His Hands

What is the first thing you look at when you see a promising prospect for the first time? When you're walking down the street, people-watching? Male or female, opposite or same gender -- what is the very first thing you tend to notice about a person?

Where do your eyes go first, on a purely superficial level?

Yes, lovely people, we are talking purely, unabashedly, blatantly, and beautifully superfluous -- usually I am much more a proponent of emotional/spiritual/mental connection and all of that -- but that, of course, would come later. Right now, I'm just talking down and dirty gut-reaction physical attention -- what grabs yours in those first few moments?

:D

For my part, my eager eyes go right to his hands. (Or hers, depending on the day... But we'll leave that for another story =D)



It's only logical, right?

I mean... Well. You know what I mean :D


Not only do I notice, firstly, his hands in themselves, but, quite often, I find myself also making mental note of where they are, how he holds them, what they are doing when he is not necessarily thinking about them...

The way a person chooses to carry his hands can say quite a lot about him: his confidence, his comfort level, his personality... Even acting as an indicator for mood -- is he feeling thoughtful, pensive? Is he agitated? Is he feeling easy-going, or tightly-wound and tense?

Recently, I stumbled upon a lovely little compendium of body-language information, all about the placement of one's hands. It's easy enough to find, if you care to look for such things. Now, don't quote me on this -- I cannot verify the sources or the truthfulness of this information, but, all the same, it is certainly quite fun to read...! :D

I will share with you two of my personal favorites:

1) Steepled Hands

"People who are confident, superior types or who use minimal or restricted body gestures often use this gesture, and, by doing so, they signal their confident attitude. It is frequently used in superior/subordinate interaction and it can be an isolated gesture which indicates a confident or 'know-it-all' attitude. Managers often use this gesture position when giving instructions or advice to subordinates and it is particularly common among accountants, lawyers, managers and the like."

It would also be "particularly common," I daresay, among Headmasters lecturing wayward students before administering a caning...

2) "Superiority confidence gesture" (honestly, just who comes up with these names??)

"Superiority/Confidence Gesture - Several prominent male members of the British Royal Family are noted for their habit of walking with their head up, chin out and one palm gripping the other hand behind the back. Not only does British Royalty use this gesture; it is common among Royalty of many countries. On the local scene, the gesture is used by the policeman patrolling his beat, the headmaster of the local school when he is walking through the school yard, senior military personnel and others in a position of authority."

*shiver*
Oh, ...my. :)

So let's hear it, lads and lasses -- what's your guilty pleasure in those first few moments of visual contact...?