HINTS FROM HELOISE A ghost of a job

DEAR READERS >> Today’s SOUND OFF is about “job ghosting.”

“Dear Heloise: Have you ever heard of ‘job ghosting’? It’s when an employee walks off the job without a notice to anyone and does not give the usual two-week warning that he or she has found a new job. In all the years I’ve worked in human resources, I’ve never seen job ghosting as much as I have in the past couple of years.

“Applicants don’t show up for interviews, a new hire becomes a noshow, or an employee leaves for the day and never comes back. That’s job ghosting.

“Ghosting is rude, unprofessional and can have negative results for the employee in the future. No one wants to hire someone who might just walk off the job. All too often that employee who ghosted us leaves us in a difficult position when we need to fill an opening immediately.” — Corrine W. in Miami DEAR READERS >> Here are some additional uses for petroleum jelly:

• Use on earring posts to make them easier to insert.

• Use on a baby’s bottom to prevent diaper rash.

• Use on cuticles and nails to moisturize and soften.

• Use to take care of hinges that are squeaky. DEAR HELOISE >> I would love to store my wedding dress. I had it drycleaned, and it looks nice, but how do I keep it from yellowing?

— Joyce in Tennessee DEAR JOYCE >> Joyce, after cleaning the dress, wrap it in unbleached muslin or acid-free white tissue paper, then wrap in blue tissue paper and store in a sealed box in a cool, dry place. It should last for many years to come. DEAR HELOISE >> I have a fancy picture frame that’s carved from wood, and I have a terrible time keeping dust out of the deep areas of the frame. What can I use to clean it?

— Loretta V., Marietta, Ga. DEAR LORETTA V. >> Loretta, try using a hair dryer on high to blow out the dust, or a dry, clean paintbrush to clean out the frame. DEAR READERS >> Here are some tools you can use to clean out a pumpkin before you carve it: • potato peeler • ice cream scoop • metal round seal from a canning jar • cookie cutter • fish scaler DEAR HELOISE >> My family and I love iced tea but hate when it looks cloudy. My sister-in-law gave me this hint: Just add a small amount of boiling water to a pitcher of iced tea and stir, and the cloudy appearance goes away.

— Linda W., Bear Swamp, S.C. Write to Heloise at P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; Fax 210-HELOISE; or email Heloise@ Heloise.com.