"have a nice day" or "have a rotten day'or be happy?

@Hatley (163781)
Garden Grove, California
February 22, 2012 2:34pm CST
Trying to think of a topic for discussion I could not help but notice how some of us repeatedly go "have a nice day".And got to wondering how often we even think " have a nice day" when we say that. I mean are we always being sincere or is this a knee jerk reaction we think we should use it.I know that " have a rotten day" sure would fall flatter than a pancake. But since if we are sincere why not just say " be happy" I know, I have too much time on my hands.lol but we all seem to sort of unconsciously say " have a nice day" even to someone who knows we hate his guts. So is this a lot like saying I love this , I love that, I love my wife, I love pancakes.so when does it start sounding mechanical? Your take,fellow my lotters.
7 people like this
26 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
22 Feb 12
I don't say it a lot, but when I do, I mean it. I think my biggest departure quote is "take care" because even though I am not even close to living a healthy lifestyle, I do try and by saying this to my friends, it means I care enough for them that I remind them to take care of themselves.. So that said, before I go off to do my History homework, take care Hatley..
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Feb 12
oh carm I was taking care this morning and this is funny. I went back to bed as it was so cold in here. well woke up, needing to make a potty run.All of a sudden I found myself falling, my feet tangled in the bedding, and had my right knee twisted on the floor under me.Pain and thinking oh my G how am I going to get up? well I got awake enough to get my good left knee and leg under me and got to my feet. I had to laugh at myself ,falling about two feet as I was still half asleep.For ten minutes my right knee hurt so bad but it quickly went away,just muscles pulled for a few seconds. I mean how can you hurt yourself in that space? Clearly I was only half awake.Glad its you doing history homework, not me lol not my favorite subject. from hatleyh
2 people like this
• United States
22 Feb 12
Oh no, you scared me for a moment there, I thought you were going to say you had another horrible fall and hurt yourself like last year..But even a little fall isn't fun, and I am glad you are doing better, and taking care enough to say you are glad it's me studying History and not you.. I just got to write up this paragraph, read the rest of the chapter, and then the fun really begins..I get to try and write a 150 plus word paragraph for each question I missed on my midterm last week..
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Feb 12
oh my gosh that will be fun, not. i guess thats to really pound the right answers into your head. That's a different way to go about learning from ones errors.lol lol But hey writing is good practice for a writer lol.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
22 Feb 12
You have a real problem with this don't you? Too much time on your hands. I love pancakes too.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
23 Feb 12
hi celtic well I never used to have til the morning the nasty mice land lady from hell came down , handed my son an eviction slip then says "and have a nice day." we learned later from the owner of the complex and a next door neighbor that it was all a set up between the neighbor from hell who said we made bowling ball noises and kept her awake as the two wanted us out so the landlady and the neighbor from hell ,was her sister, could move their parents into our apt. the owner said we could come back once the nasty landlady's contract was up. we just moved on instead.Oh I also love pancakes we used to go to IHOP the international House of P ancakes for breakfast every once in awhile.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
23 Feb 12
hi celticeagle I take it they were using some sythetic stuff? I 'like my eggs to be real too, coming from real hens.I love bacon and eggs over easy with hash browns. now I am hungry. lol lol
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
23 Feb 12
We used to go to IHOP also but I don't like their ingredients. I go to a local restaurant here that actually serves REAL eggs. Yum!
