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27 March 2007
Are you a leaner? Given the option, do you lean against something, or do you choose to stand on your own? What do you think this says about you?
I think I almost always choose to lean against something. This means I'm probably lazier than I should be and perhaps obsessed with looking cool. Also, it's probably contributed to my ongoing knee problems.
I'm a definite leaner. But instead of labeling it 'laziness,' I prefer to think of it as taking advantage of every resource available to me, which translates into a very valuable sort of efficiency, if you ask me.
I almost said 50/50, but I realized that no, I really like standing. I'm a big fan of the Navy-style at-ease position: a wide, steady stance with the feet, a comfortably aligned spine, and hands clasped behind the back. It works well for me because it means I don't feel awkward about what my hands are doing - you can hook your thumbs through your back belt-loop. You can also shift your weight left to right if your legs start to get tired.
I also like standing because you can rise up on the balls of your feet and get a little calf workout.
Leaning is very tempting around cars, though. I've often started lounging out on total strangers' cars, and that's not nice.
I was just reading about this and I wish I could remember where... either a theater director or a photographer talking about how hard it is to get people to just be, without hiding behind tables or leaning against things for support...
I know it's something I saw a lot when I was directing, people trying to look "natural" by standing awkwardly and unbalanced, with a hand on a table or something. (I realize that's not quite the question, but that's what came to mind.)
I try to stand, but I definitely notice myself leaning on things when I'm uncertain. If I feel like I'm intruding, for instance, which I feel a lot, I think I try to "soften" my presence by leaning on something.
I lean all the time, but I also often make a conscious effort to adopt Miko's Navy at ease position (that's what I call it in my head too) when I realize that I've settled into a particularly gratuitous lean, the kind where I'm clearly making more of an effort to lean than it would take to stand up straight.
I think it comes from my doorman days when I was basically being paid to stand around and look like I might be willing to do some work at any moment. So the at ease position is the best compromise between a resting posture and an active one.
I lean on the subway often because I don't want to take a seat unless there are many free seats, I hate that jammed in, legs together feeling of a crowded bench.
Leaning allows me to both Keep The Enemy In Front of Me (wall can't hurt me), and Avoid Being Nowhere (if you touch something, you're somewhere - learned that in Theatre School and I find it true). It is not lazy, it is sensible.
I always lean on things. Not because I'm lazy or anything - I'm worried about them falling over unless I hold them up. Like seanyboy, I can walk forever but, if I have to stand still for more than 10 minutes, my knees give me hell for the next couple of days.
photo by splunge
photo by TheophileEscargot
photo by Kronos_to_Earth
photo by ethylene
