Hugs and handshakes and other formalities.

Cngevpxhaqrefpber

Am I the only one who hates the whole hugging (and to a lesser-but-still-existent degree, handshake) thing at social/family gatherings? Why can't everyone just say "hey, how are you!" or some other vocal greeting instead of having to also go through the whole hug/handshake shpeal?

It just always feels disingenuous, forced, uncomfortable, and a waste of time to me.

TechGuy

iggy8n

That's not the case out here. Everyone hugs and touches each other. I like it. No one is worrying about 'cooties."
I like being able to relax when in company. We share the beer from the bottle etc. I just returned from a birthday party where that was happening. It felt very friendly and comfortable.

Cngevpxhaqrefpber

Cngevpxhaqrefpber

iggy8n

No nude sunbathing anymore. We've all grown somewhat in girth. There is the fear of skin cancer, too. I've got this big scar down the middle of my chest that I'm not willing to show to the world.
But, the hugs feel pretty genuine. We are friends from quite a while ago. My wife, Ruth, has worked in town for a while and learned the name of everyone that would come into the store.
Her memory is good and she displays it.

I don't know. Even if you felt a bit forced hugging the old relatives, it does bridge the boundary that has socially appeared these days.
It might be the terrorist affect or the skin head, tough guy approach to life. I don't mind touching anyone, or being touched by anyone.
It happens on the bus or on a crowded train. It just doesn't make me feel that any boundary has been crossed.

I think it might be our fenced-off (gated community) living conditions. The richer we are, the more walls we have between us and the rest of the world.
I'm not sure about the good neighbors and fences phrase.

Cngevpxhaqrefpber

iggy8n

I think they exist because the developers have found the best way to maximize profit by building houses quite close together with virtually no personal space in between the lots. They landscape the yards with shrubs and fences to make sure nobody sees any of their neighbors (to insure privacy.) The lots are still very small but they are 'gated' and therefore 'secure.' This appeals to young families with kids on the way. But, these places are also quite expensive, all the same beige color, having the community protection plan that you must pay for, and other similar helpful advantages. There are lot's of cul-de-sacs and relatively few parking spots. It's still highly packed city living. There might be a Starbuck's close by. But, there will also be line in which one must wait because of the dense population. There's a higher probability of meeting the criminal element if you are packed so closely with hundreds of people - many of whom are unemployed.

Kind of the Trevon/Zimmerman lifestyle. As cities grow, developers will build what appeals to the buyers. There are alternatives. But, the short commute to work and the convenience of garbage pickup and city water and sewer systems makes location the bigger important issue.

One could buy acres of undeveloped land for the same price as that tiny piece of land in the gated community. A double-wide trailer is pretty cheap. Then, you don't have to work the rest of your life to pay for it all.

Cngevpxhaqrefpber

iggy8n

Cngevpxhaqrefpber

Cngevpxhaqrefpber

iggy8n

There are helpful items that one can acquire to help in the process. I've picked up two tractors and many digging and scraping implements that help get the wiring buried or the road cleared. The bare hands are needed to pull out the Star Thistle that grows between the rocks, etc. Still, the exercise that it gets me beats paying the gym in town. I do sit at the computer each day for a while. But, having to maintain the acreage gets me out there every day.
It's fun cutting down an old tree, slicing it up with the chainsaw, loading the pieces into the truck, unloading them and stacking them into a wall between two trees for next winter, splitting the cake shapes into wedges and eventually getting them into the wood burning stove during winter. By the time I'm finished with one oak or bigger pine, I've worked out as hard as the Nautilus machine could ever work me.
It's all about what you prefer every day. Lot's of people would rather go to the gym and talk about the weather.

Cngevpxhaqrefpber

genoski

Cngevpxhaqrefpber

Cngevpxhaqrefpber

genoski

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