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How do you answer, "How are you?"
*mipadi*
post Aug 10 2005, 02:30 PM
Post #1





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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?
 

Posts in this topic
mipadi   How do you answer, "How are you?"   Aug 10 2005, 02:30 PM
Nicolatofu   usually I say "Great!" even if my da...   Aug 10 2005, 02:36 PM
jeSs1cA   No matter how bad or good my day is.. I always say...   Aug 10 2005, 02:37 PM
osidepinay33   QUOTE(jeSs1cA @ Aug 10 2005, 11:37 AM)No matt...   Aug 10 2005, 09:58 PM
YoGrandpaIsFine   I always say, "Good." ..   Aug 10 2005, 02:38 PM
sharerol   QUOTE(im_s0_sp0ngey @ Aug 10 2005, 12:38 PM)I...   Aug 10 2005, 02:38 PM
pink_is_love   it depends on my mood and who i talk to.. + if i...   Aug 10 2005, 02:38 PM
Im So Vain   I have no difficulty replying I just say: "Im...   Aug 10 2005, 02:39 PM
krispy_kreme333   i always say "Just fine." or "Fine....   Aug 10 2005, 02:43 PM
mai_z   I say "great" by default unless it's...   Aug 10 2005, 02:44 PM
emazing   Fine, okay, fantastic, good, etc. There's not ...   Aug 10 2005, 02:44 PM
[Scr3amin][Horror]   i lie. G-R-E-A-T .   Aug 10 2005, 02:45 PM
EXPLO5ION   I always reply with okay, even if my day had been ...   Aug 10 2005, 02:53 PM
fishcake-y   It's usually "shut up". My friends a...   Aug 10 2005, 02:56 PM
stephinika   um...depends who i'm talking to 'cause if ...   Aug 10 2005, 02:57 PM
RupertGrintluvr15   I say. Good. How bout you?   Aug 10 2005, 03:00 PM
shutupnlissenx3   i always say "Fine, you?"   Aug 10 2005, 03:01 PM
[pshaa]shauna   I mostly say, "Eh, my heart is still beating ...   Aug 10 2005, 03:02 PM
electric shock   Pretty much 98% of the time I say, "Good, you...   Aug 10 2005, 03:02 PM
pawprints2570   i usually just say "fine" or "good,...   Aug 10 2005, 03:06 PM
Spirited Away   To someone I know - If it's been a horrible da...   Aug 10 2005, 03:06 PM
jnukes   i always respond as " good .. you ? " ...   Aug 10 2005, 03:07 PM
Rachel is love   Well pretty much look at Fae's answer. That is...   Aug 10 2005, 03:08 PM
Kristinaa   I always say Fine. If it someone important though,...   Aug 10 2005, 03:09 PM
RED_RUM   when some one says "how are you" to me i...   Aug 10 2005, 03:14 PM
2 wordsTomFelton13   i usually say "im ok how about you?" lol...   Aug 10 2005, 03:19 PM
miss barnes   i say "i'm alright" or "fine...   Aug 10 2005, 03:26 PM
whooooshy   i usually say "fine" or "i'm al...   Aug 10 2005, 09:13 PM
Azarel   QUOTE(mipadi @ Aug 10 2005, 12:30 PM)But to t...   Aug 10 2005, 09:25 PM
danielle_x3   i either say 'fine, you?' or 'its oka...   Aug 10 2005, 09:26 PM
MyVermilionPlague   I usually say the same few things. Usually "e...   Aug 10 2005, 09:28 PM
sadolakced acid   i glare at them and then they go away. unless the...   Aug 10 2005, 09:29 PM
RiC3xBoy   "Im fine, and you?"   Aug 10 2005, 09:31 PM
Nugget   Good, you?   Aug 10 2005, 09:33 PM
fallen_angel1137   If i'm talking to a stranger or someone i real...   Aug 10 2005, 09:33 PM
misskentucky   I say fine usually. If it was really good or reall...   Aug 10 2005, 09:36 PM
silver rain   Hmm, well unless I'm talking to my boyfriend, ...   Aug 10 2005, 09:36 PM
incoherent   i just simply say, "im good, how are you?...   Aug 10 2005, 09:51 PM
niez_cho   I answer "I'm fine" no matter what. ...   Aug 10 2005, 09:57 PM
napoleon034   fine, you?   Aug 10 2005, 10:01 PM
Chii   i always say i'm fine...because the person who...   Aug 10 2005, 10:02 PM
lilliannnn   I always say "I'm alright" because I...   Aug 10 2005, 10:13 PM
gigiopolis   "Good." Although it's grammatically...   Aug 10 2005, 10:22 PM
`SWTWiNKLE3YES   i say okay or fine   Aug 10 2005, 10:25 PM
Caitlin   usually its just "i'm ___________(whateve...   Aug 10 2005, 10:25 PM
mouse_3k   good and you? I always say that   Aug 10 2005, 10:27 PM
mocassinsx29   "Oh-it's..-*mumbles off*" I feel awk...   Aug 10 2005, 11:06 PM
xlauren73x   "I'm okay" ; "Pretty good...   Aug 10 2005, 11:10 PM
sw33t_rouge   them : how are you? me: im fine thanks you ho...   Aug 10 2005, 11:17 PM
coldricesux426   Wow, I never thought about that lol. I usually rep...   Aug 11 2005, 12:36 AM
