they were discussing the apparent trend to greet or say goodbye to a business associate with a hug or even air kiss

Yeah, this sounds like one of those NYT "trends" articles where actually it's just at this one place, and only among like three people.

My department is very chummy and we all hang out socially from time to time, but we don't hug, and we REALLY don't air-kiss.

Giving daps is an elaborated high five greeting. The one that I end up using most often is when the initiator makes a fist (like this, but more relaxed) and uses it to tap the top of the recipients similarly held fist. The recipient reciprocates, and then they butt fists, like they were clinking beer steins, except with no steins.

It can get more fancy with finger wiggling and altitude variations, open palms, etc.

I am curious about dap, too. Assuming ita's male co-workers don't go around giving each other Danish Americsn Princesses, which I feel pretty comfortable in assuming. That they don't.

ETA: Late post.

That's our hello dapping. There's also congratulatory ones that involve slapping each other's open hands and sliding the palms away with fingers wiggling.

And, boy, does it look dumb written down.

Nah, ita, my students give me daps all the time. It took me about 2 months to figure out which dap for which students. Major variation depending on age, sex and gang affliliation.

For me - and this is Only Me - flirting is not always with intent. I can comfortably flirt with a wide range of people, and it's rarely serious. Hitting on is much like (verbalizing) ita's "You. Let's." with a "Now" often added in.

I flirt with mushrooms. It's just fun. And I love to hug and be touchie-feelie with friends, but I am VERY my-FUCKING-bubble with people O don't know.

And air-kisses at work? EW. Ew. Ditto with hugs.

I'm with the whole loves-to-flirt crowd, and it's definitely about engaging with somebody at the level "Hey, you're sparkly and cool!" and not about intent.

I was going to say I don't really have crushes, but I certainly have a few Buffista crushes so that's not accurate.

But I don't pine. Well, I pined after JZ but I solved that by asking her to marry me.

Great solution, Hec.

I flirt in the "you are a mighty attractive* person and I sure am enjoying our badinage and I want you to know it" kind of way.

* And by attractive I mean, sexy, smart, funny, sweet, or any combination thereof.

I'm pretty sure no one's pining after me right now, which is just how I like it.

I'm pretty sure no one's pining after me right now

You never know...

t cue ominous music and thunderclaps

San Francisco in Jello. [link]

I think the flirting experts need to give seminars.