Nick Martin

North Carolina

Senior Editor at National Geographic

Features Editor, National Geographic | Playwright | Writing in NYT Books, The Drift, High Country News, New Republic, Deadspin (RIP) | Sappony Tribe

Featured in: Favicon

hcn.org

washingtonpost.com Favicon

realclearpolitics.com Favicon

deadspin.com Favicon

newrepublic.com Favicon

realclearmarkets.com Favicon

realclearpolicy.com Favicon

matr.net

nationalgeographic.com Favicon

mdpi.com

Articles

These images were almost lost to icy Arctic Waters-instead they made the 'Endurance' crew legends

Oct 31, 2024 | nationalgeographic.com | Nick Martin

The images are well-known now. In one, ice blocks surround the famous three-masted ship, as grinning crew members and thick-furred dogs mill about a makeshift Antarctic camp. The scene belies the drama that went into saving the footage and photographs taken by Endurance photographer Frank Hurley.
Advice | Miss Manners: I don’t like digital restaurant bills

Apr 3, 2024 | washingtonpost.com | Judith Martin |Nick Martin |Jacobina Martin

Dear Miss Manners: When dining out, it seems that the latest way for the server to take the order and present the bill is via an electronic tablet. I’m fine with the ordering part, but not with the billing. First, in many cases, the server comes to your table and simply gives you an amount that you owe, and then stands there and waits for the payment.
Advice | Miss Manners: Seder is interrupted by a rude relative’s call

Apr 2, 2024 | washingtonpost.com | Judith Martin |Nick Martin |Jacobina Martin

Dear Miss Manners: Because of covid, we had not been having our regular family and friends Seder. We were happy to restart the occasion and had a rather large gathering. During the Seder, one of the family began an online call at the table with a missing relative who was invited but declined, as they lived out of state. This call lasted 10 to 15 minutes, in the middle of the Seder. I considered beating the caller with a stick, or at least dousing them with wine. My spouse was similarly angry.
Advice | Miss Manners: I hate my April Fool’s birthday and getting pranked

Apr 1, 2024 | washingtonpost.com | Judith Martin |Nick Martin |Jacobina Martin

Dear Miss Manners: Through no one’s fault, I was born on the worst date ever. Each birth anniversary, there's a well-meaning but hurtful practical joke. Everyone — family, friends, teachers, co-workers, boyfriends — thinks they're the first person to play their joke and expects me to laugh. Because I love them, I try to play along, but it gets tougher each year.
Advice | Miss Manners: My wife is angry I took a phone call during trivia

Mar 30, 2024 | washingtonpost.com | Judith Martin |Nick Martin |Jacobina Martin

Dear Miss Manners: Last night, my wife and I participated in a trivia night event at a local establishment. It was our first time there, and neither of us cared about winning the competition. We were really there to support the host, our daughter’s boyfriend. It was a small event, with five teams of two to three people per team. My wife and I were one team.
Advice | Miss Manners: I’m tired of being my friends’ sidekick

Mar 29, 2024 | washingtonpost.com | Judith Martin |Nick Martin |Jacobina Martin

Dear Miss Manners: It would seem my soft-spoken and polite nature attracts big personalities with a desperate need for a sidekick. I can play the background character well, out of mannerly consideration for what seems to be a desire for affirmation. Lately, however, I’m a bit exasperated with all this nonsense. Why shouldn’t a fairly attractive, well-educated and well-spoken woman such as myself also take center stage occasionally? I’m not sure why this is a surprise to my extroverted friends.
Advice | Miss Manners: Dinner guest stays on phone all evening

Mar 28, 2024 | washingtonpost.com | Judith Martin |Nick Martin |Jacobina Martin

Dear Miss Manners: I had a formal sit-down dinner for eight guests at my home. One guest was on her phone nearly the whole time — texting and even watching live videos that her friends posted while others were trying to have a conversation. She was away from the group, but the sounds were still audible. She arrived late and stayed by herself, on her phone, during the cocktail and hors d'oeuvres time.
Advice | Miss Manners: How to respond when telemarketers ask how I’m doing?

Mar 27, 2024 | washingtonpost.com | Judith Martin |Nick Martin |Jacobina Martin

Dear Miss Manners: I receive a lot of unwanted telephone calls from telemarketers and real estate buyers who are seeking to buy my house. Many of these callers start out by asking for me by name and then inquiring how I am doing. Every once in a while, one of these callers turns out to be a recruiter instead of a telemarketer, so I wish to remain polite in spite of the annoyance of being called repeatedly by the same companies I’ve asked to stop calling.
Advice | Miss Manners: Grandparent can’t hear the speeches at grandkids’ graduations

Mar 26, 2024 | washingtonpost.com | Judith Martin |Nick Martin |Jacobina Martin

Dear Miss Manners: I have nine beautiful grandchildren, and beginning this year, I will attend high school graduations for the next several consecutive years. My issue is that I am so hard of hearing that I cannot understand the speakers at these ceremonies. For me, it is as though the speeches are in a foreign language. I applaud when others applaud, but don't laugh at the humor nor feel touched by a sentimental story. I simply cannot understand what is being said.
Advice | Miss Manners: Why do strangers always comment on my flowers?

Mar 25, 2024 | washingtonpost.com | Judith Martin |Nick Martin |Jacobina Martin

Dear Miss Manners: About once a month or so, when I attend a social function, I bring a gift or floral bouquet to the host. Often this involves carrying the gift or flowers on foot through a public area on the way to the gathering — for example, along the sidewalk, if I park a block or two away from the host’s home, or through the lobby of a hotel or apartment building. Almost invariably, a stranger will say something like, “For me?