I See Rude People: One Woman's Battle to Beat Some Manners into Impolite Society

Earlier today, Emma and I had a conversation about rude people…and how unpleasant it is to be in around them! Turns out this gal feels our pain, because she took it a step further and wrote a book about it.

And for an added treat, please read this excerpt from one of her advice columns. It is hilarious!

Q: I just started hanging out with a woman I was good friends with in high school. To my shock and dismay, she now has a mustache! She has dark hair but wears glasses — maybe she can't see it herself. I don't feel close enough to her to say something, but she's recently divorced and about to start dating, so maybe I should anyway ... but how? — Hair-ified

A: Maybe slip it into conversation. You know, "Why did the caterpillar cross your upper lip? Wait ... he isn't crossing ... it seems he's injured or dead!" OK, that would be mean — but nowhere near as mean as all those friends of hers refusing to endure the few moments of conversational discomfort it would take to clue her in. Sorry, make that supposed friends, because if you're actually this woman's friend ... HOW DO YOU LET HER GO AROUND WITH VISIBLE FACIAL HAIR?!

We'll assume she isn't mustachioed because waxing would kill her chances with the circus. And unless she lifted her arm and you spotted cornrows, she's probably one of those women with the unfortunate combination of fine, dark hairs and vision issues — causing her to be in the dark about her desperate need to mow. In addition to wrecking her chances with any guy whose feminine ideal isn't Tom Selleck, every single person who ever talks to her is thinking only one thing: "She's got a mustache, she's got a mustache, omigod, she's got a mustache."

It's a mission of mercy, letting a fur-lipped woman know. You could take her for a girls-getting-their-nails-done session, then suggest she join you in the two-for-one lip wax (a nonexistent special prearranged by you). There's also the gentle mention — "Did you know you have the faintest line of hair just above your lip?" (Even if it's "faint" like the African bush.) If neither of those work, there's always tricking her into it: "Let's play a game — it's called 'let's put adhesive tape on our upper lips and pull!'"

The Big Screen!

In case you haven't heard...from People Magazine:

Our Dream Cast for The Help: The Movie

Book clubs everywhere are abuzz, and it looks like the box office is next!

Now that the bestselling novel The Help is making its way to the big screen under Steven Spielberg and his DreamWorks studio, we're running through a short list of who could bring the novel's beloved characters to life.

"The casting process is going to be the most fun part about this," DreamWorks co-president of production Holly Bario told EW.com. "This is a total tour de force for women."

In case you haven't read it yet: The 2009 megaseller, written by first-time novelist Kathryn Stockett, chronicles the conflicted relationships between black housekeepers and their white employers in a pre-Civil-Rights-era Mississippi. Hundreds of thousands of readers have kept it on The New York Times Best Sellers list for more than 47 weeks – due in large part to Stockett's enchanting mix of female characters, from the coming-of-age heroine Miss Skeeter to the wise and thoughtful maid Aibileen.

Here's who we'd cast for the pivotal roles:

Claire Danes as Skeeter
Danes, who recently earned raves for her title role as Temple Grandin, an autistic animal behavioralist, in the HBO fact-based movie, could bring some serious empathy and angsty drive to the role of Skeeter, a recent grad from Ole Miss who instead of getting married secretly sets out to tell the stories of the maids in her hometown. Plus, the accent would be a cinch!

Oprah Winfrey as Aibileen
Who better to play the wise, regal and caring Aibileen than Oprah!? With her talk show ending, she's got a little time on her hands to make a dramatic screen comeback. It's been 25 years since she earned an Oscar nomination for her pivotal role as Sofia in Spielberg's 1985 film adaptation of The Color Purple.

Anne Hathaway as Hilly
It's time to see Hathaway really play a mean girl! The actress, who proved she's more than a princess with her Oscar-nominated role as a rehabbed drug addict in Rachel Getting Married, could go for Oscar again with the supporting role of racist villainess Hilly Holbrook – a privileged, popular and outspoken woman who wields her power over her social circle and the African-American women who serve them.

Mo'Nique as Minny
Who else but the Oscar-winning actress, who shattered expectations as an abusive mother in Precious, could follow-up her dramatic debut with the sassy role of Minny? This maid's temper and tongue send her looking for work after an uncomfortable firing. She lands a job for Celia, an unconventional woman desperate to learn to cook, but who does a lot of lying around. Sounds perfect for Scarlett Johansson.

The One Hundred...

Pages & friends:

Everyone should be aware of one of the cutest books ever:

The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own by Nina Garcia

Trendy watercolors will lead you through a timeless A-Z list of fashion classics. I think we'd agree that most items on the list are essential!

My top ten favorites (in no particular order!):

1. Pencil Skirt (see picture for example!)
2. Cocktail Ring
3. Ballet Flat
4. Fur
5. Monogrammed Stationery
6. Aviators
7. A-Line Dress
8. Diamond Studs
9. Wellington Boots
10. Valid Passport

xoxo,
Cricket