Titles and Formalities

[tmm99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by check6 I have always been waaaay casual. The only time I become formal is when a doctor enters the examining room and introduces himself as "Doctor XXX." I stick out my hand, smile, and say, "Hi, I am Captain XXX." "

I love it!

[bssc]

Quote:

I remember a story of a colorful NFL player going through a formal receiving line at a White House function I believe and coming upon Sandra Day O'Conner says, "Hi Sandy!"

I believe it was Mr. Riggins who said "loosen up Sandy baby" at the Washington Press Club's Salute to Congress black-tie dinner.

Growing up around the military, I always called my friends' parents, Col and Mrs. X (being an army command, they were almost always Cols.). Twenty five years laters, we are still friends with at least one pair of them. They would come over to game night and the like with other friends. I didn't pick up on it but they were introducing themselves as Jack and Jill to everyone else. When I was talking with some of them later, I was talking about did you see how Col X did that? They looked at me blankly until we made the connection that Col X is now just plain Jack. Old habits die hard.

[Nodak]

The best I ever saw was on messages directing leap second adjustments to our tracking system computer cesium beam clock. They came from a guy in Washington DC with the title of "Director of Time".

[ScottFromUtah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nodak The best I ever saw was on messages directing leap second adjustments to our tracking system computer cesium beam clock. They came from a guy in Washington DC with the title of "Director of Time".

. I would love that j*b title (but not the j*b).

[HFWR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by check6 I have always been waaaay casual. The only time I become formal is when a doctor enters the examining room and introduces himself as "Doctor XXX." I stick out my hand, smile, and say, "Hi, I am Captain XXX."

Kirk? Crunch? Kangaroo?

[Emeritus]

As an academic lawyer married to a physician working with lots of PhDs I found the whole thing a hoot, especially when working in Germany where titles are a very serious business. Everyone in academia in the USA knows the difference between research and professional doctorates. My cards for Germany say "Prof. Dr Jur" As a matter of fact in a research university holding an earned full professorship is far more significant (and prestigious) than a Ph.D

[Keim]

I live in a college town. PhD's are a dime a dozen. I've rarely had one insist on being called Doctor. If they do, I let them know I have an MA. I can be referred to as Master Keim.

Takes care of the issue every time.