Another sign I am getting old: I find it irritating when I say “thank you” to the fast food employee, they respond with “no problem.” I want to add, “I glad it is no problem for you to do your effing job!”
I haven’t yet taken to shaking my cane at the neighbor kids and yelling at them to stay out of my yard. I may get there any day, I’m afraid.
Wisegeek, here, thinks the “no problem” problem has something to do with age and informality.
Iggy Donnelly
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
Iggy, you should hear the wife in action on this front.
For instance, bill collectors on the phone?
Nice ones get cooperation (and money).
Others however….well, she starts by changing the ENTIRE dynamics of the relationship with one little honest request.
Something like this: “I do not personally know you, and please, from now on do not address me by my first name. I will be Mrs._______ to you from now on!”
Another thing, isn’t it nice when you meet young people who DO have manners? One of the daughter’s good friends, a beautiful young black lady is soooo polite.
She always calls me and the wife Mr. and Mrs., you’d think Madea raised this child!
She’s a great kid, I hope she goes far.
I’m a big fan of Miss Manners. She’ll tell you anything you need to know about how to behave.
I’ve been disappointed by how children address their own parents, and what I hear is said in public so I’m guessing it isn’t better in private.
“I haven’t yet taken to shaking my cain at the neighbor kids and yelling at them to stay out of my yard. I may get there any day, I’m afraid“.
That is where my wife is, three boys live next door and with their friends we are always finding things in the yard. Or even worse is when some of the grandkids toys are destroyed. My wife will go over and pound on the door till finally someone answers or they come home. Recently I found some of the grandson’s plastic balls had been used as targets of a magnifying glass and holes burnt in them. I was just going to throw them away when she noticed them. Off she went with them and finally came home when she got tired of standing on the front porch. UNTIL she saw their dad came home then off at a run she went.
Dad got an ear full and he signed and said he would talk to his boys. LOL oddly on the other side is a four y.o. who I refer to as her boyfriend he comes to the door wanting to talk to her.
What gets me it when I am asked if that will be all and tell them yes. Then I am asked a list of things to add. If I say do not want anything else that means I do not want anything else! I did not forget anything or will I suddenly hear something and add it.
Another thing I have been wondering about… why do those fast food people insist these days that you take your receit. I don’t need it. I don’t want a tangible reminder that I am a cheap skate – I know this already; I live with me everyday, afterall…
It is a reminder of your unhealthy life style and will force you to lower your chances of using the health care system. As such lowering the cost of health care. That or after the government puts a tax on fast food you can pull out that receit and show your grandkids saying you remember the days when it did not cost so much!
tstbg,
That is irritating. My standard lunch is a whopper junior with cheese – costs me $1.38. Everytime I order it I get the question, “want to make that a meal?” To which I may have to say, “if wanted a meal, I would have said a whopper junior meal, please.”
Dude, chill about the “no problem.” It’s the culture. I say it a lot myself and I’ve past the mid-century mark.
I agree that manners are nice, but some things ain’t worth getting exercised about.
Now, discourteous, aggressive, and rude drivers, well, that’s a whole ‘nother story. And god help them if they’re doing it while talking on the phone.
I am sure you are correct. I take it way out of proportion considering how the remark was intended. See the wisegeek explanation, which I linked to above.
This will come as a shock to many. especially some WE Bloggers, but I am a very well mannered individual, unless I am angry.
If I am angry, I will tell you where to put your Big Mac, and it ain’t the dumpster.
But, for the most part, I say please, thank you or thank you very much. If the waitress or waiter has been very good, I will seek out the manager or chief host/hostess to make a point to bring that fact to their attention.
I will rarely flat rate or give a minimal tip. I usually give at least 20%, rounded up. If the service is really bad, or the wait staff does not respond to my complaints – zip tip – but that hasn’t happened in years.
I am an incurable flirt, so if the waitress doesn’t slap me – I’ll give her 25 – 30%.
(Truth in advertising – my flirting is REALLY, REALLY innocuous and I back WWWWAAAYYY off if I feel that the waitress or clerk is not happy with my feeble lines. None of them are sexual in nature or a comment on her appearance, other than “lovely young lady” or words to that effect. )