I'm never "fine" anymore. 1

[SantaMufasa]

Tom Kane's pulchritudinous thread reminded me of one of the most fun activities in which I engage...a real ice breaker and conversation piece amongst those whom I meet. The activity of which I speak derives from my resolution to never respond to the mindless question, "How are you?" with the even-more-mindless response, "Fine."

Here are some of my replacements (in alphabetical order) for the overly bland "Fine". You will recognise many, but some are more obscure; all can be far more descriptive of our moods, given the proper circumstances:

ardent
assiduous
coruscative
ebullient
effulgent
energetic
exuberant
fervent
fervorous
incandescent
indefatigable
iridescent
kinetic
luminous
mirthful
oneirataxic
oneiric
pertinacious
radiant
resilient
scintillated
sedulous
steadfast
ubiquitous
unflagging
vibrant
vigorous
vivacious
zealous

I would love to expand this list with your contributions. If you plan on adopting my resolution (to never respond, "Fine," again), be sure that you know the definitions of each word.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[

http://www.dasages.com:

Providing low-cost remote Database Admin services]
Click here to join Utah Oracle Users Group on Tek-Tips if you use Oracle in Utah USA.

 

[Trevoke]

Cajun: my current understanding is that "How are you?" is a short for "How are you doing?" .. Wouldn't that call for "I'm doing well" or "I'm well" ?
If, on the other hand, "How are you?" is just what it looks to be... Thank you for correcting me without a clue-by-four

Dollie: you make me think of the other sarcastic answer, "ducky". I never really understood why/how someone could be 'ducky' ... ?

"That time in Seattle... was a nightmare. I came out of it dead broke, without a house, without anything except a girlfriend and a knowledge of UNIX."
"Well, that's something," Avi says. "Normally those two are mutually exclusive."
-- Neal Stephenson, "Cryptonomicon"

 

[CajunCenturion]

Therein lies one of the problems with shorthanded communications. You, as the listener, have to guess is the person asking the question is saying what they mean, or implying something different. In either case, it's risky to bring the hammer.

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[RCorrigan]

A lot of Dubliners (NOT the group) and expecially North- Siders take a different approach.

The question / greeting is "Story" with an optional "Bud" on the end !!!!!

And goodbye ends up as "Take a Handy"

<Do I need A Signature or will an X do?>

 

[SantaMufasa]

If you feel the need to greet someone, and if you really don't wish to hear how they are, then replace our mindless default ("How are you?") with a true greeting/blessing:

"Good day, Steve."
"Buenos Días, Maria."
"Das vidaña, Vladimir."
"Námasté, Gurbakshish."
"Bon jour, François."
"Glad tidings, Simon."
"Kentucky (or is it 'Ohio') Guzaimas, Mikata."
"Na ho ma, Chin."

Why are we so interested in how people are?...Frankly, it's none of our business! Just wish people well and get on with your work.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[

http://www.dasages.com:

Providing low-cost remote Database Admin services]
Click here to join Utah Oracle Users Group on Tek-Tips if you use Oracle in Utah USA.

 

[BJCooperIT]

Just wish people well and get on with your work.

Oh no! Not the dreaded "Have a good day!"

[sup]Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.[/sup][sup] ~George Bernard Shaw[/sup]
Consultant Developer/Analyst Oracle, Forms, Reports & PL/SQL (Windows)
My website: Emu Products Plus

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
No, not 'Have a good day' just 'good day'

It is less of a command...

'Have a Good Day' puts a lot of pressure on me..





To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[SantaMufasa]

Good point, Barb ! I remember the very moment when I last suggested that someone "Have a good day." It was on Monday, February 3, 1992, at 12:10 p.m. (Easter Standard Time). I was teaching Oracle in mid-town Manhattan. I couldn't afford to pay for (nor did I want) an expensive-restaurant lunch, so I just picked up a club sandwich at a nearby deli.

As I was leaving the deli, I suggested to the gumbah behind the counter to "Have a Good Day."

Rather than "Thanks," his response was, "Hey, Whatzit it to ya?"

From that moment on, the only time since that I've used that phrase is to relate the story.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[

http://www.dasages.com:

Providing low-cost remote Database Admin services]
Click here to join Utah Oracle Users Group on Tek-Tips if you use Oracle in Utah USA.

 

[CRilliterate]

And you holding on to this since 1992? Never went to NY since? Hate club sandwiches still? Never enter a deli? Common, let it go, have a good day!!!

 

[BoxHead]

I worked at a company where it was actually a written policy that management employees acknowledge one another in gatherings and even in passing through the halls.

Usually, it amounted to one person saying, "How's it goin'?" and the reply being "How ya doin'?"

One nice thing about it was that when I got domiciled out of the district headquarters and passed by the big cheese in the halls, there wasn't any doubt about whether I should say anything. That was the point of the policy; to make sure that no one with an idea that would be beneficial to the company would hesitate to speak up because he or she was out-ranked.

Based on my experience with other companies, it also eliminated a lot of hallway conversations. Nobody wants to be interrupted every time someone walks by saying, "How ya doin'? - How's it goin'?"

 

[chiph]

"Take a Handy"

They want you to take a cellphone along?

Chip H.

[sub]a "Handy" is what Germans call their cellphones[/sub]

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[tsdragon]

I think the Aussies have it right - just a simple "G'day!" (or, if they're feeling particularly chatty: "G'day Mate!"). Of course, it sounds much better with the proper accent.

Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[DtownTom]

My favorite answer to How are you"? is: "Unimproved

 

[Dollie]

I don't remember what the commercial was for (possibly a replacement for the "waaazzzzaaaaap" commercials?) but...

/please insert bad movie mobster accent/

Man 1: "How you doin?"

Man 2: "How YOU doin?"

Man 3: "How you doin?

 

[tsdragon]

That is Joey Tribiani's signature phrase, so it was probably a Friends commercial.

Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[SantaMufasa]

Actually, Tracy, Dollie is correct...the "how YOU doin?" is a follow-on variant of the "Wazaaaaaaaaaaap" series from the same company, but now I'm disclosing how "square" my eyes are.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[

http://www.dasages.com:

Providing low-cost remote Database Admin services]
Click here to join Utah Oracle Users Group on Tek-Tips if you use Oracle in Utah USA.

 

[CRilliterate]

I'll go search for 'mobster' - to see if it is an officially a word?

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
Actually both are correct..Joey and the annoying beer guys used it..Joey's was a pickup line..

As for 'mobster' :

http://www.wordreference.com/definition/mobster

To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[tsdragon]

COnsidering how long "Friends" has been around, and how popular it still is, I'm guessing that the Budweiser people borrowed the expression from there. A lot depends on HOW it is said. Joey had his own way of saying it: "How YOU doin'?"


Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[Dollie]

Whew! I was afraid for a moment that I actually *DID* see an episode of "Friends" and had blocked it from my memory.

A simple search for the Bud videos turned up several of the commercials, btw.

 

[CRilliterate]

Just thought how come 'going' is sound like G-O!
And 'doing' is D-OO??? both following by 'ing'???