Jan Polk

Better Conversations Newsletter

2012-02-09T15:10:00.001-05:00

Hi Friends. After you read our book,
"A Year of Good Manners" by Margery Sinclair and
Jan Polk, you will be so confident, you will
want to meet and mingle with the rest of the world.
We provide basic skills to get you started and a
reason to use each of the 365 tips. A way to
never get old is to keep learning new things.

Margery Sinclair introduced me to the free
“Better Conversations Newsletter”
by Loren Ekroth, Ph.D. (aka "Dr.Conversation")
His mission is:
"To Raise the Standard of Conversation in Life."
You can sign up for his free newsletter at
URL: http://www.conversationmatters.com

Among Dr. Ekroth's subscribers are authors, speakers, coaches,
consultants, artists, and experts who have products to sell or
services to provide. Please tell him
Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk introduced you to him.

You can purchase “A Year of Good Manners” by Margery Sinclair
and Jan Polk at our website:

http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

$28.00……free shipping!

"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself."
~ George Bernard Shaw

Art Show - February 17 and 18, 2012

2012-02-07T21:02:00.003-05:00

Fri. Sat. February 17 and 18, 2012, 2nd Annual Invitational Fine Arts Exhibition and Sale at:

First Presbyterian Church of Gulf Shores, AL.
309 East 21st Avenue
Gulf Shores, AL 36547
(Cnty. Rte. 180 east of St. Rte. 59)

Phone: 251-968-7720
Website: www.gspres.com

The opening is Friday, Feb 17, 2012…… 5:00--8:00 p.m. and
one day only exhibition on Sat. Feb. 18 10:00 a.m. --6:00 p.m.

Free Admission and Refreshments

Art Show Curator Paul Welch, a retired artist/art professor
from Michigan, will be also giving a 6 week series of art
lectures at the church starting Tuesdays, January 10, 2012,
from 10:00 --11:00 a.m. These have been enthusiastically
attended for the past 4 years and set the stage for the
exhibition of our area artists. No charge.

Celebrating our local and snowbird artists:

Zach Baisden, Jennifer Currans, Helen Haberstroh,
David Howard, Mary Ann Lamm, Karen MacLaughlin,
Lorraine Owen,.... Jan Polk,......Martha Saunders,
Philip Sealy, Dorothy Sherman, Rick Tino,
Theresa Wayne, Richard Willlows, Beth Winn

New this year: Students from Gulf Shoes Elementary and
B.E.A.C.H. Home School.

Wine and nibbles are provided Friday evening; cookies all
day Saturday. Water color, Oil, Ink, Mixed Media, Photography,
Prints and Note Cards will also be for sale. A percentage of
sales will be donated to a local art teacher.

Come meet the artists, enjoy fine art and help support the
arts in the Gulf Shores area.

AYOGM and Jan Polk Note Cards will also be available for
sale at this show.

I invite you to visit my websites:

http://www.janpolk.com
http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

Favorite Popcorn Recipes

2012-01-22T13:30:00.004-05:00

I always like to describe our our book "A Year of Good Manners" by Margery Sinclair
and Jan Polk as "Fine Art Marries Fine Living."

Eating well is one of the perks of fine living.
Following are three of my favorite popcorn recipes. Tweaked the way I like them.
Hope you like them too.

If you know where to purchase big fluffy popcorn, please share the info. The
ones you can buy at the grocery store are OK but I would love to find a
gourmet popcorn because these recipes are so good. I found the top two
at allrecipes.com and the adult popcorn is from
Nigella.com

Cinnamon Candies Popcorn

Yield 8 cups 8 servings

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

* 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
* 2 (2.25 ounce) packages cinnamon red hot candies

1. Heat oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour in the popcorn, cover, and shake a couple of times to coat the kernels with oil. When the corn starts to pop, shake pan continuously until popping stops. Pour popped corn into a large paper bag.

2. Combine the butter, corn syrup and red hot candies in a microwave safe bowl or saucepan. Heat, stirring occasionally until the candies have melted. Pour the hot syrup over the popped corn, and shake the bag for 1 minute, until completely coated. Cool, and serve.

If you like it warm and gooey, eat right away; but if you like it crispy let it cool!

Nutritional Information open nutritional information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 255 | Total Fat: 15.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg

====================================================

Gelatin-flavored Popcorn 45 min 10 servings

* 10 cups popped popcorn
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 (3 ounce) package fruit flavored gelatin mix
* 1 tablespoon corn syrup
* 3 tablespoons water

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease a 1/4 sheet pan or two 8x12 inch baking dishes. Generously butter a heavy 2 quart saucepan.

2. Distribute popcorn evenly in prepared baking pans. Place in oven to keep warm.

3. In prepared saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, sugar, gelatin, corn syrup and water. Heat to 250 to 265 degrees F (121 to 129 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a rigid ball. [or bring to a boil and boil 4 minutes stirring constantly which is the method I used]

4. Pour mixture evenly over popcorn and stir until coated. Return popcorn to oven and bake 5 minutes; stir, then bake 5 minutes more.

5. Turn popcorn out onto a large piece of foil. Let rest until cool enough to handle, then form into balls. Or let cool completely and break into clusters. Store in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place.

================================================

Adult Spiced Popcorn

2 Tablespoon oil plus 1 cup of popcorn

While popping:

Melt:

6 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons turmeric

4 teaspoons salt [I use l teaspoon of salt]

4 teaspoons sugar

Mix and pour over hot popcorn. Toss and Enjoy!

We invite you to purchase our book "A Year of Good Manners" by
Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk $28.00 --free shipping!!! -- on line at
http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

Quantity discounts available....just email me at janpolk@janpolk.com before
you place your order.

