Talking with Your Hands

So, today's blog is only vaguely diabetes-related.  I was at my Dad's house yesterday, chatting with my Dad and my brother, J.  I was explaining to them about the Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) that I just ordered (which will arrive on Monday! Yay!).  While I was explaining how it works and what it does, I was talking not just with my mouth, but also with my hands. For those of you that know me, this is NOT a surprise.  I have been known to get animated when I'm speaking.  I have almost hit people if they are next to me while I'm speaking, and my husband has been known to pat me on the leg in a signal to "shh" when I get excited...apparently I get louder as I get all into my subject. 

OK, back to the conversation with my brother and Dad.  Right in the middle of my explanation, my Dad interrupts (not a shocker to those of us who know and love him) and comments to my brother that I still wave my hands around while I talk.

This leads us back to an old family story.  When J. was in about 5th grade, which would put me in 2nd,  he had to give his first "big" in-front-of-the-class presentation.  It was about igloos.  He was practicing in my Dad's den, with Dad and I as an audience.

Now, my Dad was a banker.  Apparently, he wasn't particularly comfortable speaking in public, and joined a group called Toastmasters.  I am sure it is much more than this, but I had the impression that it was (is) a club for people to sit around and talk about talking.   So, my Dad was giving J pointers. He told him that he needed to enhance his speech with hand motions. So, J was trying to figure out hand motions to go with his talk.  As the wonderful, helpful, supportive, encouraging younger sister that I was, I was .totally. trying to help him out.  So, as he said the line, "There is a small hole in the top of the igloo that allowed the smoke to come out" (remember, we're talking igloos here), I made hand motions.  It would be much easier to show you, but since they are pretty basic, I should be able to talk you through them.

"There is a small hole..." made a circle with thumbs and forefingers

"at the top of the igloo..." pointing down at the circle with pointer finger of R hand

"that allows the smoke to come out..." curly-que motions in an upward spiral

Well, my brother saw me doing this and just burst out laughing.  Every time he would start again, I would do the motions again, and he would start laughing again. After many times, after my Dad told me to stop, J  finally got through it.  I was just trying to help.  Really. I have no idea how he did on his talk...neither does he.  We just remember this practice session.

For years, I could get him giggling just by doing the motions.  Didn't have to say a word.  Could stand behind my parents, where they couldn't see me, and make these motions, while he was trying to keep a straight face.  OK, so this might not've been the nicest thing ever.  But, I am the little sister. 

So, we are now both in our forties (he's farther into them than I am...and I don't let him forget it) and I can still just look at him, do those motions, and we both start giggling.  Even my Dad was chuckling about it last night.  (My Dad does NOT giggle.)  So, after a little trip down Memory Lane, I got off the detour and finished explaining about the CGM.  They think it'll be cool.  Me too.  Not shockingly, my brother already has a new nickname for me.  "'Borg", short for cyborg, of course.  I will add it to the list of nicknames....which is entirely too long for this blog. 

Isn't family fun?  :)