You're soooooo good lookin'.... That was from Seinfeld, remember? I NEVER say "bless you." I usually just let it pass or say something like "getting a cold?" or "need a tissue?" if I think the person will consider me rude for not saying anything. It's such an automatic thing that people say out of habit that I don't think much of it coming from somebody else but I don't say it. "Gesundheit" works too. Now for the obligatory "thank you" after someone says "bless you" I circumvent that by saying "excuse me" immediately after I sneeze.

Hmmmmmmmm.... That's a thought. Jessica

Very, very true.

With the 9-11 anniversary I am reminded of something that has always gnawed at me. Flight 93 passenger Todd Beamer spent his final minutes of life praying on the phone with a Verizon customer service manager. He left behind a beautiful, blonde, pregnant wife named Lisa. The Beamers were evangelical Christians. Mark Bingham was a 6'4" rugby player. He had once beaten up a mugger who tried to attack him. People who knew him say there's no question he was one of the leaders of the passenger revolt against the hijackers. Mark Bingham arrived late to flight 93 that day because he had awakened with a hangover. Mark Bingham was gay. Todd Beamer's last words recorded by that phone call were "Let's roll." Our president chose to single out Todd Beamer when he made those two words a symbol of American defiance in the face of terrorism. Which has always made me wonder... What if "Let's roll" had been the last words of Mark Bingham?