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
22 Feb 12
We have a lot of phrases like that. Have a Nice Day is so common. I have customers say that to me when it is 10pm...just habit. I'm guilty too. Some guy will say "Happy Mother's day" and I'll say " You too". The most common one for me is that whenever someone passes me a credit card, I have to ask "Debit or Credit?" I say it so often that sometimes someone hands me a 20.00 bill and I'll go , "will that be credit or debit. More than not they will answer me with "run it as a debit" or something like that. Love it.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Feb 12
hi I had a clerk do that to nme too lately and I thought okay I do gave a nice amount in my account so why not save my cash so I said"Run it as debit" so I still had some money to spend afte all. oh I did that to my son when he called me up and said Happy Mothers day I said oh and you too! He went" hey I am not a mom ' and laughed as i realized what I had said. I had to laugh at myson who was wished have a nice day by someone he really disliked and they knew it.so he had smiled and said"oh you just have a rotten lousy day" The other person turned red and stomped off. There was never hany love lost b etween him and the other person. lol loll. people can be surprising. a few months back a new resident came over to talk to my table mate Sandra, and I was leaving so I called her by name and said "take careP sh glowered at me and said"do I look like I need to take care?" I walked off feeling like I had just been slapped. lol
1 person likes this
• United States
22 Feb 12
I don't normally say it to just anyone, but I do say it a lot to people that I just have had conversation with. When I go shopping and start talking to the clerks, or a person standing in line, that are just fun to talk with, I'll say it. I think most of it comes from being in retail and trying to be polite to the customers, etc. I picked it up from years of doing this on the job. Like I mentioned though, I don't say it to everyone, but I do mean it when it's said. Now, have a nice day Hatley!
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Feb 12
hi I really am having a nice day thanks Kashmeresmycat still love that avatar. I also s ay it to people I really care about but to my son and my best friend I am always going Take care and I do mean it too Yes. I can see how one is t aught that in the world of waiting on customers. I do mean it too when I do sa y it to people I really care about.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
23 Feb 12
hi loveofnight yes it would sort of hard to know when your job calls for you to be polite even as an nurse's aide I found saying have a nice day to some of my patients was not too good as they were ill and were not having a nice day so I would start saying relax now, let the medication work for y ou. others went the nice day bit but to someone facing say chemo you must chose the right words. be uplifting but not gushy as I am sure nobody going to have chemo is' really too happy.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
23 Feb 12
I've only heard the expression, "Have a nice day" in that great country of yours..nowhere else. When I first visited Las Vegas I couldn't wait for someone to say it to me..and I didn't have to wait long. Over here we have nothing like that but we do get lots of smiles along with, "Do you have a store card? No? Would you like one and today there is 10% off all purchases.." blah-de-blah. This doesn't happen in all stores but surely feels like it sometimes!
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@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
29 Feb 12
Ta ta back at you.lol.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
29 Feb 12
Have you heard of Karl Pilkington of "An Idiot Abroad 2" fame? Listen to him and you'll get an idea of my accent. I'm not posh at all. I'm influenced by my Dad's accent and he's from Wigan. Karl is from Salford near Manchester of course.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
23 Feb 12
Haha! Love it Hatley, thanks for that. Wow, I've not said "Ta Ta!" for ages. "Ta Ra!" yes lol.
1 person likes this
• China
23 Feb 12
Every why has a wherefore.The reason why so many people say that" have a nice day " is that most of people like hearing it,therefore it became a pet phrase.Now that everyone is happy, why not.However,life isn't all fun,sometimes "have a rotten day"or have a hard time,which is often an objective reality independent of man's will.
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@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Feb 12
hi chang yes thats so true every why does have a wherefore. yes of course we did like hearing have a nice day but not if the person saying it has previously gave us really bad news. like the landlady who handed my son an eviction notice and said with a sneer, and have a nice day.yes life is not all fun and games so at those times I will say" sorry you are having a rough time if there's anything I can do let me know.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
29 Feb 12
hhi chang she was that indeed. I ran into her when I went to check into Westernmedical Centor a few years bak for surgery. I called to her and she sort of scotted race walked clear to the front door and outside like she thought I was going to talk to her,heave forbid.
• China
28 Feb 12
It was not proper for the occasion that the landlady said "have a nice day",she rubbed salt into the wounds.What a wicked woman!
1 person likes this
@mr_pearl (5018)
• India
23 Feb 12
Hey.. That is a nice topic to discuss. Yes, it gets habitual... One starts saying the same thing again and again to everyone.. It becomes unintetional, does not come from the heart... Sounds mechanical... LOL. It happens seldom that one really wishes it for someone.. And when we do, we forget to say it... We are strange, we are humans...
