Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Paranoid in a client meeting

So I'm in a client meeting earlier today, about 8 people, mostly managers from the client, along with my own boss and supervisor.

I'm sitting towards the end of the long table, with one of the managers sitting one seat away from me.  We're listening to another manager giving a presentation from his seat towards the middle of the table.  (Is this making sense?)

Anyway, I suddenly realize that me and the manager sitting next to me are in the exact same seated position.  We both have our right leg crossed over our left leg, our right arm resting on our right leg, and our left arm propped on the table, with our hand resting on our chin.  Identical body positions.  Uncanny.

For some reason, I feel like this is improper professional etiquette on my part.  Or maybe I just thought the other managers would think it'd be funny if they saw us sitting like that, same position, right next to each other.

So I move my right arm down against the table so that we don't look alike.  But then a few seconds later, I sub-consciously move my hand back against my chin.  Back to the same position as the other guy!  As soon as I realize that I'm sitting like that again, I quickly move my hand down again, trying to make sure I don't move it back.  But after a few seconds, sure enough, I move it back again without thinking.  It's simply the most comfortable position for my arm and hand.  I can't help it!

But I'm so self-conscious sitting exactly the same as this other manager.  I'm certain that some of the other people at the table are noticing us, thinking it's hilarious or weird that we look identical.  I was certain they were sneaking glances at us.  And for some reason I kept thinking it was my responsibility to change.  (And no, I never thought to tap the other guy on the shoulder and ask him to move his arm.  That would clearly be the wrong thing to do in this situation.)

Anyway, lucky for me, after a few minutes, the other guy changed his own seating position to something totally different.  And thus, I was free!

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