How do you answer, "How are you?" Options

[*mipadi*]

I noticed something recently: whenever someone asks me "How are you?" or "How's it going" or "How're you doing?" or some related question, I invariably answer the same way: "Pretty good." I do it without even thinking. I can be having an awesome day, and I still answer "Pretty good." I can be having a rotten day (which is rare), and I still answer "Pretty good."

And furthermore, most days are just fine. "Pretty good", it seems, is ambiguous--people sometimes take it to mean that the day isn't great, but isn't bad, either. I probably should be at least answered "Great" or "Really good" as my default answer.

But to the point: do you have a different reply each time someone asks you that question that actually tells them how the day really is going, or, like me, do you just have a single answer, no matter how bad (or good) the day is?

[talcumpowder]

It's usually "shut up". My friends ask me that about eighty times a day. They think it's funny.
If it's not that... Then I'll shrug or say "why do you ask?". I shrug a lot, because I hate talking. I hate that question. You can often see how a person is just by observing them. Or maybe that's just me.