Learned Helplessness

2012-01-14T10:30:00.000-05:00

Example of “learned helplessness.” When you depend on others
and do without if someone does not give it to you. You
are not free if you are dependant on others or the government.

Being free means you can depend on your own actions to
find your way in life. Honesty, personal responsibility and pride in
a job well done will take you far. You must also be able
to work with others. Don’t forget about the “likability
factor.” When people like you, they are more likely to
give you a break in other areas. When all things are equal,
the person of honor, good character, and good manners will win out.

I have always pondered why some people thrive and excel in life
and others cannot/will not do anything for themselves yet resent
others who have worked hard for what they have earned.

We all want to help those who are handicapped, ill, and weak
(note: these same people want what the rest of us want:
to be treated with respect…….in return, we expect them to also
treat themselves and others with respect and honor.)
There is no reason for able bodied people not to be responsible
for their own actions.

My favorite quote is: “Don’t be your own roadblock. Use
roadblocks as stepping stones to get to higher ground.” by
unknown

This story illustrates using roadblocks and taking action:

One day a donkey fell into a well. The farmer and his neighbors
decided there was no way to get the donkey
out of the well; it was too deep and the rope did not go
down that far. They decided to put the donkey out of his
misery and cover him in dirt and bury him
so he would not have to suffer.

A donkey that has “learned helplessness” will just stand there
and be covered in dirt. He will not survive.

A donkey that has a will to survive and is willing to take
personal responsibility for his own actions will work
to get out of the situation. Every time this donkey
was covered in a shovelful of dirt, he just shook it off
and stood on top of the dirt; shook it off and stood on
top of the dirt; shook it off and stood on top of
the dirt. Eventually, the donkey was able to walk
out of the well to the delight of the farmer and his
neighbors.

We can help you with your "likablity factory."
http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

You must make the decision to be an honorable
person and take care of that part yourself.

You have power!

2011-12-09T20:36:00.000-05:00

It is December already! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
We are all born with power until we give it up. Sometimes
we are talked out of it, sometimes we are bullied out of it,
sometimes we never learn how to use our power.

If you live in a capitalistic society such as the USA,
you are especially blessed and have more opportunities
than anywhere else in the world.

Learning how to be civilized and getting along with
people is power. Being honorable and respecting your
self is power. You have the power to determine what your
behavior will be. You have the power to decide what kind
of life you will lead. You have the power to decide if you
will get an education or not. You have the power to decide
if you will work for yourself or for someone else.
You have the power to decide if you want to
be a parent or not. You have the power to decide who will
be the other parent to your children. You have the
power to decide if you will accept disrespect or not.

If you are an honorable, civilized, law abiding citizen
you are a powerful part of our civilized society. No
society or community can exist for long if its people
are not honorable and trustworthy. Respect and Good Manners
are some of the most powerful tools you need to know
early in life.

Our common bond is we all want to be treated with respect.
Even the handicapped and mentally retarded are expected
to use the same respect and good manners that we all do.

Etiquette is practical. Sometimes there are exceptions to
the rules. When you know good manners, you learn to make
good decisions on your own, you become self confident without
becoming egotistical or rude, you learn to become independent
and capable of functioning on your own and taking care of
a family and a business.

There will always be people who soar and excel above the rest,
but that is because they are willing to work hard and long hours
at what they are good at and want to do. We all win when we live
in a society where we each have the opportunity to be the best
we can be in our chosen field.

There will always be people who never acquire a lot of money;
however, if they are honorable, civilized, and law abiding
citizens, they will still know love, peace, respect, and friendship.
Things which money cannot buy. They will still be respected members
of our free, capitalistic society.

There will always be those who do not respect themselves or
others. They are destined to be unhappy people; however, they
do have the power to decide if they want to continue this
lifestyle or not.

Treat yourself to a copy of "A Year of Good Manners" by
Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk.
Read 365 common, everyday courtesies written by Margery Sinclair.
Margery uses a humorous style to convey very important information
about life skills for your family, school, social, and business lives.
Margery tells you what you can do and a reason to use each tip.
You may even become charming after reading our book.

Jan Polk's Great American Flower Collection (GAFC) "respect series"
images are reminders to treat yourself and others with respect.

Wishing you peace, joy, respect, and safe travels during this holiday
season.

http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com
http://www.janpolk.com
http://www.margerysinclair.com

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2011-11-24T23:30:00.000-05:00

I am thankful to have loving family and friends who
are a treasure to be around. They hold dear the same
values we do: Freedom, hard work, personal responsibility,
civilized behavior, honesty, respect for the rule of law,
appreciation for life in the United States of America,
a belief in our lord Jesus Christ. Charity for those who
are in need.

We cannot choose our family, but we can choose our friends!
We can also choose our own behavior.

If you have been blessed with good health, you can do anything
you choose if you are willing to work for it. If you have good
health, you have hope.

Money appears to be the solution to all problems, but it
is not. If you do not treat yourself and others with dignity and
respect you will always have a void that you are trying to fill.
You cannot buy true friendship. When the money is gone,
those “friends” will be gone. Your true friends will be with you
in hard times as well as the good times. You have to be a
friend to have a friend.

If you have the love and respect of family and friends, you are
blessed. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

Election Day Today

2011-11-08T23:09:00.001-05:00

Today is election day in the USA.
Voting is a privilege as well as a freedom
that you should not take for granted.
Vote for the person you view as the most honest.

The only solution to bad government is to
elect honorable, civilized, law abiding citizens.
An honorable person will not lie, cheat or steal
even when the opportunity presents itself. It is
the only way democracy works at its best.

We each can contribute to the strength of our
country by doing out part to be an honorable,
civilized, law abiding citizen and to teach
these values to our children.

When people cannot be trusted, no system will work.

