Look Around

Have not posted for a bit, as I have been working on getting a series of writing classes off the ground. I will be teaching the end of July into late August, and the series is entitled Save Your Life Writing -- a kind of spin off of the Save Your Life Project. It will be based on the notion of committing Acts of Attention in order to get a book project started. The classes are designed for the people who always tell me, "I have a great idea for a book, and I love to write, but I'm really not a writer." To which I say, "Hogwash. Anyone who loves books and writing can write a book, and here's how to do it." It will be enlightening, and entertaining, and inspiring and FUN.

To get back to this project: I am posting from Sparky's place, where I came to spend a small town 4th of July (which is my favorite holiday, as it comes at the height of perfect summer weather and there are no big expectations of big meals, big presents, big emotional roller coasters. Only, hopefully, big parades and fireworks displays, and a big cold chicken and potato salad nosh).
Whenever I'm here at Sparky's, I can never help but notice a few fundamental differences between men and women. One is the propensity of men to be huge attention seekers. No sooner do you tell them, "OK, I'm going to work now, and would appreciate a little quiet time," they begin to say "Shit, shit! Ow, ow!" under their breaths, just loudly enough so you can hear, play back their phone messages at top volume in the next room, rustle papers, again quite loudly, saying "Ow!" the whole time, then spill coffee all over the dog, when the "Shit!"s rise to full volume and the dog rushes to you dripping coffee all over your lap and looking for pets and reassurance that you've not left them forever with the crazy person in the next room. It's not just Sparky, either. Probably 78% of men exhibit this behavior. It annoys me.
Another annoying habit of the male persuasion is the determined inability or sheer unwillingness to look about them. Sparky will say, often, "I can't find my glasses" before he even looks. I will gaze up from my book, and immediately spot them on the coffee table, not three feet from Sparky's nose. I will point this out, and he will grunt and stick them on his face and "lose" them again exactly seven minutes later. Then he'll call from the other room, "Did you move my glasses?" The accusatory interrogatory, of course, is even more annoying than the interrogatory of oblivion. "No," I'll reply. "I've been sitting here reading the whole time you've had them. Have you checked the bathroom sink?" Which is where he sets them down about 67% of the time. I'd say this annoying habit occurs in 94% of males.
So, this is a special exercise, to hone all our short term memories. It was inspired by my encounters with Sparky's oblivion to objects, but we can all benefit from this one, and I'm not trying to single out one particular gender, but, well...It's called Look Around. For five minutes, wherever you happen to be, really look around you. Notice objects. Small objects on surfaces. A note pad, keys, an old cassette tape, the book you're reading, a pen, if you're at home. Cups on tables, a folded newspaper, a display of cakes on a counter if you're in a cafe. Etc. Notice where the objects are in relation to other objects. Make a detailed mental picture of them. Then go do something in another room, or go outside for five minutes. Wash the dishes, hang out laundry, throw a frisbee for your dog. Forget about the objects. Then, after the five minutes are up, still in a space where the observed objects are not, write about them. Draw them. Be relational, be specific about details of their appearance and position. Then when you're done, go look. Did you remember?