For the guys: Are you a shaker or a hugger?

[Provost Harrison]

Now kissing...there's an interesting topic. Not something I tend to be incredibly comfortable with, dunno why. I enjoy hugs though

[Juggernaut]

My friends would quit their friendship with me if I started to hug them each time I saw them.

I shake hands with people I'm being introduced to, acquaintances and friends from the past.

I only hug relatives and girls.

I have a former friend who loves to hug me though. Awkward, and really destroys the good mood with all arising emotions. Thankfully, I haven't seen him for long.

[orange]

People I know vaguely in passing - "hey"
Girls - hug
guy friends I haven't seen in a long time - sometimes hug, but not often...usually it's simply implied

[Provost Harrison]

Jug, you're such a prude

[Juggernaut]

Not with the opposite sex.

[MrFun]

I have only one friend of mine that I hug whenever he and I greet each other coming or leaving when hanging out.

My mother I hug too, but not consistently, everytime I see her, which is not that often that I visit in person.

[MrWhereItsAt]

Shake, for ppl I am meeting for the first time. More often than not they glance at my hand for a second or two before shaking - they then realize how bastard-like they would look if they didn't shake.

Hugs? Only for girl friends, and only certain ones at that. NZers aren't very tactile, and there's a significant amount of culture shock all around when there's, say, a Latin in town (!)

Sometimes when bold enough (read: bolstered by that good ole' liquid courage!), I kiss the hand of a newly met female.

So whaddaya think of that one?

[LTEC!]

The type of hug you cite is fairly common in Mexico among men who know each other well, are family or haven't seen each other in a while. (Although it has been seen among backstabbing politicians).


Its usually a brisk hug with a couple slaps in the back.

[Goingonit]

I hug only very occasionally.

But firm handshakes seem to be vanishing of the face of the earth.

[MBloomIII]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
I at first thought this was about something quite different

Jon Miller

Yes! My response was going to be I shake, then zip up.

But I guess the conversation has drifted somewhat.

[MrFun]

It's official --- MBloom and Jon_Miller are the two most perverted men on Apolyton.

[connorkimbro]

I generally try to be sensitive to what the other person is comfortable with. The default for people i know well is a hug, and for the gals a kiss on the cheek, but if i sense/know that the other person isn't a hug person then a nice firm handshake does the job. Also, for the girls sometimes, a nice kiss on the hand with my flashy smile, girls love that.

[Moral Hazard]

Hugs for the honeys, and a shake / hand slaps for my boys. Straight up handshake if I don't know ya.

[Moral Hazard]

Connor:

I've kissed a few girls on the hand but only as a joke; maybe I should try that. Considering I'm 'old fashioned' AKA I compliment girls and generally go for phone numbers rather than nicely mocking them or trying to go beyond the makeout.

Actually back to the hugs If I haven't seen one of my buddies in a while I'll give them a handshake and slap on the back, which is kind of like a hug without the embrace.

[tandeetaylor]

You don't have a flashy smile Connor.