Honorable, civilized, law abiding citizens know
how to work together for the good of all. It does
not matter which party they belong to. Diplomats
are noted for their good manners and the ability
to work together with people who do not share their
same views.

Vote today, November 8, 2011, and then plan to celebrate
Law Abiding Citizens Day (L.A.C. Day) this coming April 15, 2012
http://www.lacday.com
when we celebrate our common bonds and how much we are all
alike. United We Stand - Divided We Fall

Uncontrollable Anger?

2011-11-03T20:15:00.000-04:00

Are you always yelling and screaming at family members?
The reason is because you feel they do not respect you.
Keep in mind, yelling does not beget the respect you want and need.

The solution is to give yourself permission to not
yell. You are giving yourself permission to yell;
therefore, you can just as easily give yourself permission
to not yell and you will then feel more in control. You can
do this. It is surprisingly easier than you may think.
Disregard what others are doing, and concentrate on your own
behavior and not yelling.

By not yelling at them, family members will then begin to feel you
are treating them with respect and will begin to show you
the same respect. It is called civilized behavior. Even small
children recognize when they are not being treated with respect.
The behavior they learn, they learn from their parents.

It takes practice to not yell. You can spend thousands of dollars
on therapy to find out why you yell. I can tell you it is because
you feel you are not getting the respect you need. It is our common
bond, we all want to be treated with respect.

For a simple investment of $27.95, you can buy our book "A Year of Good Manners"
by Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk which will give you 365 common, every day courtesy
tips and a reason to use each one.

Good Manners are Powerful and easy to learn. Do not underestimate how
helpful these tips are. They apply to every person regardless of
sex, age, color, education, health, wealth, religious or political
affiliations.

Margery Sinclair's motto is "Good Manners are Good Business."

Try it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. You will
develop common sense, good self esteem, and a backbone just by
knowing respect and good manners.
Securely purchase your copy on line at www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

Read 15 weeks of tips at our website (scroll to the bottom of the page
when you get there). You will want to read all 365 tips in the book.

Happy Halloween!!!

2011-10-31T16:41:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween!!!
Time for fun but still be safe and respectful.

Teaching respect and good manners to your children
empower them to make good decisions on their own
when you are not with them.

In the mid-west there is a custom called "damage night"
the night before Halloween. Soap is one thing. Destructive
damage is something. On Halloween night, it is trick or treat.

When your children know the following rules, they can
then decide for themselves what "damage night" is really
about and what tricks to play:

AYOGM tip by Margery Sinclair: "If you break it, fix it.
If you can't fix it, find someone who can and pay the bill.
If it belongs to someone else and you want to use it, ask
permission."

AYOGM tip by Margery Sinclair: "Humor can put people
at ease or hurt their feelings. Analyze your motives
for teasing. Don't try to cover an insult with,
"I was only joking!" Express your sense of humor
with a kind heart. It is only funny if everyone is
laughing."

You will want to read all 365 tips in our book
"A Year of Good Manners" by Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk,
$27.95. Purchase on line: http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

Teenage Girl Power

2011-10-24T10:31:00.002-04:00

Your power begins when you are a teenage girl.
Do not give your power away. Value your control
of your own actions. What you do as a teenager, will
have bearing on your future life when you become an adult.
The more dependent you are on others, or the government,
the more freedoms you give up.

As a teenager, you determine if and when you will
become a mother. You have the power to determine
who will NOT be the father of your baby. If
you do not have sex with a particular boy/man
you GUARANTEE that he will not be the
father of your baby.

Respect the life of your child from inception by
giving your child the gift of having a father to help
raise him/her. A child needs a mother’s love; however,
the child also needs a father’s love and guidance.
If you want to GURANTEE your child has a father in
his/her life, do not have sex until you are married or
at least in a committed, monogamous relationship with
the promise of marriage. That “piece of paper”
(wedding certificate) does not change how much
you love one another; however, it does prove
that your spouse is willing to be committed to
you and to legally and financially take care of
you and your children.

Sex may attract a man but it will be your respect
and good manners that will keep him.

The secret to a long marriage is to never get
divorced. Life will never be perfect, continuous
bliss. It takes respect and work by both parties
to be considerate and civil to each other at all
times.

Set your standards and priorities at the beginning
of your life. Words of wisdom for over 100 years
or more:

Put your glasses on before you get married {so you
know what you are getting into) and, for heaven’s sake,
take them off after you get married (don’t try to remake
your spouse and the little stuff is not worth fighting
over).

We all want to be treated with respect and I am
sure that includes you. It is our common bond.
Do not waste your time on someone who does
not treat you with respect from the very beginning.
This also requires that you treat others with respect.

To know what life expects of you, we invite you
to read our book “A Year of Good Manners” by
Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk, $27.95. Learn
365 common, every day courtesies and the
reasons to use each one. When the reasons
change, it is time for the rules to change.
Confidence, common sense, and good self esteem
develop as a result of knowing reliable, truthful
information.

Good Manner Are Powerful and easy to learn.
You have the choice to use this information or
not; however, if you don’t know this information,
you have no choice. This 180 page book is a fast
read; however, you will want to refer to it often.

Securely purchase your copy on line at:
http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

Margery Sinclair's motto: "Good Manners are Good Business"

What did we do before big government?

2011-10-15T22:27:00.004-04:00

What did we do before big government?

The more you depend on the government the
more of your freedoms you give up. Look
at the current unrest in the country. We
are divided against each other. Fifty percent
of the country think the answer is to take
money away from the wealthy.....keep in
mind the wealthy worked and legally earned the
money they have. This fifty percent think they
are entitled to take without giving something back
in return.

