Tag Archives: people watching

I don’t mean to bore you …but ….

26 Nov

Tonight I’ve been wondering about yawning. That bizarre phenomenon that most of us know little about … because while there are many myths and theories, there are not all that a many facts.

So why do I care ??? well last night while I was pondering why it helps to smile when you are at work …  I went searching for a yawning picture, and the minute I saw a page full of yawners …. I STARTED TO YAWN myself.

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Now, like you, I know all about being in a room with someone who yawns…and watching the chain reaction take off; but I would never have dreamed that looking at a photo could have the same effect …..(nor sitting here writing about it ..so far I have had 7 …. how many have you had ??) .

According to  research they say that the more you are affected by nearby yawners … the more empathic you are, which kind of makes some sense… I’ve always said I have an over-active empathy gland….but who would have thought THAT would extend to one dimensional people who don’t even have a heartbeat??? … wonders never cease!

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skin deep ….

13 Aug

Where can you go and spend $280 to strip down to your undies and gaze at the amazing uninterrupted views over Sydney Harbour… while being tortured?

It sounds a little kinky… (we all know nothing is ever quite as it appears)…but it was nothing more than my annual ‘burn off’ @ the Dermatologists office. The thought of paying all that money for the pain and then saying ‘thank-you’ always makes me smile…. But I guess (a bit like insurance) it’s a necessary evil, especially when you have been ‘blessed’ with red hair and freckles….and have already had one melanoma ‘near-miss’.

Having said that …it was not ALL bad.

I’ve made no secret of my people watching habits…, and a Dr’s surgery provides a perfect and discreet place to soak it all up. Especially one that offers cosmetic dermatology as well as ‘routine maintenance’.facelift1

There I was with one eye on the harbour views, and the other one of  my fellow ‘waitees’…when I spotted her. A woman with a face so taught and smooth that it looked like it would tear if she smiled; and lips so plumped and upturned that she could barely cover her teeth (I reckon they might even flap when she spoke).. Then there were the tattooed eyebrows and lip-line that completed the work of art.

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Strangely though this artificially youthful face, sat atop a clearly ‘70Something’ body…. I wonder how you decide what bits to work on and where to draw the line…. ??

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bumped off …

10 Aug

I recently had a bit to say about the seeming incongruence of bumper stickers and the people driving the cars that wore them… Since that small observation, I’ve been doing my own study taking more notice than ever, of what people are proud to ‘wear’.

From offensive to boring…  and all things in between, I’m amused by how people want to be seen…. BUT the most amusing was the BMW that I followed yesterday.

This late model & up-market vehicle, looked like it belonged in a ‘dodgem car rally’ with more bends and creases than a rally car… and it was sporting a loud and proud sticker  from Vancouver, Canada   that said … 

I Brake for animals

What the ???….Clearly he didn’t stop for anything else … I’m sure Mr BMW would be unimpressed… along with everyone else who’s  fallen victim to this guy’s driving technique.

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Q Station – North Head, Sydney

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…psst I’ve got gossip…

28 Jul

I have to say the strangest and most interesting things pop into your world when you least expect them.

Here I was looking for articles on  Marxism and the sociological perspectives of our current Health reform… when I fell into the vortex of the sociology of gossip instead.

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Who would have thought that celebrity gossip could ever be considered an academic pursuit? Elaine Lui …. that’s who! So make a cup of your favourite, and click the link above, settle back to be amused and astounded.

The next time someone tells you to stop gossiping …tell them it’s your academic duty. And to think it all began with the ancient Egyptians …with “Who Weekly” etched in stone ….

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what the ???

23 Jul

I love living in a place where it’s perfectly OK to display one’s cultural or religious perspective overtly and safely, as long as they offend no-one. It’s what makes our country interesting and colourful….But I am completely puzzled and amused when the behaviour doesn’t match the message. Let me explain….

This morning I gave way to a large 4WD that was merging in the traffic. As I sat behind it I couldn’t help but read the bumper  message …

‘Jesus is coming …are you ready? YOU MUST be born again’

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Now I am not a practising Christian, but what the hell… it’s a harmless message and I felt special that it was speaking directly to ME (even if a little fear inspiring). Anyway, smiling to myself I continued driving behind this oversized ‘truck’ and watched as it swerved from one side of the lane to the other…then slowed to a pace well below the speed limit …and then sped up again. An erratic style, to say the very least, (my guess is that there was a telephone involved…but I have no proof).

It made me wonder if he was looking for his chance to be ‘born again’…sooner rather than later …??

After 15 minutes behind this ‘crazy-man’, the road widened and cleared so I had the opportunity to overtake and get out of his way … before one of us met his maker under tragic circumstances.

As I overtook, I was astounded to see the middle aged god-fearing driver look at me and vigorously raise his middle finger by way of  a not-so-pleasant ‘morning greeting’ !!!!

mmm…. now that makes my wonder … should I have reported a stolen car?

