I totally get you on this subject. I never know whether I should let on to someone or wait till they speak first. There are just so many cues and then there's all the handshaking, hugging, kissing and stuff which I never get. It always makes me feel so uncomfortable so I tend to only shake hands when I really have to cos I really don't like it. I don#t think I will ever get my head round it all so I see where you are coming from.
I usually just greet a person verbally unless they try to take it further with a handshake or a kiss but I always wait for their cue first to avoid any embarrassment.
I find different groups of people have different ways of greeting especially posh people and people from different levels of social standing. I would just go with the verbal unless you see them moving in for a bit more.
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I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears...in...rain. Time to die.