Fifty percent of us think if we are honorable, civilized,
law abiding citizens and work hard we are entitled to be
rewarded for our labor. We think being personally responsible
for our own actions is guaranteed by the constitution
and we want to have a say in how we spend our own money.
We think you should reward good behavior and not reward
illegal behavior, not reward people who do not work,
not reward people who do not take care of their own
children. Not reward and encourage one parent families.

What did we do before big government?

We had volunteer fire departments.
If you wanted your community to have a fire department,
you either volunteered or you contributed money
to the fire department.

We had one sheriff who had volunteer deputies
when needed.

The majority of our citizens were honorable,
civilized, law abiding citizens who trained
our children to not steal and to respect God,
life, family, and country.

We had doctors who donated their time
to give school physicals to sports teams.

We had farmers who could put their produce
on a roadside stand and trust honorable
customers to pay for what they took and
to make their own change from the money
other customers left. Meanwhile the farmer
was out in the field working hard.

What did we do before big government?

We all worked, if able bodied, and we
depended on each other. We worked together
for the good of all. We respected ourselves
and had honorable standards. We all had
hope. We all cheered for someone that made
it. We all valued our family name and honor.
We all cherished having a two parent family.
Boys need fathers. Girls need mothers.
We all need both parents to guide us, provide
for us as children, and train us how to be
honorable, civilized, law abiding citizens.
We all want to be respected. It is our common
bond.

When things or laws are discriminatory and
do not benefit all our citizens, we
change them. We elect our government
officials from among ourselves. Our
government is only as good as our people.

When we can no longer trust each other and
no longer obey the laws of the land, we
will evolve into rudeness, incivility, and
even war.

We are guaranteed civil rights and freedoms;
however, along with those freedoms come
civic duties to be honorable, civilized,
hard working, law abiding citizens.

Respect and Good Manners are the most
powerful tools of a civilized society!
We don’t have laws to tell us how to be
good citizens; we have laws so we can
legally deal with uncivil people who do
not respect themselves or others; people
who take what is not theirs to take.

In a capitalistic nation, such as the USA,
we have personal responsibility and personal
power. We can work at jobs of our choosing.
We can start our own companies if we are
willing to work that hard. We can choose
which companies we will deal with. We
can choose which bank we want to bank
with. We can choose which car we want
to buy. We can choose which TV shows
or movies we want to spend our time and
money on. We determine what kind of
person we will be.....honorable or not honorable.

Do not tear something down unless you have
something better to replace it with.

The answer is not to take from the wealthy.
The answer is to make sure all laws are
favorable to all people or change them.
The answer is education and hard work
by honorable, civilized people.
The answer is to not give your money to
someone you don’t want to become
wealthier. Then answer is not to take
it from someone who has earned it.
The answer is to empower yourself by
getting and education and knowing how
to behave as a trusted, civilized person.

Currently, there are groups who
want to Protest, Occupy, and Take
from the Rich. Let’s say they
are successful......then what? They
must depend on trusted leaders. They
must be able to trust each other. They
must be able to depend on themselves to
contribute to society.
They must have some standards and
rules or it will be constant chaos,
meanness, rudeness, incivility, and
crime. They must be personally responsible
for their own actions. They can do this
now without tearing down and destroying
a capitalistic system which made the
United States of America the beacon
of freedom to the world.

Honorable, civilized, law abiding
citizens are the answer. Do not
underestimate the power of Respect
and Good Manners.

Read "A Year of Good Manners" by
Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk, $27.95,
to learn 365 common, every day courtesy
tips and the reasons to use them.
http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

It is easy to hold yourself to a higher standard
when you know the basic rules of civilized
behavior.

How to know you are dating the right person?

2011-09-24T22:19:00.002-04:00

How do you know if you are dating the right person?
We all want to be treated with respect. That is our
common bond and it is the right of every person who
lives in a free, civilized society such as the
United States of America. No matter how
much technology changes, treating others with
respect will never change.

Have your significant other read our book
"A Year of Good Manners" by Margery Sinclair
and Jan Polk, $27.95. It is an easy read
and includes a reason to use each of the 365 tips.
You should first read it yourself so that
you both know what to expect. Your mate will
expect the same from you.

Margery Sinclair reminds us,
"People with good manners have a lifetime
advantage in their personal and professional
lives."

Respect and Good Manners are powerful knowledge
to have. If someone does not treat you with
respect, they are not the right person for you.

The amount of money you have or do not have,
has no bearing on being an honorable, civilized,
law abiding citizen. You will no longer be a
victim once you begin using this information.

We invite you to read 5 weeks of tips on our
website http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com
You will want to read all 365.

Thoughts and Prayers regarding this historic date 9/11/01

2011-09-11T20:51:00.001-04:00

Thoughts and prayers as we remember the lives lost on 9/11/01 and the heroes who came to our rescue. The lesson is, it was the honorable, civilized, law abiding people who were there first and united together until the government could step in and pick up the pieces. United We Stand - Divided We Fall. Don't let anyone divide us as a nation. We all want what is right and honorable.

Being an honorable, civilized, law abiding citizen is one way to give back to our
country for being privileged enough to live here.

The United States of America is a beacon for all people who want live in freedom and be treated with respect. Do not let anyone destroy our sense of hope and
the promise to be the best we can be depending on how hard we are willing to work for it. In America, you don't even have to be the best, we just expect you to
be honorable, civilized, and law abiding....our common bond!

God Bless America and our troops who fight to keep us free.

P.S. I like the new 911 monument in NYC with the two spotlight beams
of light (representing the two towers that were destroyed) which reach
up beyond the heavens to touch God's hands. We still believe.
We still stand United as a Nation.

Predictions are Recession is coming.

