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When I was young, I thought of my grandparents as being old. I am now a proud grandparent of 7 wonderful little humans and don't mind at all being "old". Loving every minute of it! Just please don't call me sweetie or hon.
Ditto here. I've had nurses and wait staff call me Honey and it drives me bonkers! Unless we're in a deeply committed relationship please don't call me by any "pet" names.
The only exception is when I'm visiting the deep South--I understand that referring to someone as "Honey" is a common colloquialism there and I'm OK with that. Honestly, when a Northerner calls me "Hon" it sounds downright condescending.
I agree with Harpaint --I like Senior or Senior Citizen! If it is not broken, we shouldn't be fixing it, Lol.
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I don't necessarily mind being referred to as a "Senior" (especially if it results in getting a discount ) but I find it awkward to be lumped into the same category as my 85 year old aunt. I'm 66 going on 21 and I'm not ready to settle into those "golden years" yet.
I prefer "Baby Boomer" as I'm still feelin' groovy after all these years
I live in the mid south, but I grew up in northern California. I've called everybody pet names my whole life and I just don't get the whole being offended by "hon" or "dear" or whatever. I guess it's how we're raised, but to me it makes me happy when someone speaks to me that way. It makes me feel like they like me or they want to be nice, and on a friendly basis. I know some people think it's meant condescendingly, but it's usually not. It's just better than "hey you". I can't understand people who are insulted by ma'am or sir either. Maybe it's because I was military, or maybe because we were raised to speak that way to anyone we didn't know, especially if they were older than us. I consider it a sign of respect, more formal than "hon" or sweetie" that's for sure!
My old next door neighbor told me she got all up in some poor waitress' face for calling neighbor's husband "hon". She acted like the woman was trying to "steal her man". DH and I laughed our butts off about that later. After that I knew she was wound way too tight for me to ever be close with.
I live in the mid south, but I grew up in northern California. I've called everybody pet names my whole life and I just don't get the whole being offended by "hon" or "dear" or whatever. I guess it's how we're raised, but to me it makes me happy when someone speaks to me that way. It makes me feel like they like me or they want to be nice, and on a friendly basis. I know some people think it's meant condescendingly, but it's usually not. It's just better than "hey you". I can't understand people who are insulted by ma'am or sir either. Maybe it's because I was military, or maybe because we were raised to speak that way to anyone we didn't know, especially if they were older than us. I consider it a sign of respect, more formal than "hon" or sweetie" that's for sure!
My old next door neighbor told me she got all up in some poor waitress' face for calling neighbor's husband "hon". She acted like the woman was trying to "steal her man". DH and I laughed our butts off about that later. After that I knew she was wound way too tight for me to ever be close with.
I get what you're saying and believe it's just a regional thing. I was brought up in the Northeast where using pet names just wasn't done so it's arresting when someone addresses me so informally. Even though it might bother me it's not worth "getting up in someone's face" about it. In the grand scheme of things it's small potatoes.
I have my own colloquialisms. When I'm with my work friends I refer to them as "the girls" or "the ladies." With my best friend or my daughters I might call them "chica" (I picked this one up from a co-worker who was born in Colombia) or "chicklets" or "chikki (chickie)." Of course, there's also the politically incorrect "you guys" to refer to anyone male or female....
I'm good with senior, baby boomer, old fart, and older than dirt.
But elderly is a no-go. Sweetie and hon were never-go.
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I agree with Harpaint --I like Senior or Senior Citizen! If it is not broken, we shouldn't be fixing it, Lol.
) but I find it awkward to be lumped into the same category as my 85 year old aunt. I'm 66 going on 21 and I'm not ready to settle into those "golden years" yet.
