You can always wait to read the last arc of Bleach. There is a new anime in the works. (Also, if you haven't seen the live-action Bleach, it's actually pretty good? If you like Ishida, the actor that plays him NAILS it. The only weird thing is how they changed Renji and Byakuya and the near absence of Chad and Orihime.)

ANYWAY.

Yeah, I know what you mean about people barely saying 'hi' now. I have been making a concerted effort to say "hello" when I pass people on the street, as I said above. I much prefer it when people just tell me honestly how they are when they ask. :-)