Don't worry about your enthusiasm, I can take it in the right way

It's completely a question of context, of course. For example, at a conference with my child's teacher, I would never say, "Me and Gidget's daddy are really worried about her math grade." Or when asking for a zoning variance at a City Council meeting, say, "Me and the contractor have been trying very hard to comply with the architecture board's regulations."

Oddly enough, I find it a useful way, in informal conversation, to put myself first. (The rule about always putting the other person first ("Janet and I") is inviolable unless you're using "me."  I would never, never say "I and Janet" or worse, the low-sounding "myself and Janet.")  Suppose I've had a conversation at the grocery store with a couple of strangers---I would feel more comfortable reporting to a friend, "Me and a few other people had been waiting in line for about ten minutes.." than to say "A few other people and I..."

I guess I will have to start checking to see if people wince when I talk