Observations on February 1, 2018.

I started my observations at 9:15 am at the Trout Lake Community Centre's Carousel coffee bar located near the skating rink.  I was enjoying my warm cheese and chive scone spread with butter and a small latte in my shiny indigo blue thermal coffee mug.  The smell of the scone and coffee were tantalizing and when I tasted them I was not disappointed with either of them.

I made 5 different observations of strangers during my 15 minute time.

• Mother and child at the coffee stand--both with blond hair; mother in beige sweater and brown vest with a multi-coloured scarf wrapped around her neck and khaki cargo pants.  Child had earrings, diamond-like and a blueish kind of outfit. 
• Mother and child at the coffee stand--both with matching black touques--seemed to know the coffee guy because they carried on an animated conversation while he was getting her coffee, much laughter and many smiles on the woman's face. They went to a table nearby, the daughter about 2 climbed up on the chair by herself and sat facing the back and seeming to pretend it was some kind of transit vehicle while she made transit inspired sounds.  Mother was talking on her phone.  She seemed to pay little attention to her child while she talked, ate her snack and drank her coffee.  Her daughter ate her snack when she wanted to with no direction from her mother.
• A grey-haired woman seemed to be wandering without purpose back and forth along the hallway.  She had no expression on her face that I could see.  She was wearing jeans, a white and grey pullover sweater and white runners.  I saw her walk back and forth perhaps 6 times--maybe she was getting her morning exercise...it was raining heavily outside.
• A woman of Chinese ancestry who had black hair, wearing black pant,wearing a purple hoodie and carrying a purple sequined purse went into the washroom nearby.  When she came out I noticed her shoes.  They were yellow and blue runner--quite a contrast to her other apparel.
• A pile of kids--heard them before I saw them--coming to skate--perhaps twenty-five or so.  I couldn't count them.  They were moving around too much for that.  By the tone of their voices they were supremely excited about going skating.  By that time I had finished my latte and it was time to go to my writing class just down the hall..

Observations of my writing class colleagues.  

I was in the classroom prior to  the rest of the class entering so that I could focus my attention on a couple of my classmates as they came into class.

• Jackie is new to the group this session--today she is wearing a bright blue knitted sweater, a beautifully arranged blue and grey chiffony-type scarf around her neck and dark trousers.  She has blond curly hair, wears brown-rimmed glasses and she blinks a lot.  Her make-up is subtle but apparent.
• Ruth is her usual gorgeously attired person.  She was a fashion buyer for a large department store before her retirement but she is still a fashion plate.  This morning she is wearing a black long-sleeved turtleneck sweater, black trousers and a maroon knitted tunic with black, white and maroon shawl she is wearing draped over her shoulders.  She has shiny maroon waterproof boots to complete her wardrobe.  Her make-up is immaculately applied and her nails are the same colour as her tunic.
• The rest of the group come in and I make generalized observations about us all.  Only Ruth has coloured nails.  Many have no rings on their finger; some have a lot on nearly all their fingers.There are 4 with discernable make-up; the rest are bare-faced.  There are 16 of us; 15 women, 1 man.  We are all over 55--that is a requirement of the program and some of us have been in the group for many sessions.  We meet for 2 hours each Thursday and although we are all very different in appearance, age and interests, we all love to write.

Observations about myself

• I am a fairly observant person.  I am interested in what is going on around me be it people, new situations or my surroundings.
• Today I noticed more closely those people who I may see each week at Tout Lake Community Centre.
• I generally focus of people's faces--their smiles, frowns, eyes, and on their hands and nails and  their hair--shaggy, curly, straight, coloured, thinning or bald.  
• Today I  was more aware of what people were wearing because I couldn't be up close enough to see their faces too well.
• It was an interesting exercise...I felt a little like a spy!

focus my attention ona couple of my classmates.I