For example when you’re catching up with friends after a while
Not much how’bout yoy?
Living the dream
“Nothing worth mentioning, you?”
It gets awkward
Not much, you?
gettin’ better at turnin’ food to poop, you?
I’m functioning within normal parameters.
The cosmic horrors persist, but so do I
I’m so stealing that.
I stole it from somewhere else, so seems only fair
The court order was very clear that I am not allowed to discuss that. How about you? Anything new?
This reminds me of the time that I learned that the correct answer to “what’s up?” is “what’s up?” At least in the context of that one coworker who would say that to me as we were walking past each other.
I’ve since learned to recognize these things as a “bid for connection”. It generally has little to do with the content of the question or the answer and everything to do with relating.
So basically there is no wrong answer. And there are lots of good examples in this thread!
Personally I tend to answer “not much” as a knee-jerk reaction, but sometimes I’ll remember to say something else after that.
Something is always happening in your life.
What you really mean is “When you don’t think that anyone would be interested in what’s happening in your life.”
If you’ve been absorbing media, tell us what you’ve been watching/reading/playing. If you have this encounter out in public, say where you’re going now, or what you’re looking forward to doing when that’s done.
Hell, even if you’ve been laying in bed for a week and someone asks, say you’ve been catching up on some sleep.
There’s always something, and as mundane as you think your answer might be, it’ll be easier for them to continue the conversation on that one piece of information than saying “you know, same old”.
I usually go with “oh, same old same old” or “nothing fun” and try to divert back to something someone else talked about. But to be fair, I am a terrible conversationalist.
“you know, new day, same old, how about you?” think of it as a game of catch, throw the ball back, if you don’t want to / or have a quick answer.
“New toilet paper, same shit” is how an old boss of mine used to say it. Good for if you want to go clever yet crude.
In general, switch the question to, “What’s new in the world?”
Song lyrics are always fun.
“I’m another older and deeper in debt.” [16 Tons]
“I’m tired of living and sacred of dying.'” [Old Man River]
“I’m a material girl…” [can’t remember the title…]