2011-09-01T10:45:00.001-04:00

Good times come and go; by that, I mean extra money left
over to do something that is not a necessity.
It is a cycle. The one thing that never changes is
how we treat people, especially how we treat family members.
It matters not if you have a lot of money or just making it.
It does matter that we are law abiding citizens.
Your real friends value you for your kindness, your good character,
trustworthy qualities, your thoughtfulness, your humor, and
your respectfulness to all people. It is most important to
have social skills whether we are in good times or not. In a
recession, people will be staying closer to home,
and interacting more with each other and the neighbors.
Sit down dinners may even make a come back, and that can be quite nice.

Wealth can certainly buy a lot of things; however,
if you have bought your friends, they will definitely
disappear when the money does. Most business
friends are not really friends. Work, school, or
anything that puts people in the same situation requires
social skills. We must all be respectful and behave in a
civilized manner at all times unless, of course,
someone is threatening your life or your family.
Usually when the job ends, the friends go with it.
Not your true friends, but your job friends.

Social skills are important and make life so much
easier. Margery Sinclair reminds us, "When people like
you, partly because of your good manners, they are more
likely to give you a break in other areas. A likable
person can be charmingly eccentric; an unlikeable person
just seems weird."

Even if recession comes, and we have to stay closer
to home, if you know how to get along with
people it can still be a nice life. Honorable, civilized,
law abiding people are a breath of fresh air. You can
feel safe around them. You can enjoy each others company.

We all want to be treated with respect. It is our common
bond. There are many ways to show your friends you
respect them and it doesn’t cost a penny to do so.
Standing to greet someone who enters the room
shows respect to that person. Looking people in the
eye when you greet them shows respect. Being
clean and neat and making the effort to look attractive
and even making your table look attractive are all
efforts that show respect to yourself and to others.
The tone of your voice shows respect to others.
Attentiveness to others, listening to what they are
saying and responding back shows respect. We must
continue to do these things even if we are depressed.
It is one way to show we are still in control of some
facets of our life.

“A Year of Good Manners” by Margery Sinclair
and Jan Polk $27.95, has 365 tips like those above and
the reasons to use each one. You can still be
charming, confident, and well liked and not
have a lot of money.

It is just a matter of giving yourself permission
to hold yourself to a higher standard and only you
can do that. Social skills are required for happy
family, school, social and business lives.

Order your copy of "A Year of Good Manners" on line now, before
the recession hits, so that you can prepare for a happy
life with or without a lot of money.

http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

Free shipping.

Offensive Language

2011-08-29T22:54:00.001-04:00

Foul language is meant to be offensive and it is just that
...offensive and a verbal assault to those who are exposed to it.
Have you ever noticed, when reading comments to various posts on
websites, that people who cannot speak without using foul
language seem to be very angry. It also appears they have a very
limited vocabulary indicating a lack of skills in other areas as well.
They cannot possibly feel part of the mainstream and that contributes
to their anger and they don't know why. Lose the foul language and
see how much your life changes. We each give ourselves permission
to behave the way we do. Give yourself permission to lose the foul language.

Civilized people will not call you out about your foul language,
but we do not like it. No matter how much money you have or
do not have, foul language is unacceptable, disrespectful, and
uncivilized behavior.

"A Year of Good Manners" by Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk, $27.95
offers 365 etiquette tips and the reasons to use them. The tips,
written by Margery Sinclair offers tips on what you can do rather
than telling you what not to do. You may even become charming,
confident, and well liked just by reading these tips.

Securely purchase on line at: http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

Mayor Nutter speaks out against violent flash mobs of Philly Teens on the attack!

2011-08-18T23:44:00.001-04:00

Bravo to Mayor Nutter of Philadelphia. Finally, a black leader speaks out against violent hooligans and flash mobs of teens who have no respect for self or others.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoxQbnVx4TU&feature=related

Honorable, civilized, law abiding citizens come in all colors, shapes, sizes, ages, health, wealth, education, religious and political affiliations. Uncivilized behavior has nothing to do with genes. It is all about teaching respect and good manners.

The whole point of living in a civilized society is to show respect to self and others. We each benefit as a whole when large numbers of people live in close quarters such as cities and towns. The more uncivilized and illegal behavior we tolerate, the more freedoms we give up.

It is easy to recognize that these lawless young people are looking for boundaries. Children feel safe and comfortable when they are taught the boundaries of civilized behavior. Children crave the affection of both a mother and a father. All adults are role models whether you like it or not. There is no opting out. You are either a good role model or a bad role model. Consequences for bad behavior are important in order for a young person to understand the importance of behaving in a civilized manner. We do them no favor by not holding them accountable for their own actions.

Children want to be treated with respect just as each of us wants to be treated with respect. It is our common bond. Respect and Good Manners must be taught. We are not born with this information. Those who are not lucky enough to have two loving parents teach them respect and good manners, still have a personal responsibility and civic duty to learn how to be an honorable, civilized, law abiding citizen. Poverty does not have to be mean, violent, and uncivilized. It can only be changed by the people living in poverty. It is a personal decision by each member of society to willingly hold themselves to a higher standard. Every freedom that you can name exists because honorable, civilized, law abiding citizens take personal responsibility for their own actions.

Respect and Good Manners cannot be mandated by government; it comes from willing, honorable, civilized, law abiding citizens who then elect our own government officials from among ourselves. The more honorable We The People are, the better our government will be and the less government we will need.

Confidence, good self esteem, and common sense are by products of knowing Respect and Good Manners. The ability to make good decisions comes from knowing respect and good manners. These traits cannot be given to anyone. They come from within and are the result of knowledge and action. Teaching social skills is an obligation of parents, teachers and managers; however, it is bad manners for the rest of us to go around correcting other people’s bad manners.

Respect and Good Manners are the first tools one needs to learn in order to succeed in family, school, social and business situations...not the last tools to learn after you have acquired an education and wealth. The sooner they are learned, the easier it becomes to learn additional skills necessary to become an honorable, independent, civilized, law abiding citizen.

