(This post brought to you by copious amounts of migraine medication and caffeine. I can see through time…) This post is ALSO inspired by a post over at the charming and witty Scribbler50’s Behind the Stick. He recently got an awesome writeup and is TOTALLY famous. He deserves every inch of it. Fantastic writer.
Ah, the fist-bump. I saw it approaching in coolness, but it never really made it into its own until the President did it. And now, it’s everywhere.
Sci didn’t really realize how MUCH it was everywhere until she was in the hallway the other day at her MRU, and ran into someone on her committee. Said committee person is rather awesome, and kindly asked about the publication status of one of Sci’s papers. When I said (with some pride) that it was out and I was rather pleased, we both grinned. And the committee member…fist-bumped me.
It kind of cool, until we both realized what we were doing and felt momentarily awkward, because, well, who does that?
But the more I think about it, the more I think that this might be the perfect expression for scientists! Scientists…don’t hug. We don’t. Many don’t touch at all if we can possibly help it. I know many that don’t even shake hands, and not necessarily due to cross-cultural differences. Excitement about pretty much anything is restrained until you can replicate the finding or the paper is actually published. Then, though, you want to express yourself. A hug…is, you don’t do that. Can get creepy very quickly. A hand shake, it seems to formal. High fives? Give me a break. We’re geeks. We’d miss. I know.
But a fist-bump? That might WORK! I mean, you go in from pretty close, so it’s hard to miss. It’s not formal. It’s not too personal. And if you have any cancer-causing agents or rodent detritus on your hands that you didn’t get off, well, they’re on the inside palm, and not on your knuckles. Safe, cool, and SANITARY!
Sci would therefore promote the use of the celebratory fist-bump to all scientists who are thrilled by recent cool data, a new publication, a new grant, or just generally being awesome. One…two…three…*bump*.
w00t.
