Casual lip kissing Aug 28, 2009
I don't think it's acceptable to kiss a person on the lips as a casual greeting unless that person is your significant other, in which case the greeting is no longer casual.  In fact, I think it's presumptuous to assume the receiver of a casual lip kiss has even the slightest desire for such a thing.  It's fine if the giver and the receiver both agree that it's an acceptable practice beforehand.  But to go in for the casual lip kiss, assuming the receiver will surely welcome it, is simply offensive. 

Related:  Casual kissing. #psychology
Cognitive dissonance when hiking Aug 28, 2009
Cognitive dissonance occurs when a person holds two contradictory beliefs simultaneously.  In order to get rid of that dissonance, the person will either change their mind or rationalize.  This is what happens when I go hiking.  If my map says I should cross a road at a certain point and I don't cross that road, I usually try to rationalize by making one of the following statements: 
  1. I must've missed it.
  2. This map must be wrong.
  3. I must be reading the map upside down.
  4. I am unable to read maps.
What I don't tend to do is figure out that something is wrong.  Either I'm using the wrong map or walking in the wrong direction or living in a bizarro world where everything is exactly 0.2 miles from where it should be.  Either way, I should stop what I'm doing and make some sort of correction.  But I don't. #nature
When will you stop talking? (5) Aug 28, 2009
I find it interesting that some people weren't born with the ability to know when the people they're talking to have lost interest in what they're saying.  They don't seem to notice the glazed-over eyes, the repeated glances at the watch or cell phone, or the gradual creep toward the door.  A simple rule of thumb is this:  If you've been talking for two minutes straight and you're not a teacher or professional speaker, you should shut up now.  A conversation involves two parties.  Otherwise it's called a speech. #psychology