spellchecker fun, Deportment, and another day home sick

Seems as though I only post when I'm home sick, and then it'll be massive. 

I'm endlessly amused by the things which the spellchecker on my email suggests for people's names.  It changed one woman's name to Shell Shall. :) 

I've been reading ( Our Deportment, by John H. Young, A.M., 1882 )

It's easy to end visiting between people, according to this book.  Not calling when invited to do so or not returning a call twice in a row, with no good excuse - pretty much the end of your friendship.  And I haven't found, nor do I expect to find, any rule on how to repair that insult if you do it by sheer.. ineptitude?  Not paying attention?  Being a slacker?  No, you just can't be a slacker at all, apparently, and expect people to go on being your friend. 

Well.  Hm.  That's one of my worst problems.  What am I to do? 

more "Our Deportment" and a recipe of sorts

All the stuff about calling cards aside, this book does have some very good points.  It points out that conversation is the primary venue in which people form an opinion of us, and suggests, therefore, that we cultivate an interest in every topic of interest to society, and a good memory. 

I have the worst memory ever.  And very little interest in what the outside world is doing.  eor reads the news and can talk about it intelligently; I tend to listen and immediately forget. 

The book suggests that one write down a summarization of lectures one hears, or events that happened during the day, just to poke the memory.  Sooo... journalizing is supposed to help me actually get a better memory.  It hasn't worked, yet.  Of course I really don't try to write down everything that happened to me during the day.  It would take far too much time, and space.  Basically, though, if I want a better memory, I have to work my brain like any other muscle. ;)  Meaning, I have to take the time to actually do it.  Every day.  Even if all you people on my friends list are bored silly by it. ;)  Well, perhaps I'll try to lock a lot of my entries so you won't have to read them. 

So, let me start here.  I made a marvelous (I think) ( chicken soup, today )