Who taught you good manners?

Who taught you good manners? We are not born with this information.
Good manners must be taught. Those of us who are lucky, learned good
manners from our parents. It is a pleasure to live with good manners
and people who treat you with respect.

The wealthy know the value of this information. They spend hundreds
of dollars to have this information taught to their children.

Those who become wealthy, will spend the money to learn good manners
and have it taught to their own children. Will Smith and family are
a good example.

Everyone wants to be treated with respect. Every group has rules,
even gangs and the Jersey Shore group. Civilized society is for
every one and you don't have to be jumped to get in. Honorable,
civilized, law abiding citizens come in every color, size, age,
health, wealth, religious and political affiliation. All that is
expected of you is to be honorable, civilized and law abiding.

You will develop common sense, good self esteem, and the ability to
make good decisions just by knowing good manners and how to show respect
to yourself and others.

You will enjoy reading "A Year of Good Manners" by Margery Sinclair and
Jan Polk, $27.95. Margery uses a very humorous style to write 365 common,
every day courtesies and the reason to use each one.

One of Margery Sinclair's tips is: "Learning good manners is the most basic
skill of civilization. The earlier they are learned, the happier the world is.
Give this advantage to the children in your life so they can grow up without
the baggage of social embarrassments."

Self-esteem and good manners should not be based on how much money you have; they should be based on your honorable character and your good manners. Good Manners will last a life time and you will feel good about yourself where ever you are in life...family, school, social, or business.

This book is a steal at $27.95 for the amount of information that is contained in this book. If you already know the information, it will reinforce you are on the
right track. If you learn something new, you will become even more confident and
relaxed.

We suggest you read "A Year of Good Manners" before making major life changing decisions. When you know what to expect from life, and what life expects of you, you will not have to seek means to escape. You will enjoy life and know how to deal with others in a civilized manner.

You may purchase this book on line at http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

Please "like" my page on Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/janpolk

Before purchasing our book, if you would like to see a free 7 page index of all the valuable information covered in "A Year of Good Manners," please send your email address to me at: janpolk@janpolk.com and I will send you a copy of the index via email. If you have already purchased our book, please send me your email and I will send you the index. Margery and I had intended the book to be a calendar and realized the information is so valuable, an index allows you to use the book as a reference book as well. Thank you for your purchase.

Arizona Congresswoman and Staff Members Shot on 1/8/11

On Saturday, January 8, 2011,
US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and some of
her staff were shot while on duty at a public mall.
Some private citizens were shot as well. At least 10
people have been injured or killed. A 22 year old male
gunman was captured at the scene and remains in jail.
Our prayers are with those who have been injured or killed.

As civilized people, there can be no greater horror than
to be unsafe in our own country. There is never, ever,
a good enough reason to harm another person, verbally
or physically, just because you do not like someone’s
looks, policies, or whatever.

We enjoy the freedom to walk about freely in society; to
meet as large groups in public places; we
enjoy the freedom to feel safe in our own homes;
we enjoy freedom to eat out at safe restaurants and to
purchase safe food and safe drink at local stores and clubs.
We enjoy purchasing safe products that work as advertised.
We enjoy these freedoms because we can trust each
other. We enjoy these freedoms because the majority
of our people are honorable, hard working, civilized law
abiding citizens. These are the core values of our
society and the values that will keep us free.

How do we protect ourselves against terrorists and
crazy loons? The answer is to willingly hold ourselves
to a higher standard by adhering to our core values.
Honorable, hard working, civilized, law abiding people do not
lie, cheat or steal even when the opportunity
presents itself. We do not harm others unless in self-
defense. We are the eyes, ears, and brains of
American civilized society. We elect our government
officials from among ourselves. Each of us is expected to
be a standard bearer for our country and stand united
in the principles of respect, freedom and safety for all.
Each of us is expected to be vigilant and be aware when
something or someone is not right. We must be eye witnesses
and speak up before tragedy happens.

We are always there even when the government is
not. This tragic event could have been even more
horrendous if it were not for the brave, honorable,
civilized law abiding citizens who took charge during
this event and held the shooter to the ground until
the Police could get there. We The People are
who will keep our country the leader of the free
world.

Where ever you go, you should always find at
least one honorable, civilized, law abiding citizen
(you). We must willingly abide by our core
values and we must teach them to our children
so they too can stand united with us for the
freedom of all.

You can read 365 common, every day courtesy tips
written by Margery Sinclair and the reasons to use
them in our book "A Year of Good Manners" by
Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk, $27.95. Purchase
on line at www.janpolk.com

Happy New Year 2011!!!

The easiest New Year's resolution to keep is to give yourself permission to
hold yourself to a higher standard.  It is easy when you know how and
why.   Start with NO YELLING ....especially at children,  spouses, family,
friends and strangers. Try it...you will like it.....your family will love it.

Yelling is a sign to everyone you are out of control and they should
not pay attention to you....they win.  It is not pleasant for anyone.

Do yourself a favor and read our book
"A Year of Good Manners" by Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk  $27.95

Good manners make you feel relaxed and confident.  If you feel like
there something you need to know but don't know what it is, you will
find it in our book.

Securely purchase your copy online at www.janpolk.com

Treat yourself to a Happy New Year 2011!

"It Don't Cost Nuthin' To Be Nice." Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant

Following is a recent internet email floating around.  Who knows if all the facts are accurate; however, we do know that our common bond is everyone wants to be treated with respect.  We do know that the

power lies within each of us to give ourselves permission as to how we will behave in this life...

good or bad.  We do know that each of us has a civic duty to behave as honorable, civilized, law

abiding citizens respectful of self and each other.  All the freedoms we enjoy as citizens of the United States of America are based
upon the majority of our citizens respecting
 these core values.  The government cannot be everywhere, but We The People are everywhere and the government works

for us.

