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Old 01-23-2009, 08:46 AM   #21
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Let's reverse this for a sec. I occasionally greet the cashier's at our local grocery store by saying........Hello Linda, since she has her name tag on. My dw tells me that it's rude and she may feel that I'm stalking her. My reply was....well then why would she wear her name tag if she didn't want me to know or even call out her name?
Because her employer is requiring her to wear it?
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Old 01-23-2009, 08:54 AM   #22
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I rarely use "Dr." when introducing myself unless it's appropriate to the situation; ...............-- nowadays, it gets you nothing special, nor should it).
A few years ago I attended a social event at a semi-remote resort area. As I was leaving town to go there a professor friend asked my to warn the hotel he would arrive late. As I was checking in a physician friend was ahead of me. I heard "here are your keys Mr. Physician". I checked in and relayed the professor's message. "No problem" was the reply "we will hold the room for Dr. Professor". When a car load of drunken teenagers hit a tree, guess who the mounties woke up for help?
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Old 01-23-2009, 08:58 AM   #23
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I'm sure, especially if you're not inquiring about the hourly rate.
So true!
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Old 01-23-2009, 09:29 AM   #24
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I think it's pretty regional. Upper midwest, mostly Mr. SoAndSo; northeast and left coast: lots of first-naming. South, definitely Sir or Mr./Dr. (if they happen to know).

I rarely use "Dr." when introducing myself unless it's appropriate to the situation; kind of bugs me when I hear colleagues use it for things like making reservations (maybe there was a time when it might get you a good table -- nowadays, it gets you nothing special, nor should it).
I live in the south too and even though I am in my mid 30's, people I don't know rarely call me by my first name. My last name is hard to pronounce, yet people still give it a try and either use Mr. or Sir to address me. I only expect people to use "Dr." in a professional setting. I often have a hard time addressing strangers / people older than me / people of higher rank by their first name because it goes against the rules of etiquette I grew up with.
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Old 01-23-2009, 09:52 AM   #25
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Danny,

Has anyone awarded you an official curmudgeon certificate yet?

Personal preference for me is first name. But as long as they clearly identify me, that is all that is important.
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Old 01-23-2009, 09:55 AM   #26
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I always address my clients the first time as Mr and Mrs. unless I have been informed one is a Dr. then Dr. so and so. Unfortunately, you can still get in trouble with even that. They want to be called by their first name and are offended that you are being so formal with them. Gah! I live in Colorado and I swear no matter their age, they all go by their first name. The few who don't, well they are cranky about lots of things, not just their name, lol.
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Old 01-23-2009, 09:59 AM   #27
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People usually call me Mrs. and use my last name. They don't know how to pronounce bbbamI.
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Old 01-23-2009, 10:01 AM   #28
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I am surprised at how old fashioned I am about this. When I'm the customer I prefer to be addresses as Mr. -- and the younger the person addressing me, the more I prefer it.

I have a dilemma though. The clerk I usually see at Safeway always addresses me as Mr. but her name tag says only "Linda". She is my age, and after her courtesy I just cannot address her as Linda. So I answer with courtesy, but without using her hame.

And doctors are always a challenge. I really don't mind if they use my first name, but I cannot bring myself to use theirs. But "Doctor So-and-so" doesn't feel right either in that circumstance, so I settle for 'Doc". I hope that doesn't offend.

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Old 01-23-2009, 10:06 AM   #29
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I forgot to mention something that's not too bad, in this regard. Here in the South, often I am addressed as "Miss Want2" or "Ma'am", either of which I prefer to the incorrect "Mrs. Retire".

"Miss Want2" makes me feel like a Southern belle out of Gone With the Wind.
I think that is so cool.

I have an old touch of the formality like Danny does and I don't like young strangers calling me Martha, especially when they do it over and over. I also get it on the phone with customer service people. They should be taught to use a title or Ma'am.

At work the young people would call me Ms. Last Name, until I would invite them to call me Martha. That is the proper way of things. One of my coworkers who at 40 years old still called the senior lawyer (retired and who visited frequently) by Mr. Last Name.
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Old 01-23-2009, 10:10 AM   #30
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Danny,

Has anyone awarded you an official curmudgeon certificate yet?

Personal preference for me is first name. But as long as they clearly identify me, that is all that is important.
I see you are 31. Get back to me when you are 58. son.

and call me Mr. Danny when you do.
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Old 01-23-2009, 10:15 AM   #31
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I see you are 31. Get back to me when you are 58. son.

and call me Mr. Danny when you do.
Yes sir, Mr. Danny!

It must be a generational thing.

It feels awkward and distant when a telemarketer calls me Mr. Fuego.
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Old 01-23-2009, 10:19 AM   #32
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It feels awkward and distant when a telemarketer calls me Mr. Fuego.
it's better that those guys don't talk to me at all
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Old 01-23-2009, 10:22 AM   #33
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I see you are 31. Get back to me when you are 58. son.

and call me Mr. Danny when you do.
You GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Mr. DAWG
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Old 01-23-2009, 10:30 AM   #34
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When I first came to the USA in 87 I worked in a small office in Houston. After a few weeks I asked our office admin to call me Alan instead of "Sir" as it made me feel so old, and by now we knew each other very well.

She said that if she did so she would "duck" every time she didn't say "Sir" expecting the slap on the head from her mother. (She was raised in Kentucky).

So, for the 2 years I was there, and we became good friends, she always called me Sir at work, although when she and her husband came to our house for BBQ she did use my first name.
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Old 01-23-2009, 10:56 AM   #35
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People usually call me Mrs. and use my last name. They don't know how to pronounce bbbamI.
In my head it's bu-bu-buh-Bambi. Though on closer inspection i see it should be B-B-B am I.
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Old 01-23-2009, 10:57 AM   #36
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Call me anything, but don't call me late for dinner.

Ha
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Old 01-23-2009, 11:00 AM   #37
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In my head it's bu-bu-buh-Bambi. Though on closer inspection i see it should be B-B-B am I.


Yeah I created a strange user name...I should have just called myself B.
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Old 01-23-2009, 11:01 AM   #38
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Because her employer is requiring her to wear it?
As was my thought, although my son works part time at the same store and he doesn't wear one. When asked his reply was "you don't have to wear one if you don't want to, nobody really says anything." Either way, I have since stopped saying Hello with there name afterwards.

It's hard to please all the people, all the time.
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Old 01-23-2009, 11:17 AM   #39
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Nothing wrong with asking, if it's more than a one-time deal, as in "what do you prefer to be called."
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Old 01-23-2009, 11:35 AM   #40
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I had a 5 year old punk call me "dude" the other day. I asked him if he called his dad "dude", and he said yes. So I said: "Well, I'm not your dad, so you can call me "SIR", got it? With scared eyes, he said: "Yes sir".

Gotta love messing with other people's kids.......
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