hahahah Miss Manners gets a truly funny etiquette question

Dear Miss Manners:

Frequently, people prefer to be known by a middle name. I happened to find that someone I will be meeting prefers to be known by his middle name. The problem is that he has been knighted. As a further complication, I know that he is a retired army officer. Thus, he is (I will substitute names) Col. Sir John Philip Smith.

Would it be better to call him "Sir John" or "Sir Philip"? He will probably introduce himself to me as "Philip Smith," but I feel that I should know the appropriate form of address.


Chances are, Miss Manners is guessing, that the gentleman did not interrupt the ceremony to say to the queen, "Oh, call me Phil; all my friends do." Thus, when you address him formally, you call him Sir John. It is then up to him, if he wishes, to say "Oh, call me Phil . . ."

I did not know that, Miss Manners!

Draven "Angelica" and "Bettie Page: Fabulous"

Today's subtitle is Shoes bexless Needs. Most of California-based scene kid brand Draven's line can be found on Amazon.com. They have their own online shop, but it's highly dubious and low-rent looking.

Yuletide this year

I nominated Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (movie), Jurassic Park (movies), Finding Nemo, NCIS Los Angeles, Dogma (movie) (this was the only View Askew universe movie I found in the list? I was really thinking of Jay & Silent Bob in general, though) and Georgette Heyer's The Unknown Ajax. It wasn't previously on the list, so if you're a Heyer fan, please consider seconding the nomination! Secondary character Richmond has a huge case of hero worship on his asshole cousin Vincent, who treats him cavalierly, then gets jealous when he pays attention to anyone else:

"I am aware. You have certainly become his beau ideal!"

"Nay, there's no hope of that," said Hugo despondently. "I'll never be able to take the shine out of you, for I'm no top-sawyer, and I'm sick everytime I go to sea."

Vincent laughed, but a faint flush stained his cheeks, and he said sharply: "Good God, do you think I care? Not the snap of my fingers!"

Having had ample time to become acquainted with his demon of jealousy, Hugo heaved a profound sigh of relief, and said: "Eh, I'm glad to hear you say that! The way you're never happy but what you have the lad at your heels, let alone the pleasure it is to you to listen to his chatter, I thought you'd be reet miserable!"

This response succeeded as well as any could; but although Vincent smiled in genuine amusement, he was still furious with himself for that instant's self-betrayal, and his temper, already exacerbated, was not improved. He had never felt more than tolerance for Richmond; and the boy's admiration had amused rather than gratified him. Had he arrived at Darracott Place to find that Richmond had outgrown his youthful hero-worship it would not have troubled him in the least; but when he saw Richmond's eyes turn away from him towards Hugo, and realized that, instead of following his lead, Richmond had drawn a little aloof from him, he fell a prey to a jealousy which none knew better than he to be irrational.

I'm not sure which one I'll request, though. I'm also thinking about Alfred/Lucius (Nolanverse Batman movies), David/Luke (Diana Wynne Jones's Eight Days of Luke), and Laurence/Tharkay (Naomi Novik's Temeraire books).