If anyone knows more about this story, please let us know.

"At a Touchdown Club meeting many years ago, Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant told the following story:

I had just been named the new head coach at Alabama and was off in my old car down in South Alabama recruiting a prospect who was supposed to have been a pretty good player, and I was having trouble finding the place.

Getting hungry, I spied an old cinderblock building with a small sign out front that simply said "Restaurant." I pull up, go in, and every head in the place turns to stare at me. Seems I'm the only white fella in the place. But the food smelled good, so I skip a table and go up to a cement bar and sit. A big ole man in a tee shirt and cap comes over and says, "What do you need?"

I told him I needed lunch and what did they have today?

He says, "You probably won't like it here. Today we're having chitlins, collard greens and black-eyed peas with cornbread. I'll bet you don't even know what chitlins are, do you?"(small intestines of hogs prepared as food in the deep South)

I looked him square in the eye and said, "I'm from Arkansas , and I've probably eaten a mile of them. Sounds like I'm in the right place."

They all smiled as he left to serve me up a big plate. When he comes back he says, "You ain't from around here then?"

I explain I'm the new football coach up in Tuscaloosa at the University and I'm here to find whatever that boy's name was, and he says, "Yeah I've heard of him, he's supposed to be pretty good." And he gives me directions to the school so I can meet him and his coach.

As I'm paying up to leave, I remember my manners and leave a tip, not too big to be flashy, but a good one, and he told me lunch was on him, but I told him for a lunch that good, I felt I should pay. The big man asked me if I had a photograph or something he could hang up to show I'd been there. I was so new that I didn't have any yet. It really wasn't that big a thing back then to be asked for, but I took a napkin and wrote his name and address on it and told him I'd get him one.

I met the kid I was looking for later that afternoon and I don't remember his name, but do remember I didn't think much of him when I met him.

I had wasted a day, or so I thought. When I got back to Tuscaloosa late that night, I took that napkin from my shirt pocket and put it under my keys so I wouldn't forget it. Back then I was excited that anybody would want a picture of me.  The next day we found a picture and I wrote on it, "Thanks for the best lunch I've ever had."

Now let's go a whole buncha years down the road. Now we have black players at Alabama and I'm back down in that part of the country scouting an offensive lineman we sure needed.  Y'all remember, (and I forget the name, but it's not important to the story), well anyway, he's got two friends going to Auburn and he tells me he's got his heart set on Auburn too, so I leave empty handed and go on to see some others while I'm down there.

Two days later, I'm in my office in Tuscaloosa and the phone rings and it's this kid who just turned me down, and he says, "Coach, do you still want me at Alabama ?"

And I said, "Yes I sure do." And he says OK, he'll come.

And I say, "Well son, what changed your mind?"

And he said, "When my grandpa found out that I had a chance to play for you and said no, he pitched a fit and told me I wasn't going nowhere but Alabama, and wasn't playing for nobody but you. He thinks a lot of you and has ever since y'all met."

Well, I didn't know his granddad from Adam's housecat so I asked him who his granddaddy was and he said, "You probably don't remember him, but you ate in his restaurant your first year at Alabama and you sent him a picture that he's had hung in that place ever since. That picture's his pride and joy and he still tells everybody about the day that Bear Bryant came in and had chitlins with him..."

"My grandpa said that when you left there, he never expected you to remember him or to send him that picture, but you kept your word to him and to Grandpa, that's everything. He said you could teach me more than football and I had to play for a man like you, so I guess I'm going to."

I was floored. But I learned that the lessons my mama taught me were always right. It don't cost nuthin' to be nice. It don't cost nuthin' to do the right thing most of the time, and it costs a lot to lose your good name by breaking your word to someone. 

When I went back to sign that boy, I looked up his Grandpa and he's still running that place, but it looks a lot better now. And he didn't have chitlins that day, but he had some ribs that would make Dreamland proud.  I made sure I posed for a lot of pictures; and don't think I didn't leave some new ones for him, too, along with a signed football.

I made it clear to all my assistants to keep this story and these lessons in mind when they're out on the road. If you remember anything else from me, remember this. It really doesn't cost anything to be nice, and the rewards can be unimaginable.

Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant          

*******************************************

Editor's Note: Coach Bryant was in the presence of those few gentlemen for only minutes, and he defined himself for life. Regardless of our profession, we do define ourselves by how we treat others, and how we behave in the presence of others, and most of the time, we have only minutes or seconds to leave a lasting impression. We can be rude, crude, arrogant, cantankerous, or we can be nice.

Nice is always a better choice.

********************************************

"I expect to pass through the world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness I can show to any creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer it, for I shall not pass this way again."

********************************************end

It is easy to hold yourself to a higher standard when you know how.    You will enjoy reading our

book "A Year of Good Manners" by Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk.   $27.95

This birthday book features 365 common, every day courtesies written by Margery Sinclair and the reasons to use each one.  Jan Polk's GAFC "respect series" floral images are reminders to treat yourself

and others with respect.  Good manners make you feel confident and relaxed.  You will develop

common sense and a backbone by reading this information.

The book can be purchased on line at http://www.janpolk.com/

We invite you to read 15 weeks of free etiquette tips and see how they can help you change your
life.  Scroll to the bottom of the page when you get there.  http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com/
You will want to read all 365 tips in our book.