Differences
This week has been a week to notice differences between Pennsylvania (our location for the summer) and the South (our home). Some of those differences are:
Seasons. It's just now mid-August and the sunlight is already reflecting a change in season. Trees are shedding yellow leaves (not from lack of water - we've had an abundance of rain) like fall has already arrived. It has really caught my system off-guard. Seems like it was just a few weeks ago that it started getting warm. Actually, it was just a few weeks ago. The temperatures didn't get hot until 4th of July. I thought winter would never end, then Spring didn't have time to develop properly before summer was upon us and now that's about over too. I'm very thankful we won't be here for the winter - I'm sure it lasts forever.
Words. Co-workers were discussing word usage this week. In the south, we say "We'll carry you to the doctor" or "Carry that wood over yonder." Up here, we get blank stares when we use words like carry, yonder, fixin' to do something.
One of the funny words we've heard used repeatedly up here is "putzes," as in "He just putzes around all the time." I understood it to mean he just lolls around or putters around. It does mean that. But I decided to look up the meaning in the dictionary and its slang term is not one we'll discuss. Suffice it to say, I'll not be using that word!
BBQ. Some of our co-workers are from the south too. We all tend to crave good barbecue. We've found one place that comes close to satisfying all of us just across the state line in Emmitsburg MD called Chubby's. But my brother owns a restaurant in Guntersville, AL called "Squig's." We've been discussing having them ship us some of his AWESOME brisket, pulled pork, ribs and pork chops (are you hungry yet?) so we can enjoy a feast.
We were discussing this with another co-worker, a local, who said she didn't like barbecue because it was too spicy for her. After questioning, we determined it was the sauce that was too spicy and that she had never had barbecue without it being smothered in sauce. This was another reason we really feel the need to get some Squig's food up here - we've got to educate these folks.
Traits. This bends the subject a bit, but it gets us back to the subject of writing. To give my characters more depth as I write, I've been studying characteristics of people I meet. Today, I met a character who made me nervous just because of his movements. His hands never stopped moving, and when he paid cash he moved the bill with a flourish. Another man had to have been a used car salesman. He was unaware of personal space and seemed to invade everyone's space as he came in contact with them. He was friendly and nice, but right in my face. The third character was the shy type. He spoke in a hush and when I couldn't hear him, instead of speaking louder, he leaned forward a tad and stuck out his chin. Didn't help me hear him, but I did get a good description for a future character.
Do you do this too? Do you study people? I've found the more immersed I become in my writing, the more notes I take, and the more ideas flow. I just have to be careful not to obsess.
Hope your weekend is tremendous!
Seasons. It's just now mid-August and the sunlight is already reflecting a change in season. Trees are shedding yellow leaves (not from lack of water - we've had an abundance of rain) like fall has already arrived. It has really caught my system off-guard. Seems like it was just a few weeks ago that it started getting warm. Actually, it was just a few weeks ago. The temperatures didn't get hot until 4th of July. I thought winter would never end, then Spring didn't have time to develop properly before summer was upon us and now that's about over too. I'm very thankful we won't be here for the winter - I'm sure it lasts forever.
Words. Co-workers were discussing word usage this week. In the south, we say "We'll carry you to the doctor" or "Carry that wood over yonder." Up here, we get blank stares when we use words like carry, yonder, fixin' to do something.
One of the funny words we've heard used repeatedly up here is "putzes," as in "He just putzes around all the time." I understood it to mean he just lolls around or putters around. It does mean that. But I decided to look up the meaning in the dictionary and its slang term is not one we'll discuss. Suffice it to say, I'll not be using that word!
BBQ. Some of our co-workers are from the south too. We all tend to crave good barbecue. We've found one place that comes close to satisfying all of us just across the state line in Emmitsburg MD called Chubby's. But my brother owns a restaurant in Guntersville, AL called "Squig's." We've been discussing having them ship us some of his AWESOME brisket, pulled pork, ribs and pork chops (are you hungry yet?) so we can enjoy a feast.
We were discussing this with another co-worker, a local, who said she didn't like barbecue because it was too spicy for her. After questioning, we determined it was the sauce that was too spicy and that she had never had barbecue without it being smothered in sauce. This was another reason we really feel the need to get some Squig's food up here - we've got to educate these folks.
Traits. This bends the subject a bit, but it gets us back to the subject of writing. To give my characters more depth as I write, I've been studying characteristics of people I meet. Today, I met a character who made me nervous just because of his movements. His hands never stopped moving, and when he paid cash he moved the bill with a flourish. Another man had to have been a used car salesman. He was unaware of personal space and seemed to invade everyone's space as he came in contact with them. He was friendly and nice, but right in my face. The third character was the shy type. He spoke in a hush and when I couldn't hear him, instead of speaking louder, he leaned forward a tad and stuck out his chin. Didn't help me hear him, but I did get a good description for a future character.
Do you do this too? Do you study people? I've found the more immersed I become in my writing, the more notes I take, and the more ideas flow. I just have to be careful not to obsess.
Hope your weekend is tremendous!
posted by Tracy Ruckman at
8:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home