I'm fine thanks. How are you?

[sha76]

I seem to be getting this more & more in response to a simple "Hi". It tends to throw me, as it kind of makes my next line of "How are you?" somewhat redundant!
Is this becoming generally common, or is it just me that the world's stopped listening to?

"Your rock is eroding wrong." -Dogbert

 

[sha76]

This morning I read that a common Chinese greeting is "Have you eaten yet?". I can see the attraction in that!

"Your rock is eroding wrong." -Dogbert

 

[kjv1611]

I've always liked this response:

Asker: "How's it goin'?" or "How are you?"
Answerer: "Got a minute?"



--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[Rofeu]

I've responded to "How are you?" several times by suddenly looking shocked and exclaiming: "How dare you ask such an impertinent question!" and then stalking away in an offended manner.

Usually they stay in place for a good minute, absolutely flabbergasted!

Cheers,

Roel

 

[pinkgecko]

I always laugh when people absolutely have to ask how the other person is doing before they can begin the conversation. On a radio broadcast I listen to on NPR, I laugh every time the caller asks the host, "How are you?" I've never heard anyone say "Fine, thanks" as fast as him. He's not taking the call to discuss his personal life, he's taking the taking the call to discuss an issue with the gues on the show. It's just a greeting that some people have trouble beginning a conversation if they don't begin with the proper greeting.

[blue]Never listen to your customers. They were dumb enough to buy your product, so they have no credibility. - Dogbert[/blue]

 

[2ffat]

I just realized that I always say, "How do" when I greet someone.

I realized that after one of my co-workers greeted me with his usual saying, "What do you say?"


James P. Cottingham
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[AnotherHiggins]

There's a guy in the office who I've heard reply to, "How's it going?" with, "It's going well. I don't know where it's going, but it's going well.".

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[thekl0wn]

I personally just say, "Oh, it's going." I don't talk a lot to people I don't know well, so that reply simply gets me by with all the awkwardness surrounded by talking to new people.

 

[SamBones]

Someone once responded to the "How are you?" with...

"Well, I woke up on this side of the dirt this morning, so I must be doing pretty good!"

Got a good chuckle out of that.

 

[gbaughma]

Some of my favorite responses (depending on my mood) to "How 'ya doing?" or "How's it going" are:

-Just dandy.
-Just ducky.
-Peachy.
-Fair to middlin'
-It's gotta go...
-You know... lose a little with every sale, but make it up in volume.
-Livin' the dream!
-I wasn't in the obits this morning, so it must be OK.
-I'll let you know after my first cup of coffee



Just my 2¢
-ARRGH! All my clothes are wrinkled! Oh, the irony!

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[2ffat]

I also discovered that when someone asks me, "How's it going?" I almost always answer, "With or without me, it's going."

Amazing. I never paid much attention to how people greeted me, how I greeted others, or how I replied until now.


James P. Cottingham
-----------------------------------------
[sup]I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229![/sup]

 

[KenCunningham]

I must admit I find it difficult to object to simple civility in the case of How are you? questions- even if the questioner is not interested, it's nice to have the trappings of decent behaviour, much like not letting a door slam in someone's face perhaps.

I want to be good, is that not enough?

 

[CajunCenturion]

I've enjoyed reading this thread, but one thing strikes me. It is often said that IT professionals are lacking in people skills. One might find it difficult to refute that claim after reading this thread.

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[KenCunningham]

Agree entirely CC.

I want to be good, is that not enough?

 

[kjv1611]

People who?

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[Grenage]

CajunCenturion:

Perhaps, but I don't think that only we are guilty of the above. I can think of just as many people in other occupations.

Carlsberg don't run I.T. departments, but if they did they'd probably be more fun.

 

[CajunCenturion]

==> Perhaps, but I don't think that only we are guilty of the above. I can think of just as many people in other occupations.
Oh I never said that the lack of people skills is restricted to IT professionals, nor do I support any notion that just because other professions have similar problems, that IT should be given a free pass.

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[AnotherHiggins]

I'm not sure what this says about me, but every time I read the title of the thread I keep thinking about Han Solo saying,

"'Had a slight weapons malfunction. But, uh, everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here, now, thank you.

How are you?"

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[kjv1611]

ah - han solo...
Too much popcorn and chocolate candy, maybe?



--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[mjldba]

There are a couple people at work that respond to a casual "Good morning, how are you?" with "Not bad".

Seems like a pseudo-postive response but perceived as negativity so is it just too difficult for them to respond with "doing OK" or, simply, "good". Could their day already be in the dumpster at 9AM ... everyday?

Also, they never reflexively respond with "Not bad, how are you?" so I guess they don't give a damn about me unless they see blood and/or tears.

 

[bdjb]

In my years of retail, I would always greet the customer wiht "Hello, how are you today?" They would always respond wiht "No thanks, just looking". People don't usually listen, just respond to what they thought you said.

I always wanted to greet them with "Hi, your shoe is on fire!" I'm sure I would have gotten the same "Just looking" response.

What happens if you get scared half to death twice?

Bob