BS: Favourite Greetings

Subject: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Mooh
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 12:59 PM

Hi.

Just experienced a rather rude phone call from someone unknown to me looking to sell me something I don't want or need, and it got me to thinking.

How do you like to be greeted?

Is "How are you?" meaningful to you?

My youngest used to stand boldfaced with arms spread wide and announce "I'm me!", as an introduction to conversation. She grew up.

When my parents brought me home from the hospital days after I was born, my older siblings announced "We're watching Lassie!"...I was upstaged by a foreign dog.

Lately "What the..." seems to work for folks who see that I'm not the charming handsome gentleman that they had hoped.

How do you like to be greeted?

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Cluin
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 01:03 PM

When people say, "How you doin'?" to me, I tell `em.

"Well, you asked!" I usually end up yelling at them as the run away sceaming into the night.

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 01:04 PM

Not too worried about the words used as long as there is true warmth in them...Warmth in words makes people feel good I reckon.
Best wishes.

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: LilyFestre
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 01:09 PM

My all time favorite greeting is: Honey, I'm home!!!!! :)
(Of course, there's only ONE person I ever want to hear it from...but hey..it's a greeting nonetheless!)

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 01:19 PM

If somebody just calls me by name, that's all I need. "Hi, Joe" means a lot more than just "Hi."
Even in e-mails, it's nice to get a greeting and a signature.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Bill D
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 01:38 PM

before I opted out of the phone solicitation situation,,(oh, wonderful relief!) I used to reply to the INEVITABLE "how are you?", with "anyone who starts a phone conversation like that is trying to sell me something." It usually shortens the conversation.

What I do NOT like is folks who MUST open a conversation with some rote, automatic, pre-programmed bit of semi-formal mumble.... I listen to radio talk shows a lot, and about 7 out of 10 callers seem th think they MUST say "how ya' doin'?" before asking their question...even though the host has told the last 17 people he was just fine!

I like to be greeted with a simple, "hi" or "hello"...or even better when possible, a thought that sounds like the person is paying attention to me...even if it's unusual and quirky.

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 01:46 PM

I got pretty used to "howsit?" when living in Hawaii.

I'm NOT a fan of those who begin with "How are you?" because like Cluin, I'm prefectly preparred to them which is the last thing they really want.

YO BUBBA! Is fine with me, especially if spoken with a cut-glass English Accent.

;-D

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 02:07 PM

Sometimes when asked how I am, I ask, "Is that a social question or do you really want to know?" If they say, "Social question," I reply, "Fine, just fine."

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 02:37 PM

I'm rather fond of 'Hello dear, you look gorgeous, have a drink' but it doesn't happen often.... I did get a 'hello sexy' the other day.... but it was a phone message and I think it may have been a wrong number.

Now that most call centres have been moved to far off lands, there is a tell-tale pause and clicking on the line which gives me a chance to launch into my 'We don't want a bank loan, a new mobile phone or credit card, we've got all the cladding and guttering we'll ever need, we have no more windows to double glaze, we're happy with our mortgage and we haven't any use for more healthcare or insurance.. Did I miss anything?' speech... it covers most things and they've usually rung off by they. If they persist, I say, hold the line, I'm just going to get my details, then leave it off the hook for 5-10 minutes..... that gets rid of them!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Emma B
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 02:49 PM

What will you have?

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Justa Picker
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 02:54 PM

As my parents were fond of saying when I was a struggling musician :

"Hi Michael. How much do we owe this visit?"   :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: KT
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 03:08 PM

I'm one who often asks, "How are you?" but I am sincere in caring about the reply.

The one that causes me to raise an eyebrow is in a restaurant, when the waiter or waitress greets with "How are we doing this evening?" Makes me want to say, "Well, sit right down here with us and we'll decide."

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Bert
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 03:18 PM

aw Bill. with some rote, automatic, pre-programmed bit of semi-formal mumble.... I was just gonna say "Wotcha Mush!"

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 03:40 PM

I used to have an (Irish) friend at work who used to greet me "Hi Kevin - are you winning?", and it always used to lift my spirits. That'd be because it carried the implication that the bastards hadn't yet won, and they weren't going to.

