I've always loved people watching. When I'm waiting in a silent classroom for the professor to begin his lecture, unlike most of my peers, I don't pull out my phone, I look at people. And I mean that in the most non creepy way possible. Rather than simply staring at the person sitting next to me I just glance around the room every so often and comprehend more faces each time. The people vary so much from age, race, gender and personal style. Instead of guffawing at the slightly overweight male dressed in scrubs with his curly fro pushed back by a headband...I speculate on why he might be where he is, or where he just came from.
There are an infinite number of possibilities.
Maybe he simply enjoys wearing scrubs to class. Or, perhaps his father is a nurse practitioner, and he is working for the family business while trying to earn a degree to become a nurse himself someday. Better yet, perhaps he volunteers part time in a hospital while going to school full time because he has compassion for the sick.
Try it sometime. Next time you are waiting in line at a grocery store, or are waiting for class to begin, or are riding in an airplane, put down your phone (or maybe even your book) and take a moment to observe the folks around you. You'd be surprised how much it sharpens your ability to invent more complex characters for your writing, or to simply grow accustomed to considering more possibilities about others.
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People Watching
I've always loved people watching. When I'm waiting in a silent classroom for the professor to begin his lecture, unlike most of my peers, I don't pull out my phone, I look at people. And I mean that in the most non creepy way possible. Rather than simply staring at the person sitting next to me I just glance around the room every so often and comprehend more faces each time. The people vary so much from age, race, gender and personal style. Instead of guffawing at the slightly overweight male dressed in scrubs with his curly fro pushed back by a headband...I speculate on why he might be where he is, or where he just came from.
There are an infinite number of possibilities.
Maybe he simply enjoys wearing scrubs to class. Or, perhaps his father is a nurse practitioner, and he is working for the family business while trying to earn a degree to become a nurse himself someday. Better yet, perhaps he volunteers part time in a hospital while going to school full time because he has compassion for the sick.
Try it sometime. Next time you are waiting in line at a grocery store, or are waiting for class to begin, or are riding in an airplane, put down your phone (or maybe even your book) and take a moment to observe the folks around you. You'd be surprised how much it sharpens your ability to invent more complex characters for your writing, or to simply grow accustomed to considering more possibilities about others.
There are an infinite number of possibilities.
Maybe he simply enjoys wearing scrubs to class. Or, perhaps his father is a nurse practitioner, and he is working for the family business while trying to earn a degree to become a nurse himself someday. Better yet, perhaps he volunteers part time in a hospital while going to school full time because he has compassion for the sick.
Try it sometime. Next time you are waiting in line at a grocery store, or are waiting for class to begin, or are riding in an airplane, put down your phone (or maybe even your book) and take a moment to observe the folks around you. You'd be surprised how much it sharpens your ability to invent more complex characters for your writing, or to simply grow accustomed to considering more possibilities about others.
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I do that every time I am riding in our car. I look at the other drivers and I wonder where they are going, or where they are coming from. What are their names? What is their life story? How complex is it? I wonder what their hopes and dreams are? Why are they in such a hurry for? There are so many possibilities when it comes to the imagination.
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I agree. People watching is a lot of fun--and good practice, too. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI do that every time I am riding in our car. I look at the other drivers and I wonder where they are going, or where they are coming from. What are their names? What is their life story? How complex is it? I wonder what their hopes and dreams are? Why are they in such a hurry for? There are so many possibilities when it comes to the imagination.
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