to syringe covers. The car had been parked Saturday and Sunday nights on the street outside the repair shop. I'm wondering if someone was shooting-up inside, and perhaps either relieved themselves on my floor or spilled some process chemicals?

Anyway, the car was cleaned, the carpet and mats shampooed, and there's only a faint whiff left. Pat and Cathy have already departed with it, leaving me here tonight with the kidlets. Time to finish the last page or two of that IAF paper...