What To Say

If you run into someone at work or on the street that you know and want to offer a casual greeting, what do you say? I'm used to people saying "How are you?" or "How's it going?" or something like that. You can have a set answer like "Fine, how are you?" or "Great." Whatever. It requires no thought so it's easy, albeit impersonal. Nobody really asks because they want to know anyway, it's just a greeting.

But down here nobody seems to ask how people are. They ask what's going on. How am I supposed to answer that? The instinctive answer is "Nothing much" or something along those lines but that doesn't sound good at work. It makes it sound like I'm bored and/or slacking off. I don't really care if I have to make something up. I just don't know what to use as a stock answer, and the truth requires thought. Any suggestions?

Comments

[Alan]

"How's she going?" is a good Maritime phrase that may get you commend of the moment. You might even go so far as the Cape Bretonese of "Skoe-nahn?" to which anyone in the know answers "Nutn".

[Dan]

My answer for that is "What isn't going on?" For work only though, at home I use "not much"

[Steve]

"Same ol' same ol'." (This will make you sound like a rural Southerner.)

Let's get lunch again soon. Maybe Ted's.