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
23 Feb 12
hi Mr Pearl you alwaus sound older than your years, so wise.yes we humans are sort of strqnge. I remember parts of a song Bing crosby sang in some movie he made with Bob Hope. " all the monkeys aren't in the zoo, in real life,there's quite a few" the song was admonishing a youngster to behave himself and was sort of cute. 'this shows my age for sure. lol Yes thats true to that when we nmean it we do not always say it, b ut a lot of times I will say take care meaning I like or love you and do not want anything'bad to happen to you.Oh and towards the end of the song it went :but if yo u want to swing on a star, carry moombeams home'in a jar,be better off than you are" and thats all I fremember of that song. i do well in trival pursuit game. lol
• United States
23 Feb 12
Yep! Just a cotton pickin' minute! I love that one.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
29 Feb 12
hi pq like the guy who wanted his cotton picker repaired, he was yelling,:Joe when the heck you gonna finish my cotton picking cotton picker? I need it like cotton oicking yesterday." Myhubby and I had to stifle our laughs as we did not want to upset the already upset man. then there were the valley girls a few years ao with the gag me with a spoon and their going on and on with like for ex" like i told him my mom would like just freak ou like you jionw she would like what are you doing tomorrow then, uh like we ccould go to Josie's house?" I never did really understand the gag me with a spoon. maybe it was similat to this one my lotters response to my discussion on the phrase "cotton Pickin" She wrote t his"oh My God" as if to say thats a disgusting discussion. the admins deleted her remark as not adding to the discussion,.
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
27 Feb 12
I try to not say it because I wouldn't mean it. Oh, there are some people I would say it, because I would mean it, but on the whole, I don't care that much. Just like if someone asks "How are you?" I'll generally tell them "oh, okay" rather than the social lie of "fine"
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
28 Feb 12
I got asked today how my day was, I told them, I've had worse... and I've had a pretty good one. Actually only got out from Maggie's a few minutes late, and that was fine, I'd rather be a few minutes than not clean the cat box... if you know what I mean...
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Feb 12
hi ElicBXn I also try to say it only to those people who know 'I mean it. How are you usually gets I am just great unless its' someone really close then I might say I am sort of feeling like'I have a virus but I will be okay soon. Here I have some who seem to genuinely care and if I say "OH I am great" they will ask'"are you okay really? : then I will tell them a short synopsis of how I really feel. I know that they really wanted to know so I will share. I will not do this with people i do not know though.
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
24 Feb 12
There are a bunch of things that sound mechanical to me sometimes but it is usually when I am feeling a bit down that I think of it. Like when someone greets you with "how are you?" They don't really want to know...they are just greeting. What would they do if one day someone just cuts loose and really tells them..LOL. I would be pretty shocked and might reconsider the greeting a bit.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Feb 12
hi jenintn oh my husband did that one day and before he w as through with all his ailments, the lady grew redder and redder, then yelled goodbye andducked into her house. S he had got under his skin by her list of complaints when we asked how are yoy, I think in a way she was just lonely and wanted somneone to talk to. but sadlyh she had five adult children and her sharp caustic tongue had driven them all to stay away as much as they could.I told her this gentley one day and she burst into tears. she really had noit realized how she soumded. she started being more pleasant and soon at least threee of her adu lt children came t o see her. shortly after this she was diagnosed with Alzheimer disease and needed her kids help.
@rameshchow (4426)
• India
24 Feb 12
Everyone is trying to show love/caring in their words. But they also know that every one having pain, but the way of expression is different.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Feb 12
hi rameshchow Yes I think thats really true as I h ave felt so much kindness and affection myself here. yes its true we all have our own ways of expressing our feelings.As long as we' all keep mylot a happy welcoming place all will be well.
