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This week: I Danced with a Giant Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Contests & Activities Newsletter. I am Shannon and I am your editor this week.
Today I want to talk about honing your observation skills, a topic inspired by my friend ragefire2000 |
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Have you ever watched someone do something so completely bizarre that you thought, What the heck! Did I just see what I think I saw?
I remember when Bluetooth headsets first came out--I thought there was a pandemic of crazy people walking around talking to themselves.
People do and say some interesting things--stuff you can use to breathe life into your characters. Just last month my husband and I went downtown to celebrate Mardi Gras, something I've never done before. I wish I'd taken my camera along, but one thing I always bring is a notebook, and I had it with me that night.
The first place we went was a bar we'd heard about on the radio. Apparently they have open mic night during the week, and I felt like listening to some good old-fashioned acoustic guitar.
An old black lab greeted us when we opened the door, and the smoke-filled, dimly-lit room buzzed with hushed conversations. Two worn sofas lined the wall to the left, a few bar stools topped with patrons lined the wall to the right, and the stage was surrounded by tables, at which the most intoxicated customers sat. The boy on stage was young--no more than twenty--but he played and sang like an old pro. I smiled and sat.
Observing the counterculture around me, I felt as though I'd been transported back to the 60s: there were young Caucasian men with full beards and afros, others with dreadlocks, the girls wore leggings, crocheted miniskirts and pigtails, both sexes sported hemp necklaces, some were tattooed and pierced and some wore rainbow-colored Baja hoodies.
The man nearest the stage was inebriated, and I dubbed him "Bob" because he looked just like Seger did when he sang Turn the Page back in the day. He stood there alone and danced. He didn't care what people thought or how foolish he looked. He was enjoying himself, and that's all that mattered to him. I couldn't look away. I took mental notes of everything I saw, and I jotted down the details.
That's one of my quirks--nicknaming people I know and see with the names of celebrities they resemble. I've seen Colonel Sanders in the Wal-Mart parking lot, Chad Kroeger at a Nickelback concert (and no, he wasn't on stage), Angela Lansbury in Barnes & Noble, and Bob Seger in a bar in downtown Boise, Idaho, just to name a few.
I got tired of watching Bob, so we decided to go to the next place on our list--a lounge inside a fancy hotel. The female singer was dressed to the nines, as were the patrons. One couple in particular caught my eye; they were older, perhaps in their late 50s or early 60s. She was drinking heavily and appeared to be arguing with him. She'd lean in close to shout something in his ear, then purse her lips, raise her eyebrows and lean back in her chair every time she made a point. He leaned back, his fingers laced together over his large belly, and completely ignored her. She turned away long enough to cheer for the song being sung, and he quickly pushed her wine glass out of her reach and sat back before she noticed he'd moved. When the song was over he stood, took up position behind her, scooped her up by the armpits and raised her to her feet. He handed her the cane she'd hooked over the back of the chair next to her, and they left without speaking a word to each other.
Next we went to the hottest hot-spot on our list. The first thing I noticed when we walked through the door were the two topless women--from the waist up they wore nothing more than some strategically-placed body paint. They sat by the open door (keep in mind this was February in Idaho), and their table was surrounded by men. I wonder why?
Then there was the shirtless guy who wore a Native American Headdress, the feathers extending three feet above the top of his head. Matching wristbands and leather pants completed his ensemble.
I saw men dressed as women, women dressed as men, and a gray-haired lady in her 70s who looked very out of place. I wondered if she was lost until I saw her dancing with a much younger man.
But my favorite was a man who stood a head taller than everyone else in the room. He was young (I'm guessing mid-twenties) and about six foot six inches tall. He wore black slacks, a white shirt and coattails, and a lime green bow tie, top hat and gloves. Boy, could that man dance! I was sitting there watching him when, suddenly, he strolled over to me and held out his hands.
I laughed. "No," I said apologetically. "I don't dance. But thank you. I love your costume. It's beautiful." I reached out to stroke his silk vest with my fingertips.
He replied, "Please give me the pleasure of dancing with a beautiful woman."
Ladies, now I don't know about you, but that's a hard one to turn down, so I agreed.
