I admit it. This is a post about nothing. I just feel like emptying my brain out for a little while and relaxing. This was actually just a paragraph until I really started thinking about what I was writing…
I’m a sucker for first impressions. I think what I feel about you when I meet you generally holds true to how I’ll feel about you a few days, months, years or however long from now that I’m graced with your presence in whatever form.
Whether you’re someone I’ve met randomly in the street or a store, or even somebody I have to coexist with for whatever reason. That first impression burns a hole in my brain and it’s pretty impossible for me to forget it. It kind of sets the stage for the rest of the ‘relationship, ‘friendship, ‘I-know-you-ship’ or what have you. It’s kind of like how you always remember certain things and fragments of people, but not everything. Just the small things you think about them, whether you’ve altered it in your memory or it’s true to form.
Of course, I hope other people don’t live by this rule and use burning judgment when meeting me, because I’m pretty bad at first impressions. Meaning, I’m usually a little sarcastic. Pretty straight forward. A little nosy (okay, I’m pretty nosy. This is usually after the first impression, but hey, I like to get to know the people I’m meeting.)
I’m pretty private for the most part (about things that actually matter) but if you ask me questions the right way and you fell into that 1% of first impressions that make me feel like I’ve known you a long time you’ll probably get some answers.
Shane was somebody like that.
I’m a pretty open closed person. That might not make sense to you, but it does to me. I like to talk and I like to ask questions. I really just like the whole “getting to know someone” thing, which is funny because I’m not really that social of a person.
I’ve been told I can be intimidating upon first impression. Which I think is pretty preposterous. Sometimes I think “Well HEY! I suck at first impressions and I was able to change their minds about me”, and I think that I should be able to do the same. I’ll work on that.
I’ve met people that have just made me feel really awkward. Like, turn and run the other way awkward. Then I’ve met people whose awesomeness mixes with my awesomeness -THERE’S THAT WORD AGAIN! TWICE! I can’t even live by my own RULES- and it’s like there was never really a meeting at all and that person was instantly someone who has been implanted in my life.
Then there are those people you just never warm up to. Or people whose personalities just instantly clash with yours… and trust me, I can smell that a mile away. It’s like accidentally rubbing two sticks together, over and over until they spontaneously combust. OR, it’s like when I tell a really stupid joke (and I do this often) and your face is all, OMGWHATADUMBASS. Thanks. I’d like to forget that you exist now.
Then there’s the whole “handshake” thing. I think the first time you meet somebody and shake their hand (SLASH high five them SLASH fist bump them.. okay. No fist bumps here. But definitely the high five) can be extremely telling.
Note: From here on out, I’m completely leaving out any references to high fives or fist bumps because honestly? You can’t screw those up. They exist solely for the purpose of being used correctly. OKAY. I might not be able to resist mentioning a high five.
9/10 times it’s really awkward shaking another woman’s hand because they do that whole “I’m so dainty. I’ll touch *maybe* two or three of your fingers without firmly grasping your hand. Because I’m a WOMAN and I’m not supposed to have a firm handshake. I AM DAINTY DAMNIT” handshake.
Meanwhile, I won’t hide the fact that there’s nothing dainty about me (except for the fact that I’m short) so I probably freak them out when I manhandle their hand. But it is what it is.
Bad handshake? Bad first impression.
I like to think that first impressions are the truest, and my first impressions of people have generally endured and validated over time. Whether that’s being really comfortable with someone, not trusting someone, or whatever. </braindump>
NOTE: NEW WORD TO BAN? Whatever. And I mean the word ‘whatever.’ I’m not saying Whatever to banning… wait, nevermind.