I hate sneezing. I really hate it. Sneezes come at the most inopportune moments, like when you're attempting to pass a swerving semi truck at eighty miles an hour, or during the vows at someone's wedding. Sneezes often cause numerous other annoying and mortifying side effects, too; if you are a woman and have given birth more than once, you know exactly what I mean. That said, the last thing I want when gripped by a sneezing fit is for anyone to call attention to it. The point I am trying to make is, why do we feel the need to bestow verbal blessings upon hearing anyone sneeze? Even total strangers receive our best wishes with every nasal explosion. Speeches, dinner dates, even arguments are subject to interruption. Regardless of how angry you are at someone, you will stop mid-rant to respond if they sneeze. "How many times do I have to tell you...gesundheit...."

Why do we do this? Personally, I think it is one of those traditions that we could do away with. I suggest we follow our own sneezes with the response of our choosing. When I sneeze, I am not interested in blessings. My word of choice happens to be dammit.