HELOISE Cell-phone use while at store counter is rude

Dear Heloise: I have a cell-phone sound off for you. I work a second job at a video store and have had a handful of customers come up to the counter while chatting away on their cell phone, completely ignoring my greeting, account questions, etc.
The rude behavior doesn't stop there. These same customers will then wave their rentals in my face -- something akin to snapping one's fingers -- while chatting away on their cell. This has happened more than once to more than a few of us. Please remind your readers that we clerks are people, too, and deserve the full attention of the customers we are trying to assist. Frustrated Movie Lover, Via E-mail
Cell phones are great, but they can also be a bit of a nuisance, and it's only going to get worse. So, the next time you're on your cell phone, be courteous to others! Also, remember that your conversation is not private. Do you really want strangers knowing all of your personal information? Heloise
Dear Readers: Here are a few other ways to use coffee filters:
UUse one as a quick lid for a dish in the microwave.
UUse one to clean windows.
UCushioning between dishes that are stacked in a cabinet.
UHolding snacks for children.
USlip one onto the stick of a frozen ice pop to catch drips. Heloise
Dear Heloise: My 14-year-old mixed ground beef and raw egg on my wooden kneading board! How can I decontaminate the board? Mary, Via E-mail
Mary, here's the easy method for sanitizing plastic or wood cutting boards: First, wash the board in hot, soapy water, scrubbing well, and rinse. Next, make a solution of 2 teaspoons liquid chlorine bleach in 1 quart of water. Put the board in the sink and pour the bleach solution over the board, letting it stand in the liquid for several minutes. Then rinse well with plenty of water and allow to air-dry. Heloise
Dear Heloise: We have lots of movies on video and DVD. Sometimes, when we pull out a movie to watch, we have forgotten who was in the movie and what it was about.
So, one weekend my husband and I sat down and put together a movie log. In a spiral notebook, we listed the name of each movie, the actors and a general synopsis of the movie theme. This way, when we want to watch a movie, we take out our trusty movie log to help us make a decision.
Sometimes these movies are shown on regular television, and when they are, I cut out the movie information from the TV program listing guide. Joyce from Pennsylvania
XSend a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, Fax: (210) HELOISE or E-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate