Hi, What're you doing?

AuntPeggy

AuntPeggy

Final Approach
PoA Supporter
Joined
May 23, 2006
Messages
8,480
Location
Oklahoma
Display Name
Display name:
Namaste
My kids always start a cell phone conversation with this question instead of, "Hi, Mom, I'm calling to ask for a favor."

Is this question a new standard like the old fashioned "Hi, how're you doin?" which is really rhetorical?

I never really know what is expected for an answer. Today I said, "I'm just finishing up lunch with a bite of soda bread." That doesn't feel like what they expect to hear. What am I expected to say?
 
Tell them you are having sex. They will stop asking.
 
If something worth talking about has happened in the last week or two or you're about to do something worth talking about casually mention that otherwise "Not much" will do.
 
AuntPeggy said:
My kids always start a cell phone conversation with this question instead of, "Hi, Mom, I'm calling to ask for a favor."

Is this question a new standard like the old fashioned "Hi, how're you doin?" which is really rhetorical?

I never really know what is expected for an answer. Today I said, "I'm just finishing up lunch with a bite of soda bread." That doesn't feel like what they expect to hear. What am I expected to say?
Click to expand...

I'm answering the phone. What are you doing??
 
My sister in law has always opened every conversation with that exact question, posed in a snappish and abrupt way. Just her thing, I guess. Usually I'd answer, "...talking to you!"

Usually satisfied her, I guess.
 
AuntPeggy said:
My kids always start a cell phone conversation with this question instead of, "Hi, Mom, I'm calling to ask for a favor."

What am I expected to say?
Click to expand...


Say; "What's up?" (listen to the favor) then agree after you give them your parental advice. :D

I am always thankful when the kids call to talk and ask for a favor. I never agree to them, but it's nice they ask. :lol:
 
I had a friend who used to call me in the middle of the work day and begin by saying: "hey, what are you up to?"

"Well, Sherlock..."

Eventually I just accepted that it was a bit of absolutely meaningless small talk. I think your situation is similar, so I'd probably respond with some short, similarly meaningless small talk response so you can get down to business. :)
 
"Hiding a body, would you ask Siri for some advice on my behalf?"

Actually, my first reaction was what Greg said...scary I know.
 
AuntPeggy said:
My kids always start a cell phone conversation with this question instead of, "Hi, Mom, I'm calling to ask for a favor."
Click to expand...


Sounds like you raised the PERFECT next generation of LIBERALS.....:mad2::mad2:..

Congrats... You must be a very proud parent....:rolleyes:
 
I'm almost 40 and I call people and say "Hey waddaya doin?"

My great Grand father would answer the phone "This is Max whatcha wanna know?" You should start answering the phone like that.

They are going to wonder who Max is though.
 
Waddayat b'y?
 
Oh and to AP's OP…

Yes. I've done it with my folks too. Sometimes I've gone full classy, and asked "What are you up to?" instead of "whatcha doin?"
 
MarkZ said:
Maybe the favor is watching the grandkids. :dunno:

Let's leave the SZ out of this. :yes:
Click to expand...

Precisely!!!

Actually, she called back early this evening and threw me a curve. I was ready with the response of "nothing, and you" when she asked, "Am I interrupting dinner? You were eating lunch when I called before." So, I told her I was preparing Mango Chicken. BTW, the first call was to see whether she owed me any money for the school photos I had picked up along with her oldest last week and the second call was to see whether I would watch the kids tomorrow since school is cancelled due to the roads being impassable.

Hubby has suggested that I tell her I'm on my hands and knees scrubbing the compacted macaroni and cheese out of the floors after watching the kids last week. Well, actually he said something else that is about the same consistency.
 
Last edited:
AuntPeggy said:
Precisely!!!

Actually, she called back early this evening and threw me a curve. I was ready with the response of "nothing, and you" when she asked, "Am I interrupting dinner? You were eating lunch when I called before." So, I told her I was preparing Mango Chicken. BTW, the first call was to see whether she owed me any money for the school photos I had picked up along with her oldest last week and the second call was to see whether I would watch the kids tomorrow since school is cancelled due to the roads being impassable.
Click to expand...

I'd be gentle, just be glad they call you, unless you want them to stop.
 
:rofl:
AuntPeggy said:
Precisely!!!

Actually, she called back early this evening and threw me a curve. I was ready with the response of "nothing, and you" when she asked, "Am I interrupting dinner? You were eating lunch when I called before." So, I told her I was preparing Mango Chicken. BTW, the first call was to see whether she owed me any money for the school photos I had picked up along with her oldest last week and the second call was to see whether I would watch the kids tomorrow since school is cancelled due to the roads being impassable.

Hubby has suggested that I tell her I'm on my hands and knees scrubbing the compacted macaroni and cheese out of the floors after watching the kids last week. Well, actually he said something else that is about the same consistency.
Click to expand...
 
AuntPeggy said:
My kids always start a cell phone conversation with this question instead of, "Hi, Mom, I'm calling to ask for a favor."

Is this question a new standard like the old fashioned "Hi, how're you doin?" which is really rhetorical?

I never really know what is expected for an answer. Today I said, "I'm just finishing up lunch with a bite of soda bread." That doesn't feel like what they expect to hear. What am I expected to say?
Click to expand...

I get that a lot, too. Some of my answers have included:

  • "Planting weed."
  • "Cooking meth."
  • "Burying a body."
  • "Picking lint out of my navel."
  • "Trying out for the Yankees."
  • "Painting the grass."
  • "Changing the air in my tires."
  • "Looking for my ice recipe."
  • "Styling my nose hairs."
  • "Building a still."
And a few others.

