Men with Manners

Sometime, somewhere I read the following quote, but for the life of me I can't remember where and I don't have time to figure it out, so I give credit to whoever said it, but it wasn't me. "

"Good manners are free, but forgetting them will cost you dearly."

I love that quote, and I try my best to always remember my manners (even if what I'm really thinking isn't the most mannerly) As a Southern woman I feel that I am expected to "mind my manners." Well, what about the men? Southern gentlemen, it seems, are becoming a rare breed. But the other day I was reading an old issue of Southern Living July 2009 (because reading spring and summer magazines is how I get through the winter) and I found this list. It is titled 15 Ways To Charm Her, written by Amy Bickers. (I'll just include the main points, not the explanations of each)

One~ Stand up for a lady. (figuratively)

Two~ Know that the SEC has the best football teams in the nation.

Three~ Kill bugs.

Four~ Hold doors open.

Five~ Fix things and build stuff.

Six~ Wear boots occasionally.

Seven~ Take off your hat inside.

Eight~ Grill stuff.

Nine~ Call us.

Ten~ Stand when we come back to the dinner table.

Eleven~ Pull out our chairs.

Twelve~ Pay the tab on the first few dates.

Thirteen~ Don't show up in a wrinkled, untucked shirt.

Fourteen~ Never get in bar fights.

Fifteen~ Know how to mix our favorite cocktail just the way we like it.

I love this list...Numbers 4, 10, and 15 are my favorites. So, is this the way it should be, or am I just an outdated Southern Belle?

**In reference to the opening sentence, I am owning the fact that I have a problem with run-on sentences. No apologies.