Today's guest is Rosemary Harris, master gardener and the author of the Dirty Business Mystery series.
I have a problem with “no problem.” When did these two words become an appropriate response to everything from “my pasta is cold” to “you’ve canceled my flight and I’m stranded in Abu Dabi?”
Sometime in the last ten or so years, “no problem” has proliferated and replaced “I’m sorry” or the even more retro “Let me see what I can do.” I’d love to find a way to blame Disney for this – Hakuna Matata, anybody? But it may predate them. My husband claims it started in the Caribbean where for various, uh, botanical reasons, everything really was No Problem even if there was a problem
I suppose it’s better than “un-hunh” which was pervasive in NYC in the early nineties. I can only hope the rest of the country was spared . Few salespeople knew how close they came to bodily harm by saying “un-hunh” to me after I had been nice enough to thank them for taking my money.
I wouldn’t hate “no problem” so much if it didn’t pop up precisely when, THERE IS A PROBLEM. Can you imagine someone having said to Jim Lovell, “No problem!”
I’d love to continue this rant but I must go – I’m on hold with Cablevision, they’ve assured me that my call is very important to them…
And what's bugging you today?
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Rosemary Harris is president of Sisters in Crime New England Chapter and a board member of MWA-NY Chapter. Her first book, Pushing Up Daisies was a Mystery Guild selection and was named to Library Journal’s Best First Fiction List 2008. The Big Dirt Nap was released just this week by St. Martin’s Minotaur.
Actually, I blame the Aussies because of NP's close cousin, "no worries."
ReplyDeleteLOL. I fully agree. I also can't wait to see how many people know who Jim Lovell. Good luck with the cable call, the last time I phoned them I spoke with someone in Nova Scotia.
ReplyDeletehi Rhonda, At least no worries, mate has a little bit of charm...although it may be that I'm just a sucker for anyone with an accent.
ReplyDeleteMare...Nova Scotia? Forgive me...better than some poor soul in Mumbai trying to convince you his name is Ryan. If Lorna ever lets me rant again..it'll be about the call centers.
Ro, you can blog with me any time.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest pet peeves have to do with public restrooms.
ReplyDelete1. Ladies who feel the need to hover about two feet above the toliet to avoid germs, but see no need to wipe the seat afterwards.
2. Ladies who think that a public restroom is the perfect place to have a conversation on their cell phone.
And speaking of cell phones, why do so many people think that there is a magical cone of silence around them when on their cell phones in public. I really didn't need to know that your husband is sleeping with his secretary or the results of your last gynecological exam.
There is a woman in my gym who yaks on her cell phone when she's in the bathroom stall. It kills me! Do her friends know what she's doing? I have no idea what she's talking about either - not that I'm sure I want to know - because she's speaking a very unattractive foreign language that makes her sound as if she's about to spit..in addition to whatever else it is she's doing. I like the magical cone of silence..you must be a writer..
ReplyDeleteI leave the hard work (writing) to you guys. I'm just an avid reader.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you guys are rubbing off on me though ;).
If this is the worst thing to bug you.....
ReplyDeleteActually I just heard another phrase that gets on my nerves. Why do so many people say "I could care less" when they obviously mean "I couldn't care less"?
ReplyDelete