I was thinking about handshakes today.
Ok, it's true, I didn't have a lot on my plate today, so my mind drifted off to the world of handshakes.
Handshakes, the innocent little gesture of sticking your hand out and grasping the hand of another.
It's not really a intimate gesture but one accepted in most of the world as a greeting between 2 people.
Handshakes are important and speak volumes.
My Dad taught me at a very early age to have a firm handshake. ( I just got this weird feeling that I have discussed this subject on my blog before, but I'm not positive, so I will continue.)
I remember him sending me around the living room, shaking hands with whoever was there, showing them what a firm handshake I had. I may have been 6 years old.
Some people pass down money, other family heirlooms, I passed down to my kids, Grandfather's handshake.
Like me, they were taught at a very young age to have a firm handshake, and today, they do.
I like that.
Have you ever shaken hands with someone and it's like shaking a dead fish? Not a good first impression.
My Dad told me once that he was interviewing some people for a job. Two people were in the running. One guy had a fishy handshake. He didn't get the job.
**
I attended a "White Elephant" gift exchange when I was home last. A friend of mine has it every year at her house. For those who don't know what it is, let me explain.
Have you ever received a gift from someone and when you opened it, inside you are cringing and immediately thinking to yourself how you can get rid of it or where can you hide this?
Well, that's what a "White Elephant" party is about. Everyone brings a gift to exchange, the only rule being it has to be a gift that you have received in the past, and you just hate it.
One way to get rid of it is to get yourself invited to a White Elephant party.
It's like Feng shui by default.
The hated gifts go in a pile, and numbers are drawn to determine the order in which people pick out a present. There is stealing involved. If when it is your turn, instead of picking a wrapped present from the pile of the despised, you can pick an unwrapped present that someone already picked. It's always a night of laughs and you can be sure you will leave with a present that pretty much sucks. Can you think of anything more fun than that?
This year I was surprised. Someone broke the rules and brought a present that wasn't terrible. When I unwrapped my choice I had picked this book.
Not only a interesting read
but the dust cover is really really cool.
Win-Win.
9 comments:
You are in rare form today!!! Ha
Hugs
SueAnn
I totally agree with the life lesson of a hand shake. I second guess a person with a odd shake. Do you know when we were in Germany every morning the employees shake each other hands and really when ever you see some or someone comes to your house its always a hand shake. Not a hug made that mistake once! Happy Weekend!
When I was in the professional world, I think I had a decent handshake. I no longer like to shake hands with strangers....kind of a germ thing:-/
Oh gosh..... that's a GREAT gift and glad you got it.
I agree about the fishy handshake. I too was taught in my early teen years to give a firm shake. Some people squeeze so tightly though that it nearly breaks my hand... there's a middle ground in a good shake... not too fishy and not painful.
I read it, the man is incredible, for what he was able to do knowing it was his last lecture..
Regarding handshakes... you are so right about the dead fish shake.. it's a horrible thing. I could never date a guy who didn't have a solid, comfortable and amiable grip when shaking hands. I've never understood the cold fish handshake.. what's that about... afraid to let loose and really embrace the other hand? Speaks volumes.
Oh.. and the same goes for the guys who try the vice-grip approach.. you know when they CONSUME the hand and practically crush it, to prove their strength, I suppose.
Lucky you to have received a special "White Elephant" gift. I got a Christmas cookie jar this year at the "White Elephant" exchange. Some years are not so good, but OK I can use a cookie jar I think.
I totally understand about fishy hand shakes, I don't like them. However, I will say I have had some firm hand shakes that actually hurt. Arthritis in the hands can sometimes hurt with firm hand shakes; so something in between with good eye connection please.
our white elephant this year left us with a few gifts that were, well....not as good as that book.
AND handshakes. oh they are so important in our house. with a hubby in HR, we were all taught how to shake well....and our son, well he's been told often how great his handshake is, so he at least learned something that has really stuck :)
I learned the very same thing - and my handshake is firm. I, therefore, am a man. (such rules)
Cool party. I love it when in gift exchanges like this I actually get something I like!
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