Curious Night by Sam Spratt
Perhaps you were wondering what I was up to last week; perhaps you don’t give a flying rat’s behind. I actually went off exploring the local treats my city has to offer, and now run back to you to convey them thorough “storytelling eyes.”
On Sunday, I walked the length of the beach, down the rocky shores of La Jolla, California, where on one end I stared up at the cliffs and wondered how amazing it would be to climb them, but would never dare to attempt it, and on the other I looked up at a palace mansion and imagined what it might be like to live there. I’m more than certain a daredevil character would be more fit to the former task, while I’d imagine a colder, more reserved character in the latter. A mix of both might be even better. Sunday night I went to see the Step Up Revolution movie and noted to myself that you can’t really make a great flash mob movie, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try.
Monday I attempted ice skating for the second time in my life, and the first time in five years. I concluded with the resolve to take lessons and experience a new trial a character might face in training, e.g. falling on their behind and laughing their ass off.
Tuesday was the Gavin Degraw/Colbie Caillat concert, in which from the second row I discovered Gavin was a rather eccentric character and reminded me of a cross between Jack Sparrow and Andy Kaufman.
Wednesday I attended an art festival at Lagoona Beach where I strolled the countless boutiques and observed the dozens of ice cream shops, one of which had ice cream shaped in forms I had never seen before and wondered if it would taste any different. Through my binoculars at the art show I witnessed statues and paintings come to life as humans were arranged in the setting of famous images portrayed on stage to the kind of narrator voice I imagine my characters hear, only male.
Thursday I boarded a night ship and witnessed a helicopter float above the water for a good twenty minutes in the darkness, wondering what treasure it was about to retrieve and still guessing.
And Friday I attended a comedy club that reminded me how engaging mind games can be and of the value of repetition and punch lines.
It was certainly quite a week, and now it’s back to blogging, tweeting, and scouting out more excellent stories!
-The Story Addict
Do you look for story elements when on vacation/traveling?
This week’s special indie feature is urban fantasy. Quite fitting, if I do say so myself:
All Memphis wanted was to quit smoking and win a fellowship to Columbia University in New York City. Instead she discovers that she’s a psychic witch. Now she is spending the holiday season attempting to solve a series of occult murders with a very mysterious and extremely handsome gypsy reporter.
Good that you took some time off! Looks like you had a fun week, but glad to see you back. A lot of great ideas come to you when you aren’t expecting them.
Thanks, Khaula!
Absolutely.
Sounds like a fun week.
When I was on holidays this year, I definitely paid more attention to my surroundings and took lots of pics in case I needed to use the places I visited in future works.
Great idea! I’m not a camera person, but sometimes you really do want to capture something extraordinary so you can explain it in detail later.
What a great week! I love that you shared your everyday experiences through a storyteller’s eyes. I just finished a book about doing this very thing. I also love Colbie Caillat! How fun that you were able to see her in concert. I’m not sure I look for story elements when traveling. I’m usually trying to absorb the whole experience. It’s afterwards that I start picking out pieces and analyzing them. Thanks for sharing Margaret!
Thanks, Nicole! That’s awesome, glad there are like-minded writers out there
Yeah, she was great. Her songs are very catchy and she seemed like a sweetheart. I also loved that they shared their experience in getting noticed. It reminded me of publishing, haha. Very right, I do the same! I’m too zoned out during, but I like to look back after.
Sounds like a fun week! I always approach vacation with a mind to vegging out–shutting down all of my writerly impulses. But I always end up inspired by something. Often it’s the unusual surroundings, but sometimes it’s as mundane as reading a new author. We all definitely need to take the time to recharge the ole’ batteries, though.
Good job getting the most out of it, and thanks for sharing. Happy Birthday, Margaret!
Thank you, Vaughn! Very true, I try not to think about it, but I always look back and try to reanalyze things before I forget. I always find small treasures of inspiration. And, hey, there’s nothing mundane about reading
Thank you again for the birthday wishes, I can’t appreciate them enough 