Good Manners are powerful and will last a lifetime. What you learn as a child will stay with you for the rest of your life. As a nation, we need to place more value on an honorable, civilized, law abiding citizen than we do on looks and money alone. We are all born with good character, until we decide to give it up.

Honorable, civilized, law abiding citizens are the backbone of our country. We are the eyes and ears of America. We are always there on the spot in any disaster and we know how to take charge and work together until the government officials arrive to pick up the pieces.

You cannot teach something you do not know. We invite you to read “A Year of Good Manners” by Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk, $27.95, which features 365 common, every day courtesies written by Margery Sinclair and the reasons to use each one. AYOGM also features Jan Polk’s Great American Flower Collection “respect series” images which are reminders to treat yourself and others with respect. This 180 page book is easy to read and understand. The information applies to all citizens.

In addition to a carefree, happy childhood, children are also little people in training to become honorable, civilized, law abiding adults. They learn by observing their parents and other adults. By age 8, children are expected to have table manners as good as or sometimes better than their parents. It helps to know what is expected of you and why.

It helps to know where your boundaries are at an early age. Learning to “maintain composure when displeased" (no yelling) is a very valuable social skill to own and is expected from all adults.

AYOGM Tip by Margery Sinclair: “Etiquette also has a visual component. People notice your clothes first (now that you have removed the ring from your eyebrow). Whether it is your personal appearance or a table setting, making the effort to be attractive is a compliment to others.” How you dress shows respect to yourself and to others.

Margery Sinclair provides a reason for each tip. When the reasons change, it is time for the rule to change. No matter how much technology changes and evolves, showing respect and behaving in a civilized manner will always come first in a civilized society.

AYOGM Tip by Margery Sinclair: “Good manners are the great equalizer. They apply to everyone, are free and available to all. They are the opposite of being elitist, arbitrary, and artificial. When society refuses to obey the practical rules of etiquette that govern behavior, rudeness, thoughtlessness will prevail. Every problem of the world could be, or could have been, solved on the level of etiquette before descending to lawsuits or wars.”

We invite you to securely purchase your copy of “A Year of Good Manner”
by Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk on line at http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

You do have Power. You have the final say in how you behave....good or bad.

2011-08-10T13:01:00.001-04:00

Respect and Good Manners are Powerful! Think about it.......every problem is directly related to uncivilized behavior and lack of respect for self, others, and the laws of the land. If the laws do not apply to everyone, change them. Jails would get smaller, police departments and justice departments would shrink, illegal drug use would decline and illegal drug cartels would no longer have a reason to exist, bullying would disappear, spouse abuse would decline, murder rates would drop, road rage would decline.

Parents have a civic duty and an obligation to teach respect and good manners to their children. You cannot teach something you do not know. Slavery of any kind is no longer legal in the USA. No one is allowed to own another person in the USA. We have a civic duty and obligations to take care of ourselves and one another, but we do not own another person. Stand up for your rights. If people do not treat you with respect, do not allow them the privilege of being in your life.

One AYOGM tip by Margery Sinclair: “Maintain composure when displeased.”
You will want to read all 365 tips. Purchase your copy here: http://www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

We do not need bigger and bigger government. We need more honorable, civilized, law abiding citizens. The more freedoms we are willing to give up in order to have the government take care of us, the more dependent and enslaved we become. Dependant people are not free. Beware of those who unjustly attack others for any reason and those who pit one group of people against another. In the United States of America, we must strive to stand united for the good of all honorable, civilized,
law abiding citizens. United We Stand – Divide We Fall.

Quote by John Polk
“If you take care of your family, your business, and you do what
is right and honorable, everything else will take care of itself.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQfGxI0_9I4&NR=1

Respect and Good Manners equal Freedom and must begin in each home.

Happy 50th Birthday to President Barack Obama

2011-08-04T21:56:00.002-04:00

Everyone may not like President Obama’s
Socialist policies and redistributing the wealth
but we all have to recognize that he has the
“likability factor,” confidence, good self esteem,
and good manners. President Obama has
many qualities to be admired.

He has proven that forever more, skin color is no longer
a barrier to success in the United States of America.
He will be the first President to raise a
billion dollars in donations so that he can run for
a job that only pays $400,000. President Obama
is articulate, well dressed, and a wonderful role
model as a husband and father. He has proven that
you can like someone and still civilly disagree with
them for reasons other than skin color.

He is to be admired for being married
to the mother of his children and living with them.
He is to be admired for being a father who loves and
takes care of his children and provides for his family.
As parents, they both stress to their children that
education is important.

AYOGM Tip by Margery Sinclair: “Never discount
the “likability factor.” When people like you,
partly because of your good manners, they are
more likely to give you a break in other areas.
A likable person can be charmingly eccentric;
an unlikeable person just seems weird.”

You will want to read all 365 tips and the reasons to
use them in “A Year of Good Manners” by Margery Sinclair
and Jan Polk, $27.95.
Securely purchase on line at www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

Honorable Politicians

2011-08-04T09:57:00.001-04:00

Honorable citizens will not lie, cheat or steal, even when the opportunity presents itself.

We elect our politicians from among ourselves. We cannot expect more of them than we expect of ourselves.

Respect and Good Manners empower you to develop common sense, good self esteem, and
the ability to make good decisions.

Know your politicians and elect honorable, civilized, law abiding citizens who
keep their word and can be trusted. That is all a civilized society expects from each of our citizens.

Congratulations to John Polk who just won the Mississippi District 44 State Senate Primary. He never once attacked his opponent. Instead John's message was what he will do in office and promised to do what is right and honorable for all Mississippi citizens. We hope other politicians follow suit. It doesn't matter what party you belong to if you are an honorable, civilized, law abiding citizen.
Honorable people know how to work together.

