I discovered something interesting on the drive back from the ranch today. It appears to be literally possible to feel what someone else is feeling. I had a bit of a head ache and lay down in the bus with my head in Murray’s lap. I could feel her stomach muscles against my head in what felt like a laugh. I couldn’t hear over the road noise, it was a quiet laugh. But I am pretty sure it was a laugh. The driver’s phone rang with a bird call. Earlier Murray had asked what kind of bird it was looking out the window trying to see it as we nature watched from the van.
Later I felt, but didn’t hear, what seemed to be a yawn stomach muscle action. I am pretty sure it was a yawn because after she drooped to one side a bit as we are want to do when we get tired. I am not a sensitive person, but this is an interesting insight into how other people feel. I don’t know if this would help me in a business setting. I am sensitive enough to know that for most business meetings, sitting with your head in someone’s lap is not acceptable.
Happy Turkey Day-
Yes. Women are more aware of this because of packing a kid around inside for 9 months. It reminds me of the time I rode the bus from the BART station to Fairfield and the young lady next to me fell aleep and then fell slowly over onto my lap. I let her sleep until we got to the car park. She was really embarrased and blushed all the way down her neck.
ReplyDeletePerhaps a few lessons in body language would be more appropriate for the corporate world. Look up proxemics, most of it is intuitive to us introverts but I still find it interesting.
ReplyDeleteI am guessing anonymous is Daf, but it could be Rosanne. I had a similar experience on the plane back from Argentina. A teenage girl had talked to me for a good while. She was working on english and I spanish. Plus I think teenage girls just like attention from men. Plus is was safe since her mom was sitting across the isle. On the overnight flight she fell asleep with her head against me as a pillow. Normally I avoid teenage girls like the plauge, I never recovered from my treatment as a teenage boy. Women are great, but usually girls are painful to interact with.
ReplyDeleteI have heard anecdoataly about proxemics- the brit and italian officers who moved all the way across a ball room as they tried to keep their comfortable conversing distances. But the wikipedia page was interesting. We actually did a lunch and learn at work on body language. A guy that does forensic accounting gave it. His job was to follow the money and figure out who was lying. It was a fascinating lecture.
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