How to tell guests not to text at your party

I went to a very elegant event where the food was great, the venue was opulent and the guests were Manila’s four hundred. There was a short exhibition of jewelry shown off by some mannequins and it was an amusing show. When I arrived, there was a group of elegant men and women seated in one corner of the buffet table, oblivious to what was going on because they were all glued to their cell phones texting! I really couldn’t believe what I saw and I told myself that Manila is indeed the text capital of the world because even members of the educated society are hooked on it at the expense of good manners and right conduct. I would like to think that these educated men and women realize that the hosts put a lot of effort and money in putting together an event to introduce one of their products and therefore would be terribly upset if they knew that while their presentation was going on, guests were texting instead of watching.

This was not the first time I saw this kind of situation. One time, I attended a hen luncheon where the women spent the first half hour texting, the second half hour talking about the jokes they receive on text, and only in the next half hour did they pay attention to one another. One of the guests asked, "Why did we get together if all we would do is text other people?" Is there a way to tell guests to switch off their "texting mode" while at a dinner party or while in the company of civilized society? – Marge

This letter is long overdue. I have been waiting for someone to write me about this phenomenon! Nobody seems to care about hosts’ efforts in organizing a party because they are glued to their best friend: Their cell phone. But there must be a solution to this menace. At the Tower Club, for example, the two dining rooms have explicit signs on their tables: No cell phones allowed. The board of directors in this club are smart. They would like to protect the guests who are enjoying their privacy from the incessant ringing of cell phones, and more so, the irritating beep-beep of text messages. This should set a precedent for other clubs. A meal should be enjoyed and savored, not destroyed by phone calls and text messaging. And the hosts should do the same. They should put in their invitations: Guests are requested to shut off their phones until the affair is over. I wonder who would abide by the hosts’ requests! It seems like every one has a million-dollar deal that could dissipate if they as much as blink away from their cell phones. That’s the way civilized (uncivilized?) society is acting nowadays.

* * * Decanter Lifestyle

I was once invited to a sit-down dinner and I have never seen such class. The wines were not served in their bottles. Each and every bottle was poured in a beautiful decanter from which the wine was served. Forgive my ignorance, but what is the purpose of this ritual of pouring the wine from the bottle to the decanter? – Leo

Wine connoisseurs say that it is important to decant wines in order to aerate them or let them breathe. Some say the purpose of doing this is so as not to disturb the sediments that have settled at the bottom of the bottle. The sediments are not poured into the decanter. Others say it is purely for aesthetic reasons, especially if the host wants to show off his beautiful crystal decanter. Some people take their wine very seriously and serving it from a decanter is part of the ritual of serving wine.

* * * Too Mature For Her Age

How do I keep my only daughter from growing up too fast? She is nine going on 19. It is partly my fault that she is mature for her age. She has been in the company of adults since she was a baby because she does not have siblings. I miss talking to a kid. Every time my daughter says something, it’s like an adult speaking. Also, she never had to share with anyone and I am afraid she might grow up selfish and spoiled. How do I avoid this and teach her how to share? – Sophie

An only child tends to grow up faster– it is inevitable that his closest friends are his parents. In order not to spoil your daughter, don’t say yes to everything she asks for. Give her some chores and responsibilities, like making her own bed and keeping her room neat. Teach her to share her candies with her playmates by inviting them over to your house for an occasional get-together and make her offer them whatever you prepared, thus teaching her to be a good hostess at an early age. Offering goodies to her classmates comes with the concept of sharing. Then you can also tell her that in school, she has to share her candies with her friends.

While maturity has its benefits, you also want to preserve the child in her. Make her play with her friends more often by inviting them over to your place. Teach her how to relate to other children her age by telling her stories of your wonderful times with your friends when you were growing up. Because you are her role model, she would want to do the same.

* * * Reversing Time?

My friends are always talking about this wonderful vitamin they are taking that is supposed to retard the aging process by many years. It is called Revers Age and it has certain accelerators that reproduce the human growth hormone which naturally diminishes through the years. Have you heard about this new product and how safe is it to take it? – Edna

What is good about it is that it is manufactured by a reputable company, Reliv, which has a good reputation in the USA. It is supposed to address the problems of aging because it is loaded with ingredients that are good for keeping us young, mentally sharp and revitalized. For example, one natural ingredient it has is the potent herb MACA which is only found in Peru. This herb is used to treat chronic fatigue, anemia, impotency, menstrual problems and symptoms of menopause. What you should do is to get testimonies from people who use it. I have heard that it keeps women of a certain age feeling youthful once again by minimizing their lines and keeping their skin taut. As for the men, their fading libido is restored and they too feel revitalized. For this, a lot of men swear by it.