Oddly enough, sometimes they don't seem to notice. I think it's more of a rhetorical question to gently lead in to the request.

-Rich
 
Common small talk. On the other hand, you could always respond with "Jackin' a car from a scrawny old man, can I call you back?". Then have a scrawny old man right back on your phone and say you lost!.
 
Tell them you are spending their inheritance

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 
Tell us about the Mango Chicken...
 
I must be odd. I actually mean it when I start a conversation with something like, "How have you been?" Or, "What are you up to?" I usually add, "Hopefully something fun lately?"

With good friends I've been known to start off with, " Okay we both know opinions are like *******s and everyone has one, but I would like yours on something..." :)

Or, "Hey, I'm working on a project and wondering if I could get your help."

You could always just shock them... "Do you really care, or is there another reason you called?" I've broken a few people's bad habit of starting with small talk that way. Heh.

I also answer my phone with, "This is Nate". It throws the salespeople who aren't listening, off. "Is Nathan there?" I repeat, "This is Nate." And just wait. They then realize they've totally blown it from the start. Anyone who knows me knows how I answer the phone.

I like the one person's style mentioned above. I may need to start adding, "What do you want to know?" right off the bat.

I always thought "Hello?" was dumb. I don't pick up the ringing phone not expecting someone to be there.

When I call relative strangers with a need for something I always start with the expectation that I am calling them because I value their opinion but if the opinion is what they do for a living, I'll happily pay them for their time. If they're open to a question only then will I proceed. Spike may remember a conversation that started that way. And I still owe him dinner at least for his non-officially-professional advice. ;)

I really need to figure out how to make time to go to Texas. Too many nice PoA folk down there I would enjoy seeing again.

And Nebraska. And Wichita.

Ahh hell. I haven't met any bad PoA people really. It sucks that y'all are so far-flung.
 
P.S. I'm also hitting the age where every once in a while I get, "I have cancer" in response to that damned "How are you?" question.

And it's ****ing me off. F*** cancer.

Another friend diagnosed last week. Stage 1 breast cancer.

At least that's one of the types that lots of folks successfully beat. Damn it.
 
denverpilot said:
P.S. I'm also hitting the age where every once in a while I get, "I have cancer" in response to that damned "How are you?" question.

And it's ****ing me off. F*** cancer.

Another friend diagnosed last week. Stage 1 breast cancer.

At least that's one of the types that lots of folks successfully beat. Damn it.
Click to expand...

I've got a friend I've known for over thirty years - but as often happens in life, we only touch base now maybe once a year, if that. He is always the one to call and our phone conversations always seem to start the same, him starting:
"DUDE!"
"Dude! What the hell is new?"
Two years ago he replied:
"Got diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer. What's new with you?"
A year later I get another call:
"DUDE!"
"Dude! You're still alive! What the hell is new?"
"I got married. I got pictures of the wife and kid - I'll email you."
Like flipping through a series of photos in an album. Never quite sure whether you're looking at the last photo until you've turned the page.
 
SCCutler said:
Tell us about the Mango Chicken...
Click to expand...

Take two frozen breasts from the bag in the freezer and put into a bowl of hot tap water to thaw. Refresh the water from time to time as it cools. (Yes, I know that is awful, but since I believe food is already ruined by freezing it, getting it water-logged doesn't seem to make it any worse.)

While the chicken is thawing, cut a mango into chunks and put into a medium sized bowl. Add lemon juice and orange juice. Sliver a piece of candied ginger root -- about the size of an old-fashioned silver dollar or smaller -- and throw it in with the mango. Add a little ground cinnamon and thyme. If you're out of thyme (I am), sprinkle in some ground chili pepper. Stir and set aside.

Check the chicken by kneading them to be sure they are thawed through. Once they are, rinse and dry, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat (medium) olive oil in a skillet and then add the breasts. Cook for about 4-5 minutes each side until the pink is all gone inside the chicken. Remove the chicken and plate.

Add the mango mixture to the skillet and stir up all the chicken juice and pieces of meat that cling to the bottom of the pan, under medium heat. (Answer the phone.) Then raise the heat to high and stir the mixture until it thickens.

Spoon the mango mixture over the chicken breasts and serve. Asparagus spears goes well with this dish.
 
I used to work with a guy who just hated any type of small talk. If you asked him what he was up to, he would respond, "what does it look like I'm up to", and not in a very nice tone. He used to tell me that if "people" didn't have something worthwhile to say, they should just keep their trap shut. "People" meaning me I assumed. After a while we just didn't talk. Which was fine with him.
 
I'd launch into a long boring dissertation of everything I am doing or just did or thought of doing and I would keep talking until they interrupt and then I would say "well, you asked so I thought you were interested and I didn't want to leave anything out.

Or I'd say "nothing much, what are you doing?"
 
I keep it pretty simple. I just say it like it is.

"So, how's it going?"


"Good." (Good, and I don't give a crap about how you are doing.)

"Good, and you?" (Good, and I'll entertain a short meaningless predialogue with you.)

"Okay." (There is absolutely no change to the status since the last time we talked yesterday and I don't feel like repeating my status report.)

"S**t sucks." (Bad, and I really don't want to get in to it.)

"S**t sucks, and you?" (Bad, and go ahead and waste your time with a meaningless diatribe, I'm not listening anyway. I hope you feel offended by my lack of interest.)
 
As a professional pilot, the first question is generally "where are you"?
 
jonnyjetprop said:
As a professional pilot, the first question is generally "where are you"?
Click to expand...

Haha

"Where you at?"

"Never end a sentence with a preposition."

"Okay, then where you at, asswipe?"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top