My favorite Quote by John Polk

“If you take care of your family, your business, and you do what
is right and honorable, everything else will take care of itself.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQfGxI0_9I4&NR=1

If you are not one of the fortunate citizens to have parents teach you respect
and good manners , you can teach yourself by reading
"A Year of Good Manners" by Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk, $27.95
Margery writes 365 common, every day courtesies and the reason to use each tip.
You will want to know even more after you read our 180 page book. It is easy to hold yourself to a higher standard when you know how.

Available for purchase at www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

Children often learn respect and manners just by watching their parents actions as well as listening to their words.....take a good look at your children....are they mirroring your behaviors? good or bad?

Debt Ceiling Agreement Reached - No One Happy

2011-08-02T11:56:00.001-04:00

Debt ceilings are intended to be limits set to protect us
from bankruptcy....they are not intended to be goals to
reached and exceed over and over. Otherwise, why
have a debt ceiling? Simple math says you cannot
spend money you do not have to pay for debt you
cannot afford. Our constitution also guarantees that
the government cannot unreasonably tax us for money
we legally earned just because they want to spend more
money.

Respect and Good Manners empower you with knowledge
that allows you to develop good self esteem, common sense,
and the ability to make confident decisions on your own and
to recognize good decisions by others. Good Manners and
respect enable you to work with others whether you like them
or not. Our common bond is we all want to be treated with
respect and we all have to work together for the benefit of our
country and all of our citizens, not just one favorite party.

AYOGM Tip by Margery Sinclair: “People with good
manners have a lifetime advantage in job situations and
personal relationships. Most negotiations are impossible
without good manners on both sides. That explains why
diplomats are famed for their courtesy.”

AYOGM Tip by Margery Sinclair: “A knowledge of
etiquette is the road to good manners. Behave decently to
others, show consideration when there is conflict, and
maintain composure when displeased. Knowing etiquette
makes you feel relaxed and confident.”

Beware of any one, or any group, for any reason who does
not respect you or fellow law abiding citizens...which
includes all men, women, and children of all ages, races,
nationalities, wealth, health or education levels. Beware of
those who pit one part of our country against another.
When freedoms are taken from one group, they will soon
be taken from the other group. Do not be so willing to give
up your freedoms in order to be taken care of by the
government. Bigger government is not the answer.
Independent, honorable, civilized, law abiding citizens are
the answers.

Without laws we would have no protection from those who
chose to not behave in a civilized manner. The government
cannot make a law for every possible transgression; therefore,
we depend on our citizens to willingly hold themselves to a
higher standard by using respect and good manners towards
each other. Without respect and manners we would become a
land of the uncivilized. You would not like it. Only the meanest
and strongest would survive. Very few would have any rights.
We would not be safe in our own homes without laws to protect
us; however, it is not the laws that protect us..... it is the
honorable, civilized, law abiding citizens who respect and honor
the laws of the land that make us safe. Criminals do not care
about the laws. If the laws are not fair to all, we must change
the laws; until then, we abide by the laws.
We must be strong enough to protect ourselves until help arrives.
We must be willing to stand united as civilized citizens. We
cannot be passive and dependent on someone else, or the
government, to take care of us. You are not free if you cannot
stand on your own.

In 2011, our country is split almost 50 – 50. Fifty percent
of the population is dependent on the government and pay no taxes....
they basically are slaves and have willingly given up too many
hard fought freedoms. When you are dependent on the
government or any one, you are not free.

Fifty percent of the population works hard and are honorable,
civilized, law abiding citizens who pay taxes on legally, hard
earned income. We are all citizens of the United States of
America and must be civil and work together.
United We Stand – Divided We Fall.

Beware of those who attack half of our country and try to divide
us. It matters not which side you are on. It matters that we all
work together for the benefit of all, not just one group or another.
What is good for one, should be good for all. Vote for honorable
leaders who try to unite us as a country, not those who want to
divide us.

We The People, USA citizens, have power and do not use it. If
you do not like the wealthy getting wealthy, do not buy their
products. Start your own business or support a local business
or a local farmer. Work together as groups. Large quantities are
cheaper than smaller quantities. You do not have the right to take
away something from someone else who has worked hard for their
legal income.

If you expect others to follow higher standards, such as safe food,
safe drinking water, safe cars, safe planes, safely built buildings,
etc. you should also expect the same high standards from yourself.
We all have a civic duty to behave in a civilized manner. Being an
honorable, civilized, law abiding citizen is all that we expect of
each of our citizens. Holding yourself to a higher standard is easy when
you know how. It has nothing to do with how much money you have
or do not have. Good Character begets Good Self Esteem which
equals honorable, civilized, law abiding citizens. You can have a lot
of money and still not be a person of honorable character. If you
ignore the laws and use illegal drugs, you are the one empowering
the drug dealers....not an honorable thing to do!

We each have a civic duty to treat our self and others with respect.
Do not allow any one to enslave you or abuse you.

My favorite quote by John Polk:
“If you take care of your family, your business, and you do what
is right and honorable, everything else will take care of itself.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQfGxI0_9I4&NR=1

Our country can recover from a deficit in cash. We cannot
recover from a deficit of honorable, civilized, law abiding
citizens.

Good Manners are powerful. Read our 180 page book
“A Year of Good Manners” by Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk.
$27.95 It is an easy read which will empower you to make
good decisions, develop common sense, and good self esteem.
Purchase on line at www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

"Art After Hours" at Campbell County Library

2011-07-29T14:38:00.002-04:00

Today, Friday, July 29, 2011 7:00 to 9:00

“Art After Hours” at the Campbell County Public Library
Cold Spring Branch, 3920 Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring, KY 41076
No entry fee.
www.cc-pl.org

Meet Jan Polk and 15 local artists from Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati. The exhibit will feature a variety of mediums and each artist will be available to discuss their artwork. (No sales allowed that night until after the event) Enjoy live music, wine samples $1.00/glass, appetizers and desserts. Come out for a delightful casual evening and meet interesting artists, sculptors, potter, a print maker, blacksmith and photographers. View beautiful and unique fine art.