• Singapore
23 Feb 12
It is the same when people say hello, how are you and they don't really wait for your answer, I guess most of it is paying lip service. It doesn't matter, it helps to ease the gap between silences.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
29 Feb 12
hi bluemoon you made me think of the looks on Sandra face when a residen was really bit,ch,ing about a lot of petty little things the resident used a cane but was capable of walking,.Sandra is probably going to spend the rest of her life in that blasted wheelchair. a year ago she was hit while crossing the street'wih the walk light and the driver of the car nev er even stopped to help her. Her pelvis was broken, both hips were broken, one leg was broken and she had broken ribs. she almost did not make it. So now she is still healing but cannot walk much.She still has some p ain but she never complains to anyone,.She does not smile much but given so many will dump their petty problems on her, no wonder.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
23 Feb 12
hi bluemoonpavilion oh my husband was one for jokes. and this elderly l ady always stopped us and gave us a list of all her ailement if you just said "hello Melda"so one day she got through with all her complaints and said, "And how are you Mr. Hatley?" So he started off with"well you really want to know?" she nodded so he said:" Well I have arthritis in my knees, my back is sore and I think I have a bladder infection too. Oh yes I have a migraine headache too. and my left toes bothering me uh where are you going?" She had turned red and almost ran to her house and banged the door. I scolded my husband then I could not help it I started to laugh and he joined in. The looks on h er face were priceless. a fter that she never did gave a list of her ailments.
• Singapore
23 Feb 12
Smart Mr Hatley! I have to take my hat off for that! I love to have a shot like that too when someone is always whining about some tiny problems they are facing which are absolutely not problems at all because they are either all imagined, or they make it into a bigger deal than it actually was, or they are so self-centred that all they really care about is their own problems without realizing there are lots of unfortunate people out there in the world who are suffering much more.
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@louievill (28859)
• Philippines
24 Feb 12
I use have a " nice day " usually when I sense or respond to somebody or discussion that seems to be problematic, and I tell you, I'm really sincere when I say that. " be happy"? It's like implying she is sad. "Have a nice day sounds better" to me since it implies a fresh start from any situation good or bad
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Feb 12
hi louievill I have used that for people here who I feel for as I really do mean it.you know thats a thought I had not realized but be happy could be construed as you just suggested so right have a nice day sounds better to me too. I like to say take care for people here whom ha ve had overwhelming problems.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
29 Feb 12
hi oh my I got myself into hot water here a year ago when this friend of mytable mate came over to talk to us.AS I was leaving the table I said" nice meet you. take care now." She reddened and snapped at me, " Do I look like I need to take care, Do i look sickly to you?" I was too embarrassed to know how to respond to that odd statement. SO I just said goodbye and left.
@louievill (28859)
• Philippines
28 Feb 12
I also say "take care" a lot, but when I say that to my mom especially when she leaves the house, she would jokingly reply back " why is there a danger?" , "yeah I know we have to be always alert but that was just a joke"
1 person likes this
• United States
23 Feb 12
It's just like saying, How ya doing? It's just something we say... Instead of saying bye, they say have a nice day. It's like "stay with us" and "come back"... in the south... you are just saying goodbye...lol!
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
23 Feb 12
hi pointlessQuestions yes it is isn't it? In the midwest, we often said"see you later, the lord willin, and the creek don't rise" then way back when I was in my teens we had see you later Alligator, and the other would respond, after awhile crocodile. and every thing was neat, My son still'says that if he is pleased about something. lolSo we get into certian habits and at times it c an be sort of c omforting too.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
23 Feb 12
hi oh yes P Q I have heard most of those. I l ove the if you see something green pick it, wow think I will' use that next time someone just stares and stares at me. when we lived in Arizona everyone was using cotton picking like just a cotton picking minute, or put that cotton picking newspaper down and listen to me,mom, said by my son to get my attention. loll
• United States
23 Feb 12
Things I've said: I'm going to make like a tree and leave See you around like a toilet seat Don't go away mad, just go away (said that to boyfriend) See you later Alligator/After awhile crocodile You're so slow you'd have to speed up to stop (said that to my dad's driving) If you see something green, pick it (said that to anyone staring at me) I can't think of anymore of them...
