I am fascinated by human beings.
I love to people-watch. Being an introvert, I’m quite good at it. I have no problem sitting in a corner, in a social gathering, and just observing. You might not even know I’m there, so unobtrusive I am, coffee in hand, kicked back and relaxed, watching the players of life act out their parts.
Some, who do not know me, think I am sitting in quiet judgment, but that is in no way the truth. Who am I, with the life I’ve lived, and the mistakes I’ve made, to judge others? No, I am simply soaking up the marvelous nuances of the human species. I love to watch people in different scenarios and see how they adjust and handle it all. Why does one person handle a crisis so effortlessly while another freezes in fear and indecision? Why do some show so much self-confidence while others shrink from any position of responsibility? Why are some so demonstrative with their feelings while others resemble the Sphinx?
I observe . . . take mental notes . . . practice conjecture . . . role-play with me in similar situations . . . wonder about what-ifs and what-nots.
What is the goal of it all? I don’t know that I have one. I’ve always been that way, since my youngest days, the face in the shadows, the quiet kid with the active mind, blink and you’d miss him, that sort of person. I do not want attention; I shrink from it as a matter of fact. I am comfortable with solitude and I abhor small-talk. I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy, skip the appetizers, I can’t be bothered with the hi, how are you, what’s new, nice to see you sort of sugarcoated nonsense that passes for conversation in most social settings. It’s just the way I am and I’m fine with it.
And perhaps it has all led to me being a writer, a profession which allows me to thrive as an introvert, an opportunity for me to converse about important issues without ever opening my mouth in public.
My old man used to tell me a man must demand respect, that it is not given freely but is earned. It seems to me that the act of “demanding” is not so much a vocal order as it is the way you act towards others. If I treat you with respect I will receive the same in return. If I treat you with love, love will flow back in my direction. I can do both without being vocal or invasive or obnoxiously self-serving. I can quietly embrace my fellow man. I can try to understand him. I can show that I care, and if I do those things respect will be earned.
I am fascinated by human beings.
I am a writer.
I observe and I chronicle that which I observe.
Life is good!
Bill
Billybuc
Artistry With Words 
Life is good indeed and love how you are a people watcher. I think I was more so before I had kids. Some days I truly have no time for much else. But still, every once in a while I will indeed stop and take people watching in and more. So, I agree there is truly something to that. Thanks for sharing once again and Happy Tuesday once again, Bill 🙂
Janine, having kids has a habit of taking us out of our norm….ten more years and you’ll rediscover who you are. 🙂 Thanks always!
I too am a people watcher. When waiting for someone at the airport to arrive I don’t mind if the flight is delayed as it gives me time to people watch.
Very true, Susan. Or at a doctor’s office waiting for an appointment.
No wonder you’ve never doubted that I appreciate your friendship even when I skip over all the “hi, how are you” sort of things, which, for me, is most of the time. You get it, man. LOL. Life is good and people watching is never boring.
Oh i get it for sure, Shannon. Just shoot me; it’s kinder than small talk. lol
Me too–a people watcher!
Educates me a lot as a writer and also I try to translate their expressions into dialogues 😛
I totally agree,Ruchira.Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
I totally comprehend you on this one Bill. I often study humans too. And I try to leave judgement out of the equation even though it sometimes rears its head up.
But it is a great way to form characters and I commend you on your ease of doing this. I am usually caught in the act and it can be difficult explaining. Many others tend to judge and studying humans can almost come off as perverted in some minds.
You made me laugh, Greg! Leaving out judgments is tricky at times.
I am an introvert as well. I gain my energy through my alone time and am overwhelmed by too much time with people, even when it’s texting or other means of today’s communication. Small talk is hard for me, while diving deep into thinking about a topic and exploring it is as easy as going to grab a snack. I do love appetizers and I am mostly vegetarian; vegan a few days a week! But people watching is something I have always loved.
When I was 18 or 19, I worked at the local casino and loved to take breaks and watched how people interacted. I am the one in crowds who tends to be really quiet because of all the personalities; though in online groups such as my Bible Study, I realize I will talk when it is quiet to break the silence and get folks talking.
Nice getting to know you.
Nice getting to know you, Shell! I suspect we would be very good friends if we lived close by each other. I gravitate towards intelligent,thoughtful,introspective people like you.
