How did I not know about the awkward turtle?

I like to think of myself as "in the loop". From time to time I'm reminded I'm not. I had missed out on one of the most important movements in social psychology, the "Awkward Turtle". I did a little research from the most trusted sources, Urban Dictionary, Wikipedia AND YouTube. This gesture is omnipotent. Here are a few snippets:

Awkward Animals

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Awkward Animals are animal
gestures made to mark an awkward moment or silence. Depending on the situation, it is used to make the situation more awkward or clears the air. There are several awkward animals that exist like the awkward turtle, awkward cow, awkward turkey, and more. This whole awkward animal phase started out with the awkward turtle, hence it is the most common awkward animal used. As people got bored, they made up their own awkward animals until we have a list of outrageous random animals and things. For example, awkward llama, oyster, dragon, table, etc.

Awkward Turtle

The Awkward Turtle is done by placing one of your hands over the other with both palms facing down, sticking your thumbs outward, and rotating both of your thumbs forward in a circular motion. The speed of the rotation reflects on the degree of awkwardness. This gesture is performed after something awkward has just happened or when there is an awkward silence. When someone makes the awkward turtle gesture, the goal of all others involved in the awkward moment is to be the first to make their own turtle gesture and hump the original turtle before any other players can. Within the last two years or so, the awkward turtle has become very popular among high school and college students. Facebook now has more than 500 groups of "awkward turtle" devotees, the largest with more than 27,000 members. But how it started is anyone's guess. Rumors suggest that it originated in the sign language term for "turtle" or "sea turtle." Not true, says Donna E. Gustina, an American Sign Language expert at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, N.Y.. "The hand signal that you see used for the expression 'awkward turtle' is the same as the sign in ASL for platypus." Deaf students at the institute had not heard of the "awkward turtle."

Other Awkward Animals

Various other awkward animals such as the Sexual Tension Squid, the Awkward Humping Starfish, the Sexual Tension Starfish, the Rejection Squid Hi-five and the Monster also exist. There are various other hand gestures used to signify each. There is no specific usage for each, but they most commonly occur in any awkward moment or situation.

Urban Dictionary shows awkward turtle entries as early as September 2005.

1. awkward turtle

May 29, 2007 Urban Word of the Day

buy awkward turtle mugs, tshirts and magnets

The animal mascot of the awkward moment.

When you're in an awkward moment, place your hands on top of each other, and spin your thumbs forward. Thus creating the creature know as awkward turtle.

Oh my god, so I was talking to Becky about STDs and I forgot she had syphillis... it was mad awkward turtle

by Final Attempt Sep 6, 2005

Some may deem the awkward turtle immature or for the high school crowd. I say NO, this little phenomenon should find its place in everyday vernacular.