But you are a babe...

I've seen your frowny look. I'd respect you. :D

Re: pointing. Someone else must believe that also. Employees at Trader Joe's and ALDI's (same company) are not allowed to point in order to tell you where something is. If they can't describe it, they walk you there.

It's fairly common for people over here to say something like, 'I'm lost, can you point me in the right direction'. Not many men ever do, but it happens once in a while.

I think pointing to show someone where something is in order to help them out is one thing. Pointing and laughing at someone who's just fallen over is another. That's what I'd call rude.

eta: I do love shows like funniest home videos with all those people falling over and stuff, but they're putting it out there, so obviously they must think it's funny too. I do also laugh sometimes when the kids stack it or even other people, but I never point. ;) That would be rude. lol

apearently not answering IMs straight away might bad manners.

i always thought there's a mutual understanding that people are doing stuff and will go on and off the conversation organically. but now i am finding that this is cause for complaint...

I think that's a whole new thread right there. Internet Manners. lol

I know if I'm talking to someone in IM and they just stop answering in the middle of the convo I get a bit annoyed and wonder why they couldn't at least say they had to go or something.

The only thing I liken it to is when you're at a party and you're talking to one person, but then someone comes over and totally interrupts the convo and you're not really part of the new one so you go somewhere else.

Wait, what, where?

omg I thought at first you meant ME. I was like "now what'd I do...yeah, sounds like me though." :lol:

Instant messages, you mean? I hope?

Sorry, sometimes people call me IM. I like to be called 'infi' for short. ;)

Nope. Instant Message. :)

How many times do I have to tell you, it's not all about you!?? ;)

Since when? :lol:

Does it count that I laugh at myself quite often? As I said, I'm a goof. ;)

I reckon if you can't laugh at yourself when you do something stupid, you really don't have a right to laugh at others when they do the same. ;)

well in real life some talks are the sort of ones you might sit down with or face each other and some are the ones your going to still want to walk around and do your think while you talk...

with IMs you have a history log - interuptions don't make you loose the conversation or where you are in it. so the only question is what the conversation demands.

emotional things can be more immidate and need the attention, but sometimes, aspecialy with intelectual conversations or when its practical matters that aren't immidate, having it casual increases the time people will think about their response. and some conversations are just naturally casual...

Only if both parties agree whether it's emotional or intellectual.

When I worked at ASDA (owned by Walmart) we had to walk customers to what they wanted. It's possible this was something to do with pointing. It was a pain in the arse, because the last section people walked through before they got to the tills was my section. And the thing they couldn't find was generally in the far corner of the LARGE store (eggs mostly - right against the back wall far left). We had targets on getting out stock and time away from your section was time wasted. Oh the pressure of retail!

Pointing AT someone, I get is rude. Pointing out someone (when asked who they are for a legitimate reason) I will do with one finger and a cocked hand. When giving directions I will commit my whole arm, right down to the tip of the extended finger. Like a statue. It gives people confidence in the directions ;)

I feel I am now closer to the mystery of pointing being rude.

In this country we point with our noses.

I'm with Sundae. I don't point to people, but I may point to directions. I've been reading through these posts and unlike Sundae, I am no closer to the mystery of pointing being rude. Pointing in space to show direction is rude? That I still don't understand why. However, I understand that Americans find using the finger to point for any reasons is rude. I will definitely keep that in mind from now on.