1 person likes this
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
28 Feb 12
hi dear Hatley first of all I hope you have a nice day, sincerely. LOL Same use of these sentences, have a nice day and I love..... here in Germany but got to admit I dont mind whether its mechanical or genuine. Its always nice to hear that sentence, have a nice day. When I use it I also mean it. There is another sentence here, at our office, the comment: Have fun..... Whats fun about that work, about the piles of it and the hectic which comes with it...... who invented that at OUR place..... (glare, sip coffee, sigh and on to the next piece of -mostly- unpleasant mail).
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
29 Feb 12
ah yes that was said to me sarcastically when I came to work at the library one summer day when the reading progam for kids was in full swing. i had six carts of picture books to file.Have fun was an understatement as I felt like walking out right them.lol lol
@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
23 Feb 12
HAVE A NICE DAY ...it is just formal wishing. Nothing in fact is going to happen to the one who wishes it, if at all a foreboding of evil dawns on the incumbent quite soon. So these are all formal addresses and wishing which have little meaning attached to it.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Feb 12
hi sukumar yes its just social nicities and i guess it does smooht'our lives in public quite a bite. But a lot of times I just skip it and say nothing at all. I like to be real not phony but formality does demand something of us.
@eshaan (6188)
• India
23 Feb 12
Hey Hatley.... came to my lot after a long time and jumped onto your discussion, an interesting one.... I agree with u my friend, though people on mylot keep saying take care, have a nice day and all that stuff even when they dont mean to... It is very common and always happens with me as i have the habit of saying take care to evryone whom i dont even care about... Especiallly in social networking sites, mylot, and other such websites including mobile sms... have a nice day( i really mean to say that) n be happy..........lolzzz
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Feb 12
hi eshaan you have not been here for awhile so welcome back. yes we do all of us use these so much sometimes they sou nd like a knee jerk reaction but when I say it to mylotters I really do mean sincerely. so take care and be happy eshaan as I am glad to see'you back here.from hatley
@jazel_juan (15747)
• Philippines
23 Feb 12
I barely use these words... but when i do say it i mean it. what is the point of saying it if it isn't sincere at all right?
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
23 Feb 12
hi jazel__juan I try to vary my words like take care, have a good onek or have a great day bu t I do not use them unless I really mean them. here at G old crest where so many have slight to severe handicaps I do mean it when I say it to my few friends here.You are right, don't use it unless you really mean it.
@shibham (16977)
• India
23 Feb 12
Hi hatley... Sincerely speaking, in real life i rarely use "have a nice day" but here i am used to wish that way. Earlier, i wrote "have a nice day" but later i thought, it is not true because you may be in sleep at night when i write same. So i changed it to 'have a nice time" And again Have a nice time.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Feb 12
shibham I am the same way so when I do wish someone here a nice day it comes from my heart or I may say take care so and so as we are all rooting for you. it depends on t he person I am writing to here.I am having a nice evening getting caught up on my discussions.I just cannot not comment back to all who took time to respond to me so it may take a few days but I will catch up soon.You have a nice time too as I am not sure what time of day or night it is in India? from hatley.
@tigeraunt (6326)
• Philippines
23 Feb 12
hi hatley, how are you today? i am a person who loves saying to everyone "have a nice day". it is a wish .. a prayer, i guess you can say it is. i always would want someone smiling and saying thank you for the wish. of course it is not just a habit. i say it and i mean it. have a nice day. ann
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Feb 12
hi tigeraunt I am great tonight its almost 8 pm and all is well in my world.also I am listening to Mozart violin sonatas.I also am sincere when I wish have a great day as I do care about the person. a smile is the greatest gift you can give someone sometimes and it'often goes on giving too have a lovely day or evening too.
@fantabulus (4000)
• India
23 Feb 12
I not tell this word for single time in a day I say good day but not more time only once. I dont like the same word repeat. I also love my family but not say the same word more time.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Feb 12
hi fanta you sound so geniune when you do that and I am sure your family knows how deep your love is.You are right once is 'enou gh with meaning, any more it loses all meaning.You are so wise. thanks from hatley.its 7'42 pm here but I am already tired because I am 'typing a lot lol.