I believe so too, Bill. As a fan of your writing and seeing you go from retired and new to writing to coming out with books and going full speed, you’ve encouraged me. I still remember the first days meeting you over on HubPages (I went by EyesStraightAhead, my original blog name that I sunset months ago). You were brand new when you welcomed me as a newbie. That was back in either 2012 or 2013. Seems like a lifetime ago! Have a great night!
It has been that long, hasn’t it,Shell! Hard to believe. And to think I didn’t even want to join HP. My wife told me to either act like a writer or stop pretending…and here I am.
And you’re a damned good writer at that. 🙂 You’re a great observer. I’m probably somewhere in the middle of the introvert/extrovert spectrum. I’m definitely more introverted than extroverted (I can stay home for days and days without venturing out and I’m fine with that), but then I need some people time every so often, too.
I can do small talk for about 10 minutes before my brain shuts off and all my energy drains through to my feet…and then the floor. I thrive on talking with close friends – the kind I can count on one hand – about life’s biggest questions. About the biggest issues humanity faces. I get told – often – that people have to press pause on the conversations because they run out of steam. Haha. I get their brains full, apparently. But it’s only close friends. Everyone else in the world gets the hi-how-are-yous and my energy quickly gets sapped from doing that. But I’m not the observer you are. I’m such a dreamer that I’m often with my head in the clouds, pretty much oblivious to what’s going on…unless I’m philosophizing about world affairs. Eh…it’s the way I’m built. I used to think I was more of an observer. I can be. But I’m more of a cloud-based dreamer. That’s me. 🙂
I like you just the way you are, Lil Sis…don’t change…well,change is necessary, of course, but please don’t change the core of you.
Hugs coming your way
Hi Bill, love your post. I am also an introvert and I like watching people, but that does not translate into my writing. I do not write regularly. I only write when I need to convey something that is important to me, or something that impressed me deeply, or something that I don’t want to forget.
Btw, Ivo Andrić, the Nobel Prize in Literature winner for his book The Bridge on the Drina, was an introvert, too. He disliked being interviewed.
Thank you Irina! I suspect I would have liked Ivo Andric! 🙂
I can relate to being introvert, know all about it. I don’t do people watching though, at least not in the same way. Instead, I’ve done my share of children-watching, from toddlers to early teens, and it’s a great way to learn about them 🙂
Thank you Emese! It’s always interesting to hear what others see when they observe.
I came, I read, I left – quietly.
It’s a good thing you snuck in, Mike, or I would have observed you. 🙂
We seem very similar Bill, I’ve always been the quiet observer and like you I do think this may have contributed to me being a writer.
Thank you Andrea! It’s always nice knowing a fellow introvert/observer. We shall be great friends.
Bill, I am somtimey introverted sometimey extrovert, which means I don’t know what I want at a given time! I also like to people watch, but I love attention at times. I think most of my introversion is due to my health problems because I wanted to be the center of attention and make people laugh when I was younger. I treasure, however, the solitude of life now. Because I don’t have the stamina to be extroverted anymore, I get to see the other side of life and I love it. I do much imagining about people and what life would be for them and how I would handle similar situations I see them in when I watch. I am still learning how to be comfortable with it.
An interesting transformation you have taken,Rodric.Thanks for sharing that….going from extrovert to introvert is something I can’t imagine.
I can fully relate to your post Bill.. I also love to just sit and observe. and I am quite content just sitting, no need for unnecessary words to be spoken. Yet you wouldn’t think so with the comments I leave here and there as my fingers do plenty of talking..
I loved what your Father taught you about respect.. So true.. and what we send out we receive back tenfold, or so the saying goes..
I also was always the quiet shy child… Maybe that is why we love to express ourselves so freely in our written word.
May we all learn to treat each other with love and respect Bill.. If we all did that with each other, what a difference this world would be… 😀
Have a peaceful Sunday Bill..
Take care
Sue 🙂
Sue, I am very grateful that you open up in your comments. Through your comments I have come to know and appreciate you as a quality human being. My only regret about our friendship is I’ll probably never meet you in person…so I must be happy with what we have. 🙂 Wishing you peace and love this Sunday and beyond.
bill
Yes, life is good… but sometimes things go wrong in the world and there’s nothing we can do but let God know that we’re suffering from it. I also have a new blog post!! I hope you like it: https://miniturepincher.wordpress.com/my-first-dog-true-story/
Thank you for sharing, Dogs….I’ll go look now.
Call me Summer 😉
I will do that…thank you Summer!