[Blackwolf]

Good morrow, fellow Chefelfers! Master Blackwolf here! The 2007 Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival will soon be upon us (hooray!), and I want to see all of you Chefelfers there (hopefully, Chefelf himself!) Anyway, I wanted to come here and pretty much bitch about the dum-dums who bug me asking crapola about whether or not a Wizard of my stature has found Jesus. I had that happen to me yesterday at Bethesda Fountain in Central Park no fewer than four times.

Understand the following, please, goodly gentles, and I'm only saying it once: it's bad form for street performers to discuss their religious preferences while they're on the job. For one thing, there's the possibility that children may be watching; it's imperative that, as a performer, you give the kids the chance to preserve the whimsy. And for the record, I am in fact a practicing Christian Wizard.

But that was nothing compared to what happened when I was on my way home. When I boarded the A train from the 72nd Street subway station, I inadvertently stumbled on a man who had several bags about his person. (Presumably, the guy was food-shopping.) Before I could sit down properly, the train lurched, causing me to trip in a split-second. And the guy just overreacted, yelling "Fuck you!" I was clearly taken aback by the man's attitude; doubtless the incident was accidental.

Honestly there are people around this town who are constantly freaked out by my very presence. What in Merlin's name do I have to do, short of advertising, to let people know who in thunder I am around here? As always, there are those who get it about Blackwolf the Dragonmaster and those who don't. And frankly, I am sick and tired of defending my every deed for those who don't understand my adventures. What in thunder does the world want from me, anyway?

Sorry you had to read this, my friends --- there are just some days when Mage rage in all its fury can sometimes drive this foolish old goat to the point of Aargh!

Master Blackwolf

[Chefelf]

Don't let it keep you up at night, Blackwolf. True, they likely do not understand your adventures. However, I am hardly a street performer and I deal with the very same from my fellow commuters.

One time I accidentally bumped into a guy (without realizing it) and he got all up in my face and yelled, "The right thing to do is say, 'Excuse me!'" and I thought he might hit me. The worst part is I always apologize to anyone I accidentally touch in any way on the subway.

[wallabyeyes]

that's the canadian in you Chefelf. I worked with a couple Mexicans for a while and they perceived our over-apologetic nature as lunacy. Same goes for just about anyone anywhere, except maybe Japan.

there's a joke in Canadian Bacon about it, i think.

[Bond]

I suppose I'm a bit over-apologetic, myself; I'm always in fear of offending someone with a stray comment.

[civilian_number_two]

Well, I too am Canadian. When I was in Barcelona, I made a point of finding out how to say "Excuse me" before I learned anything else (don't ask; I don't know how to spell it, and you could always use the Internet if you really want the answer). When I got to Germany I asked my friend what you said when you accidentally bumped into someone and she told me "Nothing. People don't talk to one another here."

I think Germany might be a lot like New York.

[Bond]

Well, I'm American, so, though my fellow countrymen are portrayed as rather rash boors, I myself tend to be politer on average than the next man.

[wallabyeyes]

When i was dating a German girl she'd always point out how stupid our etiquette is. I'd have to agree. I hate the obligatory "How are you?" "fine, how are you?" "Fine" thing as much as the next person.
I was mocked by Germans and Mexicans all summer.

[Bond]

there's a joke in Canadian Bacon about it, i think.

You know, I think I might like that better than regular bacon...

[Ninja Duck]

Bnod, although I'm always glad to have an insight as to your preferred part of a pig, I think he was talking about the movie.

I can understand why Americans would have a reputation of being rude. When I went to Barcelona several years back (Civ, I think it's 'perdon' for when you bump into someone) I didn't know any Spanish and the only reference I had was a crummy phrase book. I read the whole thing through looking for how to say "sorry" and never found it.

The whole thing about Germans not saying 'excuse me' is because the phrase in German is so long that they just drop it. Don't take my word for it, though. That's just a fragment of a rumor I heard.

[Heccubus]

When i was dating a German girl she'd always point out how stupid our etiquette is. I'd have to agree. I hate the obligatory "How are you?" "fine, how are you?" "Fine" thing as much as the next person.
I was mocked by Germans and Mexicans all summer.

When I'm at work, I completely disregard all the "how are you" nonsense people fling at me. They don't actually care about my day, and I sure as hell don't care enough about theirs to ask. I'm trying to serve customers, not strike up a fucking chat. People probably perceive this as rude, I see it as being efficient.
I could very well be one of the few Canadians that I know of that doesn't really care about apologizing if I bump someone or anything. If I REALLY bump them, like with some force, then I apologize and give 'em a smile to know it wasn't intentional, but typically I just don't bother.

[Jane Sherwood]

I never even properly respond when people do that. The most I can ever do is raise the corners of my mouth for maybe half a second, and just sort of...make a little humming noise. This translates to, "Hello there. I am fine, thank you. Please stop looking at me now, this is very awkward."

Really, the only time I ever say anything like, "Hello, how are you?" is when I'm talking to things that are incapable of responding.

Like squirrels.

Really, every time I see a squirrel when I'm walking around campus, I just get a happy little feeling, small goofy smile, and say, "Heeey, Squirrel! How ya doin'?"

Because squirrels and other animals who hang out by the buildings are cool and there's no need for pretense and stiff pronunciation.

Yeah, me and the squirrels are cool. I say, "Hey", they go about their business, I go about mine.

[looktothesky]

I apologize all the time if I bump someone, I hold the door open for people, I thank them when they hold the door for me. I haven't really run into anyone who thought it was weird at all.

...except for the whole "how are you" thing. That's just strange. I reply if I have to, but I never ask.

[Ninja Duck]

Wow, I didn't know so many people felt the same way I did about "how are you". Am I... home?

Heccubus, I'm surprised you don't get daily complaints to your manager. Or maybe you do but you have a cool manager who just laughs about it.

[Deepsycher]

I apologize when I bump into people. Sadly some people just walk into me as if I was a ghost and don't say anything as if nothing happened. Typical when there is a nation of zombies storming the supermarkets.

Joke: They need cleaning up with a sock.

This post has been edited by Deepsycher: 06 September 2007 - 07:31 PM

[Bond]

Sadly, "How are you?" is a habit of mine.