by Donna K. Weaver
Hubby and I sat on an uncomfortable hill at Thanksgiving Point last night in excited anticipation of a concert by The Piano Guys. The weather was less than accommodating and it rained with a little dash of wind and lightening/thunder, but the wonderful show went on.Besides my own willingness to put up with the natural ambiance of the event (which can be amazing in different circumstances since the outdoor amphitheater is set among beautiful gardens and these fabulous falls), I took advantage of this opportunity to people watch.
People watching is such a wonderful way to get ideas for stories or scenes. There was a cute couple in front of us, sitting on a small blanket. They each had an umbrella, but the guy's was huge and the rain kept dripping onto her smaller one that didn't quite cover her back, resulting in even more rain dripping on her. Eventually, he noticed and offered her to share his larger one. Okay. A little dense of him not to have picked up on such an opportune moment earlier, but hey. She had to slide closer to fit.
Can you tell I write romance?
Last November a group of us went to a local dessert cafe called The Chocolate for a write-in during NaNoWriMo. We didn't get a lot of actual writing done because it was so fascinating to listen in on conversations, catching snippets of long-time, well established couples to a pair going out on their first date, remembering what it's like to be out with someone you're just learning about.
People watching isn't just about getting ideas for stories. It's also about stepping outside of ourselves to be reminded of the millions of lives--with their joys, heartbreaks, successes, disappointments, tragedies, and perseverance. Our stories try to mimic what's really going on around us every day. And that's the key word: real.
Do you have any favorite places you like to go and watch life?
7 comments:
Sporting events are always interesting. So are drunk people!
Yeah there are many to be seen no matter where you go, just have to open our eyes I suppose.
Story ideas and learning about humanity, two great reasons to people watch.
This is the one thing I really miss about being a flight attendant...the airport people watching.
Absolutely! I people-watch all the time. So much to learn! :)
Great post, Donna!
I love people watching too. I think my favorite spot is the grocery store. People are ALWAYS themselves at the grocery store :)
I like to walk around the mall. It's a good place to get some exercise when it's cold outdoors, and it's interesting what people say and do when they're shopping. :)
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