Awkward
 

Do you ever...

Engage in awkward pauses in conversation, frequent staring at the ground to avoid eye contact, or tough decisions to say "hello" to the same person for the 5th time you've seen them today.

Ever ruined a nice acquaintance's attempt at humor by fluttering a smile but turning it into a stern frown and looking down followed by a very audible "heh..."?

Ever walked into the same path as someone you don't know then had to decide to stay aggressive and make them change direction or be passive and let them have the direct path or just change directions with them 3 times before finally looking into their eyes for the most awkward feeling in the world? This thread is to you, Mr. or Ms. Awkward.

Ron Burgundy: I wanna say something. I'm gonna put it out there; if you like it, you can take it, if you don't, send it right back. I want to be on you.
[Veronica turns and walks away]
Ron Burgundy: Wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I... I wanna be on you.

isnt being a teenager great? i totally remember that phase. will you be a giver or a taker?

believe it or not fresh, most of those things will fade into insignificance sooner or later. It just doesn't seem to happen as much as you get older.

One more year, dude. Will it all change in 8 months!?! I'm not ready!

If you ever end up in DC, this will happen to you regularly. You will encounter groups of 4 or more people walking side by side, with absolutely no regard of others walking toward them and expecting to pass. You can choose to skirt them, or simply plow right into them. They won't care, either way. It's kind of amazing, actually.

I vote plough :)

That's what I did. :lol:

I do awkward things all the time. I find it difficult to talk to people. Even acquaintances. I can write to them, but I am constantly editing and re-reading.

I used to be awkward. Then I stopped caring what other people think. I am now the master of the casual encounter. HAH!

It's pretty much as everybody says, fresh -- time will make the difference. I, myself, was PAINFULLY shy as a kid and quite awkward when I was around twenty, but in middle age I am able to relax and plow through those rude people on the sidewalk. These little changes help keep life interesting.

It's even better if you're growling and slobbering while you do it.

Never awkward for me...I smile at them and say "Thanks for the dance!" then we each side-step and smile or laugh at each other as we go on about our business.

I know you're probably tired of hearing "When you get older..." but some things you DO have to wait until you are older. Not so much for you to understand, but so you have gained enough life-lessons and experience of your own to feel comfortable in certain situations.

The phase doesn't change at 8 months, just the number.


I don't really have the first two anymore but the last one happens a lot because I tend to doze off when I walk, especially when listening to music, so I look up to see I'm walking staight towards someone. If I'm a bad mood I'll let them move, if not, I'll dance.

Now that's become a real problem. People going through life listening to music, quacking on the phone or otherwise distracted. It's not just a bad idea while driving, people walking, skating, biking, etc, unaware of their surroundings, get hurt too.... even indoors.

I don't completely doze out, I am still aware of my surroundings, just that I won't tend to move until someone is 10-15 feet in front of me and sometimes we both move the same direction.

I will always be aware when crossing an intersection or something out of the ordinary comes by (a bike or skateboard).

I have seen some people jump in front of cars because they weren't paying attention though. That can be very bad.

When I do the sideways dance, I laugh. So does my for-three-seconds dance partner.

My mileage out of this occasionally varies, but usually I make the whole thing a bit of fun. Seems to help the other's day too.

Yeah, that is the best way to handle it.

I try to do the same and then say sorry. If you overexaggerate the dance it makes it more fun as well.

Wait..."teenager"..."older"...you're supposed to grow out of this stuff? ... Am I not supposed to identify with Larry David either?!

I'm not sure. Who him? I will own to vaguely hearing of the guy...

Co-Creator of Seinfeld; writes, stars in Curb Your Enthusiasm; notorious misanthrope...

Sure, Daffy Duck too.

:::steps on a rake:::

HEY, leave Daffy out of it.

Flint, did you eat our lord and savior?

No, Shawnee, the Jews (Larry David) killed God, it's the Catholics that eat him.

That explains it, then... Seinfeld raises my anti-NY's-bad-features hackles, and I made a point of never watching the show about such dysfunctional if not antifunctional people. Even Kramer would have palled.

New York is to visit -- not a good place to live in. You only get some of your human rights there. Nevadans live freer.

Ummm. I just didn't find it funny.
It always galled me when comedians I admired cited it as a favourite.

I assumed you watched Curb Your Enthusiasm. Never mind.

Yeah, there's nothing funny about dysfunctional people. Seinfeld should have gone for more realism. Comedy is not funny. Hmmmpf.