“By George!” cried the inspector. “How did you ever see that?”
“Because I looked for it.”
~Sherlock Holmes The Adventure of the Dancing Men
“The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.”
~Sherlock Holmes The Hound of the Baskervilles
“Education never ends, Watson. It is a series of lessons, with the greatest for the last.”
~Sherlock Holmes His Last Bow
It’s just as well the older I get, the more blank pages turn up in my mental vault. Knowledge grows exponentially and I need room for all the new info! My novels are works of fiction but they couldn’t be more true in their details. My facts are solid. A little known fact of me — my head is full of facts from reading the entire 1985 World Book Encyclopedia. (The task took me approximately six years.)
Another fact of me — I was raised in market research. My family business introduced companies to the benefit of both. In order to do that we needed to know what those companies needed, and that required research. I was deep in research at a young age and I still love it. Research equates to treasure hunting for me. Combine reading the encyclopedia with penchant for research and what do you get? You get a very busy mind with one fertile imagination. Fact-wise, when I write, the only thing I take liberty with is how I stitch those facts together. I enjoy when authors take the time to write a believable story, even if that story is about a werewolf.
One way to craft a believable story is to include those things people understand intrinsically. Like body language.
Today’s post wraps up those telltale body symbols we do on purpose or display subconsciously.
- Sucking in the belly – look at me
- Chest back, belly out – you’re uncomfortably close to me, back off
- Rubbing belly – seeking comfort
- Rubbing belly – (situational – pondering or having uncomfortable thoughts)
- Thrusting hips – provocative, overtly sexual
- Hips drawn back – uncomfortable, protecting the vulnerable spot
- Hips sideways – (situational – a subtle indication of what you really want)
- Swaying hips, sashay – suggestive sexual display
- Hands on hips – waiting
- Hands on hips, stance wide – growing impatience
- Hands on hips, elbows wide – (situational, could mean aggression)
- Cupping hand gesture – the topic needs extra care
- Gripping hands – possessiveness, ownership
- Holding your own hands – seeking comfort
- Wringing hands – extreme nervousness, woe
- Fist in hand – repressed anger
- Hands wrapped around a mug etc – self-comfort
- Hands clenched thumbs up – pleasure
- Cupped hand weighing gesture – evaluation
- Fingers curled, thumbs inside – seeking comfort
- Hand out sideways – greeting
- Laced fingers propping chin – thinking, listening
- Laced fingers behind head – carefree, evaluation
- Drumming fingers – impatience
- Finger tracing a circle at the temple – he’s nuttier than a squirrel!
- Index finger to thumb, other fingers out – it’s ok, all is good
- One finger in the air – (Situational – seeking attention or having a point)
- Hand with/without one finger in air, arm raised – attention, pick me!
- Finger tapping temple – (Situational – think about it, he’s touched in the head!)
- 8 fingertips on the mouth – received shocking news
- Hiding hands – (Situational – lying, concealing, I don’t care to talk, I want to listen to you)
- Hand on face, middle finger over mouth – evaluating
- Steepled fingers – (Situational – thinking, superiority, confidence)
- Rubbing hands together – (Situational – cold, plotting, excitement, anxious to get going)
- Palms flat together – prayer, contemplation
- Hand massage – stress, anxiety
- Palm(s) up – (Situational – beseeching, asking for help greeting, nothing to hide)
- Fiddling fingers – expelling tensile energy
- Handshake, simultaneous arm grip – dominance
- Firm handshake – display of strength, alpha move
- Handshake, quick withdrawal – submission, discomfort
- Finger point – that way!
- Fist pound into palm – rage
- Snap – like that! That fast! In an instant
- Clapping hands – approval
- Sharp clap – attention getting
- Thumbs up – it’s ok, liked
- Thumbs down – it’s not ok, disliked
- Thumb jerk over shoulder – that way!
- Finger slash over throat – your dead, it’s dead, it’s done
- Palm out – Stop I’ve heard enough, interrupt
- Side hand chop – It’s done! Enough!
- Wave – helloooo
- Wave off – dismissive
- Wave to – come here!
- Hand shaping – hands forming words as you speak them, sincerity
- Butt thrust – sarcasm as in kiss my….
- Butt thrust with patting – insult as in kiss this
- Butt thrust, mooning – disregard
- Butt wiggling – overt sexual display
- Butt sway – look at me, I’m hot
- Butt patting – you want me
- Thighs widen – conscious or unconscious sexual invitation
- Thighs tight together – self-protection
- Swinging legs – delight, tensile energy – usually sexual
- Crossing legs – (situational – at ease, self-control, defensive)
- Hands on thighs – I’m ready to go
- Hands on inside thighs – unconscious desire
- Both hands on thighs elbows out sideways – equal to hands on hips – (situational – impatience or aggression)
- Thigh slap – motivational gesture
- Thigh drumming – (situational – boredom, impatience, excitement)
- Bouncing thigh(s) – focusing or impatience
- Touching or stroking the knee – sexual tease
- Balled fists on knees – anger
- Foot point – works like a finger point
- Parallel feet pointing at someone – you have my full attention
- Curling toes – (Situational – frustration, fear, excitement, pleasure or anxiety)
- Foot tap – impatience
- Toes pointing inward – (Situational – introspection, awkwardness, defensiveness
- Foot stomp – seeking attention, rage, tantrum
- Foot swinging – focus, expelling nervous energy
- Tilting back on balls of feet – contemplative, made a decision
- Bouncing on toes – exuberance
I’m sure if you were to think about it, you’d come up with even more.
My personal well is dry!
Monday: Different symbols
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Words Worth M
entioning for January
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”
~Winston Churchill
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