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Boab
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 04:06 PM

Standard in my home town-"Hoo's it gaun, Auld Yin!" And that is as likely to be asked of a three year-old as it is of a "real auld yin" , like me!

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Once Famous
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 04:10 PM

Talk English, Boob

To anyone name Joe, It's "Hello Joe. Whaddya know?"

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 04:42 PM

I'm sure I would love to be greeted with......"Hi Mike, you have won £100.000 on the premium bonds".

Liz the Squeak.....Hi honey, don't know whether you look gorgeous or not but if someone says hello sexy...even if it's on the phone, you must have something.
So Hi Liz, you look "wonderful tonight" (Good title for a song I reckon...how about it Eric Clapton?)
Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Chris Green
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 06:35 PM

"Are you well?" My Irish relatives always used to greet me with that when I was in hospital as a kid with severe asthma.

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 06:52 PM

Hey Georgian, you sure know how to make a girl feel good.... especially as I'm sitting here in my night shirt, dark shadows under my eyes and hair in a rats nest... and still covered in little sticky sucker marks from the hospital tests last night....

Thanks.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: beetle cat
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 06:56 PM

What a ya' at, by's!?

(one entering the room of many friends)

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Mooh
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 10:55 AM

A former band mate loved to use his limited grasp of German to mangle his greetings. It was tiring, and often misunderstood by folks who didn't know he wasn't a skin head...cause he looked like one much of the time. One gig he took to drunkenly spewing his stupid greetings from behind his drum kit, until an equally drunk patron tried to out-prejudice him. It was no longer a family show.

Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: sian, west wales
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 12:41 PM

My (ex) mother-in-law always answered the phone, "How DOoo!" ... which I kinda liked. (Liked it more than the m-i-l). If I'm phoning someone else, I tend to say, "Hi, how's tricks?"

For the most part, I'm not sure I notice, but I always assume that strange voices asking after my general welfare are up to no good so I always respond in Welsh. That tends to shorten the call substantially ...

sian

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Mooh
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 02:39 PM

Yeah, pretend to be very low functioning to scare off unwanted phone calls...Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: gnu2
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 04:03 PM

beetle cat.... minds me of an old fellah from The Rock whose standard greeting was, "Whot ye got in yer mout', me ol' cock ?" My standard is, "How are ya NOW ?, which often causes some reflection and even confusion. On the flip side, as many above have offered, I answer the standards with something like, "Much better, thank you.", which often causes like consternation.

gnu

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: sian, west wales
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 04:44 PM

OI! Mooh! You callin' me low-functioning??????? Step outside ...

siân

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 04:49 PM

In the 1970's....early 1970's....I had very long hair for a guy.....and a sweet girl came up to me in the Disco and said she would love to see my hair on her pillow. I thought that was a great greeting.......Bit(O.K MUCH) older now and not much chance of that happening again but great memory.
Best wishes.

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Mooh
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 05:59 PM

sian...LOL...That's quite a greeting!

Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Dead Horse
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 08:35 PM

Gin?

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From:
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 12:33 AM

Several decades ago I knew a woman whose greeting was (take deep breath & out with it ) 'hellohowareyouI'mfinethankyou', then she'd skitter off into the rest of her conversation.
The person greeted had no chance to say 'fine, thankyou' or 'Not well, I've just been to hospital' or ...

I also find the 'how are you' greeting to talkback hosts a pain. Poor bugger just says 'fine' or whatever to his/her 30th caller ...

I've also known some wonderful people who really wanted to know how the other person was.

And I won't get into the subject of junk-mail callers - as soon as a bright cheerful voice warbles 'hello, I'm whatsit from (company)' I just hang up. They interrupted me, & I won't waste time on them, same with brightly smiling (young) folks who stand at the station entrance or on street corners trying to get folks to sign up for their charity or product.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Favourite Greetings
From: Davetnova
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 06:13 AM

they're miar polite roon here, Boab. It's "How's it gaun,Big Man".Even if yer a wee bauchle.