He first tried to spin me one way, but I spun the other. "Relax," he whispered in my ear. "You are beautiful. Just look at me and follow my lead." Before I knew it I was laughing and having a great time. He told me to jump up and down, so I jumped up and down with him, and when he dipped me I didn't care that my shirt rose up enough to expose my bellybutton. I didn't care that I couldn't dance. I didn't care that people were watching us. He didn't care either, even when I stepped on his feet (four times). When the song was over he kissed the side of my neck and hugged me, then he bowed before me and clapped.
I'm still smiling.
By the time I got home around 3:00 a.m. I'd written more than six pages of notes--one page for every hour I was out observing.
There are so many interesting people out there--people whose idiosyncrasies and quirks and secrets can be used to mold interesting, unique, fleshed-out characters. All we need to do is look ... and take notes.
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There are many contests and activities to choose from here on WDC. I've tried to include a wide variety here, so hopefully you'll find something to light a fire under your muse.
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Feedback
The feedback below is in response to "Contests & Activities Newsletter (March 4, 2009)"
KimChi  says, "Great newsletter, Shannon! Perfect examples of breaking all the rules from a single writer. To be honest, his work never thrilled me, but I will certainly take another look. Thanks for challenging my perceptions." Thank you so much for your kind words, Kimchi! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
esprit says, "Shannon, I really enjoyed reading this letter, the quotes were very well chosen for good writers. A caveat at the end would've made my job of reviewing beginning writers easier though. Something about first learning the basic rules, then knowing how to break them.  " Touch', esprit! Perhaps that sould be the topic of my next newsletter. Hmm.... *drums fingers on table* I feel an article coming on! 
Acme says, "Shannon, that was a smashing newsletter! I love Chekhov, and not just because of his mad hair in Star Trek... hang on...
Seriously, I've not read all 600+ stories, but the ones I have left a strong impression on me, especially his comedy:
ONE fine morning the collegiate assessor, Kirill Ivanovitch Babilonov, who had died of the two afflictions so widely spread in our country, a bad wife and alcoholism, was being buried. (The Orator)
There is a fabulous web site with 201 Public Domain Chekhov stories that I would recommend anyone delving into: http://web.archive.org/web/20050207205948/www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/ac/jr/index.h... "I love Chekhov, and not just because of his mad hair in Star Trek."  Thank you so much for sharing that link, acme! And thank you for your kind words of support. I'm glad you liked it.
Michelle Broughton says, "Chekhov learned the things any real writer knows: write what you really see, write what your heart feels, write from the bottom of your soul. Do not write for the masses; write for yourself. If the story contains all these things, others may one day see and appreciate it. More importantly, you will die knowing you did your best at what you love." Sage words of advice, Michelle. Following trends and steering your writing toward the flavor of the week is the kiss of death. Be true to yourself and your muse, and you will go far. Thank you for reading and commenting!
Coolhand says, "Your article about Anton Chekhov was an exceptional piece of work. It was funny, interesting and insigtful; but more importantly, it opened my eyes and gave me a whole different persective, and plenty to think over. Thanks." Thank you so much, Coolhand. I can't tell you how excited I am to see how this article's been received by the WDC community. Thank you.
karlaswan says, "Fabulous Newsletter! Learned more in one page than in all my classes and studies. Thank you!" It is I who should be thanking all of you for your kind words of support and encouragement--so THANK YOU! 
Elaine's Beary Limited*~ says, "This was good. Thanks for telling me about Chekhov and some of the books he wrote and what he wrote about. I enjoyed this one." You're welcome, Elaine. Thank you for reading my newsletter and sending in your comments! They are much appreciated.
AXiLeA says, "This is one of the most useful and thought-provoking newsletters I have ever read! Thank you." Thank YOU, Axilea! I'm glad you liked it.
Katya the Poet  says, "Nice newsletter! I have been reading this book, too!" Thank you, Katya! I'm glad I got the chance to tell others about what a wonderful inspiration and resource this book is. Thanks for sharing!
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Contests & Activities: March 18, 2009 Issue [#2924]
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