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I like to watch …

25 May

There is no doubt that people watching is the cheapest and most entertaining way to spend your time.

If you add to this a perfect autumn day, a boat-ramp and a procession of men showing off the manhood through the size of their boats and their maritime skills …then it’s been a perfect day. boat ramp

Their need to abide by boat ramp etiquette… while being speedy and executing a ‘precision launch’ (because everyone is watching) is a recipe for disaster… Not to mention more than a few laughs (well polite sniggers) from the onlookers.

boat ramp 2From the shocking attempt to reverse in a straight line….and ending up the gutter…, to letting go of the rope and having the boat float ‘just out of reach’ … it’s a laugh a minute.

So if you are every feeling low and need that little something to give you a lift, take a chair, your sunblock  and  your dark sunglasses to hide behind… and head to the nearest boat ramp.

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same… same… but different

18 May

How weird is it when you look across the room and see someone you know.. but you DON’T actually know them ?? It happened in a restaurant tonight ….just as I got excited and leapt up to say hi to my ‘friend’ I realised that it was not really her !!!doppelgangers

Feeling like a silly git, I sat back down… but soon got to wondering …do we really all have a doppleganger somewhere in the world as legend suggests?? and if so, would their parents and kids all look similar to ours?? and would their personalities be the same too ???     (I wonder if mine has a voice disorder? LOL)

Apparently in the old days it was a sign of pending doom to see the double of a family member…(sometimes it’s a sign of doom to see an actual family member…) but even worse luck to come face to face with a carbon copy of yourself….that’s just FREAKY  ….!!

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trainspotting

6 May

Instead of heading to the office today – I set off on the train to the city for a series of meetings. Now, while I know that I would soon get sick of the long daily commute, for the odd change of pace it’s actually quite enjoyable….plenty of reading (or snoozing) time and fantastic for people watching.

On the way in to town, I was entertained by the 45minute telephone conversation of a very loud and self important business man.phone man

I learned all about his  project…who the partners were and which ones were responsible for the delays… their travel plans, AND their strategies to come in on budget…. the only problem was that he got off the train just as it got exciting and he started to discuss the swanky nightclub party to launch it …. Bugga, I would be there for sure… !! 

My return trip was much quieter, but full of visual treats as I peeked into thedog backyards of the suburban homes that line the train tracks. There is something very odd about peering into people’s yards (it’s kind of voyeuristic)…., and it makes me wonder who they are and what their story is.

I can tell you that there will be one very unhappy family who will return to find their bed-sheets torn from the clothesline by their small, furry and very bored puppy …hilarious to watch …. but somehow I don’t think they will be laughing. …I would love to be a fly on the wall for that homecoming….oops.

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is cleanliness really next to godliness?…

22 Mar

Today when we stopped for lunch on our way back from the north coast, I sat completely absorbed in my people ‘watch and wonder’ state, and I found it hard to take my eyes off a ‘30 Something’  guy sitting nearby. No, not in any inappropriate way… but for a while I couldn’t quite figure out what it was that was odd about him.

After a few minutes, it occurred to me… he was too CLEAN and too PERFECT.

He was casually dressed… but there was nothing  casual whatsoever about his appearance.ken and barbie His freshly cut, short back-n- sides hair, his face  so cleanly shaven that it was shiny, his plain white T shirt was like an ad for washing powder, and his blue demin jeans where the perfect grade of fade, AND had creases ironed into them for goodness sake (who does that these days?)…Then I got to his feet! He was wearing ‘dress thongs’, but his feet looked like he had just had a pedicure. In fact he almost reminded me of Barbie’s  ‘Ken’.

I know this all sounds rather weird; but he stood out because of his unnatural ‘perfection’… just not in a good way.  I couldn’t help but think he would be SO boring…he really looked like he needed to have  a few of his edges roughed up. You know,  some wrinkles in his clothes or tomato sauce stains on his OMO white shirt.

He left me wondering …how is it possible to be too clean ???

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are you sirious…

11 Mar

I was amused this evening to see ‘Mr 50 Something’ completely absorbed in conversation with Siri, his ‘other woman’. I would have thought that he had his fill of difficult conversation with me ….you know, hard to understand at times and off in her own world.

But it got me to wondering …HOW??? siri_pro

I mean,  I almost get the direct question and answer part . BUT don’t understand how it works when the Q&A becomes conversation….it all  starts to get a little bit spooky. Too many personal questions to her about her likes and dislikes, lead to a curt and monotone response that “this is all about you …not me” .

A wedding proposal was knocked out because she has had so many offers….and apparently she is full of great ideas if you are looking for a place to ‘hide’ a ‘body’ … giving the co-ordinates of rugged bushland, swamps and parkland … what the ????

Welcome to the 21st century….matchmaking made in heaven !!!

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