OT - "Bless you" after sneeze

[CyclChyk]

I don't like it when people say "god bless you" when I sneeze, because I usually sneeze three times in a row

I was one of those people that always said "bless you" or "geshundheit" but then I met my husband. His allergies are so severe that he will sneeze 20-30 times in a row!!!!!! After 2-3 years of me saying "bless you" repeated, I finally got sick of hearing my own voice and now tune the sneezes out.

So now when I hear anyone sneeze it doesn't even register in my head until someone else blesses them...........

[7rider]

Well, now that DH has gotten the official, religous background to "Bless you" after a sneeze....he's taken to saying "gesundheit"!

[Kimmyt]

One for sorrow
Two for joy
Three for a letter
Four for a boy.
Five for silver
Six for gold
Seven for a secret, never to be told.

I always thought this last referred to crows... as in, if you see two crows together it is a sign of upcoming joy, if you see one it's a bad sign. But maybe I've been reading too much Charles DeLint...

[li10up]

I always say "you are so good looking!"
Besides, who the hell is arrogant enough to think they have the power to bless me?

My DH and I loved Seinfeld - he says that to me when I sneeze. Makes me smile every time. You should see the looks he gets when he says that in front of someone who doesn't know where it comes from.

The person saying "Bless you" isn't blessing you...society has become so politically correct that we've droped the God part of "God bless you" - so, originally it was God who was blessing you. So without God in there anymore I believe, if I can remember back to English class, that what we are now really saying is You bless you. For those of you who do not believe in God I am not making a judgement...you can believe in whoever/whatever you choose. I'm just making a comment on the evolution of the saying.

[Pascale]

I say nothing when people sneeze or cough (except an occasional "you ok???" if it goes on and seems to cause discomfort). I always excuse myself after sneezing or coughing (I'm the one who made the noise, afterall). And being atheist, I just find saying it to be needlessly superstitious - sneezing is simply one more annoying bodily function that serves some purpose.

[CyclChyk]

Anybody else ever hear of the theory that a sneeze travels at the speed of 200 MPH and that if you were somehow able to keep your eyes open when you sneezed, the force of it would make your eyes pop out???

Yeh. I never got a Red Rider B.B. gun either........

[snapdragen]

I always thought this last referred to crows... as in, if you see two crows together it is a sign of upcoming joy, if you see one it's a bad sign. But maybe I've been reading too much Charles DeLint...

How about a whole flock? We easily have 10 - 20 crows at a time in my neighborhood. Those birds are huge, you could put saddles on 'em and fly away!