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Friendly February

I've mentioned it a few times on this website, but I'll reiterate that I'm kind of notorious amongst my friends for being a terrible hugger. I give guys the one-armed side hug and give girls the "bro" hug, complete with three pats on the back. In fact, the internet even knows that I suck at hugging - I just googled "terrible hugger" and sure enough, this was the #8 site.

So now I will be practicing my hugging throughout February. Anytime someone tries to hug me, I will embrace their embrace. If a friend looks for a handslap from me, they will be met with a hug. Terrorist fist bump? Oh no my friend, you get a hug. Handshake? Hug.

The only times I can opt for the handshake/slap instead are: if I'm being introduced to someone; or if I'm in a car or some other situation where hugging is just physically challenging and/or life threatening. The handslap-half-hug move doesn't work either. A legit hug requires the use of both arms. High-fives, however, are still totally acceptable and don't need to be replaced with hug.

But just giving out free hugs wouldn't be enough of a challenge. That's why February is a 2fer. The other half of this month's challenge is to have a conversation with a new person every day. A conversation can be a two sentence exchange, or a two hour blab-fest. The rules on this are:

  • The person must be someone that I have never talked to before. It can be someone whose name I know and I am familiar with, so long as I have never actually spoken to that person (ie., the weird dude at work.)
  • If it is somebody in a service industry or clerk (bartender, sandwich maker, postal worker), then the conversation does not count if it is part of a "normal" exchange. For example, telling the sandwich maker that I'd like peperoncinis on my Italian sub does not count. Telling the sandwich maker that I put peperoncinis on everything which then leads him or her to tell me about a new study which found that only really awesome people eat peperoncinis - that counts.
  • Unreciprocated greetings do not count. If somebody doesn't want to converse, a new conversation partner must be found.
  • Emails/IMs do count so long as it is with a coworker and a response is received within the same day.

That's the deal for February. If I greet you with a hug, don't say I didn't warn you.

Add new comment

Friendly February? Friendly Forever!

Sat, 02/28/2009 - 15:42 | by Jesse

I can honestly say that this was the most fun challenge I've done so far. It took me a while to get used to being out of my comfort zone but after a while, it became enjoyable. And I'm pretty sure everyone else enjoyed it too, including the people who reluctantly accepted my hugs because they "had to."

A weekend or two ago, I went out to brunch with some friends - I think there were 8 of us. After we ate, everybody hugged goodbye. Normally, there's just a bunch of waving goodbye or handshakes, but since it was Friendly February, everybody hugged each other. Maybe I'm being corny, but it was nice and I think it really did bring everybody's spirits up. Or maybe it was the champagne...

You know how when you're around people that are really happy, it makes you really happy too (or sometimes, incredibly pissed off)? I was that happy guy for a whole month. And to my surprise, I really enjoyed being that happy guy for a whole month. So this is one challenge that I'm going to try to continue past February. Or at least until Chris tries to hug me in the bathroom.

The Hug That Could Have Been

Fri, 02/20/2009 - 23:00 | by Jesse

I work with a guy who is widely known to be a very talkative person while he is in the bathroom. In order to protect his identity, I'll call him "Chris."

Back in January, Joe and I were enjoying some drinks at a local watering hole when we began discussing what the rules for Friendly February would be. Eventually we began talking about how the hugging plan could backfire - like if there were a really awkward situation in which I had to hug someone. It was at this point that our friend Chris's name came up. Chris is a very friendly and outgoing guy who feels incredibly comfortable starting a conversation with just about anyone anywhere. He is also well known to strike up conversations in the bathroom, regardless of what the other person may be in the process of doing.

I thought January was over?

Mon, 02/09/2009 - 22:44 | by Jesse

What does that mean, "I thought January was over?"

What it means, is that I just got back from a craigslist date. In fact, it's the third person I met over craigslist as a result of Classified as January. Third?!? There was a craigslist date you didn't blog about, Jesse?!? Yes kids, there was, and I'm sorry if I just blew your mind. But the second craigslist date occurred in February, and I'm not a total weirdo, so I didn't write about it. Yeah, yeah... I've met three people over the internet in less than a month. Strange? Sure. Creepy? Slightly, yes. But it's all in good fun.

Piss Pals

Fri, 02/06/2009 - 15:01 | by Jesse

It's Friday night and I'm at Gordon Biersch with a few coworkers, enjoying some end-of-the-work-week beers. After a couple of drinks, I need to use the restroom.

You're a lucky lady

Thu, 02/05/2009 - 00:36 | by Jesse

At an Irish pub on a Wednesday night, most of the crowd is participating in a team-based trivia game. An announcer asks questions and teams must write their answers on sheets of paper before turning them in for scoring. While the trivia-master grades each team's responses, there is a long, uneventful period filled with musical selections.

On The Boulevard: Griffith Park at Los Feliz

Tue, 02/03/2009 - 20:34 | by Jesse

I was riding my motorcycle home tonight and when I came to the stop light at Griffith Park Boulevard, I heard a voice yelling at me. I looked to my right and a guy was staring at me from his car with his window rolled down. Then again - the voice came.