MANNERS AND OTHER MATTERS

Discarded  flowers in full bloom in Paris, October 2011 (photo taken by the author) I wrote a post a few months ago Friendships...Gold and Silver... , after giving a radio interview on the subject, about friendship and the rise of “internet friendship” in the last few years.  l I questioned the reality and honesty of communicating via an effectively anonymous medium, one in which regular checks and balances are difficult, if the “friends” involved have “covered their tracks” with pseudonyms.  Facebook and Twitter are certainly employed as search and discover mediums.  In earlier times, the checks and balances were made more simply through friends and work colleagues. I compared these modern medium friendships with the ones in our lives which are silver and gold standard relationships; the ones which are long standing and able to withstand sometimes critical and deliberating conversations, face to face over coffee or cocktails. I appeared on ABC TV recently discussin

Seafood in Saint Malo  This post is not so much about manners, but my other passion: food.   Sometime it’s nice to write about something which is not necessarily the subject matter, but rather connected to it. I have been back now for six weeks from my month in France;  and it’s been a busy period with television commitments with The Queen’s visit to Australia and preparations for the visit of my companion from Switzerland. Now that I have the time, as he has departed, I have been wandering through all the photos, reliving the wonderful times…and the stunning food experiences. I was there during the “Indian Summer” and even managed to swim in la Manche (The English Channel )on 30 September after a lovely picnic on the beach. Simple but lovely picnic The French were incredulous that they could swim at 5.00 p.m. in the heat; as an Australian, I was delighted to revel in the small waves, the cool water and the gentle salt of a clean sea. One with a very low

Channel 7, Perth   I had a great week while Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh were in Perth. As one of the few people here who specialise in etiquette and protocol, I was given the opportunity to speak about the varying aspects of protocol associated with the Royal Visit, from whether the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard was correct in not curtsying to the Queen, to whether the Queen would eat the kangaroo stew she was being offered during her visit to Clontarf Aboriginal College. Channel 10.  Should the Prime Minister have curtsied? It was all great fun, and a wonderful learning curve, as when reviewing the at times unflattering images of me  which TV produced, I developed an enduring respect for those TV presenters who provide us with news and reportage each and every day.    The make up and clothing choices are exhausting! But I had the opportunity to meet and work with very talented professionals.  We take for granted the news bulletins which enter our hom