I must be a germaphobe, at least my wife says I am...

[Gary W. Graley]

Well, a few years ago I stopped shaking hands, seems like every time after Sunday at church, you shake hands with everyone that week I'd get sick, cold or what not, so I decided to just fist bump people, which is a little safer the doctors without borders I've heard in South Africa don't even do that, but bump elbows. I haven't gotten that far along yet, but it's probably next. Since changing my ways, it's been a long time since getting sick, folks at church even proffer the fist to me as they know me by now and one guy today said 'now that's the way to do it!' which I took to me doing that instead of shaking hands. I do this at work as well, from presidents of the company to visiting customers, they smile and think it's quaint, at least they smiled...

I don't do much other besides that to really call me a germaphobe that I know of, just wash my hands keep things tidy as I can. But today after church we took our grandkids we were watching today out to lunch at Arby's, my wife bumped my grandson's cheese stick out of his hands down onto the floor where it rolled a couple tables away. He went to fetch it, my wife intended that he would still eat it...I took it and said..uh NO, he's not eating that. She said 'the floor's cleaner than the table, he'll be fine' I just took it away and threw it into the trash, she was mad at me for doing so, but I'm like...are you kidding me? I guess she felt bad for being the reason it fell to the floor, I figured he'll live without eating that one piece.

So, if that makes me a germaphobe, I guess I am lol but I couldn't believe my ears when she said it's fine, the floor's very clean...

So, I either saved his life, or deprived him of just one piece of cheese, I'm ok with that
G2

 

[knarfeng]

An alternative might be to keep some hand sanitizer in your car, and use it after all the hand shaking is done.

I always wash my hands after shaking hands at work and am seldom ill.

 

[Velitrius]

Ya gotta eat some dirt, G2...

I used to be the same way right about the time Kid 1.0 came along. I wiped down the shopping cart with sani-wipes before the kid could ride in it. No 5 second rule with the dropped foodstuffs, etc.

Can't remember where I read it, but getting a bit of dirt into the system is supposedly good for kids immune system. I don't know if that's true or not, the old interwebs probably have just as much "evidence" to prove or disprove this. But when Kid 2.0 arrived, I was downright lackadaisical about the sterile environment thing. He shows no ill effects of this neglect, and may be a bit stouter in the immune system department than his predecessor.

Your wife's comment about the floor being cleaner than the table is probably spot-on. That table top absorbs many hands, foods, sneezes, insects, dirty looks... I'd hate to think past that.

But out of respect, next time I run into you on the street, I'll bump elbows with you.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Good tips guys, and actually when I was in first grade I remember eating dirt that was under our house in St Albans WV, it just smelled so good, lol

BUT, I think I'll stick with what I'm doing for now, it may seem a little cold hearted to those that really want to shake your hand, but I figure they'll get over it and some even may change to doing the bump too.

I'll see ya on the streets guys
G2

 

[stabman]

If you need any extra germs for the immune system to handle, just eat at a couple of fast food places.

No need to eat dirt.

 

[r8shell]

It's not so much shaking hands that transmits illness, it's then touching your face and mouth, rubbing your eyes, etc. afterwards. I don't mind shaking hands except when I'm about to eat, and someone comes to the table and wants to shake. Oh, and I will not eat food that's touched a restaurant table, in fact, I don't like my silverware to touch the table directly. I've seen people sit their poopy-diapered babies on restaurant tables.

Other than that, I don't consider myself a germaphobe.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Correct and it's simply AMAZING how often we touch our face/mouth/eyes so trying to wash after shaking hands is pretty tough to do, kind of like on one of my favourite shows Monk, he'd always get a wipe immediately after shaking someone's hand loved that show.

And yes, I can't imagine the floor is much better, it was a textured like stone walk way with lots of nooks an crannies and from where I was sitting, it didn't look all that clean to me, you carry in crap...literally crap from outside into the building on your shoes, so I was pretty shocked she'd even consider that.

Oh, and I'm with you on the silverware not touching the table...me neither! I've seen the rags they use to wipe them down with.
G2