Some of the oddities (nuisances) of modern living.

As we walk around our village it is quite common for people, mostly youngish men, not older people, to ask ‘Are you all right?”, often reduced to “Y’all right?” It doesn’t seem to require a response, apart from possibly, ‘Yes, and you?”. As a rule they’re half way up the street by then anyway. It seems to be a replacement for the old “How do you do?”, similarly reduced to “How do?” And similarly requiring no real response. 

I read something this morning about how people respond, or should respond, to the question “How are you?” 

Someone pointed out that Oscar Wilde’s definition of a bore is someone who, when asked “How are you?”, tells you.

I think my favourite comment was this one: “My late father-in-law, who lived to be 104 and was a veteran of the Dunkirk evacuation and the north Africa war, would inevitably respond to the question “How are you?” with an enigmatic “Surviving. That’s the name of the game.” The dialogue is now used regularly by members of the family in fond memory of his fortitude.

Ray Woodhams

Cawthorne, South Yorkshire”

Coming a close second is this one: “At the age of 88, my response to the question is “Still above ground”.

Mike Peacock

East Meon, Hampshire”

A couple of years ago our son and his wife had an extension added to their house. Very nicely done, it has skylight windows in a high ceiling. Recently my daughter in law commented that she had received yet another email advertising skylight windows. This is one of he bugbears of the modern world: you purchase something and proceed to receive emails suggesting similar things you might like to buy. Now, I can understand the compulsion suppliers have to tell you, “people who bought this also bought this (similar or related object)”. It’s understandable with relatively small items, clothing and such but skylight windows are not the sort of things you purchase on a regular basis. 

In the same nuisance category comes the compulsion to ask you for feedback on something you have experienced or purchased. Again, it’s pretty much understandable. If I’m feeling generous I will accept that they want to improve their service but I really don’t feel the need to give feedback on a routine visit to the dentist or even less so to shops like The Body Shop! If I shop in a place where I have never been before and they offer the possibility of sending the purchase receipt by email, I always turn it down now. It was an interesting novelty to begin with but the flurry of advertising emails is quite off-putting. Here’s a link to an article, more of a rant, by a comedian I have never heard of, on the subject of post-purchase emails.

As far as I know, they have not yet recovered the crown jewels stolen from the Louvre in Paris. Here is a report of a rather lower key theft, this time silverware from the Elysée palace. Staff are accused of half-inching the tableware. Oh dear! 

Now I am about to walk into village to replenish our supplies of Lemsip cold remedies. If anyone asks how I am, I shall refrain from giving them chapter and verse on my coughing and sneezing. But they might not hear response anyway as my voice has been reduced to an intermittent squeak. 

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!