Participants are:

Sharmon Davidson.......Mixed media
Ann Deering.................Photography
John Deering................Photography

Anita Douthat...............Photograms
Mark Downey...............Painting and Illustration
Barb Clark-Edgley........Acrylice, Pen and Ink

Paula Risch Head..........Painting
Roger Heuck.................Painting
Carrye Kearns...............Fiber Art

Cal Kowal.....................Photography
Marc Leone...................Multi-media and Earth Materials
Marsha Nelson..............Blacksmithing

Kathleen Piercefield......Printmaking
Jan Polk.........................Painting and artist/publisher of
“A Year of Good Manners” by Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk (fine art marries fine living)

Polly Venneman.............Pencil
Larry Watson..................Pottery

Live Music by Jorge Wojtas, an English-born flamenco guitarist.(www.vivoflamenco.com)

McHale’s Hospitality Group (http://www.mchalescatering.com) is donating appetizers and
Fantasy in Frosting (http://www.fantasyinfrosting.com) is providing petite desserts for the evening.
Stone Brook Winery (http://www.stonebrookwinery.com/ ) is offering samples of wine for $1, with
all proceeds donated to the Library. Many thanks to CC-PL
sponsors.

What does your handshake say about you?

2011-07-19T01:15:00.000-04:00

There are all kinds of handshakes....secret....fist bump....and the universal,
civilized web-to-web handshake. Did you know that the universal handshake originated as a way to show respect and trust when meeting someone and to show that there was no weapon concealed in the hand?

In our book, "A Year of Good Manners" by Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk, $27.95,
Margery Sinclair offers three tips which will help you become charming, confident,
and well liked:

"The drill for meeting new people is easy: stand up straight, smile, look at
their eyes, shake hands, say hello, and give your name. It helps to know what
is expected. Either men or women can extend their hand first."

"Shake hands firmly, "web-to-web" (that web of skin between the thumb and fingers),
and without crushing their knuckles. Extend your hand vertically, with the thumb
up."

"Your handshake should be firm, quick (two or three shakes), and free of
perspiration. A too limp handshake implies a weak character; the too strong
handshake indicates a domineering personality. And it hurts."

What does your handshake say about you?

To read all 365 tips written by Margery Sinclair,
securely order your copy of "A Year of Good Manners" on line at http://www.janpolk.com

Margery also offers corporate etiquette training classes as well as
classes for children. Please check her website for additional information and travel schedule. www.margerysinclair.com

Who taught you good manners?

2011-07-18T23:56:00.003-04:00

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.

The Dead Horse Theory

2011-07-07T11:00:00.000-04:00

To develop common sense and the ability to make good decisions on your own,
without guidance from parents or the government, we suggest you purchase our book
“A Year of Good Manners” by Margery Sinclair and Jan Polk ($27.95) to read
365 etiquette tips and the reasons to use them. You will learn to excel in dealing with family, school, social and business situations. Knowing respect and good manners makes you feel relaxed and confident. You may even develop the "likability factor" and become charming.

You will definitely understand the Dead Horse Theory:

The tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indians, passed on from generation to generation, says that, "When you discover that you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount."

However, in government, education, and in corporate America, more advanced strategies are often employed, such as:

1. Buying a stronger whip.
2. Changing riders.
3. Appointing a committee to study the horse.

4. Arranging to visit other countries to see how other cultures ride dead horses.
5. Lowering the standards so that dead horses can be included.

6. Reclassifying the dead horse as living-impaired.
7. Hiring outside contractors to ride the dead horse.

8. Harnessing several dead horses together to increase speed.
9. Providing additional funding and/or training to increase dead horse's performance.
10. Doing a productivity study to see if lighter riders would improve the dead horse's performance.

11. Declaring that as the dead horse does not have to be fed, it is less costly, carries lower overhead and therefore contributes substantially more to the bottom line of the economy than do some other horses.

12. Rewriting the expected performance requirements for all horses.
And of course....

13. Promoting the dead horse to a supervisory position.

Securely purchase "A Year of Good Manners" by Margery Sinclair and
Jan Polk $27.95 at www.ayearofgoodmanners.com

Honorable Politicians - Do They Exist?

2011-07-06T21:34:00.001-04:00

I support all honorable, civilized, law abiding citizens who try to unite our country rather than being divisive.

United States of America’s motto is United We Stand – Divided We Fall. Both the national parties seem to have forgotten this. Beware of any candidate that pits one part of the country against another. We are all in this together and must find common ground.

I found the following campaign ads refreshing and hopeful. They unite Americans rather than being divisive. We all want to be treated with respect no matter what party we belong to. This candidate tells what he is going to do and doesn't tear down the opposition in the process.

John Polk is a Republican candidate running for State Senator in Mississippi.

http://www.youtube.com/user/votejohnpolk?feature=mhsn tight with money

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPTdHJicmZU illegals

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFYb4M5w_80&NR=1 teachers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I-OcX8bPL0&feature=related economic development

John Polk is my brother-in- law and I can vouch for him that he is an honorable,
civilized, law abiding citizen.

I invite you to read our book "A Year of Good Manners" by Margery Sinclair and
Jan Polk ($27.95) which features 365 etiquette tips and the reasons to use each one.
They will help you recognize an honorable, civilized, law abiding citizen.

Book may be purchased at my website: www.janpolk.com