14 Days To Good Manners! Today: Why Forcing Others Around You To Listen To Your Cellphone Call Is Rude
My science-based, funny manners advice book, "Good Manners For Nice People Who Sometimes Say F*ck," will be out on June 3, via wonderful St. Martin's Press.

Today's quote is on cellphone manners, from the chapter "The Telephone."

In the book, I explain, based on a growing body of scientific research, that cellphone conversations we are forced to overhear -- even from people trying to be quiet -- are more disturbing to the brain than two people sitting talking at a table...

"...because a one-sided conversation commandeers the brain in a way a two-sided conversation does not, apparently because your brain tries to fill in the side of the conversation you can't hear. (It doesn't help that people tend to bark into their cell phones in the way white men in cowboy movies talked to Indians.)"

In the book, I give a number of ways to -- actually, politely -- shut these yammerers up.

I also note that they are stealing our attention, which most certainly does not belong to them, by forcing us to hear their BLAHBLAHBLAH.

Seeing their rudeness as theft helps people not usually comfortable with speaking up to strangers to do it -- as do the solutions I come up with for how to do this, which have been tested by me and are not the sort that are likely to lead to calls to the coroner.

Here's a Pin I just did on this topic. Please consider sharing on social media (go to the link to do that).

Please consider pre-ordering. The book is discounted from the $14.99 retail price to only $9.48 at Amazon and $9.67 at Barnes & Noble.

Come to my book launch party June 3! If you live close to LA, it would be so wonderful to meet some of you, especially longtime blog commenters. There's a book launch party/reading at Diesel Books in Brentwood, at the Brentwood County Mart, on Tuesday, June 3, at 7 p.m.

Come a little early! Wine and snacks will be served (thank you, Gregg!).

Please invite people!

Diesel Books, Brentwood Country Mart, 225 26th Street, Suite #33, Santa Monica CA 90402, (310) 576-9960

And in case you aren't sure whether you should attend, my book, "Good Manners for Nice People Who Sometimes Say F*ck," was deemed one of 11 smart books to read for summer by science writer Sam McNerney at the book site 250 Words.