More embarrassing than a three-way handshake
"I work at a friendly, very well known company and have since the very beginning their existence," writes a member of Mumsnet.com. "All of the original staff hugged and kissed on the cheek as we had all worked together through thick and thin. . My CO came over to introduce me to someone who is hoping to become a corporate client and went in for a hug. I only got one arm around. The other was left straggling and I accidentally cupped his balls ... We exchanged a 'I know you know I just felt your balls' look ..."
Putting sleeping issues to bed
Trouble sleeping because your mind is racing with Christmas logistics and end-of-year chaos? You know all the cliches, but here are a couple of more out-of-the-box reason you might find it hard to drop off, according to Business Insider.
1. Stop sleeping with awful people. "While researchers say there's still a lot to learn on how couples sleep in the same bed, the bulk of the evidence collected in a review suggests happy couples sleep better together - and that people who sleep well together turn out to be happier couples."
2. Try to stay awake. "The science on this one is a little thin ... but when researchers tested the cognitive trick reverse psychology it improved subjects' speediness in falling asleep."
Air travel - the long and the short of it
Last week Qantas announced their new non-stop service between Perth and London. The 14,466.393km flight will take 17.5 hours, making it the longest non-stop flight in the world. Which made me wonder what the shortest would be. According to You Tube's Wendover Productions, the shortest regularly scheduled commercial flight is 53 seconds. The flight is between Westray and Papa Westray in the Orkney Islands in Scotland and covers 2.7km and costs 17 pounds (NZD$30) for a seat.
If the plate fits
Sideswipe local gift suggestion: You've probably heard about former TV3 journalist David Farrier's documentary about competitive tickling, but you may not have seen it! TICKLED is described by Variety magazine as : "An alarming cautionary tale... what sounds like a fun look at a particularly outré subculture turns out to be no laughing matter." This a must see kiwi film and perfect downtime holiday viewing. Buy it here. (Or from JB Hi-Fi, The Warehouse, Real Groovy IRL)
Video: The cast of Seinfeld talk about being recognised by fans out in the world.
Good read: This is a harrowing read about the heavy toll of President Rodrigo Duterte's brutal antidrug campaign in the Philippines, but it's done with such sensitivity and uses the medium to tell a horrifying story, beautifully.
Video: English for beginners is a nice seasonal tale (with a smattering of NSFW language)...
Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz