Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Male dominance behaviors

I feel better. Maybe it's the change in the weather. From pouring rain to occasional rain. There was a tornado in Enumclaw. People thought it might be a microburst, but it wasn't.

Apparently two tornadoes strike WA every year, both in Enumclaw, lol.

I was at work the other day, listening to the RWA 09 lectures. For some reason they don't fascinate me like they used to.

After a while, it's the same people doing the same thing, over and over. I understand wanting to say, "--this big-name author is doing this, and that big-name author is doing that." But what's the point? Or better--why am I spending upwards of a hundred to buy the disc?

This year RWA had a survey. How much did you enjoy this lecture? Was it interesting, informative, engaging? I went to a lecture every time period, sometimes two. I used to feel bad dipping out in the middle, but I've grown selfish. People who drone, condescend or wander off topic get a big thumbs down.

I definitely wrote comments in the comment box.

Some lectures were fascinating. "The Virgin Widow's Heart Stopped" was great (and not just because I moderated it). The speakers had chemistry and their info was fresh.

One lecture I didn't get to was Mary Buckham's Body Language. Big pity. While she tried to be funny-cool, the way she came across was wicked-smart. The lecture was dry, but the info? Good stuff. I learned more from her than I'd managed to pick up in years of people watching.

Work is broken down into two periods, one I spend by myself, one I spend surrounded by others. I watched feet, studied neck posture and crotch displays. When someone asked what I was doing, I told them, "Studying your crotch display."

"My WHAT!??"

"Y'know? The way you're standing with your feet planted, thumbs hooked in your belt, fingers pointing to--"

I think I scared him. He kept shifting his feet away from me, and every time he straightened, he'd look over at me and drop his hands.

5 comments:

Unhinged said...

Hah! I LOVE it. This is an entirely new thing for me on revealing body language. I mean, who'da thunk?!

Unknown said...

I love it too. It's too cool. Do you know your feet point to what you're interested in? Like say if you were working, but your feet were pointed to the door, or away from the person you're with? It was fascinating. I'd run around the counter to look at people's feet, and try to pick out the dominant male in each grouping by their crotch display.

It's amazing how often people do stuff like this subconsciously. My boss walks around with his crotch leading, AND he wears pleated pants to draw attention to...er, his crotch, and when he stands, he leans against things with his hands at his sides--and his crotch unobstructed. I think I'm scaring all the men I woke with, but just wait--this quarter?? Behavioral science. :) I'm so looking forward to it.

Julia Phillips Smith said...

I have a bottomless pit of curiosity about body language. I have a book packed with photos called The Body Language Phrasebook by Nick Marshallsay. It includes those crotch displays you mention.

I definitely saw my own body language in a whole new way after reading it...

Unknown said...

Julia, I loved your blog. Thanks for dropping by.

I so totally tracked down that book because I'd like to read it. Thanks!

Eva Gale said...

Lololol...you. I love you TONS, you know that? Scaring the boys like that has always been a favorite pastime of mine.