Week 3 Prompts

9. Writers have to listen to themselves; writers ought to always be talking to themselves. Try a conversation between you and yourself. Sometimes arguments are fun.

"This is quite the dilemma."
"No, actually, it is not. It is simple. Do it and get it over with, lazy."
"I'm not lazy, just reserving energy. Let's go about this logically. Pros and cons."
"Okay, pros. You will feel an incredible amount of relief. You will be able to sleep, at least for a few hours of the night. You mind and body will be comforted knowing that you have done it and will not have to do it again for a while."
"Alright. Valid points, but not good enough. Cons. My immediate comfort and security will be forever torn from me. I do believe that is the only argument I need. Although, there is also the fact that I could be interrupting my child's well being."
"I'm not even sure why I am trying to persuade you. It's going to happen eventually. Maybe when you are least expecting it. How do you plan on explaining that one to your husband?"
"Okay, you win. Did you have to bring out the big guns?"
"I'm glad you see it my way. Now, get up and go pee. Then you can go back to sleep."

10. Go to a crowded public place (not one of your classrooms, though) and be a fly on the wall. Just listen. Can you pick out conversations? Write down a little of what you hear, maybe as dialog (he said--, she said--)

I sit at the restaurant with my husband and children. I am surrounded by tables that look like they are on their lunch break, or are having meetings. Especially this one table nearby. Their two rough voices are using words like 'agenda, schedule and inventory'. It wasn't until I listened closer that I realized that they were not talking business, at least not in the traditional sense.
The deeper of the two voices, "Well we definitely need some sort of penis shape."
"Yes, of course. But how can we achieve that? A mold? Or just cut it out?"
He quickly replies, "We can hire someone to do that for us. What about other novelty items? Penis necklaces, ice cubes?"
"Oh, speaking of penis ice cubes. A friend of mine has a mold for a penis ice sculpture."
"This is going to be a good night." He says excitedly

12. Go to a crowded public place (not one of your classrooms, though) and be a fly on the wall. Just watch. What's going on? Set that scene.

I look around the restaurant. It is bustling. Unusual for a Wednesday afternoon. I wish restaurants were as busy when I was a waitress, but that's neither here nor there. Our waitress is short, wearing all black, which only makes her look shorter. Her hair is pulled back in a fury of curls and her face is as red as our menu. Her expression makes me want to tell her she can take a cigarette break, it wouldn't bother me to wait a few minutes. But she is good. Frazzled, yet on top of her game. The plates are like an extension of her hands as she weaves between chairs and tables. Gravity makes me believe one will fall, but it never does, it's like an optical illusion.
The tables she so eliquently manuevers around are filled with people in business attire. Each one with a more serious face than the last. I can just tell they are talking about their work day. If it were me, I would be enjoying my break rather than squandering it with talk of work.