HOW'S EVERYTHING GOING?

BY DAN MILLER
April 25, 2006

The best way to answer that question is, "fine."

And the best way to initiate a greeting is to simply say "hello".

More often than not, when someone greets me in the hallway they'll say, "how's everything going?"
And while I'm thrilled that people will even bother to speak to me.... I can't help but think -- (since I tend to take such greetings far too literally) --"do they really want me to review for them how EVERYTHING is going?"

Should I begin with my views on international affairs?.... or with problems in Washington?.... or, should I confine my comments to things in Tennessee?.... or, do they mean everything in my family and personal life?.... or everything about business here at the TV station?

Sometimes folks will say a polite, "how are you doing?"....
And, again, my literal mind thinks, "do they want to know about my recent visit to the dentist?....
or, the fact that I had trouble sleeping last night?

Even a simple, "What's up?", or perhaps "What's going on?" always starts me thinking, "how much detail should I offer?"

So these days, I try to limit my hallway greetings to "hi", or "hi there", or the classic "hello"...
I think it's the best policy.

And, by the way, everything is going fine.
How 'bout for you?

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