People Watching

This fun activity can be done, anywhere. That’s right, just step outside your door and there they are, the strange, the beautiful creatures that occupy much of our planet.   The habits of these creatures are fascinating.  They are often humorous, without even trying.

Listening to the dialogue of these humanoid subjects can be quite amusing.  Some seem to have made up their own special language.  Others use gestures to communicate without saying a word.  The dialect varies according to location.   A perfect place to hear a variety of accents and languages is Disney World. I, for one, love to hear small children visiting from England speaking to their parental units. Even when they whine, it sounds simply adorable, “Mummy, Mummy, please, please may I have it?”.   Restaurants and Diners are wonderful places to listen to conversations.  I love to hear small children carry on a conversation, especially when they don’t know you are listening, they are extremely entertaining.

The mall is also a choice place to observe the habits of these subjects.  You will see young ones being pushed along in strollers, and older ones trudging along at their own pace, carefully avoiding being mowed down by the younger ones.  There are security officers who keep a watchful eye over the scene. Sales people are present, trying desperately to get someone to listen to their pitch.   Take a seat on a bench and watch the parade; each one different, each one with a story of their own.

 

Your place of work is also an excellent source for noticing the habits of others.  Most likely you spend a great deal of time with these individuals.  You see them every day but may not give too much thought to the way they approach life.  Take time to listen, watch and learn from other people.  Some lessons are definitely, What Not to Do, but you never know when you might pick up a tip that will make your life easier.

So when you are out and about, take a note pad, pretend you are on a surveillance assignment, and write down everything you see and hear.  You could meet the next character for a story, just waiting to be discovered or you might just get a funny story to tell.

Homework (Choose any or all) :

1.        Describe an amusing conversation you overheard.

2.        Detail the most outlandish outfit you have seen in public.

3.        Give an example of a lesson you learned by watching someone else.

4.       Tell us what your favorite place to people watch is.

5.       Has there been a time when you have developed a character and then later observed someone who seemed to fit the bill? Tell us about it.

I am excited about our upcoming sessions! Hope to see you there!

Until Next Time,

Lisa M. Crosby