For example when you’re catching up with friends after a while
Not too much. Just doing the daily.
This is an honest and correct answer if that is your situation. Nothing wrong with that.
I tell the truth. Nothing. I don’t care to expend the energy to make up an excuse.
Usually a brief “I just read/played/watched such-and-such”
If they know it, we can chat about it. If they don’t, and they’re interested, we can chat about it. Otherwise, the conversation moves on and the social rite is concluded successfully.
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.
“I’m a normal user of sidewalks.”
In general, switch the question to, “What’s new in the world?”
I’m functioning within normal parameters.
The court order was very clear that I am not allowed to discuss that. How about you? Anything new?
This wins the thread !lemmysilver
Thank you, thank you. I’d like to dedicate this award to all the antisocial people out there who just want to be left alone.
“Nothing’s new - same old”
“just the time and date and some cells in my hair follicles”
The cosmic horrors persist, but so do I
I’m so stealing that.
I stole it from somewhere else, so seems only fair
I am autistic, which you probably could have just derived from the rest of this comment. Questions like these are so terrifying to me. So I always have a fun fact on hand.
“What’s new?”
“I just learned that only female cats have a calico pattern!”
Then you can talk about cats instead of your life.
That’s a great idea honestly. I’d love it if more people gave replies like that.
It’s not an absolute rule, but it’s true in the vast majority of cases. The coloring is on the X chromosome, and males usually have only one, but some males with have an extra X chromosome (XXY) and those can be calico. It’s rare.
That’s quite ingenious actually
You’re right, that does sound particularly like something an autistic person would say. It’s also something I’d be perfectly happy to hear and engage with.
Same with tortoiseshell coloring, and orange tabbies are usually male!
That’s me too. And personally, I think you’re my type of person to talk to.
“I am unfortunately still here” is my go-to. People seem to leave you alone if you joke about killing yourself.
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”.