Funky Buddha   Hmm, I just answer lol. Usually its like "I...   Aug 11 2005, 12:39 AM
Kenado   Great if it's a good day. Great stubbornly. Or...   Aug 11 2005, 12:43 AM
she_ninja   It's horrible..i work retail so my immediate.....   Aug 11 2005, 12:45 AM
candychica   I get sooo annoyed when people ask that when they ...   Aug 11 2005, 02:01 AM
BrokenDream   online, I say I'm fine or great. In the real ...   Aug 11 2005, 02:11 AM
Shana_Kru   im alright or ive had better days   Aug 11 2005, 02:14 AM
Julie.   I have the same reply for that question. [ok, goo...   Aug 11 2005, 03:18 AM
medic   I answer James bond like. "Just surviving, ju...   Aug 11 2005, 04:29 AM
angel-roh   oh so you say the same answer over and over, huh? ...   Aug 11 2005, 05:04 AM
swiftly_x_now   I always say "fine" or if I'm feelin...   Aug 11 2005, 07:24 AM
Shortiiex   i just say Fine...if there is something wrong i do...   Aug 11 2005, 07:25 AM
xsmiles&frowns   "Terrible, thanks. And you?" =) haha, ju...   Aug 11 2005, 07:40 AM
toodlepops.   To someone I hate : Why do you care? B*tch. Famil...   Aug 11 2005, 08:09 AM
yanners   "I'm fine thank you. How are you?"   Aug 11 2005, 08:16 AM
sm0kinm0nky   I usually say "I'm good....you?" and...   Aug 11 2005, 08:23 AM
ROARxD   i jsut say alright. Even though i might be in a ba...   Aug 11 2005, 08:24 AM
Szeh   I always say Good. Then the conversation dies and ...   Aug 11 2005, 10:42 AM
Elvis_IzBack   well on msn i always start off saying 'hey wha...   Aug 11 2005, 10:55 AM
maia_dc   To a stranger- "Good, thanks, you?" To a...   Aug 11 2005, 12:21 PM
angel_revelation   i almost always say 'good' or 'ok...   Aug 11 2005, 12:59 PM
x3chrissyx3   Either: "I'm good. How are you?" or...   Aug 11 2005, 02:01 PM
Hell-Rell   I say "its been decent"   Aug 11 2005, 02:03 PM
___misshilton   I usually just say that I'm doing great. If I...   Aug 11 2005, 02:10 PM
ocpimple   I usually just shrug my shoulders and say "eh...   Aug 11 2005, 02:12 PM
faded23   it depends on who's asking.... usually good if...   Aug 11 2005, 02:52 PM
pyrochick19770   I say "fine' or "meh"...   Aug 11 2005, 02:53 PM
Aestuarium   fine, thanks and you? or fine, thank you *pause* a...   Aug 11 2005, 03:52 PM
boobooxpp   i'd say..."eh, not too shabby, nd you?...   Aug 11 2005, 03:53 PM
bRoKeNxALoNE   I just say "Oh. I'm good." or ...   Aug 11 2005, 03:53 PM
chickattracter   I do the same thing. it's ALWAYS im pretty goo...   Aug 11 2005, 04:11 PM
seriouslynikki   I always say, "um..good" or "Okay...   Aug 11 2005, 04:36 PM
xoxo_koala_kisses_   "I'm good, thanks. How are you?"   Aug 11 2005, 04:44 PM
xcaitlinx   I usually say "I'm fine, you?"   Aug 11 2005, 04:46 PM
sadolakced acid   this raises the question of who cares? i mean if...   Aug 11 2005, 05:17 PM
ichigofan   lol Honestly when someone DOES ask me that which i...   Aug 11 2005, 05:18 PM
gOODpIRATE   i always say, "okay". everytime. i'm...   Aug 11 2005, 05:26 PM
yummy_delight   I answer it with a hearty one finger salute.   Aug 11 2005, 05:33 PM
sadolakced acid   stop replying so this topic can die.   Aug 11 2005, 05:37 PM
HoodieObsessed   I say "good" haha, how boring. And ya, ...   Aug 11 2005, 05:40 PM
totallyxticxtac   I always say "Good" ... even if i'm ...   Aug 11 2005, 05:50 PM
slipper   yah.. totally. i always say "not bad." ...   Aug 11 2005, 06:10 PM
x3_mr_mak   technically ur supposed to say "i'm feeli...   Aug 11 2005, 07:58 PM
Maestro   I always say. I'm doing good.   Aug 11 2005, 08:03 PM
Spiritual Winged Aura   To old people: " it's great " To nor...   Aug 11 2005, 08:31 PM
cheerbee07   i usually say "pretty good" or "ok...   Aug 11 2005, 10:55 PM
sadolakced acid   the thread was freaking dying. let it die   Aug 11 2005, 10:56 PM
Cake.   I respond with "good" if I don't rea...   Aug 11 2005, 11:06 PM
eli5e   lol ....it's annoying when ppl at stores ask u...   Aug 11 2005, 11:13 PM
salcha   I just usually say "fine" or "bored...   Aug 12 2005, 12:48 AM
Rachel is love   ask me today, i will say terrible. broken hearts d...   Aug 12 2005, 01:30 AM
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