Sometimes forget formalities

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Quite often, I'll walk up to someone and just start talking about what I have to say, and when I finish speaking, they'll say, "Good morning!" (or whatever the case may be) as if to say, 'You didn't greet me in the 'proper' manner!' I find myself quite often saying, "Oh yes. Good morning!".

Does anyone else forget the formalities at times and do people remind you of that?

The other thing I'll do is, if I'm talking with someone and I'm really engrossed in the conversation, I don't notice what's going on around me and the person I'm talking to will suddenly greet someone else to whom I was totally oblivious to their presence and then I'll greet them but it sounds so false like you had to be reminded to be polite?

As a young child, I learned to always use that type of formality because I got into a lot of trouble if I didn't.


I do this too, and it sounds like an afterthought. If I approach a group because I need to speak with one person, I usually don't acknowledge the rest of the group properly or I don't get the conversation timing right and I greet them awkwardly, and it's obvious that I have interrupted the flow of conversation.

Yes, I've been in that situation as well.

Same here. And the whole bunch all stare at me in unison

Yeah, I almost never, ever, EVER say "Good Morning"----I say "Hi". I understand it's a greeting, but I've just almost never been able to say it, because it doesn't make sense to me----except for, that you're wishing the other person a good morning, I guess----but, to ME..... I think that it's something that should be said, around 1pm, as a question: "Hey, Hal----good morning?"----THAT makes sense, to me! How can I say "Good Morning", when I just got to work? How could I possibly know whether it's going to be a good morning? LOL I've just never understood it!! I actually had an unbeLIEVably insecure boss, who took it personally. She started saying "Hi", to ME----I'm sure she thought I wasn't going to like it; but, the joke was on HER, cuz I was like (in my mind) "PHEW----thank God we've dispensed with THAT foolishness"! ! What she didn't pay-attention-to was that I never said "Good Morning", to ANYBODY!! SHEESH!!

Like I said, I think it's that you're wishing someone a good morning----but, when people say it, it's superficial!!

When tired, stressed or just thinking about something else I do this. I probably miss reactions when I am in these states also

I've always found people's expectations of those things to depend a lot on the individual, and the expected things can vary from person to person, so I'm never quite sure what to do about formalities. I tend to keep away from anywhere that's too formal. I'm OK with hello and goodbye, but I usually don't think to ask about the other person's recent interests (beyond a very general "how you doing?"), then somebody else does, which makes me feel like I've made a mistake.

Yes, very typical, still now although I force myself to be extra careful.
I remember as a kid leaving home and saying "bye mom" to the room full of people going in unison with "hey, what about us?". Sheesh, still do that today, so I say "bye x" to each person in the room if I catch myself in time....

BTW, this place if wonderful! (I am so happy I just discovered it today)

Welcome to WP paperinik

Have you been over to Getting to know each other (<= Link) to introduce yourself?

Of course I forgot the formality of introducing myself. So, just to stay in topic.
I will do.

Does anyone else know people who will continuously tell you "good morning" until you respond with a "good morning?" Even if you have acknowledged their presence?

I myself dislike many of those formal greetings.

And "good morning" is the worst greeting, especially when said before breakfast.