manners

So today as I was writing a thank you note to an attorney who volunteered to present at a workshop I was coordinating, I wondered why we address each other as "dear" - We even address people we don't know as "dear" so and so (including the Board of Equalization member I wrote a letter to last week - he's one of those people that has an "honorable" in place of where I have a "miss").

I am much more in favor of "hi" or "hi-a" or "hey there" but I guess the world of professionals does not agree with me.