Hug Anxiety

Being a Dallas Socialite is not at the top of my wishlist. It is in no way, shape or form part of why I created Dallas Love List. I want to go to events - fo' free - with my friends and CB but other than that, while at those events, I kind of want to be invisible to the general public. For some reason I was led to believe that the minute I turned 30 it was like POOF! You'll love networking! I'm nearly a month into this whole "being 30" thing, and thus far -- still hate networking. 

It isn't that I don't want more friends, I love new friends! 

It's acquaintances I'm terrified of acquiring.  

Ready to hear how weird I am? 

Well, I have this thing with hugs. 

We will call it hug anxiety. 

I get hug anxiety way too often. I've considered becoming a "hugger" - you know, the people who waste no time at all - they just go right in for the kill the second you lock eyes. I want to be a hugger just so I can announce right off the bat, "I'm a HUGGER!!!!!" and settle the hug anxiety filling my skull. 

In a work setting, you'd think everything would be a handshake right?? Well a couple of years ago there was this work vendor who had visited the office a handful of times. I went to shake his hand and he instead hugged me and it really messed me up in the head. The entire meeting I was consumed with thoughts of, "When he leaves, are we shaking hands or hugging??????" 

When he left I went in for the most aggressive hug ever, just so there was no "hug or handshake?" question. Looking back on it, it was boarder line chest butt touchdown celebration. I was one butt smack away from joining the Cowboys O-Line. 

When I get nervous, I tend to take control and have little regard for the other person's feelings our thoughts on the matter. 

I'm nervous, so we're now hugging dammit. 

Friends - you hug.

Family - you hug. 

Acquaintances though???? 

Someone you've met 6 times, all in a social setting? 

WHAT THE HELL DO YOU DO?

HANDSHAKE OR HUG?????????????

And this my friends is why I don't like networking, volume 23423143234.